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MY BESTIE HUSBAND BY OUM HAIRAN
Aneesah ran into the room and collapsed onto her mother (Ammi), who was folding clothes and packing them into a bag. Ammi raised her face in confusion and asked anxiously, "Are you okay? What happened?"
Breathing heavily and visibly startled, Aneesah couldn't say anything at first. It was only when Ammi angrily repeated the question that Aneesah burst into laughter and said, "Ammi, it’s Yusuf. He wants to beat me because a car stepped on his football, and I laughed."
Ammi scolded her, saying, "Aneesah, when will you ever grow up? Didn't I ask you to wash the dishes? Instead, you went outside to play with Yusuf. Are you seriously running away from Yusuf of all people? That's just foolish." Seeing how angry her mother was, Aneesah quickly stood up, softened her voice pleadingly, and said, "I'm sorry, Ammi, but if I go back out, I swear he will beat me. He is actually crying."
Before Ammi could speak, Yusuf entered the room. Aneesah quickly ran behind Ammi, crying out, "Oh Ammi, look at him!" Ammi tapped her lightly and said, "Yusuf, are you really trying to beat your elder sister? Have you no respect?"
Yusuf gave Aneesah a hard look and said, "God saved you. The man gave me twenty Naira to buy another ball." Aneesah laughed out loud, mocking, "Twenty Naira?"
"Yes," Yusuf replied, and then pulled out two brand new one-thousand-Naira notes. Aneesah’s eyes widened in shock. Ammi asked, "Yusuf, who gave you this much money?" He replied, "The man who crushed my ball with his car. He told me to buy a new one."
Ammi turned to look at Aneesah, then said, "Alright, bring it here, Yusuf. Later, I will go to the market myself and buy you a new one. But did you thank him?" Yusuf said, "No, I forgot," handed over the two thousand Naira, and left the room.
Ammi sighed, "Oh Allah, bless that man. It's as if he knew what I was just worrying about regarding what we would eat tonight, Aneesah." Aneesah smiled and said, "Just buy food items, Ammi." Ammi replied, "That's exactly what I'll do. Let me finish packing these clothes, then I'll head to the market." Aneesah stood up, her mood sobered, left the room, and went to finish the dishes in the courtyard.
Part 2
At around 3:45 PM, as Aneesah was preparing for Islamic school, Ammi returned. Aneesah quickly collected the plastic bags from her hands, welcomed her warmly, brought out a chair, fetched cool water from the clay pot, and sat before her to ask about her journey.
Ammi finished the water, set the cup down, and said, "Hurry up and leave for school, time is running out. Where is Yusuf?" Aneesah replied, "I told him to wait for me, but he said he would walk with Kabir and the others." She picked up her ironed hijab and niqab, put them on, and said, "Alright Ammi, I'm off." Ammi wished her safe travels, and she left.
By nearly 7:00 PM, Aneesah and her younger brother returned. Ammi was sweeping the courtyard. They greeted her and went inside. After changing out of her uniform, Aneesah offered to take over the sweeping, but Ammi told them to pray first, adding that their food was in the kitchen. When Yusuf saw it was rice and stew, he started jumping with joy. Aneesah glared at him and scoffed, "Are you not used to eating rice? Fool." He raised his hand to playfully strike her, but she dodged quickly and called out to Ammi. Ammi walked in, separated them, scolded them, and sat down to look at her children.
Aneesah was a young girl of barely 17. They had been living a life of hardship and poverty since the death of their father, Alhaji Mukhtar. Alhaji Mukhtar used to be a renowned wealthy man in Abuja. He had passed away eight years prior in a car accident while returning to Abuja from Kano after visiting relatives for the Eid holiday.
After his death, their hardships began despite the immense wealth he left behind—including six houses, cars, and lands. His older brother, Alhaji Shehu, seized everything under the guise of keeping it safe until the children grew up. Alhaji Mukhtar was the youngest of three brothers born to Malam Sule and Saudat; the others being Shehu and Ibrahim. Their mother died when Mukhtar was in primary school, and their father passed away just as he was finishing secondary school. From that point, his older brothers treated him with pure hatred. Despite the lack of family support, Mukhtar worked hard, washing cars to fund his education, until God blessed him with a job at the House of Assembly in Abuja.
Part 3
Seeing his success, his relatives began flocking around him, pretending to love him. Because Mukhtar was a man who valued family ties and held no grudges, he didn't resent them for their past treatment. He brought them close and secured jobs for them, as they were all struggling. He helped numerous relatives and strangers alike.
During this time, he met Aneesah’s mother, Maryam (Ammi), at a friend's wedding. They fell deeply in love and married, despite her paternal family's disapproval because they wanted an arranged family marriage for her. A year later, they had Aneesah. They didn't have another child until eight years later when Yusuf was born. Sadly, when Yusuf was just two months old, their father passed away.
His death devastated Ammi. Despite the intense hatred from his relatives, who made it clear they despised her, she chose to stay and raise her children in their father's house. Her own parents were very poor; her mother had died when she was ten, leaving her to face a cruel stepmother. Her maternal grandmother had taken her in until she married Alhaji Mukhtar. She knew that if she returned to her father’s house now, he wouldn't welcome her because he did whatever his current wife told him to do. Furthermore, her stepmother resented her for marrying a rich man when her own children hadn't. So, Ammi endured and stayed in her husband's house with her children.
Not even three months after Alhaji Mukhtar’s death, his older brother, whom they called Baffa Shehu, kicked them out of their beautiful mansion. He claimed he was going to rent it out to accumulate funds for the orphans. Despite the numerous properties their father owned, Ammi didn't argue, thinking he would give them a modest house to live in. Instead, he relocated them to Suleja, putting them in a rundown property that Alhaji Mukhtar had previously offered rent-free to poor people. Baffa Shehu evicted the occupants, claiming his brother had never given it to them permanently.
Thus, Ammi and her children lived there in sorrow, with no one to support them but God. Since their father's death, none of his old friends had checked on them. The only luck they had was that Baffa enrolled them in a low-cost private school. Now that Aneesah was in her final year (SS3) and preparing for her WAEC and NECO exams, Baffa would delay paying school fees until the end of the term, forcing them to sit at home for up to six weeks at a time. As for food, if he brought a bag of rice and a gallon of groundnut oil, he wouldn't check on them again for six months. Ammi had to resort to doing commercial laundry (wankau) to protect her children's future and keep them afloat.
Part 4
After a week, the food Ammi bought with Yusuf’s money ran out, and she was at a loss. The family she did laundry for had traveled to England a month ago. She sat in deep, sorrowful silence. It was almost 10:00 AM, and they hadn't eaten breakfast; they hadn't eaten well the previous night either. Ammi hadn't eaten at all, leaving the small portion for the kids while she drank water and went to bed.
Aneesah sat by the doorway, studying her school books. Despite her hunger, she didn't show it and kept reading. Yusuf, who had been outside playing, ran in and leaned against Ammi, complaining, "Ammi, I'm hungry." Ammi looked at him silently, then called out to Aneesah to come inside.
Ammi sighed and said, "Go to Ladi, the bean cake (kosai) seller. Tell her to give you a hundred Naira's worth on credit, and tell her I'll bring the money tomorrow." Aneesah put on her hijab and left with a heavy heart.
When she arrived, Ladi was frying bean cakes, surrounded by customers. Aneesah waited until the crowd thinned out, greeted her, and delivered Ammi's message. Ladi frowned deeply and snapped, "I am tired of this credit business of yours! Even when we give you credit, you don't pay. If I calculate what you owe me right now, it's up to a thousand Naira! Every day you promise 'tomorrow,' but tomorrow never comes. Today, my batch is small, and I am not giving out credit." She hissed and went back to frying, grumbling loudly.
Dejected, Aneesah returned home and sat by the door. Before she could speak, Ammi said, "It’s fine, since she refused." Aneesah looked away silently. Yusuf began to cry loudly demanding food. Aneesah buried her head in her knees and wept quietly by the door, unnoticed even by Ammi.
Part 5
The greeting of a neighbor made Aneesah look up and wipe her face. The neighbor entered, and Aneesah greeted her. The neighbor asked about her studies, then went inside to greet Ammi, setting down a bowl. "Ammi, give this to Yusuf to add to whatever he's eating. It's not much," she said. Ammi thanked her and asked about her son, Umar. The neighbor replied that he was outside playing, and then she left.
Ammi opened the bowl and found warmed-up leftover tuwo (dumamen tuwo). She figured Yusuf must have told the woman he was hungry. The neighbor was very kind, even though her own family was just managing; her husband worked as a shoemaker to provide their daily meals. Ammi called Aneesah to come eat, but out of sheer heartbreak and frustration, Aneesah lost her appetite completely and refused. Ammi had to coax her gently to eat because she knew her daughter's stubborn nature.
By noon, Ammi brought out a tailored Ankara wrapper that her grandmother had sent her for Eid. Seeing her dressed to go out, Aneesah asked where she was going. Ammi replied, "I'm going to the market to sell this wrapper, Aneesah, before Hajiya Salamatu and the others return."
Aneesah protested, "Oh Ammi, why must you sell a wrapper every single time, for God's sake?"
Ammi replied, "What use are they to me, Aneesah? Watch Yusuf until I return. I'll buy whatever food items I can afford from there." Without waiting for a response, she left.
Standing by the door after getting dressed for secular school, Yusuf said, "Anty, let's go before Jamila and Kabir leave us behind again today." Aneesah pulled him back and said, "You know what, Yusuf? Run along and follow them. I'll be right behind you." He didn't argue and left.
Ammi asked, "And what are you waiting for, Aneesah?"
Aneesah sat down and looked at her mother. "The WAEC and NECO fees, Ammi. They told us not to come to school today if we don't bring the money."
Ammi stared at her and said, "When has your uncle ever willingly given school fees that we should confront him with exam fees? But go ahead, get ready, find him, and tell him. Perhaps God will touch his heart this time."
Aneesah frowned and muttered, "I am not going anywhere, Ammi. I'd rather stop going to school altogether." Ammi glared at her and said, "Then stay at home." Aneesah argued, "What kind of man is he, Ammi? Even if I go, he won't give it to me; he will only humiliate me. Isn't it better if I don't go?"
Ammi reprimanded her, "Whatever you have to say, he is your father’s older brother. He is your uncle, so watch your mouth. Stand up, get ready, and leave before he goes out."
With a heavy heart, Aneesah took off her school uniform and put on a maroon and ash-colored material gown. Despite their poverty, she always looked neat and presentable whenever she stepped out. Ammi offered her transport fare, but Aneesah told her to keep it, saying she would walk. Ammi forced her to take it because the town center was very far away.
When Aneesah arrived at her uncle's house, she rang the bell. The security guard looked out, she greeted him, and he opened the gate. She asked if her uncle was home, and he said yes. With a racing heart, she entered the house, greeted the domestic staff who were busy with chores, and sat on the tiled floor of the living room, waiting for her uncle to emerge.
Part 6
Aneesah sat in the living room for nearly twenty minutes before her uncle emerged, looking affluent in a shining green Shadda outfit, radiating a strong expensive perfume. The moment he saw her, his face darkened, and he shouted, "So it's you who is looking for me this early?"
She bowed her head and said, "Yes, good morning, Baffa."
He replied coldly, "What is the meaning of this early morning visit?"
She said, "They have started collecting WAEC and NECO registration fees at school. I came to inform you because they told us not to return without it."
He listened until she finished, then roared furiously, "Confound you! Did I tell you I have money lying around that you dare show up early in the morning demanding exam fees? Did you leave money in my custody, or did that mother of yours who sent you leave any money with me?"
She shook her head and said, "Baffa, we have no one else to ask but you. And besides, I am not asking for your personal money. I am asking for my portion of my late father's wealth to pay for my exams. You said we should wait until we grow up; well, I am mature enough now. Just distribute our inheritance so you can rest from our constant financial requests."
The moment she finished speaking, he stared at her open-mouthed in utter shock. He roared, "Aha! So your mother sent you to insult me, Fatima? You have the audacity to say this to me because you lack manners!" He began invoking prayers of shock, shaking his head at the ceiling.
She muttered, "I am not being disrespectful, Baffa."
"By Allah," he swore furiously, "from this day on, your schooling is over! I will marry you off, blast you! From today, not a single penny of mine will reach your hands. When your father was alive, what did he ever do for people except being stingy despite his wealth? Do you think the care I've provided for you till date came from his pockets? I paid with my own money! Don't even talk about inheritance because there isn't even a hundred thousand Naira left in your father's accounts. You have eaten it all!"
She stood up, looking at him intensely, and retorted, "That's just a story. What about this mansion you live in, his other houses, his cars, not to mention his lands? Even if you claim the bank accounts are empty, these properties are still here, Baffa!"
He delivered a thunderous slap to her face, panting heavily. "You dare talk back to me?!"
Just then, his wife, Hajiya Zuwaira, rushed out. "What happened, Alhaji? What brought this girl here this early?" Stuttering out of pure rage, he explained what happened. Aneesah stood there, holding her stinging cheek, watching them. Before her uncle could even finish his explanation, his wife dashed toward the kitchen, shouting, "Leave that bastard child to me, Alhaji!"
Hearing this, Aneesah ran out of the house as fast as she could, knowing how vicious the woman was. She hadn't forgotten the day the woman chased her with pepper. She didn't wait to see what weapon she was fetching this time.
Once she left the neighborhood, she began weeping bitterly along the road, lamenting their tragic circumstances. She barely made it home, feeling dizzy from hunger since she had only taken a small cup of gruel (koko) in the morning.
Ammi jumped up anxiously upon seeing her. "What took you so long, Aneesah? Why are you crying?" Aneesah shook her head and said, "I didn't see him on time, Ammi."
Once she calmed down, she related everything that transpired between her and her uncle. Ammi scolded her severely, almost slapping her for talking back to her uncle. Aneesah remained completely silent until Ammi exhausted her anger. Then, Aneesah began weeping and apologizing.
Ammi wiped her own tears, as she was crying too, and said, "See what you've done to yourself, Aneesah. Do you prefer staying at home now?"
Aneesah replied, "Ammi, even if I hadn't spoken up, there was no sign he was going to pay anyway." Ammi sighed, "I suppose so, Aneesah."
Aneesah fell silent, contemplating, then said, "Ammi, you know what?" Ammi shook her head, "What?" Aneesah lowered her voice pleadingly, "Please Ammi, find a place where I can work as a housemaid for wages. I can save up for my WAEC fees that way, since we have three months before the exams begin."
Ammi glared at her. "Are you out of your mind, Aneesah?"
With tearful eyes, Aneesah pleaded, "I'm sorry, Ammi, but this is our only way out."
Ammi said, "It won't happen. You will just have to wait until next year to write it when God provides for us."
Aneesah burst into tears. "Oh Ammi, what is wrong with me working? We have no guardian left but God. Please drop whatever worries you have, Ammi. Have you forgotten who your daughter Aneesah is? I swear I will protect my dignity and never bring shame upon you. Take pity on me and let me save up for my exam fees, please, Ammi."
As she wept and begged, Ammi cried along with her, at a loss for words. Finally, Ammi said, "Alright, Aneesah. Let me think about it carefully so we don't invite public ridicule upon ourselves." Aneesah replied, "Thank you, Ammi," and stood up weakly to fetch water outside, as the house was empty of water.
Part 7
Two days later, Aneesah sat before Ammi, who was cradling an unwell Yusuf and feeding him tea. Aneesah called her softly. Ammi looked up and asked, "What is it, Aneesah?"
Aneesah lowered her head and said in a weak voice, "Ammi, you haven't said anything regarding our discussion. You said you would think about it. Please, Ammi, let me start working. It will help us immensely. Look at us now, we don't even have the money to take Yusuf to the hospital."
Ammi remained silent, focused on coaxing Yusuf to sip the tea. This made Aneesah break into tears again. Ammi looked up at her, "Why are you crying, Aneesah?"
Aneesah sobbed, "Because you've refused to say anything, Ammi."
Ammi let out a deep sigh, nodded, and said, "Alright, Aneesah." She didn't say anything further, and Aneesah also fell silent, thinking about how cruel life was when everyone only cared about themselves.
The next day, Wednesday, very early in the morning, Ammi went to visit a woman named Hajiya Zulfa, with whom she used to be on good terms. She wanted Hajiya Zulfa to help find a domestic job for Aneesah, since Hajiya Zulfa mingled heavily with the wealthy elite of the city and frequently supplied them with housemaids.
At 6:00 PM, Ammi returned home exhausted. Aneesah brought out a chair for her and gave her a cup of water. After drinking, Ammi asked about Yusuf's health, and Aneesah noted he was much better and had even gone outside to play.
After letting Ammi rest, Aneesah asked quietly, "Ammi, how did it go?"
Ammi replied, "It went well, but I managed to secure a place with great difficulty, Aneesah. However, the woman of the house is extremely ill-mannered and unpleasant. I don't think you can handle her, especially with your lack of patience. Furthermore, the volume of chores she listed out seems far too heavy for you. Just let it go. If Hajiya Zulfa finds another opening later, you can take that instead."
Aneesah insisted, "No, Ammi! I swear, no matter what it takes, I can handle this job. Please just let me start, Ammi. I promise I won't disappoint you, my sweet Ammi."
Ammi looked at her silently for a while, then said, "Alright then, may God bring us safely to tomorrow." Aneesah rejoiced, filled with happiness because her only goal was to write her exams this year by God's grace.
At 10:30 AM, Aneesah and her mother arrived at a massive mansion in the city of Abuja where she was to begin working. Aneesah’s heart sank at the sight of the estate; the house was excessively luxurious, and the neighborhood itself was a sight to behold. A security guard dressed in a military uniform opened the gate for them with a stern, expressionless face. "Are you the visitors Hajiya said were coming?" he asked.
Ammi replied, "Yes, we are."
He pointed to an area near some decorative flowers and said, "Stand over there. She said you should wait for her there."
Ammi agreed, and they moved to the side of the plants. Aneesah glared at the guard, deeply annoyed by his condescending tone. The guard sent one of the house children to inform Hajiya that the new workers had arrived, and then went back to stand by the gate.
Ammi and Aneesah stood in the scorching sun for over an hour with no sign of Hajiya. Just as they lost hope and Ammi said, "Let's just leave, Aneesah," the woman finally emerged.
She stepped out dressed in absolute luxury, wearing sunglasses, and radiating an expensive scent. She was significantly older than Ammi. Walking with a slow, arrogant stride as if she despised stepping on the bare earth, she approached them. Looking down on them with deep disdain and pride, she demanded, "Where is the maid?"
Ammi was struck speechless by her arrogance, but Aneesah boldly stepped forward and said, "I am here."
The woman opened her mouth in slight surprise and remarked sneeringly, "What can this frail, underaged girl even do? I expected you to bring me a fully grown, mature woman, Madam."
Aneesah held her ground firmly and said, "There is nothing I cannot do, Hajiya. Sweeping, washing dishes, dusting, cooking, and every other chore you can think of, Hajiya."
Hajiya shrugged dismissively and said, "Very well. The salary I am offering is twelve thousand Naira every month..."
Story Summary
Aneesah is a poignant tale of a family's fall from grace into abject poverty following a sudden tragedy. Alhaji Mukhtar, a wealthy and philanthropic civil servant living in Abuja, dies in a tragic car accident. Seizing upon the vulnerability of his widow (Ammi) and young children (Aneesah and Yusuf), Mukhtar's envious older brother, Baffa Shehu, takes control of the entire estate under the pretense of safeguarding it for the orphans. He evicts them from their mansion, relocates them to a dilapidated property in Suleja, withholds their inheritance, and barely provides basic sustenance or school fees.
To ensure her children's future, Ammi resorts to doing commercial laundry. The story reaches a boiling point when the family faces starvation, and 17-year-old Aneesah is barred from attending school unless she pays her final senior secondary school exam (WAEC/NECO) fees. Driven by desperation, Aneesah confronts her abusive uncle, Baffa Shehu, demanding their inheritance. She is violently rebuffed, slapped, and threatened with forced marriage.
Determined to change her fate and write her exams, Aneesah convinces a reluctant Ammi to let her work as a domestic maid. Through a family acquaintance, she secures a job at a luxurious mansion in Abuja. The segment concludes with Aneesah facing her new employer—a profoundly arrogant, wealthy woman who immediately looks down on her youth, setting the stage for Aneesah's grueling journey of survival and resilience.
Story Description
- Genre: Northern Nigerian Hausa Drama / Prose Fiction (often categorized locally as Littattafan Na Soyayya or contemporary social realism literature).
- Themes:
- The Plight of Orphans and Widows: Highlighting the structural and familial abuse vulnerable family members face after the death of a patriarch.
- Greed vs. Generosity: Contrasting the late Alhaji Mukhtar's selflessness with his brother Baffa Shehu's malice and avarice.
- Resilience and Female Empowerment: Aneesah's refusal to accept defeat, her determination to acquire an education, and her willingness to perform manual labor to fund her dreams.
- Social Stratification: The sharp socio-economic divide between the wealthy elite of Abuja and the struggling masses in surrounding areas like Suleja.
- Tone: Melodramatic, evocative, and emotionally heavy, transitioning from vulnerability to defiant survival.
Setting: Urban and peri-urban Nigeria (Abuja and Suleja), reflecting real-world socio-economic dynamics.
Analytics
Character Profiling & Dynamics
CharacterRole / TypePrimary MotivationsTraits ExhibitedAneesahProtagonistTo pass her exit exams and escape poverty.Courageous, outspoken, stubborn, resilient, neat.Ammi (Maryam)Maternal AnchorTo protect her children and preserve their dignity.Long-suffering, pious, protective, cautious.Baffa ShehuAntagonistWealth accumulation and control via oppression.Hypocritical, abusive, greedy, aggressive.YusufSupporting / CatalystInnocent survival (childhood needs).Playful, naive, easily pacified.The New HajiyaSecondary AntagonistMaintaining social dominance.Elitist, arrogant, demanding, condescending.Narrative Arc & Structural Analysis
- The Micro-Conflict (The Catalyst): The story opens with a minor domestic dispute (Yusuf's ruined football), which introduces the family's extreme vulnerability; a random act of kindness from a stranger (2,000 Naira) is what keeps them from starving that night.
- The Macro-Conflict (The Core Driver): The introduction of the upcoming WAEC/NECO exams serves as the ticking clock. It forces Aneesah out of a passive state of poverty into active confrontation with the antagonist (Baffa Shehu).
- Socio-Cultural Realism: The author accurately captures Nigerian economic realities of the lower-middle and lower classes: buying groceries on credit from local vendors (Ladi Mai Kosai), the heavy reliance on neighbors helping neighbors (Umar's mother), and the exploitation of underage girls as domestic helpers ("Kwaila") in wealthy urban centers for meager wages (\approx 12,000 Naira/month).
