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English Translation
Chapter 16 (Excerpt & Context)
The Tricycle driver (Mai Napep) was beginning to get tired of waiting for Sadiƙu when he finally saw him approaching, holding the young girl by the hand. As they reached the tricycle, Sadiƙu said nothing; he pushed her into the back seat and climbed in himself.
"Bawan Allah, take us back to where you picked me up," Sadiƙu said in a choked voice heavy with distress.
All the way home, Mahee couldn't lift her head to look at Yaya Sadiƙu due to the overwhelming shame she felt today. When they arrived, Baba was still at home. Finding their parents in the courtyard, Sadiƙu pushed Mahee forcefully so that she fell right in front of the mat where Baba was sitting.
"What is this, Babba? Do you want to hurt her?" Umma asked.
Baba said nothing, just watching them with a fixed gaze. With a heavy voice, he said, "Here she is. I have brought her back to you. From today, she will never deceive us with the excuse of schooling again."
"I don't understand, Babba. Explain to us," Umma said, looking at Sadiƙu—that was how she addressed him as her firstborn, never calling him by his actual name.
Sadiƙu let out a deep sigh and explained everything in detail.
Gasps and salati echoed simultaneously. Baba stood up angrily. Mahee was still crouching in front of him, unable to stand up; she truly had no words to defend herself today, having been caught red-handed committing the most heinous sin.
Baba strode off with a grim face, retrieved his horse whip that he used at school, and rushed toward Mahee, beating her relentlessly while she screamed. He only stopped when he was certain her body was welted and battered. Neither Yaya Sadiƙu nor Umma made any move to stop him. By then, some nearby neighbors who heard her screams had gathered outside to see what was happening.
In extreme fury, Baba spoke: "You have ruined the honor and dignity I hold in the eyes of the world! Didn't I tell you to stay away from that demonic boyfriend of yours, but you refused? Well, here is the result. He who refuses advice refuses to see, and now what we feared has befallen you."
He paused slightly, breathing heavily before continuing: "Just as you acted on your own desires without thinking or consulting anyone, I too will pass judgment on you without listening to advice or thinking twice. I will not live with a corrupted creature in my house, nor will I allow you to stain my lineage..." He paused briefly before adding:
"Go! I banish you from this house. I never want to see anyone resembling you again. I cast you out of my lineage; even after I am gone, no one should associate you with my blood."
Umma and Yaya Sadiƙu widened their eyes in shock. With trembling lips, Umma cried out, "Haba Malam! Please have patience and don't do something you will regret later."
"Just as I said, I am not asking for anyone's advice, nor am I asking for anyone's help. And anyone who tries to help her, even among the neighbors, I will never forgive them."
Only then did Mahee manage to gather some words, dragging herself close to Baba and clutching his feet. "For the sake of God, please forgive me, Baba. I repent. Insha'Allah, I will not do it again, and I promise you I will marry Irfan."
"May Allah protect Irfan from marrying someone like you, who has ruined her life at such a young age. Just leave," he said.
Sadiƙu spoke up then: "Where is she going, Baba?" "She can go wherever she thinks she can survive. Right now, she has no family," he replied.
Umma and her brother began begging him, and the neighbors joined in, but he stubbornly refused to relent. Seeing this, Mahee’s heart hardened instantly, and she felt deep resentment toward her father. Dragging herself up without saying a single word to anyone, she turned and walked away down the road still wearing her school uniform.
Umma kept calling out to her in tears, "Mahee! Maheerah!! Please stop. Malam, please make her stop..."
She didn't even look back; she walked out of the house with a heavy, tormented heart.
Summary
This text excerpt from the Hausa novel "Wata Unguwa" by Ruƙayya Ibrahim Lawal (Ummu Inteesar) captures intense family drama, heartbreak, and rebellion.
- The Fall of Mahee: Mahee is caught in a scandalous situation and brought home in disgrace by her brother, Sadiƙu. Despite her tearful pleas, her strict father, Baba, disowns her, severely beats her with a whip, and banishes her from his home and lineage. Heartbroken and hardened by her father's harshness, Mahee walks away into the streets wearing her school uniform, cutting all ties with her family.
- Inna and the Past: Meanwhile, across the neighborhood, Inna reflects on her own past mistakes and rebellion against her parents as she watches her children (Hanifa/Hanee and Sofi) spiral into wayward lifestyles.
- Secret Lives and Chaos: Hanee continues her secret relationship with her wealthy sponsor ("Alhaji") and manipulates a local thug named Mankas to keep her secrets safe. Concurrently, Sofi leaves the house determined to track down a mysterious young man she previously clashed with, leading to more confrontations and impending turmoil in the chaotic neighborhood.
Description
- Author: Ruƙayya Ibrahim Lawal (Ummu Inteesar)
- Book/Series: Wata Unguwa (A Story About a Chaotic Neighborhood Full of Wonders)
- Other Works by Author: Soyayyar Meerah, Yar Gantali, Rikicin Masoya, A Sanadin Kama, Rashin Gata, Halitta Allah Ce.
- Themes: Family honor, generational curses/rebellion, societal decay, secret affairs, parental harshness, heartbreak, and survival in a turbulent neighborhood.
Analytics
- Narrative Pace: Fast-paced, shifting scenes rapidly between Mahee's tragic expulsion and the chaotic subplots of Hanee and Sofi in the neighborhood.
- Character Dynamics:
- Baba: Represents uncompromising traditional authority and extreme strictness, valuing public honor over parental mercy.
- Mahee: Transitions from a remorseful, trapped teenager to a hardened, desperate outcast.
- Hanee & Sofi: Exemplify youth rebellion, secrecy, and moral compromise, mirroring the cyclical nature of regret explored through Inna's character arc.
- Cultural & Social Commentary: Highlights the friction between strict parental control and modern youth rebellion in Northern Nigerian urban settings (Bariki culture dynamics, societal judgment, and the heavy stigma of female misbehavior).
