Amani 2 Complete Hausa Novel

Inside the compound, Amani was bent over, drawing water from the well so she could bathe, when she heard her uncle, Malam Idrisu, speaking from the veranda. He was saying that the calabash with sweets on top should be taken into Talatu’s room so she could share them out and give some to everyone. Then he called out loudly to his wife, Baba Talatu, asking, “Where are you, Talatu? The marriage of Uwa and this boy (Mukhtar) has just been concluded. Send her to me now—here is her bride price so I can place it in her hands.”

Talatu came out of her room, tying her wrapper, and looked toward where Amani was standing at the base of the well. At that moment Amani had paused briefly from drawing water, listening to what her uncle, Baba Idi, was saying. Talatu said, “She’s right there, standing—she can hear you.”

Uncle Idrisu replied, “Oh, is that so? So you’ve been wasting my time all along, Uwa? Then stop drawing the water and come to my room so I can give you your bride price.”

Amani continued drawing the water. A heavy lump of sadness rose and lodged in her throat, refusing to go down, choking her breath. She couldn’t even understand what her uncle meant by asking her to come to his room. Suddenly, those watching saw her drop the bucket into the well with a loud plunk! Then she went off to the room that had been prepared for her.

She began packing her belongings, pressing them into the bag she had brought with her. Baba Idi was there, waiting for her to come so he could hand over her bride price, but she slipped away and left the house without anyone noticing her departure. Talatu had returned to her room to get ready to go out and inform relatives and friends about the marriage that had just taken place that day, and to invite them for the wedding celebration the next day.

Daddy and Mukhtar were in the room where Daddy was staying, discussing matters after the marriage ceremony. Mukhtar sat with his head bowed, listening as Honorable Usman spoke to him in a deeply tender voice, filled with nothing but love and compassion for his daughter Amani, whose trust he had entrusted that very day into the hands of her beloved husband.

At that same time, Amani left the house without their knowledge, stopping a commercial motorcyclist and asking him to take her to the motor park. In all her life, she had never ridden on a motorcycle—until that day. When the rider revved the bike, she almost fell off, barely managing to hold on. She clutched the rider’s clothes tightly, murmuring prayers, while the sharp smell of his sweat nearly made her faint. In that state, he sped her to the park, saying, “Hajiya, please let go! Don’t kill us both by falling. If you can’t ride, then put your feet on the footrest properly!”

Back in Baba Idi’s room, Honorable Usman continued speaking to Mukhtar, who had now ceased to be merely his “boy” and had become his son-in-law.

“Mukhtar, I ask nothing from you except kindness and compassion toward Amani. She has never known hardship in life—do not allow her to suffer. But I trust you completely: wherever you go in this world, take her along with you. Be gentle with her, be patient with her character. I know you can do it; that is why I gave her to you. If I had thought for a moment that you couldn’t handle her, I wouldn’t even have considered joining you in marriage.

“I permit you both to make use of everything she owns together. Help her continue to manage and grow her wealth, even after I am gone.

“Your father, Idi, also spoke about wanting us to go to your family to formally deliver your wife to them, if your parents are no longer alive. He said his mind would never be at peace unless he saw your roots and lineage. Please bear with what he said—it isn’t a lack of love; it is simply the reality of marriage. From my own side, I have no problem with it. Know this: even if you had no one in the world, I have already accepted you as my son-in-law.

“But I, too, have someone above me in this matter, who is her guardian. Just as I have been your guardian, it is necessary to satisfy his wish to connect her formally with your parents.”

Mukhtar remained silent, his head lowered, nodding repeatedly as he felt everything unfolding like a dream. Amani had become his wife according to the Sunnah from that day onward. The whole matter sounded unbelievable—but nothing is impossible by the power of Allah. Even now, he could not say where exactly he placed Amani in his heart with this new status of wife. All he knew was that his heart did not reject the marriage at all.