NKWA OBI by Anselm Eme
He signs the treaty at dawn, ink steady, face calm.
By noon, the bridge will fall and the convoy with it.
Everyone trusts him; that is the weapon.
He tells himself the lie again:
“One city spared is worth a hundred buried”.
The radio crackles.
A child’s voice asks if the road is safe.
His pen hesitates.
Memory claws back, his oath, his brother, the night he learned loyalty can kill.
He signs anyway.
When the blast blooms, he understands the true betrayer was the man he refused to be.
And silence crowns him with victory that tastes like ash.
Anselm Eme is a Nigerian writer, poet, banker, and independent financial consultant. He is the author of Eleven books, including WHISKERS, OUR KIDS AND US, AWAKE AFRICA!, SAGES IN PURSUIT, and SHRIEKS AND GIGGLES. Blending finance with creative storytelling, Anselm writes with heart, clarity, and purpose. His work explores identity, culture, social justice, and human resilience. Rooted in African experience but reaching global souls, Anselm’s words invite readers into honest reflection and lasting inspiration.
Photo by Syed Qaarif Andrabi at Pexels
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