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obrien29:
Hauwa Love Tales (Episode 2)

Alhaji Usman’s deadline approached fast and Rukayat didn’t know what she would do. How could he have given just two days in a matter as important as this? How did he think she would be able to convince her daughter of the marriage proposal within that time? How did he think it would even be possible to raise such money? Where would she see the money? She is just a poor tuwo seller close to the town’s market.

She didn’t speak to her daughter about the situation on the day Alhaji came. She let that day go and prepared herself on the task of speaking to her daughter about the matter on the next day. Even though her daughter disturbed her a lot to reveal the matter to her. She did not. She carried on with her duties and could barely sleep that night. Many dreadful thoughts ran through her mind. She wasn’t ready to lose Hauwa. Of course, Hauwa could get married to anyone she so wishes to, but with Alhaji Usman whom everyone in the town knew so well. It is either he had his way or he destroyed and maimed. It was that terrible!

The following morning after Alhaji Usman visited, Rukayat called her daughter to come to the veranda and told her to sit when she came. It was still morning, so the weather was chill and the day was dull. The sunlight had not appeared in full, and the little that appeared was just enough to provide light for seeing.

The mother and child were silent and didn’t even look at themselves. They were silent for over three minutes and what went through Rukayat’s mind was how Hauwa’s beauty managed to attract such attention to them. Hauwa got her beauty from Rukayat’s mother--Hauwa’s maternal grandmother. Rukayat herself wasn’t that beautiful, she was average in looks even though she had the perfect body shape when she was younger. Now, Hauwa’s perfect face and body was getting them into troubles instead of opening doors for them.

Rukayat cleared her throat and began to speak, “I called you here to tell you that we are in trouble …”

“Ah, Mama, which trouble?” Hauwa said as her eyes lit up and turned towards her mother.

“I know you must have had stories of your father’s disappearance, ba?” Rukayat asked. “You must have heard about how your father borrowed money from Alhaji Usman and when it was time to pay up, your father couldn’t.”

“Yes, I have heard about it.”

“Who told you about it?” Rukayat said, turning towards his daughter.

“In primary school, I fought with Amina and I beat her. After beating her, when we were exchanging words, she mentioned it that day …” Hauwa was trying to say before she was cut short by her mother’s inquisitiveness.

“How did she say it? In what particular manner did she say it?”

Hauwa took in a deep breath, not really knowing where all the conversation was leading to. “She said I had bad attitude like my father. That this is the reason why Alhaji Usman killed my father, because he couldn’t pay up the money he borrowed.”

Anger rose in Alhaji Usman’s heart then. The anger filled her heart and head so much that she felt like punching someone. “Shege banza to that girl!” she cursed. “And who is her father and mother? Her father that cannot even take care of his many children. All he knows how to do is sleep with his wives and contribute nothing to their upkeep …”

“But, mama, what is the problem? You couldn’t have just called me here to talk about my fight and to remember what Alhaji Usman did to my father? Why was he here yesterday?”

Rukayat paused and took in a deep deep breath, her eyes fixed on the empty air above her head. She spoke very slowly when she decided to speak. “You see, Hauwa, you are a beautiful girl and this your beauty has brought you fame in this town. Many suitors have come seeking your hand in marriage. You are yet to accept any of them. You said your desire is to enter university, even though you know I don’t have money. However, there is a new twist. The person your father owed and had problem with is interested in marrying you …”

“What!” Hauwa shouted, looking at her mother. There was disbelief in her eyes as if her mother should quickly tell her that it was a joke. There were men the age of Alhaji Usman who had also come seeking her hand in marriage in the past, when she was around 14, but they were poor and haggard and thought they could deceive her mother to give Hauwa away. Now, those people hardly came as they knew Hauwa was mature now and intelligent. She won’t even let them speak. None of them is as powerful as Alhaji Usman. Alhaji was educated, rich and powerful. When he says he wants something, he never fails in getting it.

“My daughter, I don’t know what we did to deserve this!” Rukayat shouted in agony. She breathed in heavily. “How are we going to do this now? Where would we start in fighting Alhaji Usman? Where are we going to get the money your father owed him so that he would leave us alone? Where?”

“Mama, I don’t think he can ask us to provide the money. We aren’t Papa, haba! Besides, he might have a hand in Papa’s disappearance.”

“This is Nigeria, my daughter. Any big man is a god here and is in control of the police and the law court. If he decides to arrest us, who is rich enough in our extended family to come and bail us? Who would pay the lawyer fee for us? We are all in this alone.”

“Mama, is he saying it’s either I marry him or we pay his money?” she asked, her eyes widening and looking at her mother.

“Yes, this is what he is saying!” Rukayat shouted in agony and looking at her daughter. Her daughter was obviously more confused than she was. Where would they start in discussing or planning this? Where would all the whole problem start and end? They were in a mess they couldn’t do anything about.

“Mama, I cannot marry him oh,” Hauwa declared calmly. Her mother looked at her. Rukayat’s face didn’t show surprise and she wasn’t even ready to feign any surprise. “Alhaji Usman already has three wives. Again, he is educated, but he is not young, and he doesn’t support his wives being more learned than him …”

“How did you know?”

“Ahn-ahn, Mama,” Hauwa said, her voice rising a bit. “You don’t know about his first wife who he married when both of them were young. She was studying to be a teacher. She was in a teacher training college and planned on moving on to university. What happened? Alhaji Usman married her and told her to stop going to school. This is the same thing that can be said for his other wives. Meanwhile he studied at Zaria. Why can’t he train his wives like he himself is?”

“I have heard you, Hauwa!” her mother stated. “Now that you have said you don’t intend marrying him, what ways can we use to keep him off? How do we solve this problem that has befallen us?”

“Do you know how much father owed him?"

“I don’t know. How am I supposed to know? Even your father was not straightforward about the whole thing!” Rukayat’s snapped, glaring at nothing in particular.

Hauwa took in a deep breath and when she spoke, she spoke calmly and measured the tone and pace of her words. “I think we should find a way of getting to know how much Papa owed and see ways to raise it …”

Rukayat flared up then, deep anger in her voice and trepidation in her mouth. She got up and glared at Hauwa. “Sometimes I think that you aren’t really as brilliant as they said! How can you just suggest this nonsense. Where would we get the money? You must be out of your senses!”

Hauwa stood up as well. “Mama, I have a plan. Please, listen!”

Rukayat placed her hand in her daughter’s face. “Enough of your nonsense, Hauwa!”

Hauwa went silent immediately and watched as Rukayat entered the house saying nothing to her. Hauwa knew they were in a deep mess but didn’t know her mother would take it like this. She stood and stared away, lost in thought.

* What would they do now? The deadline given is the next day. Hauwa and her mother’s life are still at stake. What would happen? Find out in the next episode.

If you enjoyed the story and want more please comment more.

This is really entertaining, keep it coming

elonmuskbaby:
all these uncultured and half educated teenagers too full nairaland.its clear he didn't read it but as soon as he saw chimanda,he just jumped into the thread to display his untrained character as usual

noskcid:
Happy birthday but na wa o


She no get husband?