Adebisi Well, most of us are!

Teju I didn’t think it would be like this. I was preparing myself for . . . I braved myself for hell.

Yetunde What happened to you, Teju?

Babatunde Ah! You don’t need to tell us. I’m sure it’s a painful memory to recall.

Yetunde Can you show us?

Babatunde Let’s just get you back to Orun. Safe and sound.

The sound of static.

Babatunde No!

Yetunde Thank you.

Adebisi Not this again. Ah-ah! I don tire.

Yetunde Too bad.

Adebisi But –

Yetunde You better shut up your mouth!

Scene Eleven

The sound of static. Back to Lagos, Nigeria, some weeks before.

Segun Can I talk now?

Teju Yes.

Pause.

Segun You got out of jail.

Teju Yes.

Segun So that’s it.

Teju No Segun. They’re asking for money.

Segun Who are?

Teju The police. They said if I give them the money, they will drop the charges and they won’t take it to trial.

Segun (beat) How much are they asking for?

Teju Five million.

Segun Five million Naira?!

Teju Yes, Segun –

Segun That’s big money, Teju.

Teju I know.

Segun And this is why you called?

Teju I didn’t know what else to do.

Segun You’d be better off finding that money and using it on a lawyer, my brother.

Teju I can’t –

Segun You would be fine in trial. Being there isn’t illegal. It’s just . . . it’s just if you were having . . . doing –

Teju If I was engaged in homosexual acts.

Segun Yes. So they can’t prove anything. You can’t be convicted for dancing! If that’s true? If that’s all you were doing?

Teju It’s not about being convicted, Segun. This is Nigeria. If I’m up for trial, I’m guilty. It becomes public. I could lose my job. I may already have lost Wunmi. I can’t go to trial, Segun. It would ruin me.

Segun Five million Naira?

Teju Yes.

Segun That’s over ten thousand pounds, Teju.

Teju I’m not asking you to give me the money.

Segun (beat) Then what exactly am I doing here, Teju? Why have you dragged me halfway across the world?

Teju I want to escape.

Segun Eh?

Teju I need your help. I want to come to London.

Segun (pause) Oh.

Teju I’m not afraid of going to jail, Segun. Before any of that comes the beatings. I have seen it before. The face of a man, published in the newspapers. Branded a homosexual. Not two days later you hear that they’ve been beaten. Within an inch of their life. Sometimes to death. I’m not safe here, Segun. Prison would be horrible but this thing, it could kill me.

Segun Teju –

Teju Let me come to London. I’ve been reading about seeking asylum. If I can just tell them what’s been happening, if I can prove that I’m in danger –

Segun I don’t know.