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HAYAR MACE BOOK COMPLETE
She reread it just like the first time. The teacher asked her to double-check properly. Dije fixed her gaze tightly on the paper, reading it meticulously word for word, and said:
"May ALLAH destroy your mother’s... your father’s... peace!"
Instantly, not just the rest of the class, but even Dije herself widened her eyes in shock because—by God—that was not what she intended to write; it was a grave error. The teacher, visibly enraged, said:
"Out of Dije's peers, who will hold her down for me?"
Nearly four people stepped forward, volunteering, "Me! Me!" Furious, the teacher glared at Dije and said, "I have been waiting for you to cross the line, Khadijah. Today, I will disgrace you."
The classmates' hearts sank completely, seeing how close the teacher usually was with Dije, yet today she was saying this. The teacher ordered a sergeant to be called, took his cane, and commanded Dije to lie down. Terrified, Dije began pleading, begging her to have mercy, swearing by Allah that this wasn't what she meant to write and that it was an accident. But the teacher ignored her pleas, forced her flat onto the floor, and began raining lashes on her. The students counted the strokes until they grew tired and stopped. It was an brutal, unmerciful beating until Dije (Baffah's daughter) faked a faint. Only then did the teacher stop, gather her belongings, step over her, and walk out.
Hannatu and Dije’s other friends rushed over, cradled her, and carried her to their store/dorm room. They began splashing water on her and fanning her. Dije burst into pitiful, agonizing tears while her friends consoled her. Hannatu was also crying out of pure pity for Dije, because she had received a massive beating at the hands of Teacher Ubaidah. Despite this, the teacher still sent a prefect—the new Captain of Dije's House—to assign Dije grueling labor every morning, accompanied by ten mandatory lashes daily for two straight weeks.
Nursing her wounds, Dije began the labor as required. However, by the third day, she wore her uniform right after dawn prayers at the mosque and bypassed the House entirely, slipping through a gate into the school building area. They searched for her until they grew tired, but she was nowhere to be found, so others had to do the chores in her absence.
It was only after school hours that the prefect spotted her, scolded her severely, and warned her that if she ran away tomorrow, her workload would be doubled. Nevertheless, this didn't stop Dije from escaping again the next morning. They kept playing this cat-and-mouse game until the prefect finally gave up on her. Dije, however, vowed that she would exact revenge on the teacher for what she did to her, no matter how long it took.
Eventually, one day while the teacher was conducting a lesson, she asked Dije to go to their staff office to fetch her handbag to retrieve something. Dije seized the opportunity. Out there, she managed to catch a lizard and dropped it into the bag before bringing it back. By luck, the teacher received a phone call. She hurriedly reached her hand into the bag to grab her phone, only to grab the lizard instead! Shocked, she let out a piercing shriek and dropped the bag. The lizard dashed out, climbed over her feet, and scrambled up her body. The teacher screamed hysterically, frantically tossing off her garments—her veil, her head tie—and even attempted to tear off her long gown. Luckily, the lizard quickly ran off her body to escape.
In utter panic, shaking all over, she scrambled to gather her things to flee, but she tripped and fell flat on the floor, clutching her waist and grimacing in pain. Embarrassed, she struggled to get up while holding her bruised waist. Snatching her veil like a madwoman, she bolted outside. Her exit allowed the students to finally burst into the laughter they had been suppressing. Dije, clutching her stomach, fell to the floor laughing with malicious satisfaction. In her mind, she thought:
"Try beating me again tomorrow with that small head of yours, looking like Ladingo lent it to you! 😝"
The classmates also roared with laughter, especially when they recalled the teacher's shrieks, screams, and the spectacular fall that left her splayed on the ground like a spirit-possession dancer.
It was only after they returned to the hostel that Dije confessed to Hannatu that she was the one who put the lizard in the bag. Hannatu covered her mouth and said, "For God’s sake, please don’t let anyone hear this. If they report it to her, you will be in deep trouble again."
Dije quickly replied, "Hah! By Allah, if she ever dares to beat me again, I will do something to her that will make her weep!"
Hannatu widened her eyes and said, "My friend, please stop provoking things that get you beaten for nothing, for God's sake."
Dije fell silent, then said, "Look, if it weren't for my love for education, by the holy Quran, I would have caused chaos that would turn this entire school upside down."
Hannatu was quiet for a moment, then asked, "Khadijah, don’t you ever get tired of courting trouble??"
Dije burst into laughter. "Heck no! If I don't do it, I don't feel like myself. Right now, come escort me to urinate."
They walked over to a water pump. As Dije squatted to urinate, she told Hannatu to go to some children who were filling their buckets and tell them that a senior requested water for ablution/cleansing, and if they didn't comply, she would beat them up. Hannatu approached them and delivered Dije's message. The children, trembling with fear, handed over the water, and Hannatu brought it to her. After cleansing herself, just as Dije was about to stand up, she spotted a prefect—one of those whose head ties she had once caused to be seized. The prefect was coming with some children carrying full buckets to fetch more water. Instantly, Dije squatted back down, pretending to still be urinating, to avoid being seen. She squatted there so long that her legs went numb.
Because the prefect had jumped the queue for the kids, after filling her buckets, her eyes caught Dije squatted there. She barked:
"Hey, come and carry this water, let's go!"
Dije pretended not to hear, her heart racing. The prefect raised her voice further: "Hey, am I not talking to you? Get up and come over here before I beat you up!"
The children widened their eyes and said, "Oh! So she’s not even a senior, yet she claimed she'd beat us up if we didn't give her water??"
The prefect widened her eyes. "Is that what she told you?"
They confirmed it. The prefect quickly rushed over, grabbed Dije by the waist, dragged her to the base of the pump, and said, "Today I will teach you a lesson. Carry the water, let's go!"
Dije frowned and said, "I don't even carry water at our house because my spirits (jinn) don't allow me to carry things on my head."
The prefect burst into mocking laughter. "Well, today I am going to celebrate beating you up. No matter whose daughter you are in this town, I will thrash you, even if it gets me expelled from this school!"
Terrified, Dije lifted the bucket onto her head, and the other kids picked up theirs. The prefect walked ahead while they followed. Suddenly, Dije tripped. The bucket flew up and crashed down, spilling all the water and soaking her completely. The prefect spun around, looking Dije up and down, calculating exactly how she would punish her to vent her anger.
(Author's commentary: As for me, I am washing my hands of this conflict and running away so no one accuses me of starting the fight! 😛 - D/Auta)
Chapter 35
Swiftly, the prefect delivered a vicious slap across Dije's face. Clutching her cheek, Dije opened her mouth and chanted:
"Wow! Wow! Wow! You slapped us? Today we shall grind your head in the river of Burundukusuru Sunbukur! Arrow of our spirits, stand firm and arrive through my right hand!"
She threw her hands up, bowed her head, and muttered incantations. Before anyone knew what was happening, Dije leaped onto the prefect, grabbing her hair with immense force. Miraculously, she ripped a whole chunk of hair from the prefect's scalp and threw it away. She lunged again, scratching her face furiously with a strength accompanied by strange utterances known only to her. Within moments, blood began pouring from the prefect’s scalp down her body. Terrified by the missing chunk of hair and the bleeding, the agonizing pain forced the prefect to break free and run away frantically, screaming for help. Dije chased her, shouting:
"By Allah, today we must kill you! We must drink soup made from your head tonight!"
The prefect ran for her life, crying, "Get her away from me before she kills me! Help me, she's going to kill me!"
Anyone who saw Dije coming fled and sought hiding, believing her actions were the work of dark jinn, considering how tiny Dije was compared to the massive prefect she had overpowered. Seeing that no one dared to restrain Dije, the prefect ran toward the gate to Baba, the hostel security guard. She hid behind him, screaming for help. Dije arrived, letting out a wild, booming roar:
"Murkutus! Hold her for us so we can tear off this wretched head!!!"
She lunged at the guard to get to the prefect. Overwhelmed by sheer terror, the prefect fainted on the spot. Annoyed, the guard raised his heavy whip and struck Dije twice. Feeling the sting of the whip, Dije leaped back and collapsed to the floor, chanting:
"Take her soul away, we are coming! Go now and begin cooking the scotch bonnets and bell peppers! Put everything, don't add salt, add sugar! Oh my God, by ALLAH we will kill anyone who touches us again!"
After shouting this, she went completely still, foaming at the mouth, grunting as the saliva dripped onto her face. Seeing this, some prefects rushed to their colleague, pouring water on her until she regained consciousness, though the head injury caused her to pass out again. They held her, calling her name, while others approached Dije, trying to lift her as she screamed and kicked.
Simultaneously, several other students began throwing jinn-possession fits. Before long, the school descended into chaos, with girls screaming, collapsing, and speaking in tongues everywhere. Meanwhile, a teacher and the vice-principal arrived at the hostel gate after hearing reports of the unrest. They were shocked by the sight. The injured prefect, Rukayya, was rushed to the clinic, still losing blood and drifting out of consciousness. The teacher ordered a cup of water, recited prayers over it, and splashed it on Dije. She jumped up like a newly diagnosed lunatic, looking around and asking:
"Where am I? What brought me here? Please, Aunty, I'm sorry! By Allah, I didn't spill the water on purpose! Please don't beat me!"
Some watching students remarked, "We told you she has dark spirits, but you didn't believe us. Now the truth is out."
Weeping, Hannatu pushed through the crowd, stood before Dije, and said, "Khadijah, are you okay?"
Dije turned to her. "What brought me here, Hannatu?"
The teacher watched her closely, evaluating her. He then prayed over the other possessed students, who recovered one by one. Once things calmed down, he returned to Dije and asked what caused the fight with Rukayya. Dije widened her eyes. "Which Rukayya? I didn't fight anyone."
He countered, "You didn't fight, yet you injured her and ripped out her hair? You caused her to faint. Will you confess, or should I discipline you right now?"
Dije burst into tears. "By Allah, Teacher, I didn't fight anyone. Ask Hannatu."
The teacher turned to Hannatu. "Oh, so you teamed up to hurt her?"
Hannatu began swearing her innocence and explained exactly how it happened. The teacher ordered the prefects to write down Dije's name and the names of all eyewitnesses to be brought to the assembly the next morning. Everyone was dismissed. Dije struggled to her feet and went to the hostel. That day, the entire school talked of nothing else; many were glad Rukayya got what she deserved due to her cruelty, while a few pitied her. Many began fearing Dije to avoid a similar fate.
Despite her malicious mischief, Dije was genuinely terrified by the mass hysteria and jinn fits she witnessed. That night, she couldn't sleep. As she lay awake in fear, she heard distinct footsteps—*kwass! kwass!*—the sound of pointed high heels and clinking bangles heading straight toward her bed. Terrified, she froze. Suddenly, she felt her bed violently lifted and shaken, spun around like a ceiling fan, while voices chanted:
"Weren't you the one lying about us? Well, we are here! What do you waaaant! What should we do to yoooou!"
In absolute horror, Dije began loudly reciting whatever prayers she could remember. She was thrown from her bed into the middle of the long dormitory room. She let out a wild scream: "By Allah, I stop! I won't do it again! I repent! Forgive me, oh Baffah!"
As she rambled, she felt a hand touch her. She jumped up to run but heard Hannatu's voice: "It's me, Khadijah. What is wrong with you screaming like this in the middle of the night?"
Dije stared at Hannatu, remembering the horrors she just heard. She hugged her tightly, crying, "By Allah, let's leave this school! It is full of spirits, they want to kill me! I want to go home, I won't stay! Oh my God, I repent! Everyone is killed, only we are left!"
Hannatu held her hand. "Look around. Everyone is fine. Nothing happened to us. You're just scared. Let's go back to sleep."
A senior came over, led her back to bed, and slept beside her, reciting protective prayers over her out of sheer pity.
From that day on, Dije became deeply sobered. When the teacher gathered everyone for punishment, she confessed that she had lied about the jinn possession. However, seeing the gruesome injuries she inflicted on the prefect, the school authorities did not believe her confession; they assumed she was just trying to avoid trouble. She was severely warned that any recurrence would lead to severe punishment and expulsion. This kept Dije on her best behavior.
On visiting day, Hajiya Mama and Surry visited her with a massive supply of provisions and delicious food, including fried meat and a small bucket filled with tomato stew. They had a long chat, and Dije introduced Hannatu. Hajiya Mama was thrilled to see Dije calming down and gave Hannatu a gift, asking her to keep guiding Dije. Dije wept as they prepared to leave, begging to be taken back to her father (Baffah) and stating she no longer wanted to study to become a doctor. Hajiya Mama managed to slip away, leaving Dije crying that she wanted to return to her village.
Gradually, Dije's behavior improved, largely because she felt safe sleeping near Senior Aysha, a deeply religious, kind, and organized student who kept away from school drama and never missed congregational prayers. A close bond formed between Senior Aysha, Dije, and Hannatu. Aysha treated them like blood sisters, washing their clothes, plating their hair, and sharing her food. Dije grew to love the school because of Aysha and Hannatu. Even when school vacated, Dije looked forward to returning.
Five months into her stay in Yola, during the second-term vacation, Hajiya Mama prepared Dije with gifts and they headed to Kiriu—Dije's hometown, where her father Baffah and mother Inna Hasiya lived.
Chapter 36
Upon entering the village, Dije began spotting familiar faces. Overjoyed, she waved at them. Instantly, children, classmates from her Quranic school, and friends chased the car, chanting:
"Dije is back! Baffah's Dije has returned to KIRIU!"
The driver struggled to park due to the crowd of children, teenagers, and young men gathered to see Dije, following rumors that she had married into a wealthy family. Eagerly, Dije pushed the car door open, smiling widely: "Oh, what joy! I am back in my town!"
She sprinted into her house, bumping into her mother (Inna), who was hurriedly trying to wrap her wrapper properly after hearing the commotion. Inna stood frozen in joy and surprise, unable to speak. Dije jumped and hugged her tightly. "Oh my God, I am so happy to see you, Inna! Where is my Baffah? I hope he is home!"
She let go of Inna and ran further into the house, but stopped abruptly when she saw Baffah's room locked. Annoyed, she turned back to Inna and said, "Inna, let me go check the village head's house for Baffah. When the guests come in, give them water before I return."
Inna quickly said, "Oh! So you didn't come with your husband? Wait, he is at the village head's gate, let someone go call him..."
Her words trailed off as she saw children carrying sacks of rice and boxes into the house. Inna watched in absolute delight. Hajiya Mama and Surry walked in with greetings. Inna quickly ushered them in, spread a clean mat for them, and served them cold water from her clay pot and fresh fura.
Meanwhile, Dije reached the village head’s gate, flanked by her friends Lanti, Hansai, and Mune, all trying to hold her hand. Dije smiled, asking, "Hansai and Lanti, you guys are still not married? Where is Jummala? Has she been married off?"
Mune chimed in, "She was married barely two weeks ago! But even yesterday when I visited her, she was doing nothing but crying..."
2. Comprehensive Summary
This excerpt from the Hausa novel "DIJE K'ARANGIYA" by Hadiza D/Auta follows the misadventures of Khadijah (popularly known as Dije), a stubborn, mischievous, and highly unpredictable schoolgirl tracking her life between a boarding school in Yola and her rural hometown, Kiriu.
- The Classroom Incident & Severe Punishment: The story begins with Dije making a vulgar error while reading an assignment out loud, accidentally insulting her teacher's parents. Believing it was intentional, Teacher Ubaidah orders students to hold Dije down and gives her a brutal, merciless beating until Dije fakes a faint. Not satisfied, the teacher sentences Dije to hard labor and daily lashes for two weeks under the supervision of a strict school prefect. Dije rebels, routinely skipping her chores.
- The Lizard Revenge: Dije plots revenge against Teacher Ubaidah. When asked to fetch the teacher’s handbag from the staff office, Dije catches a lizard and slips it inside. When the teacher reaches in to grab her phone, she grabs the lizard instead, leading to an outburst of hysterical screaming, stripping off her garments in panic, and a humiliating fall that leaves the classroom laughing in malicious satisfaction.
- The Jinn Possession Hoax: Later, Dije gets into a confrontation with a senior prefect named Rukayya at a water pump. When Rukayya threatens to thrash her, Dije claims she cannot carry water because her "jinn" (spirits) forbid it. After accidentally spilling the water, Rukayya slaps Dije. Dije reacts with feral rage, chanting fake incantations, ripping out a chunk of Rukayya's hair, and scratching her bloody. Dije chases Rukayya to the security gate, causing Rukayya to faint from terror and blood loss. To cover her tracks, Dije fakes a dramatic jinn possession. This sparks mass psychogenic hysteria, causing several other girls in the school to throw fits.
- Sobering Up & Academic Redemption: Although Dije later confesses to a teacher that she faked the possession, the school authorities refuse to believe her because of the sheer violence of the attack. However, the fear of expulsion and a terrifying nightmare (where she hallucinates real spirits attacking her) humbles Dije. She is taken under the wing of Senior Aysha, a pious and kind student. Alongside her best friend Hannatu, Dije settles down, behaves well, and begins to enjoy school.
Homecoming to Kiriu: During the second-term vacation, Dije travels back to her village, Kiriu, accompanied by her wealthy guardians (Hajiya Mama and Surry). She receives a celebrity welcome from the villagers, who believe she married into wealth. The story ends with her emotional reunion with her mother, Inna, and her catching up on village gossip with her childhood friends.
3. Character Descriptions
- Dije (Khadijah / Dijen Baffah): The titular protagonist. She is small-statured ("ƴar firit") but fiercely bold, highly vengeful, cunning, and fiercely protective of her pride. She has a natural knack for chaos, manipulation, and dark comedy (such as using lizards for revenge and faking jinn possessions). Despite her rough edges, she values her education and transforms under positive peer influence. She also has exceptionally long, beautiful hair.
- Hannatu: Dije’s loyal best friend at school. She is the voice of reason—constantly worrying about Dije's erratic behavior, advising her against courting trouble, but always standing by her side to offer comfort and care.
- Teacher Ubaidah: A strict, hot-tempered teacher who transitions from being fond of Dije to brutally abusing her corporal authority over a misunderstanding. She becomes the victim of Dije's psychological lizard warfare.
- Senior Rukayya: A large, abusive, and authoritative house prefect who uses her power to bully younger students. She meets her match when she slaps Dije, resulting in severe physical injury and humiliation.
- Senior Aysha: A model student, highly religious, calm, and deeply empathetic. She serves as the stabilizing maternal figure Dije needs, providing a safe haven in the hostel and guiding Dije toward moral and behavioral reform.
Inna Hasiya: Dije's loving, simple, and hardworking rural mother who is overjoyed by her daughter's return and overwhelmed by the immense wealth brought by Dije's urban guardians.
4. Literary Analytics
A. Themes
- Revenge and Justice: The narrative highlights an alternative form of jungle justice within the boarding school ecosystem. When formal authority figures (Teacher Ubaidah and Prefect Rukayya) abuse their power through excessive physical discipline, Dije relies on psychological warfare (the lizard) and guerrilla violence (ripping hair) to level the playing field.
- Superstition as a Shield: The story brilliantly captures how superstition and belief in the supernatural (Aljanu / Jinn) are weaponized in West African social contexts. Dije uses the cultural fear of jinn possession as a perfect alibi to commit physical violence against a senior without facing immediate expulsion.
Discipline vs. Abuse in Education: The text draws a stark contrast between institutionalized abuse (the brutal beating by the teacher and threats by Rukayya) and positive reinforcement (Senior Aysha’s gentle, faith-based guidance). It argues that empathy, structure, and kindness are far more effective at curbing delinquency than violence.
B. Tone and Style
- Humor and Satire: The author employs a highly comedic, satirical tone when describing the downfall of oppressive figures. The scene with the teacher stripping her clothes to escape a lizard, and falling flat on her back, uses physical comedy to strip characters of their tyrannical dignity.
- Cultural Linguistic Resonance: The text heavily utilizes vivid Hausa idiomatic expressions, teenage slang, and dramatic phonetic exclamations (e.g., "fillah fillah", "yayi sanyi ƙalau", "tsul", "kwass! ƙwass!"). Dije's fake incantations ("Burundukusuru sunbukur") showcase a humorous mimicry of traditional occult language.
- Pacing: The narrative shifts dynamically from intense, fast-paced action (the school yard brawl) to internal psychological dread (the midnight nightmare), before settling into a warm, celebratory tone during the homecoming chapters.
Babu damuwa! (No problem!) Let's dive straight back into the chaotic world of Dije K'arangiya to see how her homecoming continues, how her friends react to her presence, and how she maneuvers through the complex web of village gossip, old rivalries, and her dramatic reputation.
Here is the continuation of the original story in Hausa, followed by its English translation, summary, and literary analytics.
Original Hausa Text (Continuation)
Mune ta taɓe baki ta ci gaba da faɗin, "Wai don an aurar da ita ga tsohon mai gari na ƙauyen kusa da mu, shi yasa take ta kuka tana cewa gara ta biyo ki makaranta ko don ta huta da tsofaffin kishiyoyi."
Dije ta fashe da dariya harda tafa hannu, "Tab! Lallai ma Jummala. To ai shi karatun ma ba daɗi gare shi ba, idan kika ga yadda aka lallasa ni a hannun Malama Ubaidah da kashin kaji zan iya rantse miki."
Suna cikin wannan tattaunawa ne suka isa ƙofar gidan Maigari. Tun kafin su ƙarasa, Baffah ya hango taron yara da Dije a tsakiyarsu kamar sarauniya. Ganin ɗiyarsa sanye da riga da zane na leshi masu tsada, ga kuma fata ta yi fess saboda canjin yanayi da abincin birni, sai da hawayen farin ciki ya wanke masa fuska.
"Dije! Ɗiyata!" Baffah ya kira sunanta da ƙarfi.
Dije ta saki hannun ƙawayenta ta ruga da gudu ta faɗa jikin Baffah, tana kuka na shagwaba. "Baffahna! Na yi kewarka. WALLAHI ba zan sake komawa makarantar nan ba, gaba ɗaya aljanu sun dame mu da dukan tsiya."
Hajiya Mama da ke fitowa daga cikin gidan Maigari tare da shi kansa Maigarin, ta yi murmushi tace, "Usmanu, ka ji mini yarinya ko? Duk rashin jin da take yi a can birnin bai hanata kukan dawowa gida ba."
Maigari ya kalli Dije sannan ya kalli Baffah yace, "Haba Usmanu, ai wannan yarinya ta zama tauraruwa a garin nan. Dubi yadda kowa ke murnar dawowarta. Dole ne mu yi mata addu'ar samun nasara a karatunta."
Bayan an gama gaishe-gaishe da karramawa a gidan Maigari, aka rankaya zuwa gidan Baffah inda Inna ta riga ta shirya masu abinci na musamman—tuwon dawa da miyar kuka mai daɗi da man shanu, sannan ga naman kaza da kaji da Hajiya Mama ta sa aka siya aka soya musu.
Da daddare, bayan su Hajiya Mama sun kwanta a ɗakin Inna da aka gyara musu fes, Dije ta fita can bayan gida wurin abokan wasanta na dā. Suka zauna a ƙarƙashin bishiyar kuka suna hira cike da sha'awa.
Lanti ta gyara zama tace, "Wai Dije, da gaske ne kika saka wa wata malama ƙadangare a jaka?"
Dije ta zaro ido, "Haba Lanti! Ke wa ya gaya miki?"
Hansai ta kwashe da dariya, "Ai labarin canjin halinki da irin dukan da kika sha duk ya iso garin nan ta bakin direban da ya kawo maku kaya watan jiya. Kowa na cewa Dije dai tana nan yadda take, ba ta canza ba!"
Dije ta cije yatsa ta ce cikin ranta, "Lallai direban nan ya tona min asiri. Bari in koma makaranta sai na nuna masa kuskurensa!" Amman a bayyane sai ta washe baki tace, "Haba ai yanzu na zama babbar yarinya, kuma Senior Aysha ta koya min hankali. Ai yanzu idan kuka ganni a aji, kace wata likita ce ta gaske."
Suna cikin hiran ne suka ji muryar wani saurayi yana gyaran murya daga duffai. "Lallai Dije ta dawo gari kuma ta cika mana idanu da kyau."
Dije ta juya da sauri ta ga dāman tsohon masoyinta na ƙauye, wato Sani Mai Gadi, wanda tun kafin ta tafi birni yake rige-rigen ganin ya samu soyayyarta.
Ta turo baki tace, "Sani, kai ma kana nan kana yawo cikin duhu kamar tsohon bori? To ka sani fa, ni yanzu ba tsaran aurenka bace, karatun likitanci nake yi!"
Sani ya yi dariya ya matso kusa, "Ko da kike karatun nan, ai ba zai hana ki tuna da soyayyar gida ba. Kalli abin da na kawo miki." Ya miƙo mata wani ƙonfesa na ƙwaron gauta da gasasshen tsuntsu da ya kamo a daji.
Ganin gasasshen tsuntsun yasa Dije ta manta da duk wani girman kai na karatun likitanci; ta fizge tsuntsun ta fara gutsura tana taune cike da daɗi, yayin da ƙawayenta ke yi mata dariyar cewa "Dije dai ba za ta taɓa canza ba."
Mune sneered and continued, saying, "They married her off to the elderly village head of a neighboring village, which is why she does nothing but cry, saying she wishes she could have followed you to school just to escape the elderly co-wives."
Dije burst into laughter, clapping her hands. "Wow! Poor Jummala. But look, school itself isn’t all that sweet either; if you saw how I was thoroughly thrashed by Teacher Ubaidah, I swear to you, it felt like being broken to pieces."
As they talked, they arrived at the village head's gate. Before they even reached it, Baffah spotted the crowd of children with Dije in the center like a queen. Seeing his daughter dressed in expensive lace fabric, her skin glowing beautifully due to the change of environment and city food, tears of joy welled up and washed down his face.
"Dije! My daughter!" Baffah called out her name loudly.
Dije let go of her friends' hands, ran as fast as she could, and threw herself into Baffah's arms, weeping survival-style. "My Baffah! I missed you so much. By ALLAH, I am never going back to that school! The jinn there harassed us with non-stop beatings."
Hajiya Mama, who was walking out of the village head's house alongside the village head himself, smiled and said, "Usmanu, can you hear this girl? Despite all her stubbornness back in the city, it didn't stop her from crying to come back home."
The village head looked at Dije, then at Baffah, and said, "Oh come on, Usmanu, this girl has become a star in this town. Look at how everyone is celebrating her return. We must pray for her success in her education."
After the greetings and respects were paid at the village head’s house, they all proceeded to Baffah’s house, where Inna had already prepared a special meal for them—guinea corn tuwo (tuwon dawa) with delicious baobab leaf soup (miyar kuka) rich with clarified butter (man shanu), alongside fried chicken that Hajiya Mama had requested to be bought for them.
At night, after Hajiya Mama and her entourage had gone to sleep in Inna’s beautifully cleaned room, Dije slipped out to the backyard to meet her old childhood playmates. They sat under a baobab tree, chatting with absolute delight.
Lanti adjusted her posture and asked, "Hey Dije, is it true that you put a lizard inside a teacher's handbag?"
Dije widened her eyes in shock. "Goodness, Lanti! Who on earth told you that?"
Hansai burst out laughing. "The news of your antics and the severe beatings you received reached this village last month through the truck driver who brought your food supply! Everyone is saying that Dije remains exactly who she is—she hasn’t changed a bit!"
Dije bit her finger in frustration and thought to herself, "That driver has completely exposed me! Just let me get back to school, and I will show him his mistake!" But out loud, she forced a wide smile and said, "Oh come on, I am a big girl now, and Senior Aysha has taught me manners. If you see me in class right now, you'd think I’m a real doctor."
While they were talking, they heard a young man clearing his throat from the shadows. "Indeed, Dije has returned to town, and she has truly blessed our eyes with her beauty."
Dije turned around quickly and saw her old village suitor, Sani Mai Gadi, who—even before she left for the city—had been scrambling to win her affection.
She pouted her lips and snapped, "Sani, are you still wandering around in the dark like an old spirit dancer? Let me tell you, I am way out of your league now—I am studying medicine!"
Sani laughed, stepping closer. "Even if you are studying all that, it shouldn't stop you from remembering your roots. Look at what I brought you." He handed her a handful of fresh garden eggs and a roasted wild bird he had hunted in the bush.
Seeing the roasted wild bird made Dije instantly forget all her medical student pride; she snatched the bird and began tearing into it happily, while her friends roared with laughter, mocking her that "Dije will truly never change."
Comprehensive Summary
This continuation of "HAYAR MACE
follows Dije’s first evening back in her village, Kiriu.
- The Reality of Village Marriage: Dije catches up with her friends, discovering that her old friend Jummala was married off to an old village chief, making Dije appreciate her freedom despite the harsh school punishments.
- Emotional Reunion with Baffah: Dije has a deeply emotional reunion with her father, Baffah, who is moved to tears by how healthy and beautiful she looks. Dije immediately plays the victim, lying that she wants to quit school because of "jinn beatings."
- Exposed Secrets: During a nighttime chat under a baobab tree, Dije is shocked to discover that the village already knows about her infamous lizard prank and her school beatings, courtesy of a loose-lipped delivery truck driver.
The Return of Old Habits: Despite bragging about her new civilized "medical student" status to her old suitor Sani, Dije instantly drops her sophisticated act the moment he offers her a roasted wild bird, proving that deep down, she remains the same wild, unpredictable village girl.
Character Dynamics
- Baffah: Shows pure, unconditional parental love. His emotional reaction to seeing Dije shows how deeply he missed her and how proud he is of her physical transformation.
Sani Mai Gadi: Represents Dije's rural past. He is entirely unfazed by her new "city attitude" and knows exactly how to appeal to her true nature using bush delicacies.
Literary Analytics
- The Illusion of Class/Status Transformation: A central thematic conflict in this chapter is the juxtaposition of city life versus rural identity. Dije attempts to perform "elite city behavior" by wearing expensive lace and claiming she is a doctor. However, her rapid transition from a sophisticated medical student to a girl greedily tearing into a bush-bird highlights the superficiality of her transformation. It suggests that identity is rooted in one’s upbringing, not environmental shifts.
- The Village Gaze and Oral Information Networks: The text satirizes the speed of rural gossip. Dije assumes her boarding school shenanigans are a well-kept secret, but the truck driver acts as a human telephone. This emphasizes the theme of accountability; no matter how far Dije runs, her reputation as a chaotic troublemaker (K'arangiya) follows her.
