"Ajininsa yake" (written by Zulaihat

He was completely overcome by unease, forcing him to look at her again. Forcing a smile, he said, "Did you arrive back safely?" She replied, "Very safely." Silence fell upon him again as he racked his brain for what to say next. Then he heard her ask, "How was the Polo match?" He glanced at her briefly and answered, "We are managing to play a bit." She said, "Abba mentioned that he has a new Jah-Jah (colt/horse), which is why he asked if Yakubu has grown too old?" He smiled faintly and said, "Well, everything is a matter of time. One day, our time will pass too." She replied, "That is true. So, how is my senior sister (co-wife, Zarah)?" He answered, "She sends her greetings." "I accept them." She fell silent, just as he too offered nothing more.
His phone began to ring. He pulled it out and checked it. He answered immediately, "Hurul aini (The joy of my eyes)." She quickly looked up at him while he continued talking. "Are you back from school?" She said she was back, and then asked, "So, what's happening?" He said, "I am together with her." "I don't believe you," she replied. He said, "You know I wouldn't lie to you. That's why I called you yesterday to tell you." She said, "If it's true, give her the phone so we can greet each other."
He looked directly at Nusaiba—who happened to be staring at him already, feeling a sudden pang of jealousy. He handed her the phone and said, "Here is Zarah." With a small smile, she took it and said her greetings. Out of nowhere, Zarah also felt a wave of jealousy hit her, but she forced herself to answer. Nusaiba asked, "How is school?" She replied, "Very fine. Have you seen our master?" Nusaiba smiled faintly and said, "I have seen him." Zarah teased, "He will talk your ears off until you're tired!" Nusaiba stole a glance at him; he wasn't paying any attention to her, as he was busy typing away on his second phone. Looking at him, she said, "It seems Prince is overwhelmed by being a guest." Hearing this, he looked up to confirm if they were talking about him. She gently withdrew her gaze, letting a smile show.
As for Naseer, frustration choked his throat. What kind of meddling is Zarah doing now? he asked himself, letting out a silent, irritated sigh as he turned his face away. Meanwhile, Nusaiba and Zarah’s conversation hit off so well they didn't even realize how quickly their hearts connected. They felt a sudden mutual trust and an eagerness to meet.
Nusaiba was now saying, "So, when are you coming? Although, since I am the younger one, I should be the one to visit first." Zarah replied, "Now you're talking! So when are you coming?" She said, "Expect me towards the end of this week. Send me your number, and I will send mine." Zarah replied, "O.K., I'll send it. Let me leave you with the boss before I get into trouble." Laughing, Nusaiba said, "Wait, let me hand it over so you can say goodbye." Zarah's behavior annoyed Naseer. The moment she handed the phone back, he hung up and stuffed it into his top pocket.
"Did she hang up?" Nusaiba asked. He said, "Uhm..." She noted, "That's my senior sister. Just by hearing her voice, you can tell she is kind." He responded, "She is extremely kind, and she possesses many qualities that make me love her more every day. Her parents are poor, just like me. But Allah has blessed her with gifts He hasn't given to just any creature. Just the name ZARAH brings me joy, let alone her presence. Don't harbor any bad feelings, I'm not saying this with a hidden motive. No, I just want you to know that not every woman would do what Zarah did. We've been together since childhood, and right when the wedding was close, they introduced another woman to make it two—meaning a co-wife. If it were you, how would you feel?"
Nusaiba felt completely deflated and weakened—not out of malice, but because of pity for Zarah sparked by Naseer's words. Instantly, a deep affection for Zarah filled her heart. Truly, Zarah had shown great maturity and deserved applause. She took a deep breath. "It's true, she impresses me too, and your explanation just now makes me love her even more in my heart. Patience is a great asset, and this worldly life is fleeting, which is why I don't see any reason to take things too harshly. As for the difference between the rich and the poor, it is a piece of divine wisdom from the Almighty. He created us to help one another. If He wanted, He could have made us all rich. Likewise, if He willed, He could have left us all poor. An intelligent person, when calm, will understand the countless reasons why the Almighty differentiated His creation. Therefore, do not think anything negative about my marriage alongside Zarah just because I come from a wealthy home. Insha-Allah, you will find me with the very character traits you desire."
He fell silent. He thought to himself that Nusaiba certainly had a way with words, but they didn't move him because he was used to hearing beautiful words from his Zarah. In short, he felt like she was trying to compete with Zarah because she heard him praising her. He shook his head and said, "Alright then." He checked his wristwatch and continued, "Let's go pray. It's past one o'clock." As soon as the words left his mouth, the call to prayer began blaring. She stood up and asked, "Are you going to the mosque?" He said, "Most definitely." She walked out, leaving him to mutter to himself, "Can you imagine this girl? Did she expect us to pray inside her room?" He let out a small hiss of annoyance and exited through the same door they had entered. She headed toward Sageer, called him out, and he joined Naseer outside as they walked to the mosque.
As Nusaiba finished her prayers, her phone rang. She picked it up and saw it was Kausar. Placing it to her ear, Kausar blurted, "I don't like this disrespect, aren't you coming anymore?" Nusaiba replied, "Honestly, it will be difficult. I swear, the lectures are too many today. Every single one is important, otherwise I would have escaped. I'm so sorry, truly. Tell Jah-Jah I send my greetings." Kausar pouted slightly and said, "I won't tell him." "But I said I'm sorry! You know it's only because of my studies." Nusaiba said, "Alright, I will come tomorrow. When you return, call me." "O.K., wife of Jah-Jah." Smiling, Nusaiba said, "Listen to you!" They said their goodbyes and hung up.
Nusaiba walked over to the mirror, adjusted her makeup and her headtie, grabbed her phone, and left the room. She called Mariya and asked about the food. Mariya told her everything was set up in the living room. She went straight there. Naseer and Sageer’s shoes were at the entrance, so she entered with a greeting. They both responded. She walked straight to the food and opened the coolers, telling everyone to serve what they liked. Sageer chose fried rice, while the "boss" (Naseer) barely forced down some coleslaw. They chatted a bit until 3 o'clock, when Naseer announced it was time to leave. Sageer gave them space to say their goodbyes. For two minutes, Naseer said absolutely nothing to her. She stood up and said she would fetch Zarah's gift. He stood up too and told her to meet him at the car.
As they stood by the car, she came out with two large plastic shopping bags filled with women's cosmetics and skincare products. She handed them to Sageer and said, "One bag is for Zarah, and one is for your bride—because I don't believe you when you say there isn't one." He laughed, saying, "What would I hide from you? I swear by Allah, there is no one right now until studies are completed. You know, two kola nuts cannot be chewed at the same time." She said, "True. Well, we are grateful, but keep this one since she doesn't exist yet." Nusaiba insisted, "No, load them both for my senior sister." He said, "Wow, Zarah will be very grateful. May Allah reward you with goodness." Naseer looked her straight in the eyes and said, "These items are too much, you should reduce them." She shook her head slightly and said, "No, they aren't. And didn't I say they are for my senior sister? Take them to her." He said, "Alright, she is grateful. Until next time." She replied, "I am grateful too, extend my greetings to everyone." "They will hear," he said as he got into the car. Sageer was already in the driver's seat. He started the car, the security guard opened the gate, they drove out, and she went back inside.
In the upstairs living room, she found her Ummi (mother). She sat down beside her and sighed, "Wash! I'm so tired." "What work did you do?" her mother asked. She replied, "I just feel so exhausted for no reason." "Have they left?" "Yes, they just left." Ummi went silent for a moment before saying, "O.K." She touched her own head. "Or are you hungry?" With a strained face, Nusaiba answered, "I swear, yes. I haven't even sipped water." Ummi said, "Hurry up, stand up and find something to eat." She stood up and walked away, dragging her feet, clearly exhausted. Ummi sat quietly, thinking that it would have been proper for Naseer to come inside and greet her. Finding no clear reason for his omission, she brushed the thought aside and went back to her own business.
In the car, Sageer let out a long, heavy sigh. He quickly looked at Naseer. "What is it?" Naseer asked. Sageer said, "This whole trip was useless." "Because of what?" Naseer asked. Sageer replied, "You know I felt like I was sitting on thorns in that house. Instead of you telling me let's go greet Hajiya (Nusaiba's mother)..."
Naseer cut him off with his own exclamation, "My God, I completely forgot! It's because it's an unfamiliar situation. Honestly, we messed up. That was embarrassing. Call Nusaiba right now and tell her to apologize to Hajiya on our behalf, tell her we forgot. Everyone knows human beings are prone to mistakes."
Naseer hissed loudly, "Nonsense. Do I even have her number?"
"You didn't collect it?" Sageer asked in shock.
Naseer hissed again. Sageer started scolding him. "You keep hissing, this is pure disrespect! You are openly showing you don't care about her. Even if it wasn't natural, you should have asked for her number, since you didn't even make this trip for the sake of Allah anyway! What kind of terrible behavior is this?"
Naseer glared at him and snapped, "For Allah's sake, that's enough, Malam! Are you more upset about this than I am? Why would I refuse to greet Hajiya? Whenever I go to see Alhaji, I go in to greet her. I simply forgot."
Sageer said, "It's because you didn't value this trip, that's what caused it."
"Yes, that's exactly it, so what? Since you valued it so much, why didn't you remind me to go greet her?" Sageer went silent and kept his eyes on the road.
"Mts..." Naseer hissed again. "I swear you are just blaming me on purpose." He glanced at Sageer and softened his voice, "Now, for real Sageer, what is there to look down upon regarding this girl?" He adjusted his posture and continued, "Have you ever heard me insult her? Nusaiba is great. I swear there is no sarcasm in my words. In terms of what anyone looks for in a woman, that girl has reached the peak. And honestly, she is far above my social class. If I had just met her on the street, there is no way I would approach her for love, because she is out of my league. That's what I want you to understand. Allah just hasn't put her love in my heart. So who can force me to love her? Love is a chemistry of the blood, and a person just feels it internally. I swear to God, from the moment we arrived until we left, my heart was filled with nothing but misery. So how am I supposed to force a smile?"
Sageer sighed, feeling deeply sorry for him. What kind of twisted situation was this? He softened his voice further and said, "I completely understand you, Naseer. But the advice I will give you is to fight your own heart. Every day, remind your heart that life can change at any moment. Because you don't know what blessing Allah has hidden in this marriage. Please! I am begging you."
Naseer turned his head aside and muttered, "I hear you."
"Meaning you won't necessarily put it into practice?" Sageer looked at him with wide eyes. "Today I've seen it all! This is exactly what always causes issues between us. You want everything done by force. I said I hear you, so leave it at that. Do you have to glare at me?" He turned with a small smirk, "Wow, Sageer the Tailor! May Allah let Baba and the elders find you a wife from the village."
Sageer smiled slightly, "So what if they do?"
Naseer joked, "Nothing. I can already picture us going to visit her, and she’s heavily wearing cheap red lipstick and thick, old-fashioned makeup."
Sageer laughed a bit and said, "That’s fine, I will change her slowly. You won't even recognize her once she becomes sophisticated." He leaned back against his seat with closed eyes, praying, "Oh Allah, answer my prayer. Ameen."
Sageer interrupted, "Please stop that nonsense, that's not what's important right now. Try to get Nusaiba's number and fix this mess." Naseer opened his eyes and looked at him sideways but said nothing, and Sageer dropped the topic.
Umma (Naseer's mother) was incredibly happy when Naseer and Sageer returned. He personally told her about the items Nusaiba had sent for Zarah. She wasn't even fully overwhelmed until Sageer told her about the gift of a house and a brand new car from Alhaji. She held her chin in amazement and said, "We must go to Kaduna to express our gratitude as soon as Malam returns. Oh my children! May Allah bind us closer to those who love us."
Seeing Umma's joy only added to Naseer's frustration, so he announced he was going over to Zarah's house to deliver her gifts. Sageer said goodbye, and they stepped out as Umma continued to shower them with blessings. Naseer dropped Sageer off at home first, then turned his car toward Zarah's house. As he drove, his mind raced with conflicting thoughts, criticizing his arranged marriage to Nusaiba. His mind kept telling him that Zarah was the only one truly meant for him. God alone knew what was truly in his heart. Maybe he was just overthinking. Suddenly, a wave of bitterness and hatred for Nusaiba filled his heart. He had to slam on the brakes, turn off the engine, lean back against the seat, and close his eyes, chanting, "Inna-lillahi wa-inna-ilaihir-raji'un" (To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return). Physically, he looked like someone struck by a massive tragedy, feeling trapped from all angles, bound by his own veins. The praises (tasbih) he recited to Allah helped calm his racing heart. He opened his bloodshot eyes, let out a hot breath, shook his head, and restarted the car. In this tense state, he managed to pull up to Zarah's house. He sat in the car for a while before grabbing her bags, locking up, and walking into the house.
*"DUHUN KAI, GABA DA KISHIYA" (Ignorance: Rivalry with a Co-Wife)*—that was the title of the book Zarah was reading in the middle of the courtyard, written by Ustaz Abubakar Abbas Rijiyar Lemu. Hearing Naseer's greeting, she raised her head, looked at him, and responded with a beautiful smile. "The traveler from Kaduna! You're back already?" Instantly, his heart was flooded with joy. However, his face remained tense. He dropped the bags in front of her and said, "I'm back. Where is Inna?" She replied, "She isn't feeling too well, so she lay down. I think she’s fallen asleep." He said, "Oh dear, did she take medicine?" "Yes, she did. So how was the journey? How did you leave the bride?"
He scowled further and said, "She sends her greetings. These things are gifts from her to be brought to you." He went to grab a chair, leaving her to open the bags. Her jaw dropped in surprise. Looking up at him as he sat facing her, she said, "My brother, these things are way too much." He countered, "Well, of course she has to give you a lot of things, since you’ve been cheated. This isn't politics." She frowned slightly and said, "Cheated, you say? Come on, my brother, you shouldn't talk like that. What is the fault of someone who loves you?"
He said, "You don't understand their cleverness. Even when I arrived, the Alhaji was telling me he’s giving me a house in Hanwa and a new car. I just looked at them. Why didn't he give them to me before? You see, he’s looking down on the house I worked so hard to build; he disdains it. Therefore, take whatever they give you and enjoy it for free, but I, Naseer, am yours forever—through thick and thin, no one can separate us, least of all the power of wealth."
She sat completely still, chin in hand, watching him finish his rant. Her eyes shifted, showing her deep displeasure with his words. She shook her head slightly and said, "Honestly, my brother, I never expected you to have this kind of negative mindset about people. Suspicion? 'Suspicion is a sin even if it turns out true,' according to the Messenger of Allah (S.W.A.). Therefore, I advise you to drop this malice from your heart. Whatever you do, do it for the sake of Allah; that is the mark of a true believer. I know you love me... and my brother, I am with you too."
He exhaled deeply and said, "I don't just love you, I love you intensely—the kind of love I don't feel for any other woman. I went to Kaduna, I saw Nusaiba, and I assure you she is flawless, but I don't feel a single ounce of love for her in my heart. I know you don't have to believe what I'm saying, but I must tell you, I am being overpowered. I am being forced into a choice that was never part of my plans. They have completely demolished the future I built in my heart, which was simply to love you and live with you in the very house others look down upon. So don't blame me for anything I say; it's born out of frustration."
She replied, "I hear all of it, and I am certain that if we stay here all night, I will never win this argument because you are more eloquent than I am. But I want to ask a favor of you, for the sake of Almighty Allah, promise me you will treat me and Nusaiba as sisters in Islam?"
He went silent, looking her up and down. She pleaded again, "My brother..."
"Don't bring religion into this! You are suffocating me, woman!" he interrupted sharply, cutting her off. She just watched him. "I'm speaking the truth. You know I know better than you that she is my sister in Islam. The Almighty knows best of all, He is the one who implants affection and love, so if He hasn't given me her love, what am I supposed to do?"
She paused for a moment, looking at him in utter amazement before softening her voice again, "But my brother, I believe this is just talk; gradually, you will grow to love her."
Uh oh! She had poked a sleeping lion. He spent several long minutes just staring at her. Seeing his intense gaze, she knew she had triggered him, so she lowered her head and whispered, "May Allah calm your heart, my brother." Suddenly, he just slipped on his shoes and walked out. She watched him until he exited the house. She held her hand to her mouth in shock, saying, "My brother is acting like a madman! His anger is right at his throat. Well, when was a hyena ever peaceful? Any little discussion and he storms out. We are going to have a hard time; I had better find someone to help me navigate this." She began pulling the items out of the bags—they were imported goods. Aside from the Nivea sets Naseer usually bought her, she had never seen high-end products like these before. As for the perfumes, she sprayed them until she was tired.
Nusaiba lay flat on her back on her bed in silence, her mind completely blank. She glanced at the clock—it was exactly 5 o'clock. She immediately thought she should ask Naseer and Sageer if they arrived home safely. At that exact moment, another realization popped into her head: Wait, we didn't exchange phone numbers! She sat up abruptly. "How did that happen?" she asked herself. It baffled her, because he was the one who had provided Zarah's number, which she used to text her own. She shook her head with a small smile and said, "I don't even know who is more foolish between the two of us."
She picked up her phone from beside the pillow and called Zarah. Zarah was right by her phone, busy pampering herself—applying this lotion, rubbing that cream, and spraying perfume. Feeling the phone vibrate against her body, she answered quickly, looking at the number. "Hello! Hello, my senior sister."
Nusaiba said, "Honestly, I didn't want you to be the one calling right now, because I have spread out all your gifts and I'm just admiring them. I was waiting to finish so I could call and thank you properly."
Nusaiba smiled faintly and asked, "Senior sister, so they’ve arrived? Yes, they came back a while ago, and the boss just left here." Nusaiba said, "You won't believe it. It turns out we didn't get each other's numbers! I didn't realize until just now when I wanted to check how their trip went. That's why I called you, so you can give me his number so I can mock him for it."
Zarah was astonished. "My goodness! You should give him worse than mockery, and I will even join you!" Nusaiba replied, "I appreciate that." Zarah added, "I saw the gifts. Honestly, bride, the items are too much. I'm still looking at them."
"No, I swear it's nothing. Thank you, and may Allah reward you with goodness." Zarah replied, "Ameen, talk to you later. Greet everyone at home." "They will hear, thank you." They both hung up. Immediately, Zarah forwarded Naseer's number to her.
Nusaiba sat in silence, wondering about him, as she had already figured out his attitude. She sighed and muttered, "What my brother-in-law/fiancé is doing is completely useless." She gathered her things back into their bags and carried them into her room. Inna was still sleeping, so she set them aside until she woke up.
Naseer lay flat on his back on his bed, thinking about nothing else except the words Zarah had spoken to him. They burned his heart deeply, and he kept interpreting them in a dozen different ways. Without a doubt, what he suspected had come true: Zarah was just humoring him. Not knowing how to clear his conscience threw him into a spiral of distress, intensifying his hatred for his marriage to Nusaiba. His phone rang repeatedly; he ignored it until it cut off and started ringing again. Letting out a long hiss, he reached into his pocket and fished it out. He simply pressed 'OK' and brought it to his ear. "Hello," he said in a flat, heavy voice.
The voice replied, "Hello, it's Nusaiba."
He sat up abruptly. He stayed quiet, asking himself where she could have possibly gotten his number. "Hello!" he said again. "Hello, how are you?" she asked.
"Fine. I just called to hear how your journey went," she replied.
He said, "Safe, thank you."
She noted, "Even though I had to beg to get this number. I guess I didn't deserve to have it, right?"
He scowled deeper, tempted to answer with a blunt yes. But remembering his father, he closed his eyes, opened them, and said, "It's not like that, but you wouldn't understand. Just accept that I forgot."
She said, "I accept it, anyone can forget. But sometimes, it's just a lack of care."
Sensing that she was reading right through him, he tried to turn it around on her. "Well, you didn't give me yours either. I guess you didn't care for me to have it."
She smiled faintly, showing him that she was one step ahead of whatever ego he was throwing out. "Between you and me, who was supposed to ask?"
Her question completely trapped him, and he was already fed up with the conversation. He cut it short, saying, "I said I forgot, and I think that handles it. Since you've gotten it, is this your number?"
She replied, "Yes, it is. As long as my senior sister is around, I have no issues. This is my number. Hear from you later."
"Alright, thank you," he said, hanging up with a small hiss.
The next morning, he left early for Kano to participate in their match against the Kano Riders. Naseer lacked any real energy or enthusiasm. Ever since Alhaji Basheer broke the news of his arranged marriage to Nusaiba, he had lost his peace of mind. He had completely overwhelmed himself with worry, looking like a sick man.
These were the exact questions Yakubu kept throwing at him in their hotel room, but Naseer kept insisting nothing was wrong—just that his body felt heavy and he didn't feel like playing. Yakubu spent time trying to comfort him, praising him and reminding him that they had arrived right in the city of their loyal fans.

2. Description & Character Analytics

This text is an excerpt from a contemporary Hausa prose novel (known as Littattafan Na Soyayya—Love Literature). It expertly captures northern Nigerian cultural nuances, familial structures, and psychological warfare inside an impending polygamous marriage.

Character Profiles

• Naseer (Yarima / "The Boss"): The protagonist. He is deeply traditional, fiercely proud, and emotionally rigid. Coming from a lower socioeconomic background ("talaka"), he suffers from an inferiority complex masquerading as pride when dealing with his wealthy bride-to-the-be, Nusaiba. He is intensely in love with his childhood sweetheart, Zarah, and views his forced marriage to Nusaiba as an insult to his hard work and personal autonomy.
• Nusaiba: The wealthy bride from Kaduna. Contrary to Naseer's expectations of a spoiled rich girl, Nusaiba is mature, eloquent, emotionally intelligent, and deeply respectful of Islamic marital structures. She is highly perceptive—easily reading through Naseer's cold behavior—yet handles his hostility with exceptional poise and lack of toxic pride.
• Zarah (Hurul Aini): Naseer's first love and fiancé. She represents the ideal traditional woman: patient, deeply religious, and humble. Remarkably, instead of exhibiting destructive jealousy (kishi), she shows profound maturity by counseling Naseer to accept his destiny and treat Nusaiba well, reading religious literature on co-wife dynamics to prepare herself mentally.

• Sageer: Naseer’s voice of reason and best friend. He functions as the societal mirror, constantly checking Naseer’s emotional outbursts, correcting his breaches of etiquette (such as forgetting to greet the bride's mother), and forcing him to face reality.

  Cultural & Socio-Economic Dynamics

• The Polygamy Paradox: The text highlights a unique psychological angle to polygamy. Usually, conflict arises between co-wives. Here, the conflict is internal to the husband. The two women instantly bond over mutual respect, while the husband isolates himself in frustration because his control over his emotional narrative has been stripped away.

• Class Tension: Naseer misinterprets Alhaji Basheer’s expensive wedding gifts (a house and a car) as an insult to his own modest financial achievements. Nusaiba corrects this by providing an excellent Islamic philosophical treatise on why wealth distribution varies in society.

  3. Summary

  The chapter follows Naseer and his friend Sageer visiting his wealthy second bride-to-be, Nusaiba, in Kaduna. Naseer acts cold, distant, and wrapped up in internal misery because he feels forced into this marriage, preferring his humble first love, Zarah. During the visit, a spontaneous phone call links Zarah and Nusaiba; instead of fighting, the two women hit it off beautifully, displaying mutual respect and arranging to share phone numbers.
  Naseer rants to both women about feeling cheated and patronized by wealth, but both Zarah (using Islamic scriptural reasoning) and Nusaiba (using philosophical calm) check his pride and tell him to abandon his toxic suspicions. After leaving Kaduna, Naseer realizes he committed a massive cultural blunder by forgetting to greet Nusaiba’s mother—an oversight caused by his sheer resentment of the trip. The excerpt closes with Nusaiba confronting Naseer over the phone about his lack of care, while Naseer travels to Kano for a Polo match, physically drained and emotionally paralyzed by his inability to stop an unwanted destiny.