Garin Mazugal

CHAPTER 3

"Binta...you know I'm your father.I know what is good for you.I can't and will never do anything that'll hurt you.. You know I love you.You......"

"Baba..wai menene?"

"So a man can't show his daughter how much he loves her?"

"Chaaaap" Binta replied.Mal Musa had this soaring urge to scream "Uwarki" but kept quiet. He need to thread with caution He needs her to see things as he saw them.

"Ke...Alhaji Sabiu,my friend,just came back from Saudia yesterday" He ensured Saudia was stressed. He wanted her to be impressed.

"Allah Sarki...that one that stayed there illegally? The one they said stole something and had his hands amputated? Is he not the same one that is fond of smuggling goro to Saudi? The one that has children but don't know them? Is he not...."

"Ke ! " Mallam Musa thundered. "Ki mun shuru!Keep quiet. I'm not seeking your opinion here.Auren shi za ki yi.You're getting married to him..and that's final."

Binta knew the trajectory the talk was taking ab initio. She wasn't too shocked. She said nothing in response to her father's announcement. She lifted herself with calculated laziness and trudged back inside.

"Wayyyyyyyyooooooooo Allah..Na Shiga uku( O God! I'm in trouble!) ".

Mallam Musa recognised this voice easily. He stood up with brisk seriousness and thundered a reply
" Billahillazi Biyar ki ka shiga.Aure an yi an gama!(You can wail all you want. The marriage has been concluded).

CHAPTER 3.
"Kai ..listen to me " Abu said condescendingly. He was highly revered amongst his peers for being the only one to travel out of Mazugal. His ignorance is overshadowed by the crowd's wet appetite in  swallowing falsehood. Talking with a degree of assertiveness, he systemically dishes out lies on a platter. The crowd roared and he gave them more. His exposure, or rather perceived exposure made him the de facto leader of youths in Mazugal. Every young person wanted to be  his friend.

"Let me tell you something about Yahudawa(Jews).
You know they hate musulunci very well.They hate it with passion. They'll spare no cost to see its downfall...That is why they introduce new things.Did you know that thing they call wrapper? That thing women tie? Bari in gaya muku.Originally,they wanted calling it Allah but they saw that Muslims will understand. So they added " dabul you " and "aar" before it.They now called it wrapper....... "

The surprise on their faces was evident.New knowledge.

"Kuna ji...." Abuh continued. "Even that thing they share...that white thing. gidan tsairo ko ya ake cewa ma. .mosquito house..."

"Mosquito net " Habu interjected.

Abu hated his namesake. Habu knew things others didn't. He is a threat to his authority..

"Sharraap!!  who asked you? 

Abuh replied with obvious scorn and fetid disdain.This Habu needs some dealing with, he thought. Meanwhile,he has a group of fools waiting on his next lie so why stop the fun?

  " Do you know why Yahudawa(Jews) made that mosquito house? Do you know why?"

"Tell us Yaya Abuh"

"It was made with the intention of reducing our population in Arewa! Any child born of a parent that made use of this house,will either die or become gurgu( handicapped).. Ku ma ask yourselves. Why are gurgus plenty in Arewa?"

" Ayyyyyyyyyoooooh" "Gaskiya ne " "Allah ya tsine wa bayahude(Wrath of God be on the Jews).

Their ululations was soundly punctuated by the sound of Adhan.The Mu'aazin(One who calls to prayer), shouted with vigor akin to someone who had intentionally set out to disturb others. He screamed with every strength he could muster, calling the faithful to success.The hypocrites were however disturbed by this.One couldn't discern which was louder; his voice or the reverberation heard from the public address system. They stood up,dusting their buttocks with their left hands,obviously displeased by the intruder called prayer but couldn't show it clearly so as not to be called a hypocrite. They set out to perform ablution. Habu stretched his neck,tweaking it above distances, searching for something. He smiled wryly and knowingly.He knew his guess was as good as true.He quickly performed ablution and set out  to the tree they sat under before the call to prayer. Abuh sat down, undisturbed, nonchalantly counting stones.

" Yaya Abuh " Habu called out.

"Ba zaka yi sallan ba ne? ( ain't you gon pray?)"

"Ba sai na yi niya ba?( I haven't made up my mind)"

The reply shocked Habu as it surprised him.He had never heard something so stupid.He just turned and went back to the mosque without uttering a word.