Òmòķağbòr

The landlord raised the rent from ₦180,000 to ₦270,000 and gave them thirty days. He said the cost of everything had gone up. He did not mention that three other tenants in the same building had already left because they could not pay the new figure. She and her husband counted their savings. They had enough for two months at the old rate. They did not have enough for one month at the new rate. They asked for more time. The landlord said the thirty days was already the extra time. They began to look for another place. Most of the rooms they could afford were farther from the children’s school. The ones that were close enough were already taken. With ten days left they packed what they could not bear to leave behind and sold the rest. The landlord came on the final morning with two men and a new padlock. He watched while they carried the last bags out. He did not offer to help. He locked the door as soon as the room was empty. They moved into a smaller room behind a church. The roof leaked in one corner. The children slept on a mattress on the floor. She still walked them to the old school every morning because the transfer had not yet been approved. The walk took forty-five minutes. She did not complain in front of them. Her husband left earlier than before and came back later. He said he was looking for extra work. She believed him.