Madam of Many Mouths

Chapter 1: The Famous Canteen for Ajegunle

Inside one of the koro for Ajegunle, e get one street wey dem dey call Genesis Street. No be the kind street wey you go just waka pass if your eye no clear. For day, na normal hustle and bustle — children dey play ball, area boys dey shout, women dey gossip, and bike men dey fight for space. But for night? Genesis Street dey transform like say na different world.

For center of this area dey one canteen — e no big, but e sharp. So many people dey come this canteen come chop, people wey get mouth, Seniormen, Professionals and kind of people wey get weight dey come because the food no cheap at all. People dey call am Cassidy's Pot. No be because of the pot wey dem dey use cook, but because of the woman wey dey behind the cooking — Madam Cassidy.

Cassidy na woman wey get presence. Light skin, full figure, and she get smile wey dey make people feel welcome. The way she dey prepare food na skill wey everybody respect. She sabi cook die — her ofe akwu fit make person remember home, her soups na wetin your mama go proud of, men dey even wash plates by themselves after chop. She get staffs but na only she dey cook everything na only she sabi the kind ingredients wey she dey use.

But na the crowd wey dey come chop for her place dey raise eyebrow. From men wey dey drive Benz, to top agbero ogas, to businessmen with money, even to married women wey wan know wetin dey cause commotion — everybody dey show face.

Cassidy get one pikin — Junior, 19 years old boy wey just finish WAEC, strong and hardworking. E dey help for the canteen sometimes, especially weekends. But many people dey notice say Cassidy get influence wey pass just good food.

The power of Cassidy cooking no be today e start. People dey line up from morning, some wealthy men even dey send driver come reserve table and special order. One time, Commissioner of Police himself come with escort, block road just to chop Cassidy stew. After him chop finish, the man eyes water. Him say, "Madam, this food sweet pass my mama own," and na serious compliment be that.

Some customers like Alhaji Mohammed, wey be politician, go come three times for one week. Him driver confess say, "My oga don forget meeting because of this food. E go say, 'Tell them wait small, I dey important meeting,' but na just because him wan finish him second plate of Cassidy egusi soup."

Chapter 2: The Journey to Secret Recipe

Before Cassidy become famous for her cooking, she be ordinary woman wey dey struggle with life. Fifteen years ago, when she just be 25 years, she lose her husband for accident. With small pikin for hand and no support, life no easy at all.

But Cassidy get dream. One night, after she don cry tire, she see vision of her grandmother, wey be famous cook for their village before she die.

"Cassava no dey grow without first die for ground," the vision tell am. "You go travel, you go learn, you go cook food wey go change your life."

The next morning, Cassidy pack her small bag, drop Junior with her sister, and begin journey. She travel go Delta State, go meet one old woman wey dey famous for her palm nut soup. The woman name na Mama Ejiro, 82 years old with back wey bend like question mark, but her hands still strong for grinding pepper.

"You want learn?" Mama Ejiro ask am. "The secret no dey recipe. The secret na patience and respect for ingredients."

For three months, Cassidy stay with Mama Ejiro. Every morning, them go wake up 4am go local market, select the freshest palm nuts, the best stockfish, the most orange-red palm oil. Mama Ejiro show her how to roast each seed, how to know when meat don ready by the smell, and how to respect fire.

"Fire no be your enemy," Mama Ejiro teach am. "Na your partner. Talk to am, understand am."

From Delta, Cassidy travel go Calabar. For there, she learn under Chief Mrs. Effiong, the queen of edikang ikong soup. Chief Mrs. no smile at all – her face serious like mathematics textbook. She watch Cassidy every move like eagle.

"You dey add too much water! You dey rush! Food no be race!" she go shout. But when Cassidy finally prepare the soup correctly, the old woman smile small for the first time. "You get the hand," she tell Cassidy. "But you never ready."

The most important journey na when Cassidy travel go one small village for Osun State. She hear rumor say one woman dey there, 90 years old, wey never share her recipes with anybody – not even her daughters. They call the woman Iya Alata – the pepper woman.

When Cassidy reach the village, people laugh. "Iya Alata no dey see visitors," they tell am. "She reject even governor wife wey come last year."

But Cassidy no give up. Every day for one week, she go sit for Iya Alata compound entrance from morning till evening. She no talk, she no beg, she just sit.

On the seventh day, Iya Alata send small girl come call her inside. The old woman room dark, full with dry herbs hanging from ceiling, and strange pots everywhere.

"Why you dey disturb my peace?" Iya Alata ask.

"I need to learn so my son go survive," Cassidy answer.

Iya Alata look her eyes deep. Then she laugh. "Nobody ever tell me the truth before. Everybody just say they love cooking. You dey cook for survival. That na proper reason."

For six weeks, Iya Alata teach Cassidy secret ways to mix herbs, how to prepare special pepper mix wey go make food taste like heaven but no go burn mouth, and most importantly, the secret prayers and meditation wey she dey do before she cook.

"Food na spiritual thing," Iya Alata tell am. "When person dey hungry, them spirit dey weak. The food wey you give them no just enter their belle, e enter their soul. Cook with intention."

Before Cassidy leave, Iya Alata give her small wooden box. "This na my personal spice mix. No open am until you ready to start your own place. And remember, power dey for food – use am well."

When Cassidy return to Lagos, she look different. Her eyes get wisdom, her hands get confidence. She start small bukateria first, just table and bench for front of her sister house. But the food different immediately. People begin notice.

Chapter 3: Business Connections and Special Treatment

As Cassidy business grow, she move to better location for Genesis Street. Na there she build her famous canteen wey become talk of town. People begin dey travel from Festac, from Ikeja, even from Victoria Island just to taste her food.

One of the regulars na Oga Victor, real estate Don wey dey run Lekki like say na him papa build am. Tall, dark, always on phone dey shout things like "move that fund to the company account" or "tell Demola make e clear the land." Him get wife — light-skinned woman with UK accent and two children. But every Tuesday and Friday, Oga Victor dey show for Cassidy Pot regular.

"Madam, your cooking dey improve everyday o," he go talk as he dey enjoy him meal.

Cassidy go laugh, her voice go sweet like chilled palmwine. "Na so God dey bless my hand, Oga Victor. You wan try my snail special today?"

Victor love the food so much say he tell his friends say, "Cassidy food dey move person to level of peace wey business success no fit give."

One evening, Victor confess to his friend Pato, "Nobody for my house fit cook this kind food. I don try everything – I pay dem more salary, I buy fancy cooking things, I even send cook go training for Dubai! Na wasting money. Nothing fit compare with Cassidy egusi mixed with special oha leaf."

People begin notice how Victor business dey boom since he start chop for Cassidy place. Him brain sharp, deals dey work out, and him health better pass before. Other men begin wonder if na Cassidy food get magic.

Oga Victor begin dey support Cassidy business. One night, after closing, Cassidy invite am come her office room behind shop. She show am business plan,  before morning, Victor don promise to help her expand her canteen.

Next week, Victor tell her say, "Your business don enter my heart like investment wey make sense pass others."

No be only Victor.

Chief Wale, wey dey run car dealership with showroom for Lekki, na another big customer. The first time wey Chief Wale chop Cassidy fish pepper soup, the man freeze like statue, then begin chop like person wey never see food for ten days. Even when telephone ring, he no gree answer am. After that day, he come become steady customer.

Him driver, Saka, tell people, "My oga don change since he begin chop for that place. Before, if deal fail, he go vex like devil, break things, threaten to sack everybody. But now, even when bad thing happen, he just say make we go Cassidy place first, make we think well with better food for belle."

Cassidy convince Wale say make him support her business small. After some meetings about "partnership," she collect one small car from am say na for delivery service. She even collect some money wey him bin plan use buy new stock. Wale enter financial wahala small and e comot town go cool head. Na him sister wey dey America come bail am.

Cassidy sabi business tactics. She dey make men feel important sotey dem go want support her ventures. But she no manipulate them directly – na the food dey do the work. People wey chop her food dey feel special connection, like say them don belong to secret society.

Wale later tell him friend say, "That woman business sense strong pass normal. But the thing be say, she no need even talk much. Na her cooking dey talk for her."

Pastor Emmanuel from Winners Chapel even become regular customer. Every Sunday after service, him convoy go park for Cassidy place. Church members surprise say their pastor dey chop for local place, but after dem taste the food, dem understand. The pastor like Cassidy jollof rice with special native spice and smoky flavor wey nobody for area fit copy.

"The food good because na woman wey get good spirit cook am," Pastor go preach sometimes. "When you do anything with pure intention, e go show for the result."

Chapter 4: Sweet Promises and Mystery Ingredients

Talk begin fly all over Lagos. Say Okwudiri, heavy machine parts dealer wey dey move around Abuja and Port Harcourt, dey support Cassidy business steady. Dem say anytime he land Lagos, na her restaurant him dey first visit — before him even go hotel.

First time wey Okwudiri enter Cassidy place, na mistake. Him driver miss road for traffic and dem branch Genesis Street make dem ask direction. The smell from Cassidy kitchen enter their car like invisible hand wey dey pull them. Okwudiri, wey no dey usually eat for roadside joint, surprise himself when he say, "Park here, make we chop something before we continue."

That first plate of Cassidy banga soup with fresh fish change everything. Okwudiri eyes light up like Christmas decoration. He begin ask questions:

"Wetin you put for this soup wey e sweet like this?" "Where you learn this kind cooking?" "Why I never hear about this place before?"

From that day, Okwudiri become Cassidy number one advertiser. He begin carry all him business partners come chop there. People wey follow am chop for Cassidy place go call am after say, "Okwudiri, that your woman food sweet die! You sure say na just cooking she sabi?"

Cassidy use style make Okwudiri invest plenty. "Your business dey grow, my business suppose grow too," she tell am. Okwudiri no fit argue – every time him chop for Cassidy place before business meeting, the deals always work out.

She begin collect small small "support" for the canteen upgrade — freezer, POS machine, even one Tokunbo Corolla. But later she begin ask for bigger things — 2 million for "imported cooking equipment", 3 million for "restaurant renovation". Before Okwudiri realize, him company account don drop serious.

Every time Okwudiri wan complain, Cassidy go prepare special dish wey she no dey cook for ordinary customers – goat meat pepper soup wey get special spice wey Iya Alata teach her. When Okwudiri chop am finish, him mind go clear, and all the complain go disappear like morning fog.

But as Okwudiri business begin suffer, him brother begin suspect something. The brother come from America with MBA degree and business sense. Him follow Okwudiri go Cassidy place one evening, but him no gree chop the food.

After dem leave, him tell Okwudiri: "Beans wey we no plant, we no go harvest. You don invest too much for woman wey dey use food control you."

Okwudiri vex for him brother but him words enter him ear like water dey drop inside well – small small. He try cut business ties with Cassidy — but that same week him dream say snake dey chase am for market. He run go church. Pastor tell am say, "You don put your destiny inside strange business." Na prayer and fasting save am.

Meanwhile, Cassidy still dey shine for street with her expanding business. But people begin wonder about the secret ingredient wey dey make her food so special.

One day, Mama Blessing, the woman wey dey sell tomatoes for market, see Cassidy dey buy strange herbs for early morning, before market proper open.

"Wetin you dey do with all these spiritual leaves?" Mama Blessing ask.

Cassidy smile. "Na special tea I dey make."

But Mama Blessing shake head. "I know these leaves. My grandmother wey be herbalist for village dey use am make person dey always think about the person wey give am food."

Word begin spread small small say maybe Cassidy dey use more than just cooking skill make her food special. But nobody fit resist – the taste too sweet, the feeling after you chop am too peaceful.

Chapter 5: Street Tension — Confrontations and Pride

As Cassidy business grow, so too wahala increase. Some people begin dey jealous, others begin dey suspicious.

Oga Victor wife get wind of the business relationship. One afternoon, she land canteen like thunder. She wear designer dress, gold jewelry for neck and wrist, her face paint like masquerade with expensive makeup. She park her Range Rover for front, blocking other customers.

"You this woman! You wan scatter my husband business?" she shout.

All the customers stop chop, turn face door like say film don start.

Cassidy wipe her hand with towel, walk calmly from kitchen. "Good afternoon, madam. Wetin be the problem?"

"Don't 'madam' me! My husband don dey spend all him time and money for here. Wetin you dey give am?"

Plenty customers begin whisper. Some dey smile, some dey record with phone.

Cassidy face her. "Madam, abeg shift. I dey serve customer. If you get issue with your husband, go sort am for house. No bring family matter come my business place."

Victor wife no gree. She push Cassidy. Next thing — kpai! — Cassidy push her back.

Wahala bust. Women hold Victor wife. But Cassidy no stop. She scatter the woman handbag, pour water for ground. "You no fit come my business come fight me! You think say na your husband money build this place? I don dey cook before I even meet your husband!"

The matter reach police station, but Victor settle am. Since then, the wife no show face again. But she begin cook different food for house, even hire chef from hotel come teach her, all to try win her husband stomach back.

Later same month, Ego Baby, local businesswoman wey get restaurant for Ikeja, come all the way from her area because she dey vex say Cassidy dey collect all her customers. She enter Genesis Street dey ask people, "Where that Cassidy woman dey?"

When she reach Cassidy Pot, the place full as usual. Important people dey chop, some dey wait for table.

Ego Baby no waste time. "So na you be the witch wey dey use juju food collect all Lagos men?"

Room quiet immediately.

Cassidy, wey dey serve Chief Doctor Okonkwo (the famous surgeon) special fish dish, stop. "Who be this one?"

"My name na Ego Baby. I get Ego's Place for Ikeja. Since you open this your shrine wey una dey call restaurant, all my customers don disappear. I come see the magic wey you dey do."

Some customers begin dey uncomfortable. Government official wey dey chop there stand up, pay quickly, waka comot.

Cassidy put down the food wey she dey serve. "Madam, I no know you and I no know your business. But no come my place dey cause trouble. My customers dey chop here because my food sweet, no be because of any nonsense wey you dey talk."

Ego Baby laugh. "Sweet food? Na special leaf and roots wey you dey add! Everybody don dey talk am for town."

Words turn serious argument. Cassidy rush her with serving spoon, but Ego Baby dodge and scatter some plates for ground.

Food and soup pour outside. Street people gather dey watch. Small boys from area begin shout, "Fight! Fight!"

Junior, Cassidy son, rush out from kitchen, separate them. "Mama, no fall for this trap. People just dey jealous your success."

Ego Baby point finger for Cassidy face. "I go report you to proper authorities. Make them come test your food see wetin you dey add inside!"

That day Cassidy business close early with shame small. But by next day, news don spread everywhere, and more people come, curious to taste the food wey cause so much commotion.

Chapter 6: Family Matters — Respect and Destiny

Even with all the drama wey dey happen for Cassidy business, no be outsiders cause the biggest challenge – na family matter.

Taye, NYSC corper wey just finish university with degree for Business Administration, begin notice Cassidy canteen as part of him research about successful small businesses. Him come visit the place many days, dey observe how she run things. After some time, him approach Cassidy, tell her say him wan learn from her.

"Aunty, your business model dey very interesting. The way you attract and maintain loyal customers dey different from wetin dem teach us for school. I wan understudy you."

Cassidy find the young man interesting – him smart, well-spoken, and eager to learn. She allow am come observe operations, even let am help serve customers sometimes.

But as time go on, Taye begin develop feelings for Cassidy, even though she old pass am with more than fifteen years. One evening after closing, him try express him feelings.

"Madam Cassidy, I know say age difference dey, but I find you very attractive and inspiring. Maybe we fit explore something beyond business mentorship?"

Cassidy laugh small. The boy remind her of her late husband – ambitious, smart, and forward. But she know say no be good idea.

"Taye, you be good boy with bright future. Focus on your life first. Build your own empire. Woman like me no fit help you grow. I don see life pass you."

Taye no like the rejection. Him pride wound. Since that day, him begin dey watch Cassidy movements with different eye. Him begin suspect say something fishy dey happen for the business.

"No woman business fit grow this fast without something illegal or spiritual," he tell himself.

Him almost report her strange business tactics to NAFDAC, claiming say she dey add substances to food, but before him send the letter, him phone mysteriously spoil the same day – all him evidence disappear.

When him try confront Cassidy about the coincidence, she just look am with calm eyes and say, "No be everything eye go see, mouth suppose talk. Young man like you supposed focus on future, no be to dey find fault for people wey dey help you."

The warning make cold fear catch Taye. Him apply for transfer the next week, leave the area completely.

Meanwhile, Junior, Cassidy only pikin, don become handsome young man. Unlike the happy boy wey him be before, him don dey quiet these days. Him notice things – how people dey behave strange after them chop him mama food, how business dey grow too fast, and how some customers dey look like them don fall under spell.

Money dey enter, but peace no dey. He overhear one of Cassidy's old friends from village wey come visit say, "This woman don tie her destiny to strange cooking powers, na why her pikin dey suffer emotionally."

Junior begin pull back. He dey plan leave and start him own path, maybe go university for another state.

One evening, him hear him mama dey pray strange prayers for kitchen after everybody don go home. The words no sound like normal prayers at all – e sound like the things wey Iya Alata bin teach her. He quietly use him phone record the prayer. Him plan to get advice from their pastor about wetin him mama dey do.

But before he fit reach church the next day, Cassidy find the recording for him phone when Junior dey bathroom. She listen am, and cold fear catch her heart. She know say if people hear this recording, all her hard work go end.

When Junior come out, him see him mama stand for room with him phone for hand, tears for her eyes.

"Na you wan spoil my name?" Cassidy ask with voice wey full with pain. "After everything wey I suffer make you fit get good life?"

Junior shake him head. "Mama, I just dey worry. Some of these things no feel right. The way men dey behave around you, the strange ingredients, the midnight prayers... Wetin really dey happen? Which kind power you dey use?"

That question break something inside Cassidy. She drop for chair, begin cry like baby. For the first time since him papa die, Junior see him mama vulnerable.

"No be juju, my pikin," she finally talk. "Na ancient cooking wisdom from our ancestors. The old women teach me say intention matter for cooking – if you cook with love, people go feel am. If you cook with ambition, people go support your dreams. I just dey use wetin dem teach me."

Junior no too believe, but him see the pain for him mama eyes.

"The herbs and spices na special recipes, no be jazz. But maybe..." she pause, "maybe I don allow the power of the food make me greedy sometimes. Maybe I don use am collect more than wetin I need."

Dem talk deep into night – about family values and true success, about the difference between influence and manipulation. Cassidy confess how the journey to learn cooking secret change her, how sometimes the power to make people happy through food fit also make person too proud.

"I no want lose you," Cassidy tell her son. "You be the reason why I start this journey at all."

Since that day, their relationship better small. And something else change too – Cassidy begin dey think about the way she dey run her business. # Fire on Genesis Street

Chapter 7: Change of Ways

One Sunday evening, after most customers don go, Cassidy sit down for empty restaurant, dey think about her life. The confrontation with her son make her look inside her heart proper. She begin ask herself hard questions.

"Wetin I really want? Money? Power? Or just to provide good life for my pikin?"

She remember Iya Alata last words before the old woman die: "Power no dey last forever, but legacy dey remain. Choose your legacy well."

That night, Cassidy make big decision. She lock herself for kitchen, open the wooden box wey Iya Alata give her years ago. Inside, apart from special spices, she find small note wey she never read before. The paper yellow with age, but the words still clear:

"The real magic no dey for herbs or prayers. E dey for intention. Cook with love, serve with respect, collect with honesty. Na only this way the ancestors go continue dey support your pot."

Tears begin drop from Cassidy eyes as she realize say she don follow the first two instructions but fail for the last one. She burn the special herbs wey she dey add for food to make men too open with their wallet. She pour away the special palm oil wey dey make people addicted to her cooking.

"From now on," she tell herself, "na just good food and honest business."

The next day, as she dey prepare to open, Ego Baby appear again for her door. This time she no come to fight. She come alone, more calm.

"I hear say you dey change your ways," Ego Baby talk, her voice less hostile than before.

Cassidy look surprise. "Who tell you?"

"Small world," Ego Baby shrug. "But I come to say maybe we fit do business together instead of fighting. My place for Ikeja get different customers from your own. We fit learn from each other."

Cassidy laugh small. "The woman wey call me witch last week now wan do business with me?"

Ego Baby smile too. "Na so life be. Yesterday enemy, today partner. I sabi marketing and social media, you sabi cook pass anybody for Lagos. We fit help each other."

For the first time, Cassidy consider the idea of partnership instead of competition. She invite Ego Baby make them talk more.

That night, Cassidy close canteen early and go see pastor for church. She confess some of her past business tactics, how she dey use food influence to collect too much from customers.

Pastor no judge her. "God dey use different ways teach us lesson. The important thing na say you don see the need for change."

Since then, her business style change. She focus more on quality food and less on manipulating customers for money. She begin teach cooking classes for young women, sharing some of her knowledge – except the spiritual parts. She even start small foundation to help widows learn business skills.

Customers still dey come, but now na mostly for the food. Some of the big men wey bin dey too involved notice the difference for the taste – e still sweet, but the "pull" no dey there again. Some of them reduce their visits, but others appreciate the honest business more.

Junior decide to stay and help expand the business the right way. Him begin apply the business knowledge wey him learn for school, introduce proper bookkeeping and even small website wey people fit use order food.

One lesson remain for Genesis Street:

Build your business with character. No look shortcuts. Because if you choose wrong path, your destiny fit turn regret.

Small info: Some picture for this tori na AI run am for us.