Makahone Book Compelet

Description

Translation

Farida's phone call came into Fahad's phone, immediately announcing that they had arrived at the front courtyard of the house.

At that moment, he informed her that he was coming out.

He went outside where he found them in the courtyard: his father's younger brothers, his older brothers, some other relatives of his father, along with Rumaisa who had guided them, and Farida who insisted on coming as well—even though her mother, Hajiya Jummai, had tried to stop her out of fear that she would see something upsetting.

They took three cars because they numbered up to fifteen people.

They settled in the downstairs living room. He briefly greeted them with deep respect, while his friends playfully teased him.

Farida did not go inside; she stayed in the courtyard, staring intently at the house, wishing she were the one brought to this residence as Fahad Majidaɗi's wife. Burning with resentment, she entered the living room and surveyed the interior.

Fahad's house was truly exquisite—a home that any visionary woman would pray to call her own.

After greeting everyone, he looked at them and said,

"Let's go upstairs so she can come out and greet you all, right?"

He said this as he climbed the upstairs, prompting Farida to follow right behind him.

"Yaya," she said in a spoiled tone, which made him stop right at Nadra's door.

"What is it, Farida? Are you done with your anger?"

She gave him a playful sideways glance and said,

"The day I die, your love will be the cause of my demise."

He ignored her as if he hadn't heard what she said, and just as he was about to enter Nadra's room, she quickly grabbed his hand, and they went inside together.

He entered with a greeting on his lips, but she didn't greet anyone at all. With his hand still locked inside Farida's, they walked in. In his mind, there was nothing wrong with it; just as Rumaisa held his hand, Farida did too, despite the fact that she wasn't a mahram, since marriage existed between them.

Just at that moment, Nadra raised her head to look at the door, her eyes landing on them, and she quickly wiped away her tears. She looked at their intertwined hands and then at Farida's face, realizing she didn't know her and that she wasn't Rumaisa—her full sister—since Rumaisa was the only sister of his she knew.

Farida threw a look filled with utter hatred at Nadra.

Nadra, however, didn't even notice; she simply glanced at her, looked at her hand holding Fahad's, and looked away.

Fahad's phone started ringing. He looked at Nadra and said,

"They have arrived; they are in the living room."

With that, he answered the call while pulling his hand out of Farida's grasp.

He stepped out of the room while answering the call.

Farida stood with her hands on her hips, surveying Nadra's room.

Ma'eesha

After finishing all her chores—including doing her laundry and Makaho's clothes—she went into the room and found him sitting with his head resting in his hands.

"Are you up?" she asked, sitting beside him. She placed her hand on his forehead down to his neck and felt no fever.

"Alhamdulillah, it seems you're feeling better, right?"

He simply leaned his head against her without saying anything.

"I know you're hungry, right?"

"Yes," he answered briefly.

"Let me bring you something to start with."

"Let me wash my mouth first," he said, standing up. "Where did I put my walking stick?"

"It's right in front of you, not far away."

"You know I can't see, and I didn't feel around for it."

"Oh dear, one day you will see. In sha Allah, one day your eyes will open, and you will see me and see what this world of ours looks like."

She paused briefly before he said,

"I don't think I can ever see, because this disability was present from birth. You know that any condition you are born with cannot be cured by anyone, and no surgery can restore your health. It is only those who acquire a disability later in life who can sometimes be healed."

"The power of Allah goes beyond amazement."

He went out to wash his mouth. When he returned, she had set down a bowl of pepper soup meat, water, and bottled juice that she had kept aside.

He entered the room with a greeting on his lips, so she responded and said,

"I've set down your food, eat carefully."

She spoke as she took his hand, helping him sit down.

The aroma hit his nose, and he was silent for a moment before asking,

"What did you cook?"

"Mutton pepper soup."

"Where did you get meat?"

She smiled and said,

"I bought it, where else would I get meat?"

"I thought your money was finished."

"Yes, it is finished; right now, I only have five hundred left."

He clutched his head and uttered the words,

"Innalillahi wa'inna ilahir raji'un."

He felt he had failed because her money had run out after taking care of the house and him. Now, where would he turn to find a way out? Just as the money had run out, one day the food she had stored in the house would also finish.

Seeing him sink into deep distress upon hearing that her money was gone, she said,

"Every hardship has its remedy with Allah; in the journey of life, no one escapes challenges. Sometimes things become so severe a person feels like giving up, or losing hope. Poverty, unemployment, sadness, or illness can weigh down the heart, but the greatest secret to finding peace is patience. Every hardship has its remedy with Allah. Patience doesn't mean failure; it means waiting for the time Allah has destined for you with peace and certainty. Remember, everyone who succeeded in life suffered before enjoying comfort. Today's hardship is tomorrow's story. One day, when you look back, you will smile and say Alhamdulillah, because all that hardship has become history. Do not let your present state make you forget Allah's promise. Keep being patient, keep praying, and keep working hard. May Allah let us end well and change our misery into happiness."

Maman Ihsan is writing ✍️ 09065327995

MAKAHO NE By Maman Ihsan ✍️

💪 JAJIRTATTU WRITER'S ASSOCIATION 💪 ✍️ (J.W.A) Writing is a gift from Allah; only the resilient can use this magnificent gift to easily change society's mindset. ✏️

Page 30

"Every hardship has its remedy with Allah..." (reiterating the core wisdom on patience and resilience)

He smiled admiringly at her words of wisdom, which filled him with warmth every time he heard her comforting speech, finding joy within himself.

"Bismillah, eat before it gets cold."

"What about you?"

"Don't worry, I've already eaten; yours is left."

He was silent like someone deep in thought before saying,

"I want to try to slip out today; I might get a little something. There is some change in the pocket of one of my clothes—I think it can reach three hundred—hold onto it, even though I know there's no phone, you can find something to buy since I don't buy anything to use money for."

She nodded and said,

"May Allah bless it."

He said "Amin," and after eating three pieces, he said he was full. She told him to cover the rest for later, but he said no, it was enough for him.

She had no choice but to let him be, intending to eat the rest herself.

He said he would get dressed and go out, but she stopped him, telling him he needed to recover fully and shouldn't go out looking like that. She agreed he could only go to the mosque.

Farida

She stepped close to Nadra, looking straight into her eyes after surveying the room. A single glance showed that her parents had gone all out, buying expensive items ranging from the furniture to everything inside the room.

She curled her lip in disdain and said,

"The bride of my groom."

Nadra didn't reply, because the moment she noticed Farida's hostile glare, she knew ill intentions had brought her there.

Farida's eyes landed on Nadra's new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra phone—a phone worth one million two hundred thousand or even more.

Her eyes widened in shock before she said,

"Oh, has your status reached the point where he bought you a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra phone costing over a million?"

Consumed by bitterness and frustration, she picked up the phone to inspect it. This was the exact phone she dreamed of owning, her ultimate desire. She had been shocked because she didn't expect Fahad to be like this; earlier, she had felt relief hearing that the marriage wasn't his choice and that he didn't love the girl. However, her anxiety spiked when Rumaisa and the others told her that Fahad had taken Nadra's virginity to the point where she couldn't walk and he had to carry her. At that moment, her knees had gone weak and she felt defeated—only to see this phone he had bought for her now.

"Nadra, or whatever your name is, let me tell you something. My name is Farida, and I am the daughter of Fahad's maternal aunt. We are in a love relationship. In short, to bring us close together, he went and picked me up from my parents and brought me to their house so we could bond and our love would grow stronger..."

She couldn't finish her sentence because the door was pushed open.

He looked at them one by one before asking,

"Is everything alright?"

Farida smiled and said,

"Everything is fine, I was just introducing myself to her."

"Why not wait until you go out in front of everyone else to make your introductions? They are sitting and waiting."

Nadra didn't even look at him; she stood up and walked toward the door, dressed in her floor-length hijab which she had worn when they went for the SIM card registration.

He quickly grabbed her hand, making her heart skip a beat. She looked at Farida, who felt as though a spear had been thrust through her heart.

"Farida, go ahead, we are coming."

Farida felt like screaming; she walked out in a rage.

He looked at Nadra and said,

"Didn't I tell you never to wear this hijab again? When we came back, I didn't take it off."

Directly, he ordered, "Remove that hijab."

Without argument, she took it off. She was wearing a long Ankara gown that fit her figure perfectly—an Ankara with stone-work decorations typical of working attire.

It hugged her form nicely, and he stared at her, amazed by her fully developed physique at her young age.

"Am I going to go out like this? I'm not used to it."

"From now on, you have to get used to it. Give you two minutes; don't let me come back and find you still inside this room without coming out."

With that, he walked out of the room.

She stood there, realizing the time he gave her was almost up, and since he forbade her from wearing a hijab, she had no choice but to step out.

They were sitting in the living room, chatting and praising the beauty of Fahad's house, while his eyes were on his feet, waiting for her to come out before they complained.

The sound of the door made them turn to look.

"Ma sha Allah," some of them murmured. Indeed, Nadra lacked nothing; she was naturally beautiful and possessed a stunning figure, save for her dark complexion.

With her gaze cast downward in modesty and shyness, she walked in. Even he couldn't take his eyes off her, because whenever he saw her without a hijab, her captivating body shape left him spellbound.

She knelt down to greet them, and they responded warmly. The young girls, including Rumaisa, greeted her as the wife of Yaya (elder brother).

She headed to the kitchen, opened the fridge, loaded a tray with bottled water and canned juice, and set it down for them. Then she brought out snacks: cincin, dubulan, and plenty of alkaki.

She went back to the kitchen, wondering what simple meal she could prepare for them.

Checking the kitchen, she found every necessary ingredient.

Knowing spaghetti was quick, she began preparing it. She used plenty of meat for their meal.

The scent of his perfume hit her just as she finished blending the pepper mix.

"What are you going to do here?"

"I'm going to cook for them."

"There's no need for you to cook. With how unrefined you look, you don't know how to cook properly; you'll just make some trashy food and give them something to gossip about. When they leave, you can cook whatever you want for yourself."

His words hurt, but she smiled and continued her work.

The aroma drifted into the living room, and one of the women remarked,

"We must eat the bride's cooking before we leave."

Fahad was amazed by Nadra's stubbornness—she just wouldn't quit.

In a short time, she cooked jollof spaghetti with mixed vegetables and dried fish, alongside pepper chicken using two burners.

She scooped it into a large food flask, brought it out along with the pepper chicken, cold drinks, juices, plates, and forks, and they thanked her profusely.

She smiled and said,

"It's nothing, please forgive me for not knowing you were coming so early."

Rumaisa began dishing out the spaghetti and pepper chicken to everyone.

Seeing how many they were, Nadra didn't serve them at the dining table.

After everyone was served, Rumaisa looked at Fahad and said,

"Yaya, from now on, whenever Aunty Nadra is around, she is the one who must serve your food."

"I'm okay," he said, walking away to sit on the sofa across the room, tapping away on his phone. In his mind, she didn't know how to cook; it was just going to be a messy concoction.

Yet, he heard everyone praising the food.

"Aunty, did you really know how to cook such delicious food?"

She just smiled, as this praise wasn't new to her. Even back home, whenever she cooked, everyone looked forward to her food more than Sidra's. Only Farida didn't eat; she sat in a corner, tapping on her phone.

When they finished, Rumaisa and the other young girls cleaned up the space and washed the dishes.

Fahad still hadn't eaten anything, having missed breakfast as well.

Around six o'clock, they left the house. Nadra gave the young girls perfumes, and gave the older women fifty thousand naira (50\text{k}) from her bride price money.

After they left, Fahad also went out and didn't return until ten o'clock at night.

Hungry and exhausted, with nothing in his stomach except biscuits and juice, he headed straight to his room. Tired, he stripped off his clothes and stepped into the bathroom. After a bath, he emerged wearing a bathrobe, then changed into a blue three-quarter shorts and a white singlet.

Feeling he couldn't sleep on an empty stomach—and recalling that when he visited Mama's house earlier that night and asked for food, she told him to go to his wife—he couldn't stand restaurant food; it had to be his mother's cooking or snacks.

With no choice, he headed to Nadra's part of the house, driven by severe hunger.

He entered her room with a greeting. She was sitting on the prayer mat, wearing a hijab and reciting the Qur'an.

It was around ten-forty at night; she was reading Surah Maryam, nearing the end of the chapter.

He sat on the edge of her bed until she finished the surah, as she was almost done.

She turned around and saw him sitting on the bed.

"Welcome back."

He just nodded without answering.

"Please find me something to eat, I'm starving."

"So what do you want me to cook for you?"

"Something simple that won't take long."

"I'll cook Indomie for you, it's faster."

He didn't reply. She got up, went to place the Qur'an aside, and walked to the kitchen without removing her hijab, having grown so used to wearing it that she forgot she was told not to.

While he sat there, he half-reclined on the bed, his feet on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

Closing his eyes out of sheer exhaustion, sleep overtook him right there on her bed.

Maeesha

At around ten at night, she finished her bedtime routine, wearing a knee-length nightgown. Makaho had just stepped out of the bathroom with his walking stick in one hand and his discarded clothes in the other, wearing a jellabiya. It seemed he had changed inside the bathroom.

He entered the room with a greeting.

"Assalamu alaikum."

"Wa'alaika Salam," she answered, fixing her eyes on him, aided by the NEPA electricity supply.

She sat on the mattress and looked at him.

"Is there anything you need right now?" she asked, sleep pulling at her eyes as she wanted to sleep.

"I don't need anything, may Allah bless you."

"Amin ya Allah."

"Come and sleep on the mattress."

"Where will you sleep if I sleep on the mattress?"

"I will sleep on the mattress too, and we will sleep together; what's wrong with that? I am your lawful wife by the Sunnah, so why shouldn't we sleep in the same place? I pitied you because sleeping on the floor isn't comfortable, especially when your health isn't fully stable. If I leave the mattress for you, I can't sleep on the floor either; my body will ache. You know we don't need to be reminded that we are husband and wife—so what is your reason for refusing to touch my body? It's not like I want anything intimate to happen just because we share a bed, but I looked at the necessity of it since we have no other sleeping place besides this mattress, and even the blanket lacks softness. Yet you avoid this. I made you sleep with me the other night when you were unwell, and after I fell asleep, you slipped away and left me—what does that mean? Am I not doing the right thing, or are you?"

Sidra

At around eight at night, the car carrying her parked in front of her father's house.

Because the car broke down on the way, they arrived late.

She greeted the driver as he unloaded her trolley, and dragging it along, she approached the gate.

She knocked until the gateman called out,

"Who is there?"

She didn't answer until he came up and opened it.

Seeing it was her, his mouth dropped open in shock, and he said,

"Hajiya Sidra, you? From where?"

Without respecting the white beard of the man old enough to be her father, she snapped,

"From your house."

He stared with an open mouth, though he wasn't even surprised, as this was typical of her insolence—she had even slapped him once before.

Maman Ihsan is writing ✍️ 09065327995

MAKAHO NE By Maman Ihsan ✍️

💪 JAJIRTATTU WRITER'S ASSOCIATION 💪 ✍️ (J.W.A)

Page 31

He stared at her with wide eyes, remembering the day she returned from an outing, leaning hard on the car horn waiting for him to open the gate. He had stepped away to the restroom to answer nature's call, then rushed out hastily to fling the gate wide open.

She drove in furiously, almost running over Baba the gateman.

She was driving, with Nadra sitting in the passenger seat.

Furious, Sidra stepped out of the car without even turning it off; Nadra was the one who turned off the car and pulled the key.

Baba the gateman watched as Sidra marched toward him angrily, terrifying him. Softening his voice, he pleaded,

"Please forgive me, Hajiya, I was in the restroom at the time..."

Before he could finish, she slapped him across the face, sending him reeling backward as if he might fall.

Fear and shock registered on Nadra's face.

With her eyes filled with tears of pity for the old man, she said,

"Baba, please forgive her. I know she didn't act right, but it's anger—she just can't control her temper."

She spoke while picking up his cap, which had fallen to the ground. Baba looked at Nadra and said,

"May Allah bless you."

She said "Amin," apologized to him again, and headed inside the house where Sidra had already gone.

In the living room, she found Sidra fuming alone.

"Aunty Sidra, you really didn't act right. How could you look at this elderly man old enough to be your father and raise your hand to slap him?"

"I slapped him because why should he leave me sitting in the car waiting for him? Isn't he working and getting paid a salary?"

"But that doesn't give you the license to step on someone under you, because a human being has dignity and..."

"Shut up!"

Sidra yelled at her, shouting,

"Stay out of my business, or else I swear..."

Summary

The narrative shifts across different scenes involving the primary characters. In the first segment, Fahad's relatives, including his aunt's daughter Farida, arrive at his newly furnished home to visit him and his new wife, Nadra. Farida, consumed by jealousy and bitterness over Fahad's marriage to Nadra, acts hostile, especially upon seeing the expensive Samsung phone Fahad bought for Nadra. Despite Farida's provocation and interference, Nadra maintains her composure, graciously hosting the visitors by preparing a delicious meal of jollof spaghetti and pepper chicken, which wins praise from everyone except Farida. Later that night, a starving Fahad visits Nadra's room, and after briefly asking for simple food, exhaustion overwhelms him and he falls asleep on her bed.

In the second narrative thread, Ma'eesha tends to her blind husband, Makaho, who worries over their fast-depleting finances (having only 500 naira left). Ma'eesha consoles him with deep words of wisdom about patience, resilience, and faith in Allah. Later, Makaho insists on sleeping on the floor despite his frail health, prompting Ma'eesha to question why he distances himself from her emotionally and physically when they are legally married.

In the final scene, Sidra arrives late at her father's house after a car breakdown. The elderly gateman recalls her abusive past behavior, specifically an incident where she viciously slapped him just for taking a brief moment to use the restroom, an act of cruelty that Nadra had previously tried to apologize for on Sidra's behalf.

Description

The text portrays a vivid contrast of domestic dynamics within traditional Nigerian household settings. It captures the psychological tension of polygamous/extended family pressures, jealousy, and social status through characters like Farida, alongside themes of marital disconnect, patience in poverty as seen with Ma'eesha and Makaho, and extreme entitlement and cruelty embodied by Sidra. The prose employs rich Hausa cultural nuances, emotional introspection, and realistic domestic interactions (cooking, chores, family visits).

Analytics

• Character Motivations & Dynamics:
  • Farida: Driven by romantic entitlement and jealousy; acts out maliciously because she feels cheated out of marrying Fahad.
  • Nadra: Embodies quiet dignity, resilience, and emotional maturity, refusing to stoop to Farida's level while fulfilling her domestic duties gracefully.
  • Ma'eesha & Makaho: Represents a struggling, impoverished marriage where emotional distance meets deep spiritual grounding and philosophical patience.
  • Sidra: Characterized by unbridled arrogance, entitlement, and physical abuse toward vulnerable domestic staff.
• Thematic Elements: Patience (Hakuri) in the face of poverty and trials, marital intimacy and emotional barriers, extended family interference, and the dichotomy between humility (Nadra/Ma'eesha) and arrogance (Farida/Sidra).

Comments

• The contrast between Nadra's gentle maturity and Farida's petty jealousy makes for a compelling character conflict.
• Ma'eesha's monologue on patience is profound, offering a strong philosophical anchor to the story's theme of poverty and perseverance.
• Sidra's introduction re-establishes her as a thoroughly unlikable and toxic antagonist, contrasting sharply with Nadra's empathy toward the elderly gateman.

Conclusions

Hardship and human character are severely tested through domestic trials—whether through the sting of jealousy in a new marriage, the quiet endurance of poverty, or the corrupting nature of arrogance and entitlement. True dignity and peace of mind consistently align with patience, humility, and kindness, whereas malice and cruelty ultimately isolate those who practice them.

Keywords

• Fahad Majidaɗi
• Nadra
• Farida
• Ma'eesha
• Makaho
• Sidra
• Rumaisa
• Jajirtattu Writer's Association (J.W.A)
• Patience (Hakuri)
• Domestic conflict

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