Gwauro Book Complete Hausa Novel

Description

"Why, isn't this matter just because they said Shureen will go to India with Deedayah?" Kaka glared angrily at Abba and said, "Amadu, who and who are traveling tomorrow?" He replied, "Rahinah and Shuraim, and later you and Junaid will follow them." Kaka said, "Well, Shuraim must go. Even if no one else goes, Shuraim must go, by God!" Mumy said, "Oh, let him go, he's a headache to me anyway." Kaka walked up to her, clapping her hands, and said, "Your mouth is useless and evil. Nothing your mouth says will affect him. He will obey his father, so rest assured, your bad words will circle the world and come back to land on your own head, not my grandson’s, you reckless woman!" Calmly, Mumy said, "If Shuraim dares to step foot out of this house to another country, I swear I will curse him." Saying this, she left the parlor as if she wanted to fly up. Shuraim was standing right beside his father. Kaka said, "As for you, may God's curse be upon you, not a human's! I want to see the father who can stop Shuraim from going to India." Abba, whose temper had reached its absolute limit, followed after Mumy. Baffa clicked his tongue and said nothing. Looking at Junaid, Kaka said, "You might as well take me to your uncle's house right now. By God, my spirit is sour whenever I see the people of this house. Take me there so my mind can be at peace." Junaid smiled and said, "Alright, let's go, Kaka." She said, "But this isn't madness, I can't just go without a big box. Let me open it and take ten outfits at least." He pulled her box to her room while she followed him, wiping away tiny tears...

Early the next morning, Mami finished all her preparations, dressed Heedayah, and they came out to Abba's parlor. Abba, who had finished putting all of Heedayah's medical reports in an envelope, handed it to Mami and said, "We are leaving, but you should go and say goodbye to Kaka first." Mami replied, "In sha Allah." Abba checked his watch and said, "We need to hurry up so you don't miss the train." Mami agreed. Abba picked up his phone, wondering why Shuraim wasn't at the mosque since he had just returned from there himself. He dialed Shuraim's number, but it was switched off; he tried again, and it was still off. Mami just watched him without saying anything. Abba stared at his phone, then stood up and said, "Let's just go. I'll drop you off at the Honorable's house, and from there Junaid can take you to the train station." She asked, "What about Shuraim?" He said, "Don't worry about that."

The security guard came in and loaded Mami's and Heedayah's luggage into the back of Abba's car. Mami said, "Didn't you pray for your daughter? May Allah make the surgery a success." Abba smiled, looking at Heedayah who was dressed in casual clothes with a baby hijab on her head, holding Mami's hand. He grabbed her hand and said, "Safe trip, dear. May Allah take you there safely, make everything a success, and heal your eyes." She gently held his hand and asked, "Abba, will I start seeing too?" Smiling, he said, "In sha Allah, dear." She paused for a bit, then asked, "Won't I start by seeing my Ammi?" Both Abba and Mami fell silent, looking at her. Tears welled up in her eyes as she said, "She told me she's the first person I'll see." Abba pulled her close to his body and said, "You will see her, In sha Allah, daughter. Mami is also your Ammi." She nodded, he wiped her tears, and they headed towards the car with Mami following behind quietly. Right after Heedayah was settled in Mami's car, Mami asked, "Aren't you going to say goodbye to your wife?" Abba said, "No, leave her be." Mami didn't say anything further; she opened the front seat and sat down as they drove off to the house of Alhaji Imran, Junaid's Baffa.

Mami entered the room where Kaka was lodged, after exchanging greetings with Hajiya Zuwaira. Kaka was sitting there before daylight even fully broke, with various types of breakfast items before her, mixing tea in a large mug. Mami sat on the carpet, smiling, and said, "Good morning, Kaka." Kaka replied, "Fine. Where would I ever get this in your house?" Mami just smiled, then said, "Well, Kaka, we are leaving. Please pray for us. May Allah make our journey safe, make the medical procedure successful, and as for you all, may Allah bring you peace." Kaka said, "May Almighty Allah take you safely, make this orphan girl come out healed, and may He not put us to shame—may these eyes cover our faults and open up." Mami lowered her head and said, "Ameen." Kaka said, "Bring her closer so I can pray for her." Mami moved Heedayah close to Kaka, who recited every prayer she knew—Ayatul Kursiyyi and Amanar Rasul—spitting gently on her, and said, "May Almighty Allah make the surgery a success, cover our faults, and may you start seeing everyone just as everyone is seen. Finally, may Allah reward my son for the huge sum of money he spent on you. May He bless him, and may you also show him kindness one day and not be ungrateful..."

Heedayah remained quiet, staring into space. Kaka said, "Look at this reckless girl, won't you say Ameen? Or is your silence due to an intention of ingratitude that we don't know about?" Mami smiled, looking at Heedayah, and said, "Say Ameen, daughter." Softly, Heedayah said, "Ameen." Kaka said, "Hurry up and go before the train leaves you. They have no decency, those people. They even tried to stop me from going to my last Umrah, but Allah is greater than them." Mami said, "Alright, Kaka. Thank you for the prayers. Won't you come out and greet the Barrister?" Kaka snapped, "Who is Barrister? Please leave me alone so my mood doesn't get ruined. Let him mind his business and I'll mind mine." Mami stood up and said, "May Allah guide us with His grace, Kaka." Kaka said, "Pray hard before you board that white man's devilish thing called a train." Mami said, "In sha Allah." Kaka asked, "Shuraim is still going with you, right?" Mami said, "In sha Allah." Kaka said, "May Allah protect you all, bless you, make the surgery a success, and we will come later, Junaid and I." Mami said, "In sha Allah, Kaka." With that, she left the room.

Abba was sitting in the parlor with Alhaji Imran. Seeing Mami, he said, "Time is running out, don't miss the train." Mami asked, "Did you find Shuraim?" Abba said, "No, you will travel with Junaid instead." Mami went silent. Abba stood up and said, "Yeah, I called Junaid and he is ready now." Mami sat down with Heedayah. Alhaji Imran said, "May Almighty Allah establish goodness in this journey." Mami replied, "Ameen, Baffa."

Shortly after, Junaid came down the stairs with his traveling bag. Looking at him, Abba asked, "I hope you didn't tell Kaka anything?" Junaid answered, "No, I didn't go in." Abba said, "Good." Alhaji Imran and his wife accompanied them out to Abba's parked car. Alhaji Imran told Junaid, "I just made a transfer to your account in case you need anything over there. May Allah take you safely and make the surgery a success." Junaid replied, "Thank you, Baffa, may Allah reward you with goodness." Abba and Mami thanked Alhaji Imran, then they set off for the Hayin Rigasa train station. Junaid sat in the back seat with Heedayah. She rested her head gently on his shoulder and whispered, "Good morning..."

(Promotional blurbs for skin/body products and a transfer account notice appear here in the middle of the text).

(Later segment transition) ... Mumy stood up quickly upon seeing Karime return and asked, "Did you pour it already?" Karime replied, "She chased me out, I swear! She even said she'd have me fired." Mumy's eyes bulged. "What did you do to her?!" Karime said, "I did nothing! You know she just doesn't like me." Mumy said, "Did you not apologize before leaving?" Karime said, "She just said she didn't want to see my face." Mumy sat down, cupping her chin, wondering how she was going to sneak this poison into Heedayah's tea supplies. She looked at Karime and said, "Give me my things and get out." Karime pulled out a tied-up package from inside her blouse. Mumy refused to take it and said, "Put it down on the chair." She placed it there. Mumy said, "Leave, I'll call for you later." As Karime walked out, Mumy stared at her coldly. She grabbed a plastic bag, wrapped the poison while making a disgusted face, and took it into her room.

That day, Mumy entered Kaka's room five times before evening. On her final exit, Kaka narrowed her eyes and muttered, "It's hard to believe this woman is honest. I've noticed her pacing around me like a woman in labor all day... Let Amadu come back so I can ask him the meaning of this. God forbid, nowadays even your own flesh and blood will pace around you for no reason, so you just have to mind your business." Heedayah was inside the room and heard everything Kaka said.

Kaka stood up and called out for Sajida. Sajida rushed over and said, "I'm here, Kaka." Kaka said, "Take a clay stove, find some charcoal anywhere, ignite it, and bring it to me right now." Sajida said, "I'll have to go to the market right now to buy charcoal." Kaka said, "Well, I don't have a single coin. Go call Maryam for me." Sajida said, "Alright," and walked away.

Shortly after, Mumy walked past smiling, and said, "Here I am, Kaka, are you looking for someone to run an errand?" Quickly, Kaka said, "No, what errand? Like I'm a cripple! Give Sajida five hundred naira so she can go to the market for me right now." Mumy twisted her face for a second, frowned, and said, "I wonder if money is even available. Since yesterday when I went to take Salima to the hospital, I have no money with me right now." Kaka said, "Then call Amadu for me, he won't lack a way to handle things for me." Mumy didn't say anything. Kaka insisted, "Call him with his phone." Mumy walked out of the room, muttered under her breath, "Toh," and from her doorway yelled for Sajida. When Sajida rushed over, Mumy angrily threw the five hundred naira note straight into her face, retreated into her parlor, and slammed the door shut.

When Sajida returned with the charcoal, she ignited it in the clay stove for Kaka, then took it to her room. Kaka was sitting in the middle of the room, unpacking an old bag filled with various fetish bundles and local medicines—you would think she was a witch. Sajida placed the stove on the tiles and said, "Here it is, Kaka." Kaka prayed for her, Sajida said "Ameen," and left.

Kaka poured a heavy amount of native incense onto the fire. Instantly, Heedayah jumped up, coughing, and asked, "Kaka, what is that?" Kaka said, "As if I'll just sit here and let myself be killed! I had a terrible dream yesterday..." When Heedayah tried to leave the room, Kaka blocked the door and said, "Or are you a witch and we don't know it?!" Heedayah burst into tears and said, "Kaka, it's entering my nose!" Kaka replied, "Of course it's supposed to enter through there! How can we sit back and let ourselves be scammed? Everyone has corrupted their hearts with evil. Since my marriage days, I've protected myself..."

Heedayah covered her nose while Kaka kept rambling, adding more incense to the stove until she was sure the smoke had permeated every corner of the room. She then moved the stove out into the parlor and declared, "Let nobody steal my things here!"

Mami opened the door with a greeting. As she stepped in, she immediately grimaced because the smoke had filled everywhere. She walked up to Kaka and asked, "What is this, Kaka?" Kaka replied, "If you want, you can get a nylon bag and I'll scoop some for you too. The world today is dishonest... Mami ignored her, greeted her, and moved to head toward her quarters." Kaka called out, "By the way, Rakiya, I was waiting for you to come back and tell me what this maid of yours is actually accomplishing for you in this house!" Mami turned back and said, "Nothing much, she's just doing chores alongside the other maid." Kaka said, "Honestly, you should fire her and let Sajida handle things alone. Can't you see she's dirty? God knows if water even touches her skin..."

Later that evening, Abba was in his parlor when Kaka walked in. Mumy, who was slicing watermelon for him, said, "Welcome, Kaka." Kaka sat down and said, "Ah, Amadu, you're back?" He replied, "Yes, good afternoon." Kaka said, "I just came to ask who is paying the wages for the maid Rakiya hired." Abba said, "She pays her herself." Kaka said, "Oh, is that so? Well, let me leave her maid alone so she doesn't hold a grudge against me, because I was going to ask for her to be fired." Abba asked, "Did she do something?" Kaka said, "Oh, nothing, I just don't like her. But since you aren't the one paying, it's fine. Rakiya has her own money anyway, she doesn't sit around idly like some people..." Mumy didn't even look at Kaka. In a rush, she dropped the watermelon, stood up, and said, "I'm going to check the tea water I left in the kitchen," and hurried out.

Kaka muttered, "Look at the terrible way she cut those watermelons..." Abba said nothing. Kaka then brought up the India trip again, demanding why only two people were allowed and insisting that she and Abba must go. Abba remained silent.

As soon as Mumy stepped out, she rushed to her quarters, came back out quickly, glanced suspiciously at the main parlor, and slipped into Kaka's room, locking the door behind her. With trembling hands, she reached for the tea station, lowered the milk tin, but struggled to find something to open the Milo tin. Spotting a spoon inside a cup on the fridge, she grabbed it, pried open the Milo tin, pulled out the paper packet from her blouse, and with shaking hands, poured the toxic contents straight into the Milo. She stirred it with the spoon, closed the tin, put it back where it was, wiped the spoon on her clothes, and returned it to the cup. Completely panicked, she fled the room like she was flying.

Once inside her parlor, she let out a massive sigh of relief, turned to her children, and snapped, "What on earth are you waiting for instead of going to bed? Turn off the TV right now!" After they left, she retreated into her bedroom with a strange smile...

Early the next morning, Kaka was sweeping the corners of her room when she picked up the milk and Milo tins, making a disgusted face. "The witch didn't even drink her tea last night... just gossip! Where would she get such luxury from her parents' house? She just hooked my son and he keeps wasting money on her..." As she placed the Milo tin down, the lid fell off. She picked it up in surprise, set it down, and muttered, "Subhanallah! I mixed her tea yesterday evening, so which thief came, opened it, stole from it, and forgot to cover it? The Milo has gone down! I didn't leave it like this. Has theft started in Amadu's house without my knowledge?!" Dropping her broom, she marched out of the room directly to Abba's parlor and knocked.

Mumy opened the door. Kaka said, "Where is Amadu?" Mumy said, "He's inside." Kaka said, "Tell him I'm standing outside." When Abba came out, Kaka announced, "Amadu, I swear someone entered my room and emptied Deedayah's Milo completely! Now people will think I'm the one drinking it behind my back, even if they don't say it out loud. We need to take action right now!" Mumy, deeply panicked, said, "Subhanallah! Let me bring mine and add it to hers since it went down. It's not worth getting upset over, Kaka." Kaka snapped, "Oh no, you won't bring yours! Whoever took it must return it! I'm going to start with these maids and search all their bags..."

Kaka marched to the maids' quarters, calling for Mami to come out as well. She threw open Sajida's Ghana-must-go bag, but found nothing. Then she turned to Karime, who was sweating profusely, and demanded, "Where is your bag?" Karime pointed to her bag. To her absolute horror, inside were the hidden sachets of Mumy's stolen milk and Milo that Mumy used to stash, along with leftover fried meat from yesterday and a hidden bag of cornflakes. Kaka shrieked in triumph as she pulled out the items like dirt. Mumy's eyes bulged in absolute terror. Kaka pulled out the meat, unwrapped it, shrieked, and threw it down. She pulled out the cornflakes, then the milk and Milo packages. Kaka let out a triumphant "boss" laugh. Mami stood at the door, speechless.

Kaka gloated, "Now you see I wasn't lying! Let's call Amadu so he can see with his own eyes..." Karime dropped to her knees, weeping, and cried, "I swear, I swear, Kaka, this isn't your Milo! Look at it, this one is even caked up..." Kaka hurled the caked-up Milo packet right into Karime's face, yelling, "You have no fear of God! You hid it in a bag and now it's caked up from the smell!" Mami let out a sigh and asked, "How many days ago were you paid your monthly wages?" Karime wept, "One week." Mami said, "Pack your things, come to me so I can give you your one week's pay and transport money, and leave. May Allah guide us." Mami walked away. Karime wailed desperately, begging Mumy to intervene, but Mumy refused to even look at her direction and slipped away like a hypocrite.

Kaka gave Karime ten thousand naira total (five for transport, five for the week's work). As Karime wept and left, Kaka handed her the milk and Milo tins, saying, "Here is my contribution, greet the people of Doguwa!" Mumy rushed back in, panicking, and cried, "No, Kaka, how can you do that? Why are you giving her those?!" Kaka cut her off, "Mind your business! Do you want me to give my granddaughter poisoned stuff to drink? Who knows what toxic powder you mixed into it during the theft? Take it away!" Karime grabbed her bag, wiping her tears, while Mumy stood there completely exposed, shaking with panic.

2. Summary

The excerpt revolves around intense household tension, medical preparation, and malicious sabotage within an affluent family.

• The India Trip Conflict: Preparations are underway for young Heedayah to travel to India for her eye surgery, accompanied by Mami and Junaid. Kaka is furious because she believes she should be the one traveling, while Mumy bitterly resents the massive expenses and attempts to curse Shuraim if he travels.
• Mumy's Sabotage: Driven by malice, hatred for Heedayah and Mami, and greed, Mumy secretly poisons Heedayah's beverage/Milo supply by slipping a toxic, fetish substance/powder into it.
• The Framing of the Maid: To cover her tracks or frame others, the poison ends up mixed with stolen household items. Kaka launches a aggressive search of the maids' quarters, uncovers hidden food items and Mumy's stashed milk/Milo in the innocent maid Karime's bag, and triumphantly fires Karime, leaving Mumy exposed and in absolute panic.

3. Description

• Setting: A wealthy, multi-generational family home in Northern Nigeria, characterized by traditional domestic dynamics, large parlors, separate quarters for wives and maids, and underlying tensions of polygamy and extended family friction.
• Characters:
  • Kaka: Abba's outspoken, traditional, domineering, and suspicious mother who loves control and has a sharp tongue.
  • Abba: The patriarch trying to navigate family peace while prioritizing his blind daughter's medical needs.
  • Mami: A gentle, patient, and mature co-wife who focuses on her daughter's health.
  • Mumy: A malicious, manipulative, and insecure co-wife who poisons provisions out of spite and tries to frame others.
  • Heedayah: The young, visually impaired girl whose upcoming eye surgery sparks the family journey.
  • Karime: An innocent maid wrongfully accused and fired due to Mumy's covert framing.

4. Analytics

• Themes:
  • Envy and Malice: Mumy’s deep-seated hatred for Mami and Heedayah drives her to commit attempted poisoning.
  • Domestic Power Dynamics: Kaka represents traditional matriarchal authority, wielding influence over the household despite creating friction.
  • Innocence vs. Exploitation: The vulnerable (like Heedayah and the maid Karime) are collateral damage in the toxic warfare between the co-wives.
• Plot Structure & Tone: The narrative blends domestic drama, psychological suspense (the covert poisoning scene), and sharp cultural satire. The tone shifts rapidly from tense medical urgency to high-stakes family confrontation.