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"Rayuwar Rayhanah 1 " (The Life of Rayhanah .
It felt as though Mount Uhud had been placed upon her head due to the sheer weight of his words. Shocked, she raised her head and looked at Khalipha, her body trembling with confusion and panic.
She began looking around nervously, fearing that someone might have overheard what Yaya Khalipha had said. But to her relief, everyone was busy with their own affairs—parents and relatives were far away from them, as she had deliberately isolated herself far from the crowd before sitting down.
As for Khalipha, he didn’t care in the least. He relaxed further in front of her, pouring out words of love that came from the depths of his heart, not just from the surface of his lips. His eyes were half-closed, and he looked so handsome that she had never realized he possessed such looks before.
The trembling in her body intensified because Khalipha refused to be quiet. She was entirely panicked that his younger siblings, who held him in high regard, might come over and witness his behavior—something she could not comprehend.
She was on the verge of losing control out of fear when she spotted Jawahir walking briskly toward them. In a loud whisper, she said, "Yaya Khalipha, let go of my hand, look, Jawahir is coming!" At the same time, she struggled to wrench her hand from his grasp, which he held so tightly it felt as though he might break it.
But Khalipha did not flinch; he merely turned, waiting for Jawahir to arrive.
She pulled away forcefully, freeing her hand so abruptly that she nearly fell. Acting quickly, she sat back down on her wooden tree stump, trying to stabilize her breathing, composure, heart rate, and facial expression before Jawahir reached them.
Now, even though Jawahir had witnessed a glimpse of what happened, being a sophisticated and perceptive girl, she showed nothing on her face. In her mind, she thought, "I knew a day like this would come between Raiha and Yaya Khalipha. The intimacy and the way they care for each other at home alone is enough to raise a question mark."
She dropped down in front of Khalipha, laughing.
"Yaya Khalipha, you are the one visiting today! Where is Mami? Where is Zizah? Where is Daddy?"
She threw all the questions at him at once, her mouth wide with smiles and joy.
He replied, "So many queries for me alone, Jawahir, which one should I answer first?"
Laughing and looking at Raiha, she said, "For God's sake, Rayha, hasn't Yaya Khalipha become even handsomer?"
Rayha tilted her head and replied, "I don't stare scrutinizingly at people."
This amused him greatly, and he asked, "Not even me, RAHANE?"
If for nothing else, the mere honor of him calling her by that pet name was enough to make her smile.
He stood up, checking his wristwatch; closing time for the school was approaching.
He said, "Come on, let's go to the car so you can unpack your things, including those of that foolish girl (Abida)."
They stood up and followed him to the trunk of the car, where he unloaded the items and handed them over. He set Rahane’s share aside separately. This time too, Jawahir noted a question mark, but her sophistication prevented her from showing it. Because of the volume of the items, they had their juniors assist them in carrying the luggage to the hostel.
From that day on, Rahane could not find peace of mind. Her heart pondered day and night, evening and morning, over Yaya Khalipha and his sudden romantic approach toward her.
However, she did not allow this to affect her studies in the slightest, because of a promise she made to herself to make "Baba Dacta" (Doctor Dad) happy this time with excellent results. But whenever she lay down or found herself alone, she thought of Yaya Khalipha. She desired nothing more than to see him or hear his calm voice calling out, "RAHANE."
In this state, they sat for their WAEC, NECO, and JAMB exams, bidding farewell to Ulul-Albab (their school), while Rahane sat for her qualifying exam to enter her final year (SS3/Class 6).
They returned home for holidays, a time during which Khalipha was sent for a nine-month training course related to his job at the Nigerian Embassy in Morocco.
Khalipha was happy about this trip; if nothing else, it would distance him from Rayhanah for a long period without his feelings becoming obvious to everyone. He felt a sense of relief since he had already confessed to her, though he did not know what was transpiring in her own heart.
However, he left Rahane in a state of great entanglement and a heart-consuming love—even though she herself did not fully realize that it was love tormenting her.
All she knew was that since Yaya Khalipha left, she fell into loneliness and a lack of energy both at home and at school. Since his departure, they had never spoken on the phone because Baba Dacta had forbidden any of them from owning a mobile phone, stating he wanted to see their performance in the university first. Consequently, even when Khalipha called Mami or Daddy, he could only ask them to extend his greetings to her. And so, life moved on.
By the time Abida and Jawahir secured admission into Bayero University, Rahane had sat for her high school leaving exams. Within three months, the results were out, and Raihanah amazed everyone: she scored straight 'A's and 'B's across all her subjects. It was a grade profile that neither Abida nor Jawahir had achieved when they finished high school.
This joy that Rahane brought to Dr. Mansur prompted him to think of a gift to encourage her further, wanting her to realize that an orphan is only truly helpless if they are lazy, and that disability is no excuse for a defeated spirit.
They conducted extensive research, consulting top ear specialists both locally and internationally. They found Dr. Philips, a Scottish man who had been a lecturer to Dr. Mansur during his studies at Trinity University.
Dr. Philips was an elderly Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Surgeon who had retired and was living with his family in his native village of Braemar.
Despite his old age, severe cases were still brought to his home in Braemar. When complex cases baffled top doctors, various countries hired him for his expertise. He was the first person Dr. Mansur and Dr. Imam thought of after conducting the final hearing tests regarding Rayhanah’s ailment.
Even Mami was unaware of what was happening until it was time to travel to Abuja for visa processing, which required Raihan's personal presence. Dr. Mansur didn't explain anything to Mami until the night before their departure.
It is said that the human heart has no bone, and Mami was a human being like any other woman, created with an innate sense of jealousy. When he told her, her heart sank heavily.
What did Dr. Mansur mean by acting without consulting her or seeking her opinion? Did it mean he and Raihanah were hitting the road to Abuja alone? Did it mean he was putting a fully grown young lady in his car to leave town? Did it mean he would take this girl out of the country? She had no maternal or paternal relatives there; was she a madwoman or a fool to be ignored? What was the meaning of this deep affection and care Dr. Mansur was showing Rayhanah above his own biological children, under the guise of medical treatment?
Instantly, her facial expression changed, and blatant jealousy showed on her beautiful face. The memory of the day she saw Khalipha hugging Rayhanah at the hospital flashed back into her mind, along with Khalipha’s emotional state back then and their conversation. It all came back to her sequentially... "I am defeated! It is love, Mami!"
Immediately, her brain began concocting various scenarios that were far from reality. She deduced: The father wants her, and the son wants her too. The reason Khalipha fell into depression before leaving was because "Daddy" had defeated him, since Khalipha realized he couldn't compete for love with his own father.
Mami became deeply distraught and panicked. She stood up and went straight to her room without saying a word to Doctor Mansur.
At that moment, he was filling out the visa application form on his iPad. Realizing Mami hadn't spoken, he looked up and saw her reaching her bedroom door.
He paused for a moment, deep in thought. What went wrong in this conversation to upset her? Putting down his pen, he followed her into the room and found her sitting on the edge of the bed, her head buried in her hands, her facial expression completely unreadable.
He sat down close to her, their shoulders touching.
"Asma’u Zatun-Nidakaini (the owner of two sashes). Your namesake was a woman of wisdom and knowledge, the daughter of Sayyadina Abubakar As-Saddik. When the Prophet (S.A.W) migrated to the Cave of Hira, she was the one who brought him food, concealing it with her sash..."
The rest of his words caught in his throat as he noticed Mami had started weeping. Dr. Mansur became incredibly distressed.
"What happened, Asma’u? Did I say something to offend you? I only wanted to tell you the story of your namesake, who never got angry over things she lacked knowledge of, or over trivial matters."
Mami wiped her nose and eyes with a tissue beside her bed. The first words she uttered to him since he entered were:
"You Hausa men have no goodness; by Allah, you possess no trustworthiness."
He opened his eyes slightly, looking at her, and asked, "Us? What have we done, we the Hausa raised on Islamic values?"
She replied, "You use Allah's religion as an excuse to betray your wives, mistreat them, and repay their goodness with evil. If anyone speaks up, you quote religion, whereas religion is entirely about justice for everyone. This is one of the things that scares people intending to convert to Islam; they see it as very scary because you lack a sense of propriety and trust, especially when it comes to polygamy."
Dr. Mansur looked deeply into her tear-filled eyes and asked, "So, which Hausa man is about to take another wife?"
With eyes blurred by tears, she glared at him and said, "Aren't you the one? Is there nothing else to reward me with except wanting to marry Rayhanah? Is that not a betrayal, despite all the help and respect I have shown you all?"
He held his head and shook it, completely at a loss for words. He said, "At fifty-five years old, I am going to marry a seventeen-year-old? First of all, which Raihanah are you talking about?"
He became completely infuriated. Mami saw a flash of anger in his eyes that she had never witnessed before. His skin crawled with rage, the veins on his forehead stood out prominently, and his eyes turned bloodshot.
Seeing the rage he had fallen into, she couldn't answer him. He stood up to leave the room, saying:
"Indeed, wherever a woman is, no matter her status, education, or age, she acts like an animal."
"Am I the animal, my Doctor?"
"I actually think some animals possess more sense than you do."
He stormed out, slamming the door shut with a loud thud!
He walked straight into Raihan and her sisters' room. They were all busy reciting the Quran from pamphlets containing two parts (Izfi) each. They usually gathered every two weeks—including Azizah, who was growing up—to complete a full recitation of the Quran and pray for themselves, their parents, and their future children.
Without wasting time, he said, "Rayhanatu, you and Azizah should get ready. We are leaving for Abuja at six o'clock tomorrow morning, by God's grace."
They nodded at him without interrupting their recitation.
Daddy was speeding along the Abuja highway with Rayhanah and Azizah—Azizah in the front seat and Rayha in the back. Not long into the journey, Azizah fell asleep, so Daddy reached out and turned down the air conditioner.
By eleven o'clock in the morning, they were in Abuja. He took them to have breakfast before they proceeded to the British House in Maitama to join the visa application queue. By five o'clock in the evening, they were already back in Kano. He dropped them off and, without even stepping inside the house, turned the car around and drove straight to the hospital.
To Rahane's surprise, when they entered the living room, Mami was sitting on the carpet in a state Raihanah had never seen her in before. She was looking at her with a strange glare, as if she didn't know where she had come from.
She offered her greetings, but Mami did not reply. Instead, she turned to Azizah and demanded, "With whose permission did you accompany them? Did you inform me?"
Rahane’s heart sank completely. Azizah began to tremble, knowing that Mami's anger was dangerous. On the verge of tears, she said, "Mami, you were asleep then, and Daddy told me to get ready and go."
She snapped, "Get out of my sight before I kick you, by Allah."
Azizah ran to their room, where she found Abida waiting for her. Abida glared at her and said, "Look at how low you've sunk, accompanying this worthless girl to get a visa to travel abroad with your father? She isn't his wife, she isn't his daughter, she is a nobody with neither maternal nor paternal relations here!"
Jawahir intervened, saying, "You shouldn't be saying this to her. The person who ordered her to go is the one you should go and remind, not her."
She rolled her eyes at Jawahir and snapped, "Is it any of your business? Did I ask for your input?"
The aggressive way she confronted her made it seem as though she were older than Jawahir.
Jawahir replied, "I'll wait until I feel like getting beaten before I answer you."
Abida hissed and stormed out of the room.
Mami turned her gaze back to Rayhanah, staring intensely at her. Feeling completely weakened, Rayhanah couldn't move her feet from where she stood. Hesitantly, she said, "Mami, we are back."
She replied coldly, "Welcome back." She then walked into her room and left her standing there.
Rayha lay on her bed, but sleep eluded her. She was deeply troubled. What happened to Mami? What did I do to make her change toward me so suddenly, as if she never knew me?
Just as Rayha spent the night with these worries and unanswered questions, so did Doctor Asma’u (Mami).
However, Mami’s anxieties were threatening to drive her completely out of her mind. The past conversation she had with Dr. Mansur on the day he brought Rahane home kept replaying vividly in her mind. They were falling into a psychological trap of optical illusion—meaning she was interpreting things based on superficial perceptions rather than the reality of the heart.
He had told her: "Regarding the marriage of your children, rest assured, Allah will grant Rayhanah an amazing husband who will love her for the sake of Allah and embrace her with her DISABILITY—not necessarily your children, but people with characters and morals like yours. Your children are not the only MEN in the world, nor are they better than anyone else's children!!! Real MEN, you haven't even seen them yet, Mami..." Which today, she interpreted directly to mean that he himself intended to marry Rayhanah!
Mami’s logical reasoning was entirely wiped out; she succumbed to her heart's distorted interpretation. After all, no matter a woman's age, intelligence, or education, when JEALOUSY steps in, reasoning vanishes.
From that day onward, Rayha never saw Mami smile in that house again. She didn't kick her out, but she completely ignored her. She only interacted with Abida. Even Jawahir noticed that Mami had grown cold toward Rahane. The weight of the world became too heavy for Rayha.
But who could she confide in to help her, even if just for advice? No one. Yaya Khalipha and Jawahir were options, but who was Jawahir and who was Khalipha? They were Mami’s children. Was she going to report their mother to them? What had she done to Mami? The lack of these answers would leave her burying her head in her knees, weeping bitterly.
Two weeks rolled by in this tense atmosphere. Daddy went to Abuja and collected the visas. When he returned, he didn't bother showing them to Mami or wasting his time explaining things to her.
He had completely distanced himself from her since the day she displayed that madness. He clearly recognized that she no longer supported the girl staying in her house. Therefore, he completely ignored her to see if the house had been bought with her father's inheritance. He was certain that if it were, she would have kicked the girl out by now.
Their departure date fell on a Saturday, and Azizah was chosen to accompany Rahane. They took off from Lagos on Sunday night—Daddy, Dr. Imam, Rayha, and Azizah.
Inside the Boeing 709 aircraft, Rayha rested her head on the seat in front of her. She wasn't crying, but she was deeply lost in thought about life and its inherent challenges.
Daddy turned around and handed her a beautiful prayer bead from Medina, telling her to continuously recite: "Wa-man-nasaru illa min indillahil Aliyul Azeem, Allahumma ashfiny wa afani, ya shaafee ya mu’afee" (And victory comes only from Allah, the All-High, the All-Great. O Allah, heal me and grant me well-being, O Healer, O Granter of health). She kept reciting this until they landed.
They landed in Aberdeen and, without spending the night there, proceeded immediately to Braemar Village in Aberdeenshire.
Contrary to their original plan of staying in a hotel, Dr. Philips insisted, "No," noting that he owned a farmhouse attached to his residence where he reared chickens, pure white English pigeons, ducks, fish, and kangaroos (the large kind with pouches).
Inside this compound were two huts meant for his family's relaxation or to lodge distant guests. It was here that Dr. Philips instructed Daddy and his team to stay until they saw what Allah would decree. However, he did not cover their feeding expenses (you know Westerners and their strict calculations). Despite this, he requested that Rayha and Azizah stay within his household.
Dr. Philips' wife was also an elderly woman around fifty years old named Mummy Regina. In reality, it was difficult to guess her age as fifty; she looked like she was forty-three or forty-five. She was a native of Dundee and a retired independent lawyer. They had two daughters, Cynthia and Chelsea, both university students at the University of Aberdeen.
However, they were much older than Rayhanah, as both were already degree holders in various fields. Currently, Cynthia was pursuing her MBA (Master of Business Administration), while Chelsea had not yet started her master's degree. They were white, native Scottish people through generations.
Braemar is a village rich in ancient history within Scotland. It is a small village nestled in the Grampian Highlands.
Braemar is a picturesque village where rivers flow over historical rocks, surrounded by beautiful peaks and ancient traditional buildings that give it an enchanting appearance. The general beauty of Scotland is fully reflected in this village of Braemar.
There is a rocky point at the confluence of the rivers Clunie and Dee which serves as a recreational gathering spot for the villagers. Surrounding this confluence are roughly twenty mountain peaks rising up to 3,000 feet.
Braemar is famous for the games hosted there annually, known as the Highland Games. This grand festival dates back to 1832, during the era of Queen Victoria of England, who graced the events.
To this day, members of the British Royal Family attend these games, and currently, Queen Elizabeth acts as the grand patroness of the gathering.
The festival takes place on the first Saturday of September, featuring traditional bagpipe blowing, drumming, and ancient dances rarely witnessed elsewhere.
The games feature competitions in piping, drumming, Highland dancing, and traditional sports. Braemar is deeply rooted in history, as it was the site where the Jacobite standard was raised in 1715, an uprising aimed at restoring the Stuarts to the British throne. The exact spot where the rebellion was launched is now the location of the Invercauld Arms Hotel—the very hotel where Dr. Mansur and his companions had initially intended to lodge.
The author Robert Louis Stevenson began writing the first part of his famous novel Treasure Island in the town of Braemar in August 1881. Today, these historical landmarks serve as guest lodges. Two castles add to the grandeur of Braemar: Kindrochit Castle, built in 1390, situated in the center of the village, and Braemar Castle, located about half a mile from the town.
Another historical site is the cultural center known as the Highland Heritage Centre. This center houses fascinating exhibits detailing the history of Braemar, including the Highland games, Queen Victoria, Balmoral Castle, and more.
Dr. Philips shared this rich history of his village with Daddy and his companions during their first two days, as they sat inside the hut sipping coffee.
Daddy and his colleague nodded in appreciation for the knowledge gained. Dr. Philips placed his small cup on the table between them. He looked at Daddy, asking for further elaboration on the medical history sent via email regarding their daughter's condition.
Chronologically, Daddy detailed everything. Dr. Philips asked, "After that, what emergency measures were taken?"
Doctor Imam handed over all records saved on his iPad.
Together, they all went into the laboratory located inside his private hospital, named Spire Little Aston Hospital, after making all payments online. Dr. Philips took Rayhane in and began conducting CT scans and MRI scans. It took two weeks for the results to emerge. That night, he placed them in front of a computer screen and explained the prognosis as follows:
"When the human ear receives sound, the sound waves first travel through the ear canal and strike the eardrum, causing it to vibrate. This vibration transmits the signal to three tiny bones located in the middle ear. These bones pass the sound deeper into the inner ear, converting the mechanical vibration into electrical signals sent to the brain, allowing a person to perceive sound or speech.
Your daughter is suffering from an ear disease called Otosclerosis. This condition targets the tiny bones in the middle ear, which are critical for providing clear hearing.
The disease restricts the movement of these tiny bones, gradually causing severe damage to the patient's hearing.
In severe cases, this condition escalates to the point of damaging the cells of the inner ear and the auditory nerves connecting to the brain. If the disease reaches this stage, the individual will suffer from total, irreversible deafness..."
2. Summary of the Story
This excerpt tracks a pivotal chapter in the life of Rayhanah (Rahane), a young, hearing-impaired girl.
- The Romantic Conflict: The story opens with Rayhanah’s older cousin/foster-brother, Khalipha, passionately confessing his deep love for her during a school visit. This leaves Rayhanah terrified of family discovery, while her cousin Jawahir secretly notices their intense intimacy. Khalipha leaves for a 9-month embassy posting in Morocco, leaving Rayhanah deeply distracted by a subconscious mutual affection, though she channels her focus into achieving flawless academic results (straight As and Bs) in her high school finals.
- The Domestic Rift: Overjoyed by her academic success, her foster father, Dr. Mansur (Daddy), secretly plans to fly her to Scotland for advanced ear surgery by his former professor, Dr. Philips. When he reveals the visa plans to his wife, Mami, a massive misunderstanding erupts. Blinded by sudden maternal jealousy and misinterpreting past conversations, Mami falsely believes that Dr. Mansur intends to take Rayhanah as a second, younger wife. This causes a severe domestic rift, leading to bitter arguments between the couple, hostile treatments toward Rayhanah by Mami and her daughter Abida, and an icy atmosphere in the house.
The Medical Journey: Ignoring his wife's outbursts, Dr. Mansur takes Rayhanah and her younger sister Azizah to Abuja for visas and flies them to Aberdeen, Scotland. They settle in the historic village of Braemar at the farmhouse of Dr. Philips. The story concludes in a clinical setting where Dr. Philips runs extensive CT/MRI scans and delivers a grim diagnosis: Rayhanah has advanced Otosclerosis. If left unchecked, the stiffening of her middle ear bones will permanently destroy her auditory nerves, leading to total deafness.
3. Description of Setting & Characters
Setting
- The Nigerian Home & Abuja: The initial setting shifts between Rayhanah's boarding school (Ulul-Albab) and Dr. Mansur’s tense household in Kano, moving briefly to Maitama, Abuja (The British House/Visa Embassy).
Braemar Village, Aberdeenshire, Scotland: A highly detailed, picturesque, and historical Scottish highlands setting. It is described as an ancient, beautiful landscape with flowing rivers (Clunie and Dee), mountains, traditional stone architecture, and castles (Kindrochit and Braemar). It is famous for the Highland Games patronized by British Royalty since Queen Victoria.
Characters
- Rayhanah (Rahane): The titular protagonist. She is a highly intelligent, disciplined 17-year-old orphan dealing with a severe hearing disability. She is emotionally caught between Khalipha’s confession, Mami's sudden hostility, and her impending medical crisis.
- Dr. Mansur (Daddy/Baba Dacta): Rayhanah’s foster father. A highly principled, 55-year-old medical professional who deeply cares for Rayhanah's well-being and education, refusing to let her disability limit her.
- Mami (Doctor Asma'u): Dr. Mansur's wife. Though educated and named after a historic wise Islamic figure, she falls victim to intense marital jealousy (Kishi), destroying her relationship with both her husband and foster daughter over a baseless assumption of infidelity.
- Khalipha (Yaya Khalipha): Mami's eldest son. Deeply in love with Rayhanah, bold in his confessions, currently working/training at the Nigerian Embassy in Morocco.
- Jawahir & Abida: Mami's daughters. Jawahir is observant, mature, and fair-minded, recognizing the love story unfolding. Abida is spiteful and mirrors her mother’s hostility toward Rayhanah.
Dr. Philips & Mummy Regina: The Scottish hosts. Dr. Philips is a legendary, retired ENT surgeon living a rustic life in Braemar. Regina is a sharp, youthful 50-year-old retired independent lawyer.
4. Literary Analytics & Themes
- Theme of Miscommunication and The Psychology of Jealousy (Kishi): The author expertly highlights how human psychology warps objective data into subjective illusions. Mami filters Dr. Mansur’s innocent, protective care for an orphan through a lens of fear and insecurity, creating an "optical illusion" in her mind that turns her husband and son into romantic rivals.
- The Burden of Disability vs. Resilience: Rayhanah's journey demonstrates that physical limitations do not equate to mental or spiritual limits. Her straight 'A's shatter the low expectations surrounding disabled individuals, a theme heavily emphasized by Dr. Mansur's philosophy ("babu maraya sai rago" — there is no orphan except a lazy person).
- Cultural Contrast and Intersection: The text smoothly shifts gears from traditional northern Nigerian family dynamics (polygamy fears, strict parenting, religious recitations) to a heavily researched, informative exposition of European/Scottish culture and Western clinical settings.
- Climactic Medical Suspense: The narrative structure moves from an emotional family drama into a ticking-clock medical thriller. The breakdown of how sound travels through the ear adds educational value to the prose, culminating in the threatening diagnosis of Otosclerosis to hook the reader for the next chapter.
