Garin Mazugal

Chapter 12(cont)

The happenings in Mazugal was so swift and fast that one needed to take a  step backward to really digest and understand everything. First was the shameless and naked display of greed in the party primaries. How Alhaji Iro,Mai Naira and Sabiu all had ballot papers with votes made on them tucked under their clothes. How Alhaji Iro schemed his way into becoming the election commission chairman. How the very mild and calm Barau held everyone hostage. How Habu,the very calm and naive looking Habu,masterminded the destruction of Abuh,his one time mentor. How Yaro was nowhere to be found. These days, everyone in Mazugal move with their heads buried,talking in hushed voices,hoping and praying for peace but not kidding themselves into comfort and security. What has happened these past days has made Mazugal a very unpredictable place to stay. No one knew what or no one could predict what event will be next so resigning to fate and accepting whatever comes seems to be the way to go..

Alhaji Iro sat down looking piercingly into nothingness as his food, a bowl of rice, withered beside. He hasn't been himself after the elections episode. It was the most embarrassing moment in his life as a politician. He has never thought of a day where his people will have cause to doubt his sincerity to their course. He stood up,walking gently from one end of the room to the end. He held his right hand with his left and placed them behind his back. His wife,after numerous attempts of begging and crying,resigned to looking pitiful. Maybe that'd change his mind. It didn't. He alternated between sitting,standing and pacing, wondering what really could have informed the happenings of these days. Barau's betrayal was like knife stab. It pained him to the point of hallucination.

"If Barau  could do this, Barau,of all people. Barau,who was the closest to me had that kind of evil buried in his heart. Bil Adama da ban mamaki Mallam( Humans are very surprising)".
He controlled himself when he could. When his wife or children was close. However, he shed uncontrolled tears when he was alone.

Mai Naira didn't take it to heart like Iro. Even if he did,he never showed. His countenance changed without a doubt but he resumed his normal duties,increasingly increasing the ration of food he consumes everyday. Food seems to be the place he finds solace. He replaced empty plates with new ones,as though fuelling his thoughts using that gentle moment to think and reflect. Mai Naira  was already planning his next adventure. He was content with forfeiting his mandate and even supporting Barau's. That way,his evils are going to be forgotten. Anyone who harboured I'll feelings towards him will be won over. He'll then strike like a thief in the night. When every one will be relaxes,he'll strike. He strike them so hard. He'll ridicule them and make them pay for what they made him go through. He'll imprison Barau,torture him by himself and feed him once a week. He'll arrest Alhaji Iro and make a gateman at his house. Alhaji Sabiu will ne expelled from Mazugal and pursued out like a thief. He'll make Mazugal bow to him..

Days after the madness, neither of Sabiu,Barau,Iro and Mai Naira saw each other. Everyone kept to himself,ashamed of coming out. People's stare,back talks and gossips was enough a torture. Their wives and children have been victims of not so kind tongued people. They'll be foolish to leave their sanctuary and take a plunge into a place already known for destruction.

Gana,Alhaji Sabi'u's gateman was seen running and panting, tears running down his face. The emotions he displayed betrayed the husky and fearless personality he portrayed. What happened that morning was capable of knocking any one, no matter his stature,out of his being.
Alhaji Sabi'u coiled himself and avoided contact after the elections episode. He remembered with so much pain the amount of money he spent to support Mai Naira with the hope of recouping the money after the elections. Little did he know that he was dining with the devil. Never has he imagined that Barau and others will even think of betraying him. He thought himself to be the genius,the one who thinks ahead,the schemer,the one who saw things people didn't,the political maradona. That Iro was even planning to announce himself winner. After all hr had done!!
He was depressed. He didn't talk or eat. He beat his wife, Binta at every or any slight provocation. He ventilated his anger on her,making her pay for something she had little or no idea of. The marriage had been tumultuous. Sabi'u saw her as a commodity sold to him by her greedy father while she saw him as a proud,senseless usurper who came to snatch her from Yaro,her lover. There was no love between them. Sabiu tortured her at will. Her body was a museum of belt marks gotten from the devilish skin belt he purposely purchased for that purpose.
It was on this pedestal they had an argument that morning. Sabiu had asked Binta to get his bath water ready. She set to do as he asked,purposely wanting to avoid any early morning drama. She went out,humming to herself, calming herself down with memories of times spent with Yaro. She stood beside the fire, smiling to herself wondering where and what Yaro will be up to.  She was brought back to consciousness when the fire made to extend to the rag close by. She was able to contain the fire as it didn't even get to rag before she put it off. Sabi'u was by the door watching everything. He prayed for a bigger loss  to justify his wants of inflicting pains on Binta. As it didn't happen,he was disappointed. He wasn't to give up anyways..

"Ke yar gidan matsiyaci! (Daughter of intense uselessness)
You have no sense ko? You want to set my house on fire? Can your father build something like this? Can he even afford a nail? Dan Iska always coming here to beg! Can he do..."

Binta interrupted. She didn't like her father. She wasn't going to stand and watch him insulted however..

"Alhaji. Leave my daddy out of this. Kuma nothing happened. A gode wa Allah (gratitude to Almighty)"

"Chaap! Allah Binta? You're now big ko? Ka ji yar matsiyaci! You've eaten to your fill in my house ko. That's why you're challenging my authority. In my own house!"

"Alhaji, I wasn't. .."

"Kariya na ke kenan. I'm telling lies. Alhaji Sabiu Mai Kudi is now a liar!"
He let's out a dry laugh. He was on a fault finding journey,  a justification for what he had in store for her. She wasn't buying it. Ordinarily,she would have insulted him. She didn't today. Which makes it more painful for him.

"Alhaji yi hakuri (Apologizes) . I'm sorry. "

She made to walk out. He held her back.

"So it has gotten to the stage you walk out on me,isn't it?"

"Yi hakuri Alhaji (I'm sorry)"

She stood looking at her toes. She wasn't ready for trouble and wasn't ready to buy his. Her gentleness confused him. His anger increased to unimaginable level. He charged at her with a knife. It was time to end everything. He'll just bury her and pay her dad some money to shut him up. He wasn't having any more of it. The poor girl stood. She didn't flinch. She was even prepared to die so when she saw him coming,she didn't dodge. She waited for that cut. The sharp burst of blood that'll mark the end of her life. For death was better that this slavery. He charged at her with so much strength. His right leg was impeded by the wooden stool Binta sat on. He landed awkwardly with the knife finding rest in a very fleshy part of his neck. Binta saw him and did nothing. His pants was what alerted Gana his gateman. He came in and saw the knife with Sabiu. He immediately knew what has happened. He tried first aid but Alhaji done lost a lot of blood. He died. Binta went levy his corpse ,spat at it and hissed in disgust.  She left Gana to do whatever he wanted with the body..

Gana ran to Barau's house informing him of Sabiu's death. He didn't know of the happening's between them. He trusted Barau as he looked innocent and God fearing. Barau heard of this and bursted into uncontrolled crocodile tears. His face wore grief but his heart was working..Turning. Moving. Scheming on how to make a political point with this death. A thought flashed him mind. And he smiled....