Somewhere in Anambra state, Umueze Market Square—Nkwo Market day. The market was crowded as usual, but this time noisier than ever.
"Suzana! Suzana!" A woman shouted from in front of a small shop.
"Ma!" Suzana yelled back from a distance. "Nwanyi Oma! I'm coming eh! Let me just… drop this load first!" She struggled to pull a big sack of onions down from a truck.
"Suzana! Come fast nah! My customers are waiting!" the woman shouted again, growing impatient.
"Nwanyi Oma, abeg just give me one minute! I'll be there now-now!" Suzana pleaded, still fighting with the sack.
Just then, she noticed a young boy sitting nearby, happily eating roasted corn in front of the shop where she was supposed to supply the goods.
"Ebere!" she called.
"Eh, Aunty Suza," he replied, standing up quickly.
"Abeg, come and join me. Let's take this bag down," she said. Without hesitation, the boy shoved his corn into his pocket and rushed to help her. Together they carried down the heavy sack.
"You saw me struggling here and you just sat there eating corn?" Suzana scolded, picking up another smaller sack while Ebere chuckled shyly.
"Anyway, your mother said you should keep this small one." She pointed at a sack. "Put it in the storage. Don't sell it—someone already bought it."
"Okay," the boy replied simply, lifting the sack and carrying it inside.
"Eh-hem, my money," Suzana started. "It's one-five."
"One-five?" the boy raised an eyebrow. "But my mother said it's 1k…"
"1k gini?!" Suzana interrupted. "Me and your mother have already agreed—it's one thousand five hundred."
"But—"
"Ebere, abeg, go inside and bring me my one-five. I no fit shout this hot afternoon. My customers dey wait!"
The boy hesitated. "Em, Aunty… you know what? Just go and attend to your customers first. Before you finish, my mother will be back. Then you people can bargain."
Suzana leaned closer as if she didn't hear him well. "Bargain wetin? E don reach money matter now, you con dey speak English for me abi?"
He laughed. "Aunty, it never reach like that nah. Just go come back."
She thought for a moment. "Ok, just give me 1k for now. I'll come back for my balance later." She held her ear dramatically. "But I will come back ooo!" she said louder, making sure it sank into his ears.
"No problem," the boy smiled and walked inside to bring the money.
"Do fast, my customers dey wait," Suzana urged. When he came back with the note, she eyed it suspiciously.
"Hope say the money no tear," she muttered, flipping it front and back. "Just one thousand Naira note, you no even get change," she complained, making the boy chuckle again.
"Aunty, you and money eh?" he teased, walking back to the shop. Suzana grabbed the handle of her truck and rolled off.
She went straight to the woman who had been calling her nonstop.
Once Suzana arrived, the woman frowned, but before she could speak Suzana quickly explained, "No vex, Aunty. Nah work hold me."
"Madam, where is the person nah? I'm running late for a meeting," said a young man who had been standing in front of the shop.
"Oga, sorry ooo," the woman apologized. "See the person here." She gestured at Suzana.
The man turned and gave Suzana a doubtful look. "Her? What makes you think she can carry this load?"
"Oga, I can carry it ooo," Suzana replied confidently. "The load too small sef. Just place your order—it's done."
"Just like that? Have you even seen the load we're talking about?" he asked skeptically.
"Is it not these ones here?" She pointed at three big bags of rice and two sacks of garri.
"Yes, these," he confirmed. "And you think you can carry them?"
"Ah-ahn, Oga, this one small for me. Just give me 5 minutes and your order is already at your destination."
But the man still looked unconvinced, as though even he would struggle with them, let alone a young woman. Suzana noticed his doubt and asked,
"Oga, it seems you're not from around here?"
"Yes, I'm not," he replied.
"No wonder!" she exclaimed. "That's why you don't know me. I, Suzana Urludinakka Ezinne," she called her full name with pride, "the only one that transports load from Nigeria to America without stopping!"
The man blinked in surprise. Suzana continued, chest out.
"Just go around and ask for the one they call M.M.M. Do you know what that means? Money. Money. Money. That's me." She thumped her chest proudly. "As long as your money is complete, don't worry about your load—it's already in Jamaica."
The man burst into laughter. "Ha ha ha! Alright then, if you insist."
That day, Suzana went on to supply loads to many shops.
"Suzana!"
"Suzana!"
"Suzana!"
Her name echoed everywhere as customers called her from different corners of the market.
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Suzana was a 24-year-old young woman whose first priority was always money. She worked tirelessly, doing all kinds of jobs just to provide for her family. As the first child of a struggling household, she had taken responsibility for their financial needs upon herself.
Suzana was beautiful despite her hardships. Slender and of average height, her flawless, light-milky skin glowed against the harshness of her daily grind. Her long lashes framed her light brown eyes, and her thick, tangled braids fell across her shoulders. She carried a delicate beauty that seemed almost at odds with her hard-working nature—beauty that made people double glance, wondering why such a fine girl wasn't married, but instead toiling like a man.
Her family consisted of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Urludinakka, her younger sister Nmesoma, still in high school, and her little brother Obinna, still in primary school.
With poverty pressing heavily on them, her parents could hardly afford education for their three children. Suzana, wise beyond her years, had noticed their struggle even when they tried to hide it. That was why she dropped out of school early, choosing instead to work and make sure her younger siblings continued their studies.
_ _ _
Glossery (Chapter 1)
Nkwo Market Day – In Igbo culture, there are four traditional market days (Eke, Orie, Afor, Nkwo). On Nkwo day, the market is especially busy.
Ma! – Short for Madam or Mama, used to respectfully call an older woman.
Nwanyi Oma – Igbo phrase meaning Good woman or Beautiful woman. Often used affectionately.
Now-now – Nigerian slang for immediately / right away.
Abeg – Pidgin English meaning please.
Eh-hem – Nigerian sound used to clear the throat before speaking, often to get attention.
One-five (1.5k) – Short way of saying ₦1,500 (One thousand five hundred Naira).
1k gini?! – Igbo + Pidgin mix, meaning What do you mean 1,000?!
No vex – Pidgin for Don't be angry.
Oga – Nigerian word for Boss or a man in charge. Can also mean sir.
Ah-ahn – Nigerian exclamation showing surprise or disbelief.
Abi? – Pidgin for Right? / Isn't it?
E don reach money matter – Pidgin for So it has come to money issues now.
Do fast – Pidgin way of saying Hurry up.