The Freedom Square rally had been planned for weeks. Originally conceived as a small gathering of Guild members to celebrate their growing network, it had snowballed into something far larger. By the morning of the event, estimates suggested over ten thousand people would attend—ordinary Nigerians who wanted to see the man they'd heard about, to hear him speak, to feel part of something bigger than themselves.
Elian arrived at 9 a.m., two hours before the scheduled start. The square was already filling, families spreading blankets, vendors setting up stalls, the particular energy of hope transforming a public space into something sacred.
"This is enormous," Chiamaka breathed beside him. "I knew it would be big, but this—"
"Too big." Elian's voice was quiet, troubled. "We didn't plan for
