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Episode 1
I was walking through a fruit market, and as I passed by a stall filled with various kinds of fruits, I caught a glimpse of a beautiful young girl inside. She was wearing a faded Ankara top and skirt. She couldn't have been more than sixteen years old, and she was jumping around saying, "Come and buy! Ours are the sweetest!" As she spoke, her face was beaming with smiles, and her dimples deepened. Many people stopped by just to stare at her in admiration because she was so lovely. She picked up an orange, then some star apples and other fruits, explaining their benefits just to convince people to buy.
I, Afrah, said to myself, "Let me follow this fruit vendor and bring back a story for my lovers."
I saw a man call her inside. With a smile that enhanced her beauty, the girl said, "Ya Habu, are we closing already? I still see people around the market. Let's wait a little longer, okay?"
Ya Habu looked at her and said, "Niimatu, don't you ever get tired? You've been jumping around since morning!"
Niimatu laughed and playfully punched Ya Habu on the hand. "I am not tired, I swear by God! Let's stay a little longer, please."
Ya Habu laughed. "If you were a boy, you'd make a tough warrior."
Niimatu frowned. "Oh, so I'm not a warrior now?" She pushed out her bottom lip in a pout.
Ya Habu lightly tapped her on the head. "You're only a warrior at jumping around," he said, walking outside.
Niimatu hissed playfully, then smiled and followed him out.
"Umma! Umma! Where are you? We're back."
Umma came out beaming with joy. Niimatu quickly put down her bag and rushed to hug her. Umma smiled. "Niimatu, you never grow up, do you?"
Niimatu smiled back, looking at her mother. "Umma, as long as I'm in front of you, I am still a little child, even if I have a hundred children."
Umma laughed. Ya Habu walked in and greeted, "Umma, welcome home."
Umma replied, "Welcome to you too, Habu."
They bathed and ate while sitting in their courtyard, which didn't even have a cement floor. The house structure was falling apart; although it was built with bricks, it was old and heavily eroded.
Ya Habu reached into his pocket, pulled out some money, and handed it to Umma. "Take this. I know Malam Sahabi came."
Umma said, "He came this afternoon. He said if we don't have our rent money tomorrow, we shouldn't let him find us here anymore."
Ya Habu shook his head. "God is aware of us, and we thank Him for leaving us alive and in good health."
Umma said, "As for me, I am still praying for that good man who gave you the stall and the startup capital, because he has helped us immensely."
Ya Habu replied, "I am still praying for him too, Umma."
Niimatu, who was lying with her head on Umma's lap, had fallen asleep and was snoring softly, tossing and turning. Ya Habu gave her a light tap on the back. "Hey, queen of snoring! Wake up and go to your room."
Niimatu woke up and stared at him with a smile. Ya Habu hissed. "Don't you ever get tired of smiling? Don't your dimples ever get tired?"
Umma intervened, "Leave her alone, Habu, let her rest. She has tried her best."
Niimatu defended herself, "I wasn't even sleeping, Yaya! And when did I snore?"
Ya Habu stood up and said, "Umma, good night. And as for you," he pointed at Niimatu, "you better not sleep in and fail to wake up and get ready early."
Niimatu beamed widely, pointing to herself. "I am a warrior, Yaya!"
Ya Habu hissed softly and walked away, knowing that if he kept arguing with Niimatu, he wouldn't get any proper sleep.
Episode 2
The next morning, Niimatu woke up, took a bath, and dressed in a gown made of Shadda fabric. The Shadda was originally red, but it had faded so much that you would swear it wasn't red anymore. She peeked into their makeshift kitchen, which was full of holes and choked with smoke.
"Umma, good morning!"
Umma, whose eyes were slightly discolored from the smoke, replied, "Niimatu, you're already awake? You should have rested a bit longer since your brother isn't up yet."
Niimatu smiled her signature smile. "Inna, Ya Habu is just lazy! Even at the market, he's always dozing off. I am the real strength of this business of ours, and besides..."
Ya Habu walked into the house just then—his room was outside. Hearing Niimatu gossiping about him, he sneaked up behind her and tapped her on the head.
"Auuuch! Ya Habu!"
Umma, carrying a small bucket of Koko (millet porridge), said, "You two, move away from the doorway so I can pass."
Niimatu stepped aside, and Ya Habu sat down. Niimatu walked up to him, rubbing her head. "Ya Habu, what did I do to you that you tapped my head?"
Ya Habu said, "I caught you gossiping about me."
Niimatu pouted, stepped closer to Ya Habu, reached out, and lightly pulled his hair.
Habu let out a small yelp. "Hey! What is that? Hey!"
Niimatu burst into laughter. "I just retaliated!"
Umma, stirring the Koko, said, "Come and drink your Koko so you can go to the market before the sun gets too hot."
Niimatu and Ya Habu sat down to drink their Dawa Koko. That was what they had every morning, only changing to something else if God blessed them with better sales.
At the market, Niimatu continued advertising their fruits. Some people came to buy just to catch a glimpse of her smile.
In the evening, Ya Habu called out to her. She answered from inside her stall, her hijab slumping to one side. Ya Habu laughed, seeing that hunger had set in because she was craving food and lacked her usual energy for jumping around, with her hijab crooked too.
Niimatu smiled, though it was true she was very hungry. Since their morning Koko, it was now 5:00 PM, so hunger was inevitable.
Ya Habu said, "Eat two bananas." He reached into his pocket, pulled out fifty Naira, and handed it to her. "Take this, go to Laule the rice and beans seller, and buy us something to satisfy our stomachs."
Quickly, she grabbed the bananas and began eating them as if they weren't the ones selling them.
Ya Habu smiled. "Eat slowly, Niina."
Niimatu's mouth was full of banana, but she still smiled, holding out her hand. "Bring the fifty Naira."
Ya Habu handed it to her, laughing. "Easy, Niina."
She quickly took it and ran off.
Walking along with a smile, everyone she passed turned to look at her because she was both beautiful and cheerful.
As she passed a vegetable vendor, she accidentally bumped into someone. A woman's bag fell to the ground. Furious, arrogant, and menacing, the woman turned around, looked Niimatu up and down, and sneered, "Hey! What is the meaning of this? Are you blind?"
Niimatu raised her head to look at the woman and dropped her jaw, mesmerized by the woman's beauty. The woman was heavily adorned in luxurious, glittering attire.
Slap! The woman delivered a sharp slap to Niimatu's face. "Hey! Are you not hearing me?!"
Niimatu quickly stammered, "I'm sorry, I really didn't notice."
The woman glared at her. The vegetable vendor interceded, "Hajiya, please forgive her. It's not in the girl's nature to be rude. I'm sure she genuinely didn't see you."
The woman hissed. "Get out of my way, please!"
Niimatu hurried off, looking back at the woman and smiling anyway.
The woman hissed again. "Just a poor person's child, staring at people like she wants to devour you!"
Episode 3
Niimatu went and bought their rice and beans. It was barely enough for one person to feel full.
They left the market early because there weren't many people around, and they arrived home just as the Maghrib call to prayer was made.
Niimatu sat in the middle of Umma's room, tidying up her school books—something she did almost every night before sleeping.
Umma entered the room carrying a lamp. "Niimatu, you know you haven't taken in your laundry from the clothesline yet, right?"
Niimatu turned to look at Umma with a smile. "I'll go get them right now, Umma. I was just fixing my school bag. You see, once we get the money for school fees, I'll just go back to school."
Umma stared at her. So Niimatu still hasn't given up on education? It had been nearly two years since she was chased out of school.
Niimatu gently tapped Umma. "Umma, what are you thinking about? Are you angry because I haven't taken down the laundry yet?"
Umma forced a smile and stroked Niimatu's head. "I am never angry with my lastborn. Even if I were, that smile of yours would make me melt."
Niimatu beamed. "Really, Umma?"
Umma sat on their small mattress and said, "Yes, your smile reminds me of your father."
Niimatu quickly scrambled over to sit close to Umma. "Was our father like that too? Did he like to smile like me?"
Umma nodded, pulled Niimatu close to her body, and Niimatu asked, "Umma, you've never told us anything about our father. People always say we don't have a father."
Umma quickly wiped away a tear threatening to fall. "Niimatu, you have a father, you hear?"
Niimatu smiled. "I know we do, Umma, because there's no way you could have given birth to us all by yourself."
Umma chuckled. "Look at our lastborn, she's growing up."
Niimatu pouted, kicking her legs playfully. "I am not growing up yet, Umma!"
Umma laughed and stood up. "Get up and go get your laundry before I forget."
(Background Flashback) Aysha was Umma's real name. No one could tell you where she originally came from or what town she was from. She arrived in Suleja when Abubakar (Habu) was ten years old, and Niimatu was just an infant. She lived in the home of an old woman who had helped her when she had nowhere to sleep after they met at a motor park. The old woman took care of them for seven years until she passed away. When her children came to share her inheritance, Sahabi got the portion of the house where Umma and her children lived. He offered to let them stay on the condition that Umma agreed to marry him. Umma refused his condition. Sahabi declared that they must leave his house, but Umma begged him to let them rent it, promising to pay him monthly.
Umma suffered greatly trying to feed her children. Habu eventually made it to college, while Niimatu was enrolled in primary school. However, Niimatu was constantly sent home from school because she lacked textbooks, notebooks, and other materials. When Habu was in his final year of college, money was required for their final exams. Umma tried her absolute best to raise the funds, but to no avail. From that day on, Habu gave up on his education and went to the market to earn enough for basic necessities like seasoning cubes. When Niimatu was in JSS2, she was expelled because she had never paid school fees since starting. She never returned.
Eventually, Habu met the kind man who helped them, allowing Habu to start selling fruits in the Suleja market. Niimatu had begged Umma to let her join Habu at the market. Umma initially refused, but seeing how persistent Niimatu was, she agreed and told Habu. That was how they started going together.
Episode 4
A massive mansion filled with flowers, a swimming pool, a large garden, and tight security everywhere. The house was divided into two identical two-story wings. Huge luxury cars—from Mercedes-Benz to Prado—pulled in with sirens blaring.
Two young women quickly hurried out of the house. They were dressed in insanely expensive designer clothes, looking like they were attending a high-end occasion, with bright smiles on their faces.
As the cars parked, men in military uniform rushed out of one of the hiking vehicles. They hurried to the middle car, opened the door, and saluted (indicating that whoever was inside was also military).
A breathtakingly handsome man stepped out. He was dressed in military trousers and a white top. He was very tall, radiating the aura of a proud, alpha male. His face bore no trace of playfulness; it was stern, with medium-sized, strikingly handsome eyes, dark sunglasses, a small mouth, and a well-defined, straight nose. His face was cleanly shaven. (O.M.G., even I, Afrah, had to appreciate this guy!)
The young women rushed over to him. One was fair-skinned like him, and the other was slightly darker. Together, they chorused, "You're welcome, Ya PRINCE!!"
He removed his sunglasses, gave them a brief, stern glance, shot them a glare, and walked into the house.
The darker-skinned girl said, "Zarah, look at the disgrace you caused us! Look at how he disrespected us in front of those soldiers!"
The fair-skinned one smiled slightly and patted the other. "Zuby, you talk too much. You already know Ya Prince's personality. Come on, let's go inside so I can see his cute face again." She pulled Zuby's hand, and they went inside.
WHO IS PRINCE? Readers, I know you want to know who he is, so follow Afrah Luv because the story of Yar Talakawa has just begun...
Episode 5
When Zuby and Zarah entered, they found Ya Prince sitting in the living room with Mum and Mami, greeting his parents while maintaining a completely expressionless face.
Mum looked at him and said, "My son, do you even eat properly in Lagos?"
Mami smiled. "Truly, Prince doesn't eat enough."
Prince stood up, looking at them. "Mum, Mami, let me freshen up. I'm hungry right now and can't handle a long conversation."
Zuby looked at Zarah, and Zarah looked at Zuby, covering their mouths in shock. So he displays his coldness even to his parents!
Just as he took one step, a handsome little boy of about six years old came running out of a room near the living room, shouting, "Papa! Papa!" A maid dressed in black and white uniform followed him.
The boy ran and hugged Prince, laughing.
Mum smiled. "Look, Ameer! Daddy is here, so you'll eat your food properly today."
Amir looked up at her. "Grany, today I'll eat whatever you give me."
Mami laughed. "I'll make pancakes, and you have to finish them."
Amir laughed, showing his gap teeth. "I'll finish them, Grany Mami."
Zuby and Zarah stared, wondering if Prince would smile at Amir. To their surprise, he simply stroked the boy's head and walked upstairs holding his hand.
Zuby said, "Zarah, Ya Prince hasn't changed at all. Look, even little Amir, who is dying for his Papa's attention, didn't even get a smile from him!"
Zarah, resting her chin on her hand, replied, "Ya Prince's personality is uniquely his own, but I still find him captivating."
Zuby stood up. "Come on, let's go to our room before he catches us here, you know how he gets."
Upstairs, Prince was resting on his giant, soft bed before going to greet Dad when he returned.
Amir ran into the room and jumped onto Prince's back, laughing cheerfully. "Papa, Papa! Today we're going so you can buy me ice cream, and you'll eat pizza, right?"
Prince just nodded. Amir rolled over and lay down, looking at his Papa. "Papa, you know what?"
Prince shook his head.
"Yesterday Grany Mami scolded Auntie Zarah in the living room."
Prince widened his eyes, looking at Amir.
Amir whispered conspiratorially, "She went to her friend's party late at night."
Prince sat up and looked at Amir. "Did Auntie Zuby go with her?"
Amir shook his repelling head, leaned closer, and whispered, "Papa, you know what Auntie Zuby did this morning? Grany caught her being rude to Uncle Fahad."
Prince said, "Good boy," and stroked his head. "And what did you do while I was away?"
Amir quickly stood up, rushed to the door, and said, "Papa, I got 5 out of 10 in Math!" Then he sprinted away, knowing his Papa's reaction.
Prince muttered, "I'll deal with you later."
Episode 6
Prince didn't come out of his room until evening. He was dressed in casual wear, looking unimaginably handsome and commanding. With a stern face, he walked through the living room toward his Dad's grand lounge.
Zarah was lying down watching The Vampire Diaries, completely unaware of Ya Prince's entry. Suddenly, a sharp bark echoed over her: "Hey!!"
Zarah jumped up frantically. "Y-yes?"
Prince glared at her. Barely moving his lips, he said, "Go call Zuby and go to the garden..."
Summary
The story contrasts two completely different worlds. The first follows Niimatu, a cheerful, resilient 16-year-old girl living in poverty with her mother (Umma) and older brother (Ya Habu) in Suleja. Despite financial struggles, losing their education, and living in a crumbling home, Niimatu remains relentlessly optimistic, joyful, and deeply affectionate, earning customers' hearts with her radiant smile while working at a fruit market.
The second world introduces Prince, a wealthy, stern, and intimidating military man who lives in a luxurious mansion surrounded by family drama and wealth. The narrative sets up the eventual intersection of these two vastly contrasting lives—the impoverished, smiling fruit vendor (Yar Talakawa) and the wealthy, cold military prince.
Description
- Genre: Contemporary African Fiction / Romance / Drama
- Setting: Suleja and a high-end mansion (Lagos/Nigeria)
- Themes: Poverty vs. Wealth, Resilience, Family Bonds, Joy amidst Hardship, Class Differences.
- Tone: Emotional, inspiring, contrasting stark realism with dramatic romantic tension.
Analytics
Key Narrative Elements & Character Metrics
- Protagonists:
- Niimatu (Yar Talakawa): The heart of the story. 16 years old, optimistic, expressive, resilient, defined by her signature smile and dimples.
- Prince: The enigmatic, stern, wealthy military man who commands absolute authority and emotional distance.
- Supporting Cast:
- Umma: A hardworking mother carrying the scars of hardship and displacement.
- Ya Habu: Niimatu's protective, hardworking, yet easily exasperated older brother.
- Amir: Prince's bright young son who brings out a softer, albeit restrained, side of him.
- Zuby & Zarah: Extended household members caught up in privilege and domestic reprimands.
- Plot Progression (Episodes 1-6):
- Introduction of Niimatu's reality: Daily struggle, market life, deep familial warmth, and systemic poverty.
- Introduction of Prince's reality: Absolute wealth, military authority, emotional coldness, and high-society dynamics.
- Setup: The narrative successfully establishes both worlds, creating a strong thematic runway for the classic "rich-meets-poor" romance trope.
