Brick city, Abuja, Nigeria.
Wednesday 21st February, 2018.

Ayyuba, Nana Asma'u's uncle had returned the previous night due to what he heard from his wife. He had always known that his sister, Hansatu was a stupid selfish woman but he never tagged her as a money monger. After what money had done to her late husband, she was still stupid enough to allow money rule her thinking.

Ayyuba shaked his head, scattering all thoughts about Hansatu and concentrating on getting dressed. He was going to see Hansatu and make her call off the marriage and return the lefe Nuhu's aunties brought. Just because Nana Asma'u was her daughter, didn't mean she could force her into getting married to Nuhu.

Ayyuba rushed out of his room with his wife tailing beside him.

"Atleast take the pap, facing Hansatu with an empty stomach would be a huge mistake. You need enough energy for her. She's not an easy going person to begin with and you know that. Just please take the pap." Zainab beseeched. She knew he'd be famished before he got home.

"I can't eat when my niece is being forced to marry someone who is undeserving of her. I have to go." Zainab lowered her head in sadness.

"Okay then, I'll just turn it in a portable flask for you to take with. If you feel hungry, just take it, please." Zainab gave a forced tight-lipped smile and turned to go to the kitchen when Ayyuba held her hand sighing.

"Okay then, I'll take it now." Ayyuba sat down and took a gulp out of the pap. He took another and after some minutes, he was done with the whole mug. He licked his lips before bidding her goodbye.

As he drove to Gbazango in his golf, the area where his sister lived with her six children, he couldn't help but question her sanity. Why would someone in their right senses get their daughter married to someone who she doesn't love? And the said person can't even take care of himself, talk more of the daughter. Someone that doesn't have a job, nor western education. His Islamic education too is hanging.

Ayyuba parked his car in front of a kiosk as he couldn't risk taking his car into the street where Hansatu's car was located. He'd probably have to change the tyres if he did that.

"Assalamu Alaikum." The owner of the kiosk rose his head and returned Ayyuba's greeting.

"Dan Allah taimako nake bukata {i need help}." The owner of the kiosk shoved the carton in his hand into a shelf and rose a wood which served as a demarcation. He came out and stood in front of Ayyuba.

"Ni bako ne, in bazaka damu bah inaso Dan Allah ka kula min da mota ta, zan dan shiga wani gida ne a layin nan {I'm a stranger, if you wouldn't mind i need you to please take care of my car for me, I'm just going to enter one of the houses on this street}." The owner of the kiosk looked at Ayyuba from head to toe and back, before asking what was in it for him.

Ayyuba brought out two five hundred naira notes and gave the man, then told him he'd give him more if he came out and nothing was wrong with his car. The man's face split into a smile and he nodded, agreeing instantly to the offer.

Ayyuba thanked him then started walking towards the house. All the houses on that street were what Hausa people would call kango. They were dilapidated, with Hansatu's house standing out as the only completed and painted house. Now he understood why she refused to come with him. It was obvious she was like the rich person on that street and she loved the feeling of being superior. Hansatu had a problem; she always let herself be blinded by wordly things.

Ayyuba shook his head in pity for his sister. He could have easily leased a house close to his but she blatantly refused, saying she was comfortable right where she was.

When Ayyuba reached the front of the house, he knocked on the iron door that served as a gate and waited. When he didn't hear any response, he knocked again, knowing Hansatu was inside. She never went anywhere and preferred people come to her than she went to them, he assumed it's her way of feeling superior.

Ayyuba knocked the third time. He decided that if no one responded, he'd call one of them as he was determined to talk to his sister, only a miracle would be able to stop him.

"Ana zuwa!" He heard one of the male children shout. After a few minutes, he saw the oldest male child of the house, Adam open the door for him. He asked himself what Adam was still doing at home, when he was supposed to be in school.

"Why didn't you go to school?" Ayyuba asked in Margi and Adam answered in the same language that he had woken up late, and when he asked his mother, Hansatu whether he could stay home for that day, she allowed him. He was at least happy Hansatu made sure all her children understood both their mother and father's tongue; Margi and Hausa respectively. But his happiness was cut short when he realized what Hansatu had done.

Ayyuba shook his head, yet again, his sister had proven herself to be the stupid person she had always been. When she was supposed to reprimand Adam and force him to go to school, she allowed him stay at home.

"Let's go." Ayyuba held Adam's hand and they walked to the parlor. He looked around in surprise, that Hansatu's house actually looked okay from the inside. She had always been known for her neatness, some even said she had Jinns that wouldn't allow her stay in dirt. But what threw him off his feet was the fact that she had a Samsung television, three beautiful and new looking couches, a decoder, a glass television stand and center table, a show glass by the end of the room and a rug right underneath the table.

Ayyuba knew that Hansatu didn't work, she'd never work. She had said at the age of forty two, she was too old to work so her children would have to work to get them food and everything to eat - it was the reason why Nana Asma'u hadn't started university yet, he knew.

"Yaya Ayyuba, welcome." Hansatu said showing him to a couch. She was donned in a blueberry lace sewn into a Boubou, her head gear was perched perfectly on her head. She had jewelries that looked exactly like gold adorning her ears, wrists, fingers and neck. If one didn't know her well, he'd say she was a rich man's wife.

"I'm not hear to sit, is Nana Asma'u at home?" Hansatu didn't answer him. Instead, she sent Adam to call Nana Asma'u and Nana Ummu Salmah. Nana Saudah was in school as she had to start preparing for her junior secondary school certification examination. While the remaining two boys, Lut and Isah were also in school. Lut was in grade four, while Isah was in grade one. Adam was in grade six and was supposed to be in school preparing for his entrance examination.

Nana Asma'u and Nana Ummu Salmah came out minutes later, holding refreshments, both donned in cream colored Hijabs. They squatted and greeted Ayyuba and he replied their greetings.

"Why aren't you in school?" Ayyuba nodded at Nana Ummu Salmah.

"Our school gave us a one week holiday to get prepared for our JAMB, it starts next week and so till it ends, we're supposed to be at home studying." Ayyuba nodded.

"Okay then, I hope you're studying very well." Nana Ummu Salmah nodded.

"Good, Allah ya miki albarka {may Allah bless you}." Nana Ummu Salmah smiled and muttered an Ameen.

"What is your subject combination?" Nana Ummu Salmah opened her mouth to talk but got shut off by a glare from her mother. Ayyuba noticed it but decided to keep mum.

"Nana and Salmah, go to your room, take Adam with you." They nodded and stood up to leave.

"I know you wouldn't come here for no reason. What brings you here?" Ayyuba finally sat down.

"I heard you collected lefe from Nuhu's family." Hansatu demeanor contorted to that of annoyance.

"And?"

"Why are you acting as though you are not aware of that boy, Abulkhair that has been coming to see Nana Asma'u for almost two years now? You know how much they love each other, yet you collected those gifts." Ayyuba thundered in Margi.

"Nana is not getting married to that boy. I am her mother and this is my stand on this. I'm not changing my mind." Hansatu narrowed her eyes at her older brother.

"Hansatu, fear Allah. Why didn't you make her tell the poor boy this all this while?" Hansatu rolled her eyes.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm doing this because he keeps giving her money. And he's her boyfriend after all. Am I not allowed to gain something from my daughter through her boyfriend?" Ayyuba shook his head. He knew that was the reason, but he didn't think Hansatu would be shameless enough to say it out loud with no filter whatsoever.

"Okay then. As her waliyy and your elder brother, I suggest you return their gifts and tell them Nana Asma'u is only getting married to Abulkhair and no one else. They're obviously in love with each other and he's a respectful boy." Hansatu sneered.

"Just because you're her waliyy doesn't mean you say who she marries, your own is to sit during her sa rana and give her out during her daurin aure, other than that you have no business with my daughter." Ayyuba gaped at his sister.

"And you say you're my elder brother huh? Did I ask for you to be that? I didn't. And just because you happen to breath the air in the world before me doesn't mean you have the right to order me around. I'm not your daughter, neither am I your wife, Zainab." Ayyuba flared.

"Don't you dare bring my wife or my children into this."

"So what if I do? What can you do? The least you can do is sever all ties with me. And I don't care! I have my sisters with me, so please, kindly leave my house." Ayyuba was stupefied. He had never imagined, in all his fifty years of life, that his immediate younger sister would speak to him in such demeaning manner.

Ayyuba gulped, "Hansatu I'm Ayyuba, your elder brother, you're talking to me."

"And so what?!" Hansatu sneered.

"Just get out of my house before I shout theif on you." Ayyuba turned to leave.

"No matter what Hansatu, I'm your brother." With that, he left.

Wuse, Abuja, Nigeria.
Wednesday 21st February, 2018.

"Assalamu Alaikum {Peace be unto you}." Abulkhair skeptically walked inside the house.

"Uncle Abul." Ni'mah said running towards Abulkhair.

"Princess!" Abulkhair picked her up and twirled her making her laugh.

"Ni'mah Salis Abubakar if you don't come here right now..." The young woman's words got stolen from her lips when her gaze fell on Abulkhair.

"Good morning Maijidda. Is Baffa Salis around?" Abulkhair asked the said Maijidda.

"No, Baba isn't around, but Mama is. Let me call her." Maijidda walked up the stairs after asking one of the maids to get Abulkhair breakfast, she reckoned he must be hungry. Maijidda, whose real name is actually Hauwa'u Jiddah, is the fourth out of seven children of Engr. Salis Abubakar.

"Look who we have here." Yaqub said smirking. He is the second born and Fahad's immediate younger brother.

"Good morning to you too Yaqub." Abulkhair gave an obviously fake smile before turning back to Ni'mah, the last born of the house.

"My morning was good, until I set my eyes on you." Abulkhair ignored him and continued talking to Ni'mah who was telling him about the new boy that kept dragging her Hijab in class.

"She's coming. Have something to eat." Maijidda said sitting in front Abulkhair. The latter nodded and turned back to Ni'mah.

"Jiddah, take Ni'mah upstairs." Ni'mah held tight unto Abulkhair.

"Go with Ya Jiddah okay?" Ni'mah's lips trembled and her eyes filled with tears.

"If you cry, I won't get you chocolate." Ni'mah wiped her tears and followed Maijidda.

After making sure the three year old was out of earshot, Hajiya Nafisa turned to Abulkhair with narrowed eyes, her hands behind her back, she looked menacing.

"Good morning Goggo Nafi." Nafisah hissed.

"What are you doing here?"

"I need to see Baffa Salis, it's important." Nafisah sat down.

"Well that's too bad. He traveled and won't be coming back till further notice." Maijidda furrowed her brows.

"I thought he was coming back today." Nafisah snapped her head towards Jiddah with narrowed eyes.

"Do you have a mental disorder or what? Did I ask you? Get out of my sight right this minute. Shashashar yarinya {Stupid girl}." Maijidda scurried away from the parlor and into the kitchen.

"Now that you know, he's coming back today, but I won't allow you to see him. After what you did, you think you'd be welcome here?" Nafisa scoffef at Abulkhair's incredulity.

"I just want to tell him I'm getting married and I need him to come and ask for her hand in marriage." Nafisa sneered.

"You think he will do that for you? I suggest you go find another family. Get out of my house before I ask the security to take you out. The next time I see you here, Rosco would be the death of you." Nafisa smirked in satisfaction when she saw the sheer horror plastered on Abulkhair's face.

Abulkhair walked out with a heavy heart. They were the only family he had left. His mother's family abandoned him and his father the moment she died, or so he heard. And his father had only one sibling; Engr Salis. What would he do?

He drove out to Asokoro to go talk to Alhaji Muhammad, maybe he would have a solution.

Abulkhair had totally forgotten about Nana Asma'u and everything about her. He had been so perturbed about everything around him that he had forgotten about her. And she too, hadn't called him.

Once he arrived at the house, he didn't hesitate to go into the house and straight to Alhaji Muhammad's side.

After they had exchanged pleasantries, Abulkhair told Alhaji Muhammad the problem. The latter laughed till tears accumulated in his eyes.

"Even if he had agreed to be your waliyy, it wouldn't have worked out. His wife wouldn't allow it. I have already talked to my brother, Ibrahim, Uwani's father and he's going to be Aishatu's waliyy while I will be yours." Abulkhair smiled but his smile was short-lived when he suddenly remembered Nana Asma'u.