Nida Kishiyoyina Part 1 Complete Hausa Novel

“Umm… what is it, Luba? Won’t you let me sleep and rest, for God’s sake?”
“How can you sleep and rest after abandoning us? Since you set us aside and said the two of us weren’t enough for you, you won’t have any peace, Alhaji.
Yesterday when you were in Hindatu’s room, you didn’t sleep—you stayed up all night doing things. Then you came around to my room to come and sleep your tired sleep. Alhaji, get up and give me my rights.”
“Luba, please, let it be until morning before I go to work. Honestly, I even have a headache. For the past two days I haven’t been able to do anything because of exhaustion.”
“Oh really, you can’t do anything? That’s why yesterday I saw how long you stayed in Hindatu’s room. You knew you didn’t have the strength to handle three wives, yet you went and married again. Since you thought you could manage, I won’t let myself be deprived. I’m not sleeping—give me my rights.”
“Indeed, we belong to Allah and to Him we return.”
Alhaji Salisu said this as he sat up, looking at Luba who was sitting in the middle of the bed. She had thrown off the blanket and was shaking. He knew she wasn’t really in need of anything—she was just making trouble. The only place he got peaceful sleep was Aisha’s room, but whenever it was Hindatu’s or Luba’s turn, they would surround him as if they wanted to kill him. He couldn’t understand what kind of misfortune this was.
“Luba, I told you my head hurts. Let it be until morning before I go to work. I’m not a machine.”
“Alhaji, yesterday you didn’t tell Hindatu your head hurt. You only said that when it was my turn. You think you can toy with my mind? Give me my rights so you can go and sleep.”
He already knew Luba’s nature—if he didn’t do it, she would never let him sleep.
“Since I told you I can’t do anything and you insist, then do whatever you want, Luba.”
He did it reluctantly, not because he wanted to or had any desire.
He could hear her making a lot of noise even though he had barely done anything—yet in Hindatu’s room it wasn’t just once. He clicked his tongue, turned his back on her, and when he saw she would keep disturbing him, he got down from the bed and lay on the floor. Immediately, sleep took him.
The noise he kept hearing from the living room made him open his eyes. He saw that it was already daylight. He quickly stood up, saying, “Indeed, we belong to Allah and to Him we return. Morning has already come—what kind of trouble is this?”
Every day Hindatu and Luba fought as if it were their duty. He didn’t understand this calamity. As if they could see each other’s insides—by 6 a.m. they had already started fighting.
He didn’t go outside. He went to the bathroom, bathed quickly, came out and prayed. Even while praying, his mind was in the living room because he could still hear their insults. He knew the neighbors could hear them too.
After finishing, he rushed outside. As he opened the door, the shoe Hindatu had thrown at Luba landed on his head.
He held his head and exclaimed.
“I have planted myself in this house. Nothing will separate me from you, Luba—only death will. You useless, worthless woman! I don’t even know what Alhaji saw in you to marry you. Even Alhaji said he’s only being patient with you!”
“Were you even given a proper bride price? Not even a dowry was paid for you. As for me, ask anyone—he spent a lot to marry me. Because of how desperate you were, your bride price was even waived since no one wanted to marry you.”
“Enough! That’s enough!”
Alhaji Salisu shouted angrily, rubbing his throbbing forehead.
“What kind of disaster is this that you start so early in the morning? What kind of life is this, Hindatu? I’m tired. Luba, I’m tired. Are you children? You have grown-up children, yet you torment me and deny me peace. Whenever I come home, I never find rest. Instead, I approach my house with fear—why? Didn’t you see how I married Aisha for the sake of God? Can’t you learn from her? I swear I’m tired. If you push me to the wall—even if you give birth to the whole world for me—I will divorce you both. Each of you should go your own way!”
He stormed back into his room, almost stumbling.
Luba clicked her tongue.
“You haven’t seen anything yet. Since you married that troublemaker, when will you ever know peace?”
Hindatu went into her room still muttering angrily.
Around 7:30, the children all came out dressed for school. The wives’ sections were separate, and the men had their own rooms. Afrah, the eldest girl and in her final year of secondary school, took care of the younger ones, except Ashraf and Abubakar who studied at ABU Zaria.
They didn’t wait for breakfast because they knew it would only be brought to them later if Luba was cooking. They went to Aisha’s room, greeting her as usual: “Hajiya Umma.” After greeting her, they went to the kitchen where they heard Luba moving around. She only responded to her own children’s greetings and didn’t even look at Afrah and Hindatu’s children.
Just then Hindatu came out of her room saying,
“Come on, go ahead so you won’t be late. During exams, no one wakes up early to serve children food before they leave—it’s only after they’re already late.”
She held the younger ones’ hands and led them outside, giving them biscuits for the road. She didn’t discriminate among the children—she wasn’t jealous of them the way Luba was. Once the driver took them, she went back inside.
She sat in the living room hearing Luba muttering insults. From where she sat, she raised her voice so Luba could hear:
“Because of greed and selfishness, someone destroyed her marriage, left her children, and came to marry her friend’s husband. What a betrayal.”
Alhaji Salisu coming out of Luba’s room made Hindatu fall silent. Luba came out with a stern face.
“Alhaji, please warn Hindatu to stay out of my affairs.”
He didn’t even look at them. He headed to Aisha’s room. All he wanted was to leave the house. From the moment fate made him marry Luba and Hindatu, he had said goodbye to something—happiness.
He gently pushed Aisha’s door open with greetings. Even after all these years, he still felt the weight of shame before her.
He heard her return the greeting quietly. He sat by her bed while she continued with what she was doing.
He knew even if they stayed like this for years, she would never say anything. It hurt him how he had become like a stranger to her, as if she wasn’t his loving Aisha.
“I’m leaving for Abuja later today. I’ll be gone for three weeks.”
“May God keep you safe on the journey.”
Silence filled the room.
“Aisha, please come here. Let’s talk.”
She finally looked at him. Their eyes met, then she looked away.
“I’m listening from here.”
“Aisha, hasn’t this matter passed for you? Please forgive me. I know I wronged you. Ten years have passed, yet you haven’t removed what happened from your heart.”
She gave a bitter smile.
“Did you ever hear me come out and say I have anything in my heart against you? You’re the one troubling yourself. I have nothing in my heart.”
“Honestly, the way you treat me—I would rather you come out and insult me, scold me, do anything, instead of looking at me like this and turning me into a picture, distancing yourself from me. I don’t like the life we’re living. We even have children now—you should remove everything from your heart.”
“There’s nothing in my heart. You’re the one worrying yourself. I have no worries.”
“Hmm… Aisha. Alright, I’m leaving. I’m entrusting my household to you. Please…”