Heart 1 Complete Hausa Novel

Abuja’s Jewel: Sunset Estate
 
Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, is home to many beautiful estates, but none matches the elegance and prestige of Sunset Estate in Guzape, famously nicknamed the “Beverly Hills of Nigeria.”
Perched entirely on hills, Guzape greets visitors with the imposing gate of Sunset Estate — its defining landmark. Seeing its beauty, one might doubt it’s truly in Nigeria, especially when learning the design came from a young Hausa-Fulani architect in his early thirties.
 
The Architect’s Gift
 
The designer, a naturally gifted architect from Katsina State, never studied abroad but honed his talent locally. Known among classmates as “the protégé of Zaha Hadid” for his masterful sketches, he inherited his artistic genius from his late father, Arch. Bello, a respected architect.
 
He spent over three years perfecting Sunset Estate’s blueprint, ensuring it met modern standards while reflecting his vision. By completion in the late 2000s, the design matched his earliest concepts exactly — a feat he credited to divine inspiration.
 
Design and Features
 
Encircled by tall palm trees and lush greenery, Sunset Estate enjoys a cool climate, especially during the rainy season when flowers bloom and the air is fragrant. At night, a combination of solar, street, and decorative lights transforms it into a glowing paradise reminiscent of Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh.
 
Automatic red-iron gates, electric fencing, and a gold-lettered “Sunset Estate” sign mark its entrance. The inner roads, fully tarred, lead to varied housing options — from blocks of flats to terraces and detached homes. Each street bears a name from Katsina’s local governments, reflecting the architect’s pride in his roots, with the grandest street named after his mother: Rafindadi Close.
 
The estate also houses supermarkets, a local vegetable market, a mosque, a pharmacy, and salons. A park near a massive Guzape hill offers residents a serene sunset view — the inspiration behind the estate’s name — and a children’s playground. Ownership is mostly limited to the wealthy elite and top government officials.
 
The Co-Architect
 
The architect often referred to his wife as “My Co-Architect,” a name born from their shared life and work. Married young, she was his partner in love, education, and professional growth, herself a certified architect. Together, they refined the Sunset Estate design, sharing ideas and drafting plans side by side.
 
He credited much of his success to her unwavering support — in concept creation, moral encouragement, and managing challenges before the estate’s completion. When the first houses were rented, he gifted her a terrace in her name.
 
Media Interest and Praise
 
Sunset Estate’s popularity attracted journalists eager to uncover its story. When asked about his inspiration, he would simply say,
“Yes! I got the samples from her — my Co-Architect.”
 
On the estate’s success among Nigeria’s political and business elite, he never tired of saying,
“She is behind all these successes, my Co-Architect.”
 
My Alter Ego
 
Beyond work, he had another name for her: “My Alter Ego.”
This title filled her with joy, making her feel like the most loved woman alive. It became a memory she cherished even after life’s circumstances changed and they parted ways. No matter the distance or time, those words retained their power, erasing bitterness whenever she recalled them.
 
Whenever he looked into her eyes and said, “You know you are my alter ego, koh?” the moment etched itself into her soul — a timeless fragment of their shared past.
 
The Architect’s Sunset Ritual
 
Often, in the late afternoon, he would stand at the estate’s park on a platform by a red boulder where a fountain streamed upward before gently falling. Watching the sun dip behind the hills became his private meditation — a daily gratitude ritual for the talent and prosperity God had granted him.
 
From this vantage point, he reflected on his journey, gazed at the homes he designed, and silently acknowledged the role of the one he once called My Co-Architect.