Translation in English

May 2013

As usual, they were sitting on the bench right by Eskaley's shop at the beginning of the lane. This was their idle routine every day after Asr prayer, with Haruna smoking a cigarette beside him.

Haruna handed him the cigarette that was nearly finished; he took it, put it in his mouth, and was about to take a puff when his eyes met with the creation he felt shy around more than anyone else in the world. Quickly, he pushed the burning cigarette butt inside his long sleeve and looked away as if nothing had happened.

He approached the shop and greeted them. Only Haruna answered and greeted him back, alongside Eskaley, who simply looked away.

He pulled a hundred Naira note from his front shirt pocket and said to Eskaley, "Hello! Give me Maggi, Star seasoning, and White Maggi." Eskaley took the money, gathered the items he requested, and handed him fifteen Naira change. He didn't take it immediately, instead asking for matches and the rest of his items. He greeted them again and walked down the lane toward his house.

Haruna noticed the sweat on his friend's face, nudged him with his hand, and asked, "What's wrong, Mankas?" Quickly, the one called Mankas shoved his hand inside his long-sleeved shirt, pulled out the cigarette butt, threw it on the ground, and crushed it with his foot before rolling his sleeve back down. Shocked, Haruna said, "Mankas? Are you in your right mind? You pushed a lit cigarette inside your shirt? Mtss! Look, it has burned your skin."

Mankas turned his head away from looking at his bare arm, which had instantly gone raw from the burn. Being fair-skinned, the spot was already bright red.

Eskaley tossed a packet of powder to Haruna and said, "Wet it and apply it to the spot." Haruna opened the small paper packet, picked up a discarded piece of nylon packaging nearby, wet it slightly, and grabbed Mankas's arm to apply it. Mankas pulled his hand away and barely managed to mutter, "Leave it, it's fine."

Filled with worry, Haruna said, "You are so stubborn, Mankas, just stay still for goodness sake."

He said nothing else, simply offering his arm. This allowed Haruna to apply the powder to the freshly irritated spot.

As they chatted casually, the rest of the idle gang arrived, and the neighborhood erupted with the noise of Eskaley's bench crew, most of it revolving around arguments.

With a greeting, he entered his house. Ameera and Sabit rushed toward their father to welcome him, shouting, "Welcome back, Baba!" He stroked their heads and said, "Welcome, how was school?" They answered, "Welcome back, Yaya." He looked at her with a smile and said, "Hello, Labeeba, how is school?" She smiled and replied, "Alhamdulillah." She went inside, brought out a mat, and spread it for him. He took off his shoes and sat down. Sabit sat on his father's leg while Ameera leaned against his body, asking questions while he answered them.

Aunty Asiya emerged from the restroom holding a water jug and said, "Welcome back, father of Ameera." They exchanged a captivating smile; if not for the children watching, they would have embraced. With a loving gaze, he asked, "Asee, how are the house and the children?" She replied, "Fine, how was the market?" He answered, "Business was Alhamdulillah. Do you know I left the market before seeing your message? I only realized when I entered the neighborhood and stopped at Eskaley's shop to buy the seasoning." He finished by handing her the bag of Maggi.

She smiled and said, "That seasoning! I needed it for the afternoon meal, which is why I texted you to bring it along." She took it and went to the kitchen, where she found Labeeba arranging Baban Amira's food cooler on a tray. She took the tray and said, "Crush that ice into the Zobo." Labeeba responded with an "Okay," opened the small fridge in the kitchen, took out the ice, crushed it, and poured it into a jug.

Even though Sabit and Ameera had already eaten, they joined their father to eat his food. He asked, "Wait, why didn't you go to Islamiya today?" Ameera replied, "Baba, today is Thursday." He said, "Oh, my mistake. Now, where is your homework? I'm sure you were given some." Amira said, "I'll do mine in the evening." Baban Amira said, "No, do it now while I can see you. Don't wait for night when the power might go out and you won't know what to do." Aunty Asiya added, "Get up and go get it so Aunty Labeeba can help you." They scrambled to their feet and ran into their room.

Baban Ameera asked, "Labeeba, how is school?" She replied, "Honestly, Yaya, it was a rough day—so much heat and a long distance." Aunty Asiya said, "She walked in here looking like she was about to collapse." He laughed and said, "Haha, young lady, you've just started; you haven't seen anything yet." She exclaimed, "Oh, goodness!" and they all laughed.

She felt a slight wave of homesickness, missing her mother, her siblings, and deeply yearning for her birthplace where she grew up. However, she truly enjoyed living in her brother's house. She admired how her brother ran his household with zero worries. Why would she have any worries when she was living with her full brother, alongside a wife who had zero issues, and children who loved her dearly? Being with them chased away any homesickness. Right now, she sat down and continued helping Amira with her homework until she finished, then moved on to Sabit's tracing assignment.

6:35 PM

Baban Amira got up, went into the bathroom, and came out having performed ablution. He looked at Sabit and said, "Mallam Sabit, shall we go to the mosque?" Sabit jumped up joyfully and performed his ablution—imperfectly though it was—and grabbed his father's hand. Aunty Asiya, who was in the kitchen stirring the evening tuwo, was greeted by Baban Amira as he peeked in to say, "Asee, we are heading to the mosque, back after Isha'i, God willing." She prayed for their safe return, and Labeeba did the same as they stepped out of the house holding hands.

The men remained seated until the Maghrib call to prayer echoed, yet none of them made a move to go pray, despite the mosque being right beside them.

Baban Amira walked past them, turned back, and said, "Dan Makaho, you hear the call to prayer and just sit there? Have some fear of God, please." Tero responded, "Hey Mallam, can't you see they've finished the prayer and we haven't done ours yet?" Baban Amira said, "I just noticed you had no intention of going, so I thought I'd remind you." Haruna said, "We'll pray later." Baban Amira retorted, "Really? In your right minds? Later? What are you doing right now? Do you know the ruling on those who abandon prayer (Tarrikus Salat)? Delaying prayer? Do you know the virtue of praying in congregation?" Master snapped, "Look, mind your own business. If you are the one accepting prayers, don't accept ours."

Dan Makaho stood up, looked at him with his squinted eyes, and managed to say, "We are going now."

Baban Amira looked at Master and said, "No, I'm not the one accepting prayers; it was just a reminder. May God guide you." He took Sabit's hand, crossed the street, and headed to the mosque.

In a drug-slurred voice, Master said, "Hey Mankas, I noticed you coddling that guy. You should've left him alone; he's looking at us like we're infidels." Dan Makaho hissed and said, "Eskaley, give me two bags of pure water." Eskaley handed him the water, and Dan Makaho stepped aside to perform ablution.

Haruna said, "You too, Master, you spoke harshly to him. I don't see anything wrong with what he did." Tero chimed in, "These neighborhood gossips are the worst. Master, you did the right thing." Haruna stood up, took a bag of water as well, and moved to where Dan Makaho was performing his ablution. Master and Tero remained seated, smoking cigarettes. Even after Eskaley closed up his shop, Master and Tero stayed put. The other three headed to their neighborhood mosque, nicknamed "Sharp-Sharp."

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Biebee Isa.

Summary

The story revolves around Labeeba, a young woman living comfortably with her older brother (Baban Amira) and his kind wife, Aunty Asiya. Despite occasional homesickness, she finds joy in their peaceful household, helps the children with homework, and attends school at Hassan Usman Polytechnic. Her daily routines intersect with various neighborhood dynamics, including a local group of idle young men hanging out at Eskaley's shop—notably Mankas (a quiet young man battling personal struggles and family drama), Haruna, Master, and Tero.

A stark contrast is drawn between the wholesome, disciplined life of Baban Amira’s family and the chaotic, troubled environment of Mankas's family home next door. In Chapter 2, a major conflict erupts when Mankas’s stepmother, Hajia Shafa'atu, maliciously spreads vicious lies and false accusations accusing Mankas of inappropriate behavior with his younger sister, Sady. Enraged by the injustice and the father's subsequent curse driven by the stepmother's manipulation, Labeeba is deeply distressed by the blatant slander.

In Chapter 3, Labeeba attends classes at school where she struggles to focus due to the emotional weight of the neighborhood drama. She interacts with her friend Aisha and encounters Captain Abu Sideeq, an intelligent and respected senior student in the Engineering department. Abu Sideeq approaches Labeeba to assist her academically, and later confesses his genuine romantic feelings for her. Labeeba responds with admirable maturity, transparency, and directness, earning his profound respect. The chapter closes as Labeeba seeks academic help from Abu Sideeq based on a lecturer's recommendation, bridging her academic pursuits with budding romance.

Description of Analytics

• Character Dynamics & Contrast: The narrative brilliantly contrasts stable, supportive family structures (Baban Amira and Aunty Asiya) with toxic, volatile domestic environments poisoned by malicious stepmothers and false accusations (Mankas and Sady).
• Thematic Exploration: Core themes include loyalty, family bonds, societal gossip, the struggles of youth peer pressure, academic life, and the purity of straightforward romantic intentions.
• Pacing & Progression: The plot transitions smoothly from everyday domestic life and street-level interactions into high-stakes domestic drama, before shifting focus to campus life, personal growth, and romance.
• Character Development: Labeeba is portrayed as empathetic, intelligent, and emotionally grounded. Mankas represents the tragic victim of circumstance and slander, while Abu Sideeq embodies integrity and intellectual excellence.

Comments

The excerpt offers a rich, culturally immersive slice of Northern Nigerian suburban life. The author captures authentic local nuances—from the afternoon street gatherings at provision shops ("shagon Eskaley") and neighborhood mosque dynamics to academic life at a polytechnic and the warmth of extended family cohabitation. The emotional depth surrounding Sady and Mankas's ordeal effectively evokes empathy, while Labeeba and Abu Sideeq's mutual respect provides a refreshing and mature take on romance within Hausa fiction.

Conclusions

The narrative successfully weaves together social realism, family drama, and romance. It highlights the destructive nature of malicious gossip and false accusations (sharri) while celebrating integrity, compassion, and academic dedication. Labeeba emerges as a central pillar of empathy, navigating both the harsh realities of her neighborhood and the promising horizons of her education and personal relationships.

Keywords

• Hausa Fiction
• Domestic Drama
• Slander and Injustice (Sharri)
• Campus Romance
• Family Bonds
• Neighborhood Dynamics
• Northern Nigerian Culture