Hanifa clicked her tongue again for the second time. “So is this how it will be every day now—she’ll keep making us late?”
Bilqeesu said, “Aifah, when something becomes a habit, you get used to it. She’s really overdoing it.”
Hanifa replied, “Wallahi, it won’t become a habit. When we come back from school, I swear we’ll find the Old Man and report her to him.”
Islahulkhair, who was beside them, didn’t respond. Looking worried, Fadila said, “Mallam Audi, please blow the horn for her again.”
Before Mallam Audi could blow the horn, they saw her hurrying toward them in her usual brisk manner and jumping into the bus.
“Good morning, Mallam Audi.”
He replied with a smile.
“Sorry, I swear I couldn’t find my socks.”
“It’s nothing. Come in, let’s get going so we don’t waste time.”
He drove off, leaving the large compound that consisted of several sections.
She sat close to Islahulkhair, with Fadila beside her holding a keypoint and reading.
She said, “Hey sisters, sorry I kept you waiting.”
Fadila looked up at her and teasingly said, “May Allah show us the day we’ll stop waiting for Maysah—you’ve really overdone it.”
She replied, “Wallahi, I couldn’t find my shoes,” then turned to Islah and said, “How are you, sis?”
Islah smiled at her and said, “Fine. You’ll never change, will you?”
She laughed, held her ear, and said, “Sorry.” Then she looked at Hanifa and Bilqeesu beside her and said, “Good morning to you all.”
Together, they clicked their tongues and glared at her. She didn’t care—after all, she was already used to it.
She turned to the four boys sitting at the back and said, “WhatsApp, bro.”
Only one replied; the other three just glared at her.
She looked at Na’imah, whose mouth was open and drooling, and said, “Nimcy, close your mouth please—don’t disgrace your hijab.”
Irritably, Nimcy said, “I refuse to close it.”
Sa’idah, half-asleep with one eye, said, “Allah forgive you,” then brought out her book and started revising, because that day marked the beginning of their NECO exams.
They were the grandchildren of Alhaji Musbahu Zailani, sitting for their final secondary-school examinations at TopOnwards Science College, Maiduguri. Ten of them in total would graduate that year.
“Assalamu alaikum, Old Man of iron strength.”
The old man sitting on the sofa was very handsome. He was just a little short of ninety years old. His old age suited him beautifully. He adjusted his glasses and said, “Hanifa and Balki?”
“Yes, it’s us—but it’s Bilkisu, not Balki,” she corrected.
He laughed and said, “Stubborn girl. How is the exam?”
They said, “Alhamdulillah.”
They all fell silent.
The old man said, “What’s the matter, you loud-mouthed one? I see something on your face.”
Hanifa pouted and said, “You see, Old Man, leave calling me loud-mouthed.”
He replied, “Well, I saw that you couldn’t speak freely. Tell me your problem so it can be solved. You, Golden-bed girl, what is it?”
Bilkisu said, “Old Man, we actually came to complain.”
Hanifa jumped in sharply and said, “Old Man, we’re tired. Every day Maysah is late, and now we’ve started exams. Wallahi, if we’re not careful, one day they’ll stop us from entering the exam hall because of lateness. We’re really fed up—something should be done about it, or assign someone else to take her, or let her stay behind with her lateness.”
The old man sighed and said, “Be patient. You know her stubborn nature. I’ll scold her, but the issue of separating your rides will not arise. Since the time your parents married, you’ve all been taken to school together. That rule will not be broken.”
“Hm, we knew it—you never see her fault. You love her more than all the grandchildren,” they said.
He quickly replied, “Come on, my grandchildren. Wallahi, I treat you all the same. Let me discuss it with your parents. Listen to me, okay?”
They thanked him and took their leave.
She looked at him and said, “Old Man, since I’ve finished reading the newspaper for you, let me go and study, even though our paper isn’t until the day after tomorrow.”
He said, “Rumaisau, why do you make your siblings late? Every day they wait only for you. Or do you want them to be barred from school?”
He spoke to her gently. She frowned and said, “Sorry. Insha’Allah, I’ll stop. Today it was because my shoes were misplaced; otherwise I wouldn’t have been late.”
He said, “Please stop, okay?”
She replied, “Insha’Allah.”
He said, “Good. When you go inside, call Hajia Babba for me.”
“Alright, Old Man.”
She stood up and left. In her heart she said, Insha’Allah, next time I’ll finish preparing for school before everyone. No one will wait for me again—I’ll be the one waiting.
She headed toward the old man’s wives’ quarters to call Hajia Babba. She entered with greetings and found Hajia Babba and Abida (Hanifa’s mother) in the room. When they saw her, their faces darkened. She greeted them, but no one responded.
“Hajia Babba, the Old Man is calling you.”
Without waiting for a reply, she left, because she didn’t want to hear the insults that would be hurled at her grandmother.
Aunty Abida clicked her tongue and said, “Just the Mayu girl.”
Hajia Babba also clicked her tongue and said, “Those who inherit stubbornness,” as she stood up to answer her husband’s call.
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Hanifa clicked her tongue again for the second time. “So is this how it will be every day now—she’ll keep making us late?”
Bilqeesu said, “Aifah, when something becomes a habit, you get used to it. She’s really overdoing it.”
Hanifa replied, “Wallahi, it won’t become a habit. When we come back from school, I swear we’ll find the Old Man and report her to him.”
Islahulkhair, who was beside them, didn’t respond. Looking worried, Fadila said, “Mallam Audi, please blow the horn for her again.”
Before Mallam Audi could blow the horn, they saw her hurrying toward them in her usual brisk manner and jumping into the bus.
“Good morning, Mallam Audi.”
He replied with a smile.
“Sorry, I swear I couldn’t find my socks.”
“It’s nothing. Come in, let’s get going so we don’t waste time.”
He drove off, leaving the large compound that consisted of several sections.
She sat close to Islahulkhair, with Fadila beside her holding a keypoint and reading.
She said, “Hey sisters, sorry I kept you waiting.”
Fadila looked up at her and teasingly said, “May Allah show us the day we’ll stop waiting for Maysah—you’ve really overdone it.”
She replied, “Wallahi, I couldn’t find my shoes,” then turned to Islah and said, “How are you, sis?”
Islah smiled at her and said, “Fine. You’ll never change, will you?”
She laughed, held her ear, and said, “Sorry.” Then she looked at Hanifa and Bilqeesu beside her and said, “Good morning to you all.”
Together, they clicked their tongues and glared at her. She didn’t care—after all, she was already used to it.
She turned to the four boys sitting at the back and said, “WhatsApp, bro.”
Only one replied; the other three just glared at her.
She looked at Na’imah, whose mouth was open and drooling, and said, “Nimcy, close your mouth please—don’t disgrace your hijab.”
Irritably, Nimcy said, “I refuse to close it.”
Sa’idah, half-asleep with one eye, said, “Allah forgive you,” then brought out her book and started revising, because that day marked the beginning of their NECO exams.
They were the grandchildren of Alhaji Musbahu Zailani, sitting for their final secondary-school examinations at TopOnwards Science College, Maiduguri. Ten of them in total would graduate that year.
“Assalamu alaikum, Old Man of iron strength.”
The old man sitting on the sofa was very handsome. He was just a little short of ninety years old. His old age suited him beautifully. He adjusted his glasses and said, “Hanifa and Balki?”
“Yes, it’s us—but it’s Bilkisu, not Balki,” she corrected.
He laughed and said, “Stubborn girl. How is the exam?”
They said, “Alhamdulillah.”
They all fell silent.
The old man said, “What’s the matter, you loud-mouthed one? I see something on your face.”
Hanifa pouted and said, “You see, Old Man, leave calling me loud-mouthed.”
He replied, “Well, I saw that you couldn’t speak freely. Tell me your problem so it can be solved. You, Golden-bed girl, what is it?”
Bilkisu said, “Old Man, we actually came to complain.”
Hanifa jumped in sharply and said, “Old Man, we’re tired. Every day Maysah is late, and now we’ve started exams. Wallahi, if we’re not careful, one day they’ll stop us from entering the exam hall because of lateness. We’re really fed up—something should be done about it, or assign someone else to take her, or let her stay behind with her lateness.”
The old man sighed and said, “Be patient. You know her stubborn nature. I’ll scold her, but the issue of separating your rides will not arise. Since the time your parents married, you’ve all been taken to school together. That rule will not be broken.”
“Hm, we knew it—you never see her fault. You love her more than all the grandchildren,” they said.
He quickly replied, “Come on, my grandchildren. Wallahi, I treat you all the same. Let me discuss it with your parents. Listen to me, okay?”
They thanked him and took their leave.
She looked at him and said, “Old Man, since I’ve finished reading the newspaper for you, let me go and study, even though our paper isn’t until the day after tomorrow.”
He said, “Rumaisau, why do you make your siblings late? Every day they wait only for you. Or do you want them to be barred from school?”
He spoke to her gently. She frowned and said, “Sorry. Insha’Allah, I’ll stop. Today it was because my shoes were misplaced; otherwise I wouldn’t have been late.”
He said, “Please stop, okay?”
She replied, “Insha’Allah.”
He said, “Good. When you go inside, call Hajia Babba for me.”
“Alright, Old Man.”
She stood up and left. In her heart she said, Insha’Allah, next time I’ll finish preparing for school before everyone. No one will wait for me again—I’ll be the one waiting.
She headed toward the old man’s wives’ quarters to call Hajia Babba. She entered with greetings and found Hajia Babba and Abida (Hanifa’s mother) in the room. When they saw her, their faces darkened. She greeted them, but no one responded.
“Hajia Babba, the Old Man is calling you.”
Without waiting for a reply, she left, because she didn’t want to hear the insults that would be hurled at her grandmother.
Aunty Abida clicked her tongue and said, “Just the Mayu girl.”
Hajia Babba also clicked her tongue and said, “Those who inherit stubbornness,” as she stood up to answer her husband’s call.