Introduction. 

Uche! Yes mummy, he replied. He was still peeping through the window of his house due to the fear of the unknown. Uche why on Earth have you decided to make yourself the topic of discussion in town? Ma? He asked with the question filled look on his face.

Mama Uche as she was popularly known among the market sellers, has just been summoned by the Principal of Eleweran Comprehensive High School. On her way to the School, she didn't stop lamenting on how she has ceaselessly visited one school or the other as a result of her son's incessant crimes.

*Knocks. 

Principal: you may come in. 

Uche's Mother: good morning Sir, I am sorry I didn't make it earlier. The rain really took a toll on us.

Principal: I can understand.

After the exchange of pleasantries, the principal went ahead in making his point clear to Uche's mother. Madam, I want you to understand why they can no longer harbor his (kind) in the school. It's been a very tough decision to make, but I tell you, we really did our best. 

Principal: your son is the type of child other parents won't allow their kids make friends with. 

*Sobs** 

Principal: I am sorry madam, but we have heard your pleas in the past and we definitely have to put our school into cognizance.

She left the office that afternoon sobbing in the heavy rain. 

*** 

 Chapter One

Great Saje guys, Great! We have a new mission on ground, the mission is to attack the household of the Principal who expelled Uche from school last week. Capon! They all chorused. Give us the go ahead and we would do your bidding. Their leader, smiled at them, while filing up the riffle in his hand with more bullets. They seemed excited. Its been a while they had a task. If it wasn't all about causing commotion and destroying properties, they felt extremely bored. The sole announcement of going to destroy stuff, had made their adrenaline level to surge.

The news of Uche's expulsion had spread like wild fire in the space of twenty minutes. In the hearts of some students, was peace, while some were terrorized by the impending revenge. The suspect would come their way soonest. This they knew more than the hairs on their head. What do we do? All we have to do is hope. We will only hope for the best, while expecting the worst.

Uche"s mother was the most popular woman around the Adigbe Lafarge junction. She sold her corn in and out of season. While some bought in bags from the producers, she decided to sell both the cooked and the uncooked. This is because she got it cheaper, as she bought it directly from the farm. If you ask me to define what hardworking mothers meant, Uche"s mother was the only thought that came to mind. She sold both roasted and boiled corn at the junction. It wasn't all that rosy, but she did all she needed to, to carter for her family.

Today, isn't going to be a good day for the hard worker woman. She would surely sell her corn, but life always had a twist in it for her. 

Come and buy your sweet corn here, your sweet corn here! While the innocent woman didn't forget the turbulence that had characterized her day, she didn't stop selling her corn even after the news of her son's expulsion sounded as though her world had crumbled. I have other children to carter to; I am also just a poor widow she muttered. She got up from the seat after a hectic day, summoned courage and left from where she sold corn to her abode.

The weather wasn't looking friendly any longer. It looked like it was going to rain. But for the open space market sellers wished it was an illusion. It was better to lie to themselves than believe it was about to rain. One could understand their disillusionment as they had bought items worth thousands of naira, and hadn't sold anything yet. 

The rains that period had put so many families in Saje, in harm's way. Uche's house for instance had no windows. Their building was just made up of mud blocks and worn out zinc. The cement bags used for the building was what they refurbished and used for their windows. Their mother painstakingly built the house from her corn selling business. 

This she was able to achieve by making sure she did the popular (ajo) known as "Esusu". Esusu was a traditional way of saving. The women come together to agree on a common amount to save. They also decide who packs up the collective savings. This could be done weekly, monthly or quarterly.