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English Translation
Security personnel were pacing back and forth, each holding a bulky rifle in their hands, waiting for any emergency.
As soon as they entered the neighborhood, the wailing sound of security vehicles filled the area.
Convoys of vehicles drove past in a neat and impressive line. Wherever they passed, if there were people around, they would wave their hands in admiration and profound greeting.
A massive crowd of people gathered at the entrance gate of the Government House. Screeeech! The vehicles came to a halt right in front of where the youths were standing.
The security details accompanying him began to step out, surrounding the vehicle he was inside.
Slowly, he stepped one foot out before eventually emerging completely.
"His Excellency has arrived!" "His Excellency has arrived!" "His Excellency has arrived!"
The youths at the scene began to shout out of intense love for their leader.
He raised his hand to them, flashing a gentle smile while inwardly thanking God for blessing him with a multitude of loving, loyal, and appreciative followers and supporters.
As soon as he raised his hand, the area fell silent as they waited for him to start what he usually did whenever he returned from a trip—which was a prayer.
They grew extremely calm, responding to the prayer he recited with "Ameen," their hearts full of joy for having a just leader.
When it was over, just as they usually did whenever he returned from a trip, they presented him with a huge cake as a welcome-back gift.
He accepted the cake, placed it inside the vehicle, and thanked them once again.
He looked at his Special Adviser, signaling him with his eyes before getting into the car. Understanding what it meant, S.A. Sulaiman brought out a bundle of cash and handed it to the youth leader. The place erupted in loud cheers and chatter.
The vehicles drove straight into the palatial Government House, which was lavishly decorated and equipped for a luxurious lifestyle.
Once the car reached the entrance door of his private quarters, it stopped, and respectfully, they opened the car door for him.
He smiled and said, "Thank you very much for your care. You should all go home now and rest because you are very tired, and you've been with me through it all." They expressed their gratitude, opened the door, and left together, praising his generosity and kindness. They offered prayers for him before everyone departed to go home as he had commanded.
As soon as he stepped into the parlor, the wonderful fragrance of soothing perfume greeted him. He closed his eyes and flared his nostrils, thoroughly inhaling the scent.
He felt someone throw themselves onto his body, embracing him tightly.
He released countless sighs of relief, wrapping his arms around her just as she had done to him. He buried his nose between her neck and shoulder, once again inhaling the unique fragrance that brought him profound peace.
They stayed like that for about five minutes before she pulled her body away from his, sending him a soft gaze.
He heavily swallowed his saliva.
She flashed him a smile and said, "Your Excellency, welcome back. I missed you so much. Since you didn't return today, I just decided to follow behind you."
He moved his mouth to speak, but she quickly placed her finger on his lips and said, "Shh, don't say anything."
True to her word, he remained completely silent and didn't attempt to open his mouth again.
She pulled his hands and walked him into the bedroom, helped him take off his outer clothes, and led him to the bathroom where she had prepared bathwater scented with fragrant bathing oils. He pulled her towards him, signaling for them to take a bath together. She shook her shoulder to indicate she wouldn't, and he pleaded with her to join him, but she firmly refused.
He let her be because he knew she never opposed him without a good reason.
She walked out and entered the kitchen to check if the task she had assigned was progressing properly. When she arrived, they had already finished arranging the food on a large platter to take to where she had ordered.
Meanwhile, he was sitting with a phone in his hands, tapping away while biting his lips and wearing a malicious smile. After finishing his phone navigation, he stood up and began pacing back and forth in frustration, occasionally shaking his head and punching the air like a fierce bull.
His phone began to ring. He checked the caller before answering, and they started talking.
"So, J.B., does everything I did mean it went to waste? Do you know the struggle I went through before dismantling that operation, only for that demon-like man to shatter everything, completely wipe out my plan, and just walk away?"
A response came from the other end of the phone, and then he said, "Just leave him to me, J.B. I know how to approach him. This time, he must feel the burn of the SNAKE VENOM that is going to bite him." He spoke in extreme anger. After they finished the call, he said aloud, "Excellence Muhammad Kafur, your roaming time is over. I will see your end and your family's end. I promise you will taste my VENOM this time. Let's wait and see!"
(Publisher's note, credits to authors Maryam Umar and Bintu Hussain for the book Dafin Maciji under Jajirtattu Writer's Association, including contact links and payment details for the paid novel).
Pages 3 and 4
After J.B. finished his call with Kabir, he dialed another number. When it was answered and they exchanged greetings with Malam Auwalu, J.B. said, "Actually, they are looking for a female maid at the Government House, so I called you to see if one can be found in your town. But they want a young, literate girl who understands English."
Malam Auwalu went quiet, contemplating: Is such a job even suitable? Who in this town would easily give away their daughter like that?
J.B. cut him off by saying, "There is a lot of benefit in this business, which is why I sought you out. Right now, there is half a million for you to start looking for the girl from now until tomorrow. Just call me for whatever amount is needed."
Auwalu practically shouted for joy upon hearing that he would be given half a million if he found the maid. Hearing what J.B. told him, he replied that he was so eager he would bring the girl by the evening.
In the village of Yar Mama, near Malumfashi, Katsina, a girl of no more than twenty years old was walking when she heard someone calling her. She made a sound of annoyance, turned around angrily, and said, "Salele, what kind of nuisance are you? I said I don't love you, so stop harassing my life!"
Hearing how Rahane was lashing out, Salele replied, "If not because you are beautiful and educated, there is no reason why I would say I love you."
Only then did I look at her: she was tall, fair-complexioned, had a sharp nose, and dimples that showed every time she spoke—truly, one could only say Masha Allah.
She sucked her teeth at him and said, "Let me tell you this: if I don't want something, I simply don't want it."
Auwalu went straight to Malam Tanimu's house. Right at the doorstep, he exchanged greetings. Malam Tanimu, who was sitting in the entrance porch reading, felt his heart skip a beat upon hearing his older brother's voice, knowing that whenever he visited, he never brought good news.
Auwalu responded with a cold greeting, walked into the porch without even exchanging pleasantries, and said, "Where is Rahane? She should pack her things; she's going to the city to work."
Hearing this, Malam Tanimu said, "Haba, Brother! Now Rahané is being taken to the city to work? Honestly, I don't agree."
Seeing that Tanimu was going to obstruct him, Auwalu snapped, "Rahane is my daughter, so whatever I decide with her stands! I am speaking to you as her father, and I don't see anyone who can stop Rahane from going," he finished angrily.
Rahane was just about to enter the porch and heard what Uncle Auwalu was saying. In a furious tone, she said, "Honestly, Uncle, I am not going anywhere! Go and take one of your own children instead!" she finished defiantly.
Auwalu shouted, "You! You dare show me insolence? By your father, even Tanimu himself isn't enough to stop you from going!"
She sucked her teeth at him and retorted, "By God, even Father himself can't—"
Before she could finish, her father barked at her, "Get inside and pack your things!"
Running into the house in tears, she threw herself onto Inna's body and cried, "Inna, they want to separate me from you! By God, I won't go!"
Inna Kande, who was doing laundry, stood up in distress and asked, "My child, with whom?"
Weeping, she told her what had happened. Inna took a deep breath and said, "Every difficulty comes with ease. Have patience. You see, even your father himself had no choice, which is why he agreed. Be patient, get ready, and go. We will keep praying for you. Take your mobile phone with you so we can keep in touch, and keep praying."
So she went into the room, packed her clothes in a bag, and came out crying while Inna cried too.
Inna showered her with fervent prayers.
Rahane made a vow that she would make Uncle Tanimu regret his actions.
She went to her father to say goodbye; he gave her some money, prayed for her, and she left.
Now the game begins!
Government House, Katsina State
It was an exquisite estate that could simply be called a modern residential complex, yet despite how beautiful and well-built it was, the residents had no peace.
A large living room, magnificent in its own right.
A young woman sat on a couch, tapping away on her phone while letting out occasional sighs of annoyance.
A handsome young man of no more than thirty-one years old walked in, looking visibly enraged. He snatched the phone from her hand angrily and began to speak: "Yusurah, I am tired of this nonsense you're pulling! By God, change your attitude!"
Angrily, she replied, "You, Haisam, I am tired too! If not for my dad, what would I even have to do with you? Do you think you are even at the level where I should marry you?"
He said, "Get up and cook food for me! You know nothing except pressing your phone and lying down, because I am tired of this too."
She said, "That's your problem."
He said, "Okay, I'll show you that I am Haisam Muhammad Kafur. I'll show you my true nature!"
Having said that, he walked out to answer a call from his father, the Executive Governor.
As soon as he left, Yusurah called her father, telling him a mixture of truth and lies while demanding that they move back to the Government House.
Hearing what Yusurah said, Kabir's hatred for his nephew and brother deepened.
He told Yusurah not to worry, as they would move back today.
After ending the call, Kabir burst into a mad laughter, saying, "Muhammad, you are almost done roaming. This time, I will set up a trap from which you will never recover."
Meanwhile, as Auwalu and Rahane left the house, they boarded a commercial transport heading to Katsina. Auwalu called J.B. to inform him, and J.B. told him to call back once they arrived.
As they journeyed, Auwalu began sweet-talking Rahane, telling her not to shame him, promising she would enjoy her new home, and handing her twenty thousand Naira to keep. Though Rahane initially wanted to refuse, she remembered the Hausa proverb: Disarming an enemy is an act of devotion. So she accepted it.
Upon arriving at the outskirts of Katsina, he called J.B., who came to pick them up, and they went straight to Kabir's house.
Haisam walked out, headed to his car, and his security detail quickly rushed behind him. One opened the door for him while the others got into their vehicles. Once they started moving, the driver asked where they were headed, and he replied, "We are going to Abba's holiday home."
When they arrived, Abba said to him, "First business: go pick up your wife and return to the Government House. Earlier, Kabir said it's proper for you to stay close to me."
Haisam said, "Humm, Abba! You should have just let us stay there in peace."
Abba said, "No, come back."
Haisam answered, "In sha Allah, Abba, once I'm back, we'll return."
Abba continued, "The next matter we need to discuss: you know what's happening. These land and farm documents—due to the realities of life, you know there are people working secretly against me. There are those who don't want to see me alive in this world."
Haisam looked at him and said, "Definitely, I will deal with them. For the rights you've been denied, I will go after them behind the scenes and cause destruction that will give some of them heart attacks."
Abba said, "I don't want you to put your life in danger, Haisam. You are the only son God gave us, and I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you."
Haisam just smiled, and they bid each other farewell.
When he got back home, he told Yusurah to pack whatever she needed as they were returning to the Government House.
Yusurah, as if waiting for just that, said she was ready, and they set off, moving straight to the Government House instead of their previous residence.
At Kabir's house, after Auwal and Rahane ate and rested a bit, Kabir explained Rahane's mission: she would go under the guise of a maid, but in reality, she was going as a spy to extract secrets and bring them back to him.
As Rahane listened, she was amazed at their ruthlessness.
In her heart, she thought: If you think you'll get what you want through me, you never will. I, Rahane Tanimu, swear that I will ruin your lives, and I will make you realize who you are dealing with and harming. Right here, I, Rahane, will turn into a SNAKE VENOM for you.
Pages 5 and 6
Rahane smiled outwardly and said, "In sha Allah, I will do as you wish and I won't disappoint you on this job."
Alhaji Kabir heaved a sigh of relief, thinking to himself that the girl would certainly do what was required.
Outwardly, he said, "If you do a good job, I will reward you handsomely."
An opportunity arose within Rahane's mind. Outwardly, she said, "I actually have some requests I want you to help me with."
"State your requests directly; you have no barriers here," Alhaji Kabir replied.
She picked up an apple slice, popped it into her mouth, and spoke fluently like a radio announcer: "First, just as Uncle Auwalu was given money, my father, Malam Tanimu, should also be given his share. But instead of giving it to Uncle Auwalu, you should send the person you assigned to deliver it directly to my father at home. If you do this, the work will go just as you want."
The place fell silent in astonishment at the girl's sharpness and intelligence.
Alhaji Kabir broke the silence by saying, "As long as you do the work as required, money is not a problem. Whatever amount you need, we will send it to you."
Inwardly, she thought: This is exactly what I wanted. You hypocritical, loser fools, by God, I will expose you one by one! Ever since I saw Uncle Auwalu, I knew he was up to no good, but oh well—the pitcher goes often to the well, but it is broken at last.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Alhaji Kabir's Personal Assistant handed her a brand-new phone still in its box.
She accepted it with a huge, joyful smile—owning a phone had been one of her life's dreams if she ever got wealthy. Even when she was in school, the only time she heard music or watched videos on a phone was when she visited Iya Abu in the city.
Her thoughts were interrupted again by J.B.'s voice:
"We will communicate through here if the need arises, and if there is anything you are unsatisfied with, report directly to me. But be very careful."
Outwardly, she showered them with gratitude as if she were biting her tongue, but inwardly, she was cursing them, thinking: I will expose your secrets, you hypocrites, you forest-monkey-like scumbags.
After receiving their warnings, they bid farewell to Uncle Auwalu, who was darting his eyes around like an old thief.
She dismissed Uncle Auwalu at the Government House gate as if she didn't even know him, saying dismissively, "Greet the travelers on the road," and walked ahead toward the luxurious white vehicle brought to take her into the Government House.
As soon as they hit the road, Rahane's heart grew heavy seeing how security operatives were stationed everywhere doing their jobs.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she saw how hard this servant of God was working to rebuild Katsina, while wicked, venomous snakes were stabbing him in the back with hot venom. (As for me, I say: Oh Rahane, why are you crying already? You haven't seen anything yet; wait until the journey goes further and you enter the Government House!)
Without a long trip, they arrived at the GOVERNMENT HOUSE. Rahane was stunned by the architectural design inside, gripped by fear at the sheer wealth poured into building such a massive estate.
Summary
In "Dafin Maciji", the narrative plunges into a high-stakes political thriller and family betrayal centered around the administration of Governor Muhammad Kafur in Katsina State. The story contrasts the public adoration and loyalty shown to the just Governor by the youth with the clandestine, venomous plots engineered by his political adversary and relative, Alhaji Kabir, alongside his associate J.B.
Kabir targets the Governor by plotting his downfall through infiltration. Enter Rahane, a clever and resilient young village girl from Yar Mama (near Malumfashi), whose weak-willed father and greedy uncle Auwalu are manipulated into sending her to the Government House under the guise of a maid. However, Rahane is far from a helpless pawn; secretly disgusted by the corruption and cruelty of Kabir and Auwalu, she resolves to act as a double agent—feigning compliance while secretly planning to turn the tables and become a lethal "snake venom" (Dafin Maciji) to destroy Kabir's corrupt syndicate from the inside. Parallel subplots reveal domestic tensions involving the Governor's son, Haisam, and his unsupportive wife Yusurah, whom Kabir exploits to further destabilize the Governor's household.
Description
- Genre: Hausa Political Fiction / Drama / Thriller
- Authors: Maryam Umar Star & Fatima Bintu Hussain (Two Stars)
- Setting: Katsina State, Nigeria (Government House, local villages like Yar Mama/Malumfashi)
- Core Themes: Power struggles, political betrayal, undercover espionage, familial greed, resilience, and calculated revenge.
Analytics
- Character Alignment & Dynamics:
- Protagonists/Defenders: Governor Muhammad Kafur (just leader), Haisam (his protective son), and Rahane (the undercover protagonist turning the tables on her exploiters).
- Antagonists: Alhaji Kabir and J.B. (masterminds behind the political sabotage), Uncle Auwalu (the opportunistic relative who sells out his family), and Yusurah (Haisam's manipulative wife utilized by Kabir).
- Narrative Pace: Fast-moving transitions between public political scenes, gritty village realism (Rahane's recruitment), and high-tension conspiracy plotting.
- Literary Motifs: The metaphor of the Snake Venom (Dafin Maciji) signifies toxic malice, hidden betrayal, and ultimate retributive justice.
