EPISODE 32 – Lagos Still Hard
Freedom is not something anyone hands to you. It is something you build, slowly, brick by brick.
That morning, I woke up with a quiet sense of relief, but Lagos reminded me almost immediately that freedom comes with a price. Lagos no dey free.
Rent was still waiting. Food was barely enough. Transport money disappeared faster than I could count it. Even the small victories — like stepping outside without fear or sleeping through the night — came with new responsibilities. I was beginning to understand that independence in this city is a heavy load, especially for a girl who had lived too long inside fear.
As I washed a few plates by the corner of my room, memories returned without permission. The nights I lay awake, trembling. The way his voice always sounded calm, reassuring. The promises of care and protection. I didn’t give in because I wanted to — I gave in because hunger and fear were louder than my pride. Trauma does not leave when the danger disappears; it follows you like a stubborn shadow.
I stepped outside and watched the street come alive. Lagos was beautiful and brutal at the same time. Hawkers shouted their prices, keke riders cut through traffic like fighters, men and women carried life on their backs as if it weighed nothing. I asked myself quietly: How will I survive here on my own? How do I stay strong without living in fear of another cage?
Later that afternoon, the church woman called me. Her voice was gentle.
“Nkiru,” she said, “take it small-small. No rush yourself. Lagos will test you, but if you stay careful, you can build your own corner.”
I began to make small plans. Catering. Cleaning work. Errands. Any honest job that could give me stability, even if it was little. I told myself Lagos would not collect me again if I stayed alert, if I stayed wise. Still, the fear lingered. Emotional chains are heavier than iron ones, and mine had not fully loosened yet.
That night, I sat on my bed with a pen in my hand. Outside my window, Lagos made its usual noise — horns blaring, voices rising, children laughing. My hands shook slightly as I wrote. I wrote my rules. I wrote my plans. I wrote my story.
Independence was fragile, yes. But I could feel it forming, slowly, like a house being built brick by brick.
Episode 33 Coming Soon
Nkiru takes her first paid job — small, honest, and exhausting. Confidence begins to grow, but Lagos has not finished testing her. New faces appear, old fears stir.
Will independence strengthen her… or pull her back into dependency?
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