(...) When they promoted him to Inspector, my master and myself went to gratulate him. But lo and behold, when we reach there now, Inspector Okokwo was crying. He was crying with water from his eye. No joke oh. I have not seen such kain thing before. How can person who get promotion begin to cry? Instead of to be happy. When my master ask Okonkwo why 'e dey cry, Okonkwo said:
"Smog," - that is how he used to call my master, - "Smog, how I no go cry? Look my house. Fridge, radiogram, carpet, four wives; better house for my village. You tink say na my salary I use for alle dese things? If I no stand for road dere to be traffic you tink say I for fit? Ah, dis promotion, na demotion. Make dem take de Inspector, give me my sarzent" (Saro-Wiwa: Sozaboy, Longman, 1994, 2)
Well, all these things were confusing me. When people say that better government have come and there will be no more bribe. I begin to wonder whether Inspector Okonkwo will not be there again. But my master told me that Okonkwo is bigger bigger man in new government than before sef. And still they talk that there will be no more bribe again. Well, we go sit down look.
Anyway, to talk true, there was no bribe for some time. But after some time they begin again. The traffic begin small small bribe. Then they increased it by small. Until they begin to take bigger bigger bribe than before. Then the people begin to say that now wey soza and police be government, nobody can be able to arrest traffic when they chop bribe. Because government cannont arrest government. So therefore, everything will be okay for the big big people who are chopping the bribe. (2-3)
Glossary:
(kain: kind; 'e: he; dey cry: is crying; tink: think; na: it's; dese: these; fit: can, to be able; dis: this, dem: them; sarzent: sergeant.
sef: even; wey: who; soza: soldier; chop: eat, accept)
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