THE LEGACY AND THE SNARE

Alhaji Abubakar Dankoli was a highly renowned businessman whose fame stretched far and wide, both within the country and across international borders.
Alhaji Abubakar was originally a native of Kaduna State, hailing from the bustling neighborhood of Tudun Wada. He was a distinguished figure on the global stage; his reputable name preceded him wherever one could possibly think of.
Now, while Abubakar was the only child born to his biological mother, he was one of fourteen children on his father's side. His mother, Amina, was the youngest wife of his father, Alhaji Shuaib Dankoli. Because she was the only wife blessed with a male child, her co-wives subjected her to relentless envy and bitter cruelty.
This deep-seated hostility was not restricted to the co-wives alone; even Alhaji Shuaib’s extended relatives harbored a profound dislike for Amina. This stemmed from the immense wealth the Almighty had bestowed upon their brother. They secretly anticipated that if he were to pass away, they would inherit a massive lion's share of his vast estate, since he lacked a male heir to claim the lineage.
But then, quite unexpectedly, Alhaji Shuaib married his fourth wife—a very young woman—who subsequently gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. Alhaji Shuaib Dankoli was overjoyed to finally have a successor to secure his legacy. On the day of the naming ceremony, the child was named Abubakar.
Ever since Abubakar's birth, his mother, Amina, suffered from failing health. The senior wife, Hajiya Suwaiba, along with the wife next in rank, had secretly visited a notorious and powerful witch doctor. He had prepared a lethal charm for them, which they deceitfully slipped into Amina’s food on the very day of Abubakar's naming ceremony.
As a result, she battled a severe, unrelenting illness. By the time Abubakar was just one year old, his mother, Amina, passed away, returning to her Creator.
Following her death, the responsibility of raising Abubakar fell into the hands of the senior wife, Hajiya Suwaiba. Hajiya Suwaiba was blessed with five daughters of her own. Her eldest daughter was named Rukayya, followed by four younger sisters. Rukayya had inherited every ounce of her mother’s malicious and wicked disposition. Consequently, for no justifiable reason other than sheer malice, she developed a deep, universal hatred for young Abubakar.
Yet, despite all the desperate plots and machinations they devised to eliminate Abubakar from this world, the Almighty decreed that their power fell short, shielding his life.
Thus, Abubakar grew up within his father's household under conditions of severe hardship, hostility, and emotional distress. Even Alhaji Shuaib's extended relatives openly flaunted their intense aversion toward the boy.
Thirty years flew by, and Abubakar blossomed into a robust, vibrant young man. He was exceptionally hardworking and driven; despite his father's immense wealth, he refused to fold his arms in idleness. He pursued his education with utmost dedication, rising to the pinnacle of academic excellence.
Just five months after completing his studies and attaining the prestigious rank of professor, his father approached him regarding marriage. Professor Abubakar gently deferred, stating that he was not quite ready and preferred to wait until he found the right woman who truly complemented him.
Soon after, Hajiya Suwaiba, Alhaji Shuaib's senior wife, cornered her husband. She insisted that he needed to pressure Abubakar into marriage, arguing that all of his peers were already settled with wives of their own.
Alhaji Shuaib countered, "Since the boy has asked for a bit of time, Suwaiba, we should grant it to him."
Deeply irritated, Hajiya Suwaiba snapped, "By Allah, Alhaji, you indulge that boy far too much! Is a marriage now something he will only perform whenever it happens to please his whims?"
Alhaji Shuaib simply stood up and walked away from her, as he was a man who deeply detested pointless arguments.
Frustrated, Hajiya Suwaiba immediately went to find her co-wife, Hajiya Larai, and recounted her conversation with Alhaji Shuaib regarding Abubakar.
Hajiya Larai smirked and said, "You are being far too soft on this matter. Why don't we go and consult Baffa? You know very well that he doesn't harbor a single shred of affection for Abubakar either. Let's see what advice he has to offer."
Hajiya Suwaiba readily agreed to the suggestion, and they set off for Baffa’s house. As luck would have it, they found him at home.
After exchanging initial pleasantries, they sat down and detailed the purpose of their visit.
Baffa sneered, "What a pointless dilemma. It is Shuaibu himself who backs the boy up so boldly; I've noticed it for a while now. But no matter, I will handle them both. I shall arrange a marriage between him and my daughter, Hafsat. Once that is done, eliminating him from this world entirely will be an effortless task for us."
Overjoyed, the women chimed in, "That is an excellent plan, Baffa! By Allah, as long as that boy remains active in this household, none of you extended relatives will ever enjoy a single dime of your brother's wealth. He oversees absolutely everything now; he is the sole director of all of Alhaji Shuaib's properties and assets."
Baffa nodded grimly. "The matter has been eating at me as well. But everything comes to an end. This girl, Hafsa, will finish him off for us once and for all."
With their hearts filled with malicious delight, Hajiya Suwaiba and Hajiya Larai bid him farewell and returned home.
Two days later, Baffa approached his younger brother, Alhaji Shuaib, with the proposal of uniting their children in a family marriage.
Alhaji Shuaib hesitated, saying, "Give me a little time to discuss this with Abubakar first."
Baffa scoffed, his face darkening. "Incredible, Shuaibu! So the rumors people whisper about you are true after all? They say your own son has grown more powerful than you, and that you answer to him!"
Alhaji Shuaib sighed. "Oh, my elder brother, what nonsense is this? This is merely idle gossip from outsiders. If a man stops to listen to such baseless rumors, he would never accomplish anything meaningful in life."
Baffa pressed harder, playing the victim. "Indeed, Shuaibu! You must openly show me that my word holds no weight with you, let alone with your son!"
Unbeknownst to them, Abubakar had been standing nearby and overheard the entire conversation. He walked into the living room, knelt respectfully before his father, and said, "Abbu, I accept. Let me marry whomever Baffa desires for me. Abbu, I would never want to be the reason friction arises between you and your brothers. May Allah make this choice the most blessed one."
Alhaji Shuaib’s face softened with immense pride. "May Allah bless you, Abubakar. May He shield you from the evils of this world and the Hereafter, and protect you from the malice of both mankind and the jinn."
"Amin, Abbu," Abubakar replied softly.
Baffa smirked, turning to his brother. "You see? Your own son possesses a far better foresight than you do. If we do not bind them together in this family alliance now, do you expect them to do it after we are long gone?"
Alhaji Shuaib conceded, "Since he has willingly accepted, then so be it. Which of my nieces shall we unite him with?"
Baffa grinned broadly. "Hafsat, of course!"
Alhaji Shuaib nodded. "May Allah bless the union."
"Amin," they replied in unison.
Baffa turned to Abubakar. "Then you should prepare yourself to go and visit her so you two can get to know each other, right, Abubakar?"
Abubakar replied politely, "Insha Allah, Baffa. I will make sure to find some time in my schedule to visit."
"Excellent, that is perfect," Baffa said, standing up. "I shall take my leave now."
Abbu asked, "So soon, my brother?"
Baffa replied, "Since I have successfully accomplished the errand that brought me here, there is no need for me to linger."
"That is true. Extend my greetings to the family," Abbu said. Baffa nodded and walked out.
Once Baffa had departed, Abbu turned to Abubakar, a look of profound worry on his face. "Abubakar, my heart is completely uneasy regarding this marriage."
Abubakar offered a reassuring smile. "Do not worry, Abbu. Just place your blessings upon it, and all will be well."
Meanwhile, Hajiya Suwaiba and her co-wife, Hajiya Larai, were absolutely ecstatic. To them, if this plot succeeded and Abubakar was eliminated, they would secure an enormous share of Alhaji Shuaib’s immense wealth.
Hafsa was Baffa's eldest daughter. She was a young woman of matchless, top-tier beauty; stunning looks ran deep within her family's lineage—and Abubakar himself was equally remarkably handsome.
Hafsa possessed a fierce, no-nonsense personality. She absolutely despised disrespect. Even around her younger siblings, she rarely softened her expression or played around, ensuring they maintained a healthy respect for her authority. Even at school, no one dared to cross her boundaries or step on her toes.
Yet beneath that iron exterior lay a hidden side that not even her own family members knew she possessed: a deeply compassionate heart and a profound love for her family. She hid this softness completely, well-aware of the dark, greedy nature of her parents.
When news of the arranged marriage between her and Abubakar reached her ears, Hafsat was secretly thrilled. However, she locked her joy deep within her heart, keeping her true expressions entirely neutral so that no one could read her mind.
Following their wedding, Abubakar initially kept his distance and treated her with caution. However, Hafsat’s consistent kindness, devotion, and exceptional care gradually broke down his walls, causing him to completely let his guard down and relax into her embrace. They fell deeply in love, sharing a bond so profound you would swear theirs was a marriage born out of a long-standing romance.
A year into their blissful marriage, on a pleasant Saturday, Hafsat was sitting close to Abubakar, staring into his eyes with deep affection.
He smiled, noticing her intense gaze. "What is it, my madam?"
She smiled warmly. "By Allah, I was hoping you would allow me to go to my family's house and spend the day there today. You see, it has been over a month since I last visited them."
Abubakar chuckled. "Is that all? Consider it granted."
Abubakar personally drove her to her parents' compound. Upon arrival, he handed her a generous amount of spending money and said, "Go on inside. I have a few errands to run, but I will come back later to pick you up."
"May Allah bring you back safely," she said.
"Amin, my virtuous wife," he replied. She smiled warmly and walked into the house.
Her younger siblings erupted in joy upon seeing her, chanting, "Sister Hafsat is here! Sister Hafsat is here!" She embraced them, equally thrilled to see them.
As it turned out, she had walked right into a gathering; they had an influential visitor today—Rukayya, Hajiya Suwaiba’s eldest daughter and Abubakar's bitter half-sister.
After standard greetings were exchanged, Rukayya wasted no time. She looked at Hafsat critically and asked, "Hafsat, are you actually administering the substance we gave you? Are you secretly mixing it into Abubakar’s food?"
Hafsat's mother chipped in, her face etched with frustration. "By Allah, the matter is deeply concerning to me as well! Every single month, we spend exorbitant amounts of money to secure that potion from the witch doctor. Yet we hear absolutely nothing about his health failing! Are you truly doing exactly as you were instructed?"
Hafsat pouted defiantly. "Of course I am doing it! It's just that the man is heavily fortified with protective prayers. To tell you the honest truth, he barely sleeps because he is constantly vigilant against his enemies."
Rukayya sneered, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, really? So now we are the enemies you speak of? It seems you have completely lost your manners, Hafsat!"
Hafsat stood her ground, her voice ringing clear. "Listen, let me just lay my cards on the table for you all: I love my husband! And even if I didn't love him, I would never resort to taking a human life—especially not someone who is my own flesh and blood, and my husband!"
The women gasped loudly, clapping their hands in utter shock and horror at Hafsat’s bold defiance.
Before Hafsat could even process what was happening, a barrage of heavy blows suddenly rained down upon her from every direction. It was her father, Baffa, who had lunged at her in a fit of rage.
"Wretched girl!" Baffa roared as he beat her. "It would have been better if you were never born! So you do not wish to see our family progress? You have allowed foolish romance to blind your eyes?!"
Her mother chimed in viciously, "By Allah! You will either do exactly as we command, or I will lay a maternal curse upon you this very instant!"
In a state of sheer panic and distress, Hafsat cried out, "Mama, there is no obedience due to creation in matters of sin! I will never commit the horrific deed you demand! If you want him dead, you will have to kill me right alongside him!"
Hearing this, both Baffa and her mother descended upon her with renewed fury, beating her mercilessly. It was only with great difficulty that Rukayya finally intervened and pulled them off her.
The moment Hafsat felt their grip loosen, she grabbed her handbag and bolted out of the house at full speed, running for her life into the street with her shoes clutched tightly in her hands.