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With that, Sailuba left her to writhe in immense psychological and physical agony while she comfortably laid across her own bed, completely avoiding Baffa. Instead, she spent her time on a phone call with Hajiya Zakiyya, the two of them bursting into loud, mocking laughter. Sensing a sudden movement nearby, Sailuba abruptly ended the call and began frantically searching for Baffa's phone to check his tracks.
Suddenly, Anty Shamsiyya rushed into the house in a state of utter panic. By the time she made it inside, Amina had already lost consciousness, completely drenched in a massive pool of blood that was gushing rapidly from her lower body. Horrified by the sight, Shamsiyya bolted straight to Hajiya Sailuba’s quarters. However, the terror she encountered on Sailuba’s face completely eclipsed her own panic; she found Sailuba with tears streaming profusely down her face, frantically explaining Amina's critical condition to Baffa over the phone.
Overwhelmed with absolute terror, Baffa immediately abandoned his corporate headquarters—a place he usually frequented on days like this to hold strategic meetings with both his executive management and junior staff.
Amina endured a long, grueling battle with excruciating pain before she could even regain full consciousness. She spent nearly an entire week confined to a hospital bed before she finally became aware of her surroundings. Tragically, her womb was completely empty; the pregnancy had already miscarried and washed away on that very first day.
Following the incident, Hajiya Sailuba displayed an extraordinary, seemingly flawless level of care and devotion toward Amina. Her attentiveness was so intense that even Nanne—who harbored a deep, unwavering distrust toward Sailuba and constantly warned Amina to monitor every single step the woman took—was completely stunned into silence. Seeing that the family chose to view the situation with innocent eyes, Nanne decided to simply fold her arms and observe. She let Sailuba and Amina be, but she kept a hawk-like watch on Sailuba's every move. Realizing she was being heavily monitored, Sailuba began to tread with extreme caution.
No one felt the agonizing sting of losing the pregnancy more than Inna. Nevertheless, she raised her hands and offered heartfelt prayers, begging Allah to replace their loss with a blessed, successful child. She then pulled Baffa aside and delivered a deeply laced, cryptic piece of advice, urging him to fiercely protect his wives, keep a watchful eye on his household, and monitor their subtle behavioral patterns. Although Baffa couldn't quite decode the underlying warning behind his mother's words, he thanked her profoundly and personally drove her all the way back to her village residence, as he had never in his life permitted his mother to travel via public transportation.
Tragically, this devastating cycle repeated itself nearly four consecutive times. Pushed to his absolute breaking point, Baffa completely lost his temper. He confronted Amina in a blind rage, violently demanding to know her true intentions. He openly accused her of deliberately terminating the pregnancies because she simply didn't want to bear children for him. Eventually, his anger crumbled into pure desperation; he dropped completely to his knees on the floor right before her, weeping and begging her to help him preserve his lineage. He pleaded with her to grant him even a single child, promising to fulfill her every desire in this life, so long as she stopped wasting his biological offspring.
Amina stared at him, completely stunned to see real, heavy tears streaming from Baffa's eyes as he openly wept, begging her to give him children—entirely convinced that she was the one intentionally destroying his offspring whenever she conceived.
Unable to bear the false accusation, she also burst into an intense, violent sob, her heart burning with a fierce agony. For the fourth time, the haunting warnings that Anty Shamsiyya had given her began to echo loudly in her mind. This latest miscarriage had occurred at roughly five months—a pregnancy they had heavily pinned their hopes on, since it had lasted far longer than the previous three.
“Amina, I am beginning to heavily suspect your co-wife is behind these consecutive miscarriages,” Shamsiyya had warned her. “Even though I know everything happens by the divine decree of Allah, and that Allah had already ordained that those lost pregnancies were never meant to walk this earth, there is definitely a human hand involved here! Think about it logically: how could a woman who has never conceived sit back and watch another woman enter the house and fill it with children? She will naturally do whatever it takes to stop you! All this sweet love and overwhelming care she showers you with is nothing but a calculated, political masquerade to enslave you in domestic labor. Ever since you stepped foot into this house, you’ve had no voice, no rest, and you spend every single day working like a servant while she claims to provide your daily upkeep. Wake up and smell the coffee, Amina! If you want absolute proof that I am telling the truth, listen to me carefully: the next time you conceive, do not utter a single word about it to anyone—not even to Baffa! Let them find out on their own when it can no longer be hidden. I’ve noticed you don’t carry large pregnancies; your body type is exactly like Umma's. Once your belly finally becomes noticeable, it won't even take a week before the baby is ready to enter the world. Therefore, no matter how intense the morning sickness or physical agony gets, bite your tongue, endure it in absolute secrecy, and protect your unborn child. Your womb is highly fertile, but if these miscarriages continue, your body will eventually give out and you'll become completely barren. That is her ultimate goal—to ensure that if she can’t have children, you won’t have them either. That way, you both remain equal losers, which is exactly what she wants.”
Seeing her standing perfectly frozen as heavy tears cascaded down her cheeks, Baffa tenderly took her hands, pulled her down to sit gently upon his lap, and continued to weep alongside her. He desperately begged her to be strong and to stop being reckless with her body whenever she conceived. Realizing that no matter what she said, he was completely blinded and wouldn't understand her perspective, Amina tightly sealed her lips. However, her soul burned with an unquenchable fire.
This time around, it took roughly four months before Allah blessed her with another pregnancy, one accompanied by an incredibly severe, punishing bout of morning sickness. Remembering her sister's wise counsel, Amina steeled her resolve and endured the agonizing physical torture in absolute silence. She was determined to test the validity of her sister's theories regarding her seemingly "caring" co-wife, who always feigned intense concern over her well-being.
And so, the plan was set in motion. No matter how hard Sailuba tried to probe or figure out what was wrong with her, Amina never granted her the opportunity. She bore the grueling physical torment silently, concealing the intense nausea, physical exhaustion, and her sudden, violent aversion to specific scents. She pushed through the agony day after day until the pregnancy successfully crossed into its seventh month without a single hitch. However, the physical changes in her body became impossible to fully hide; Amina was an exceptionally beautiful, tall woman with a stunning, naturally flawless fair complexion—a direct inheritance from her mother, who belonged to a pure, nomadic Fulani clan residing deep in the forests.
By the time the pregnancy advanced into its eighth month, through the divine protection and absolute decree of Allah (S.W.T.), neither Baffa nor Sailuba had detected that Amina was carrying a child. Meanwhile, Baffa had fallen into a deep state of depression, constantly tormenting himself with the thought that Amina must have permanently compromised her womb just to avoid having children with him.
Ever since the pregnancy hit the five-month mark, her morning sickness had completely vanished, replaced by an intense, ravenous craving for food. Since she spent almost all her time managing the kitchen and executing the household chores, she used the opportunity to cook whatever her heart desired, eating to her heart's content. Baffa never failed to stock the house with a wealth of high-end groceries and delicacies. However, because Sailuba’s taste leaned heavily toward rich, heavy meals like fried chicken and assorted fish, these small changes went unnoticed. Amina would cook, eat her fill, and generously share the rest with anyone around, as she possessed a deeply charitable nature just like Baffa. Furthermore, despite the radiant, luminous glow and exceptional beauty her skin had taken on, Sailuba failed to read the signs, simply attributing it to Amina's naturally stunning looks. Baffa was the only one who noticed the profound change in her appearance, though he kept his observations to himself, having noticed that she had recently become prone to sudden, brief moments of physical discomfort—the exact type of behavioral changes that are inseparable from a woman carrying a mature pregnancy.
Late one Wednesday night, Amina was suddenly awakened by a sharp, excruciatingly violent contraction in her lower abdomen. By a stroke of divine luck, Baffa happened to be spending the night in her room. Witnessing her writhing in intense agony, his mind instantly jumped to the horrifying conclusion that she was about to miscarry yet another pregnancy. As she wept bitterly, begging him to save her, Baffa also began to weep, begging her for Allah's sake not to let his child perish this time.
With the last shred of her remaining strength, she forced her mouth open and gasped, "For Allah's sake, help me, Baffa! This is not a miscarriage... I am in labor! I am about to give birth to your child, Baffa!"
Completely failing to comprehend her words, a panicked Baffa bolted out of the room and sprinted toward Sailuba’s quarters, dressed in nothing but his boxer shorts, without a single shirt on his back. He frantically woke her up. Sailuba was utterly stunned to see Amina writhing in such intense labor agony; a dark, hidden smirk spread across her face as she gleefully thought to herself, “The poison has finally run its course!”
She quickly helped Baffa throw on some clothes, and he scooped Amina up in his arms, rushing out of the mansion at breakneck speed. Ironically, despite his professional status as a medical doctor, it was highly embarrassing that a medical emergency of this magnitude could unfold right under his roof—with a wife he lived and slept with daily advancing to full-term labor without his knowledge. However, when one reflects on the absolute fact that Allah alters realities however He wills and whenever He chooses, such a divine cover-up ceases to be a surprise.
The entire trajectory of the night shifted the moment Baffa completed his initial clinical evaluation in the delivery room and confirmed what his eyes were seeing. He immediately performed an emergency ultrasound scan to verify it. A wave of overwhelming shock and panic washed over him as he saw a fully formed, living human baby fiercely fighting its way into this complex, wondrous world.
Completely losing his professional composure, Baffa burst into a loud, emotional sob. Hearing his heavy cries, a frantic Sailuba charged into the delivery room at top speed, her heart racing wildly with anticipation; she assumed Baffa’s weeping meant they had lost the baby yet again. However, the sight that met her eyes struck her like a physical blow. Baffa hadn't even turned off the ultrasound monitor yet, and there on the screen was a vibrant baby, its gender still unclear, kicking and thrashing vigorously in the womb. Sailuba froze dead in her tracks by the doorway, her body completely paralyzed as her heart hammered violently against her ribs in sheer terror.
Suddenly, Amina arched her back in a violent contraction, letting out a deep, powerful groan. Baffa rushed forward just in time to catch her as she nearly rolled off the delivery bed. The exact moment he stabilized her coincided with the triumphant arrival of the baby into the world, sliding out seamlessly alongside the placenta. Overwhelmed with profound emotion and not knowing how else to express his gratitude, Baffa dropped straight to his knees on the floor and performed a prostration of gratitude (Sujjud ash-Shukur) to Allah. He then quickly summoned the on-duty nurses, who rushed in with the delivery kits. Baffa personally cleaned up his wife and their newborn daughter, wrapping the infant tightly before pulling them both into a warm embrace, fiercely whispering endless prayers of protection over them.
In a strange twist of divine intuition, long before Baffa could even announce the birth to the family, Muhammad—who was currently in his third year of university pursuing a degree chosen for him by Baffa—somehow already knew. Deep down in his soul, Muhammad had sworn an absolute oath that the moment he completed his medical degree, he would immediately enlist in the military—which was his true passion and calling. For now, however, he dutifully submitted to his foster father’s desires.
Muhammad found himself consumed by a profound sense of joy simply from witnessing his beloved Baffa experiencing such unadulterated happiness. When the news reached the village, Inna was so ecstatic that she did something she had never done in her entire life: she traveled to the city to sleep over at Baffa’s mansion. She declared that she would personally handle the postpartum care for both her daughter-in-law and her new granddaughter. This grand gesture of honor from Inna immensely elevated her respect and standing in the eyes of Amina’s biological parents.
On the day of the naming ceremony, Muhammad traveled all the way back from his university campus to attend the celebration. Baffa gave him a stern scolding for abandoning his studies, especially since they were currently in the middle of preparing for their major examinations. Muhammad simply flashed a warm smile and murmured, "I just couldn't bring myself to stay away, Baffa."
The very moment Muhammad laid eyes on the stunningly beautiful baby girl, an intense, protective affection for her took root deep within his soul. From that afternoon onward, he practically moved into Amina's quarters. Whenever he stepped out of his private wing, he was always found in Ammey's room—the affectionate title Baffa had instructed him to call Amina. He remained by her side until the vacation ended and he had to return to campus. The beautiful infant was officially named MARYAM, a name Ammey explained belonged to Malam Babba's late mother. This choice deeply touched Malam Babba's heart; he developed a special, profound attachment to the little girl, constantly demanding that she be brought to his house daily so he could shower her with powerful spiritual prayers of protection.
Meanwhile, Sailuba...
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And so, life continued its steady march. Sailuba and her cohorts placed their absolute faith in dark spiritualists and occult sorcerers. Occasionally, their wicked plots would hit the mark perfectly, while at other times, they resulted in a total waste of time, further alienating them from their Creator.
One afternoon, Sailuba went to pay a visit to her longtime partner-in-crime, Hajiya Zakiyya. During their conversation, Sailuba suddenly suggested, "My friend, what do you think about me taking custody of Maryam and raising her as my own?"
Zakiyya flashed a deeply disgusted, condescending look at her. "Are you losing your absolute mind, my friend?! Of all the children in the world, you want me to support you taking in that woman's child to raise with your own blessed hands?!"
"Humm, you clearly lack foresight, my friend!" Sailuba whispered with a wicked grin. "You need to realize that taking absolute control over this girl's upbringing is the golden key that will unlock everything you and I have been searching for. Through her, you will have the ultimate tool to achieve your darkest desires against her mother. Lean in close, let me break it down for you."
She pulled Zakiyya near and whispered her diabolical plot into her ear. The two women instantly erupted into loud, malicious laughter, clapping their hands in victory. They spent hours weaving their dark schemes before finally parting ways.
Meanwhile, little Maryam continued to receive an extraordinary abundance of love and care from every corner of the household. Adhering strictly to Nanne's fierce instructions, Ammey cast aside all sense of traditional shyness and personally poured her entire soul into raising her daughter. She had fully realized that her co-wife was not the type of woman who could ever genuinely love or embrace another woman's child.
However, the event that completely shattered Amina’s emotional stability occurred the exact day Maryam was slated to be officially weaned. Sailuba suddenly stepped forward and boldly demanded that Maryam be permanently handed over to her. She argued that since medical experts had officially confirmed she would never conceive a child of her own, and since Amina was still young and highly fertile, Amina should perform this grand sacrifice for her. To make matters worse, Baffa blindly stepped in, fiercely pleading with Amina to grant Sailuba this favor, claiming it was a necessary sacrifice for the peace of the household.
A wave of absolute horror and agonizing shock assaulted Amina’s heart. She burst into a violent, heartbreaking sob that instantly drew the attention of everyone in the room. Baffa stared at her with immense shock and disapproval, while Sailuba secretly wore a hidden smirk of victory. Externally, however, Sailuba forced thick streams of crocodile tears to pour from her eyes. Putting on a pathetic display of desperation, she dropped to her knees right before Amina, seized her hands tightly, and wept agonizingly.
"For the sake of Almighty Allah, and not because of my flaws! For the sake of the profound love you bear for our Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.), please help me and make this single sacrifice for my life!" Sailuba wailed, her voice dripping with calculated sorrow. "I solemnly swear to you that Maryam will never feel the pain of being separated from her biological mother! I will raise her with absolute honesty, protection, and care far beyond your wildest imagination! Please, my sister, grant me this salvation!" She concluded, letting out a fresh torrent of deceptive tears.
A deep, overwhelming sense of pity for Sailuba completely blinded Baffa's judgment. He resolved within his heart that even if this little girl turned out to be his only surviving offspring on this earth, he would gift her to Sailuba permanently. In his mind, Sailuba was his direct cousin and his own bloodline; if he were to pass away tomorrow, she would be the ultimate guardian to protect his legacy.
Amina snapped, locking her eyes onto Sailuba with a gaze of pure, unadulterated fury. She let out a loud, contemptuous hiss (tsaki) and barked, "May Allah grant you your own biological children! 'Mother of Maryam' is the honorable title I personally crowned you with the day my daughter was born! But hear this clearly: no matter what happens in this world, I will NEVER hand my flesh and blood over to you! It is pure wickedness to separate a mother from her infant child, and I swear by Allah, it will never happen!" She wept bitterly, the raw pain in her voice evident. However, the cold, disapproving look Baffa flashed her indicated that her fierce words had only hardened his heart against her. Without another glance in her direction, Baffa turned to Sailuba.
"Do not distress yourself, Sailuba. I swear by Allah, as long as your older brother Baffa is drawing breath on this earth, you will never ask for anything and be denied. You will never spend your life weeping."
With those definitive words, Baffa stood up, marched straight into Amina's private bedroom where little Maryam was fast asleep, completely oblivious to the storm outside, and carried her out in his arms. Sailuba was still putting on her weeping act when Baffa handed the infant over to her.
"Here she is. I officially entrust her life and custody into your hands. Protect my daughter for me, and never let any harm come to her. As of this moment, she belongs to you. This is a divine gift that Allah does not bestow upon just anyone. I know with absolute certainty that even if I am no longer in this world, you will fiercely protect my child. Therefore, I never want you to feel as though you didn't give birth to Maryam, and I strictly forbid anyone from ever letting her know that you are not her biological mother."
Letting out a piercing, blood-curdling scream of pure agony, Amina’s legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed heavily onto the floor, losing consciousness on the spot. In a state of absolute panic, they rushed to her side, frantically shaking her. Baffa quickly fetched cold water and splashed it across her face until she let out a heavy gasp, regaining consciousness. She scrambled to her feet, her heart breaking into a million pieces, and sprinted straight into her bedroom, locking the door behind her.
Sailuba glanced over at Baffa, feigning deep concern. "Baffa... perhaps we should just return her daughter to her? I don't want her extreme reaction to bring a curse or bad omen upon us."
"Do not worry about her; she will eventually get over it," Baffa replied coldly. "It's only natural for her to feel bitter right now, considering Maryam is her only child and we have no guarantee she will ever carry another pregnancy to term, especially given her horrific history of consecutive miscarriages."
The moment Amina slammed her bedroom door, she threw herself onto her bed and wept with a violent, soul-crushing agony. She swore an absolute oath to herself that no matter what the consequences were, she would never willingly surrender her precious daughter to that wicked woman. Sailuba was the exact monster who never wanted the child to enter this world in the first place—the very person who had orchestrated dark spiritual plots to repeatedly murder her unborn offspring. Amina was fully aware of the truth. To hand your child over to a person who hates the very sight of your lineage is to hand them to your ultimate enemy.
Grabbing her veil, she marched out of the mansion, passing right by them while they were still seated at the dining table, where Baffa was tenderly comforting Sailuba as she hypocritically claimed she wanted to return the baby.
Amina walked straight to her family home. The absolute state of shock and mental disorientation she was in completely blinded her; she didn't even notice her father, Malam Babba, sitting quietly on the traditional earthen bench by the entrance. She charged straight into the quarters of Nanne, who had just stepped out of the bathroom, prepping to go visit Shamsiyya's mother-in-law who had fallen severely ill. Umma had already paid her visit, and it was Nanne's turn today. According to Malam Babba's strict household rules, his wives were never permitted to leave the house on the same day; one had to go while the other stayed behind to manage the home.
Nanne was just adjusting her hijab when she turned around and felt Amina collapse violently into her embrace, weeping with a primitive, heartbreaking sorrow. Nanne’s entire body began to tremble with fear; she held her daughter tightly, frantically demanding to know what had transpired, knowing all too well that for Amina to weep with such sheer devastation, the situation must have reached an absolute extremity.
Through her suffocating sobs, Amina exposed the entire horrific incident, concluding with, "And Baffa officially decreed that I am strictly forbidden from ever looking upon my own daughter or claiming her as my child ever again!"
A fierce, dangerous glint flared in Nanne's eyes, her heart swelling with an uncontainable fury.
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"So Baffa actually had the audacity to violently seize your infant child and hand her over to your co-wife?! On what legal or moral ground?! Did he bear the grueling nine months of pregnancy for you, or did they endure the agonizing labor pains on your behalf?! I swear by Allah, this will never slide! This is pure, unadulterated tyranny!"
Nanne’s fury erupted like a volcano, her words sharp and uncompromising. Realizing that mere shouting inside the room would achieve nothing, she violently grabbed Amina by the wrist and marched toward the door. "Move! We are going straight back to that house right now! They must return your daughter immediately! Since when do people forcefully gift another person's child out of sheer malice?!"
The moment she threw back the door curtain, they ran directly into Malam Babba, who had stood outside and overheard every single detail of their conversation. Nanne quickly took a step back, her face twisted in a dark, defiant frown, determined not to let him stop her. From the stern, piercing look Malam was giving her, she knew instantly that he had caught everything.
"Step back inside. Both of you," Malam commanded in a calm, flat tone as he bypassed her and walked into the room. Nanne’s scowl deepened, her eyes shooting daggers at his back, but she lacked the audacity to openly disobey him, as they had never been raised to challenge his patriarchal authority.
Malam took his seat on the single-seater armchair. Amina immediately dropped to the floor before him, burying her face in her hands, while Nanne sat on the edge of the bed, her face entirely devoid of warmth, looking incredibly bitter—silently praying that Malam wouldn't dare forbid her from taking drastic action to defend her biological daughter.
Reading her defiant body language perfectly, Malam let out a soft, knowing chuckle. "Ah, Zahra. Zahra'u the elder, the absolute queen of conflict! For Allah's sake, Zahra, when will you finally grow up and act your age? Why on earth are you involving yourself in the private domestic affairs of these children? That little girl belongs entirely to her biological father; he holds absolute legal and religious authority over her. On what ground are you supporting rebellion against his decision? Hear this clearly: I absolutely forbid you from going over there to embarrass me and drag my hard-earned social standing, dignity, and honor through the mud! This matter is permanently closed. As for you..." he pivoted, pointing a stern finger at Amina, "...don't you dare let me catch you running away from your husband’s house ever again over a baseless, emotional grievance! The child belongs to her father, and he has executed his right. I do not want to hear another word about this. Do you understand me?"
Malam spent a considerable amount of time delivering deep, philosophical counsel to them until they finally fell silent.
Letting out a long, defeated sigh, Nanne muttered, "Malam, it’s not that I am blindly taking Amina’s side just because her daughter was given to her co-wife. If they were living in absolute harmony and love, such a gesture would have brought immense joy to our own hearts. But her co-wife is a deeply wicked, hyper-manipulative hypocrite who is an expert in the art of domestic sabotage!" Nanne then began exposing all the dark details that Shamsiyya had uncovered—detailing how Amina had been systematically reduced to a political slave, forced to perform endless domestic labor under Sailuba’s manipulative control.
Malam let out a heavy sigh, his expression softening. "Do not distress yourselves over these worldly plots, for everything operates under the absolute domain of Allah. Whatever trials or tribulations befall my daughter are already written in the divine decree of the Almighty. Therefore, anchor your hearts in the fact that nothing touches a servant of Allah except that which the Creator has explicitly permitted." He thoroughly calmed their troubled spirits, delivering profound words on patience and endurance, reminding Amina that Allah never sleeps.
Just as Malam instructed Nanne to escort Amina back home, Baffa’s formal greeting echoed from the entrance. After exchanging warm courtesies with Malam, before Baffa could even utter a single word of explanation, Malam immediately began apologizing profusely on Amina’s behalf, thoroughly scolding her for her childish behavior. A wave of intense shame washed over Baffa; he lowered his head in deep humility, offering profound apologies to Malam. He quietly explained that while he knew the action felt deeply unfair to Amina, he had only executed it to forge permanent unity and peace within his household. Malam nodded understandingly, replying that it was perfectly fine, and prayed that Allah blesses their union with many more righteous children.
Ever since their return to the mansion, Amina completely withdrew herself from both Baffa and Sailuba. She totally stopped interacting with them, ceased executing any household chores for the main house, and reduced her relationship with them to absolute, cold silence. She focused entirely on her private quarters, even setting up her independent kitchen in her personal lounge. This absolute ostracization deeply stung Baffa's conscience; deep down in his soul, he knew they had treated her abominably. They had acted out of pure selfishness, and he knew Amina would permanently view his actions as biased favoritism toward Sailuba simply because she was his direct cousin.
It took an immense, grueling amount of pleading, begging, and persistent wooing from Baffa before he could finally break through her icy defense and restore some semblance of normalcy to their marital relations. Similarly, "Mama"—the affectionate title Amina had officially adopted for Sailuba to keep the peace—gradually restored basic interactions with her co-wife. However, Amina never again permitted herself to be reduced to a domestic slave under Sailuba's control.
Meanwhile, little Maryam was raised in an environment of toxic, extreme indulgence. She was thoroughly spoiled, showered with an unhealthy level of entitlement where she was never corrected or scolded for any behavioral flaws. Whenever she displayed severe disrespect or threw tantrums at elders, Sailuba would quickly shield her, dismissively claiming, "Oh, she's just an innocent child; she'll grow out of it." As time marched on, Maryam's behavior deteriorated into absolute lawlessness; no matter how highly respected an elder was in the community, she wouldn't hesitate to violently insult them to their face.
Whenever Nanne noticed how completely detached Amina had become from Maryam's life and up-bringing, she would severely scold her. "If Maryam ruins her life and turns out completely wayward tomorrow, you will feel the piercing agony of that failure far more than anyone else, because you are her true biological mother! To Sailuba, the girl is just a political trophy; she sees her as a prop, so her destruction will never truly break her heart because she never endured the raw physical agony of bringing her into this world!" Nanne continuously hammered these truths into her, desperately trying to show her the severe danger of completely washing her hands of Maryam.
However, despite how intensely Amina tried to draw her biological daughter close and subtly guide her toward the right path, her efforts were completely thwarted. Sailuba’s diabolical manipulation and calculated schemes were far too advanced; her expertise in domestic warfare was far more sophisticated than the readers could ever anticipate.
And so, Maryam’s life continued to unravel down a deeply broken path—completely devoid of correction, discipline, or moral boundaries. Every single whim she desired...
Part 2: Narrative & Literary Analytics
1. Structural Milestones & Generational Parallels
This segment represents the critical turning point in the generational prequel of Ba Jinina Bace. It structurally bridges the past with the modern timeline through two monumental events:
- The Miraculous Birth of Maryam: Amina's secret, divinely protected pregnancy serves as a narrative counter-strategy to Sailuba’s dark magic (asiri). The birth scene highlights Baffa’s medical blindness—a psychological blindness caused by his submission to Sailuba—which mirrors how characters in the modern era remain blind to manipulation until it is crisis-level.
The Forced Weaning and Custody Theft: This is the foundational trauma of the novel. The act of Baffa forcefully taking Maryam from Amina’s arms to appease Sailuba establishes the core thematic conflict: the separation of mother and child based on artificial family politics. It directly explains why, in the modern timeline, the relationship between Maryam and her maternal figures is so fractured.
2. Thematic Analysis of Domestic Power Dynamics
- The Illusion of Submission vs. True Sovereignty: The text heavily contrasts the aggressive, dark-magic-backed dominance of Sailuba/Zakiyya with the quiet, spiritually grounded endurance (Hakuri) of Amina and Malam Babba. Malam Babba’s intervention introduces a fierce thematic critique of traditional patriarchal authority; his insistence on submissive piety ("The child belongs to her father") inadvertently enables Sailuba's tyranny, showing how rigid adherence to tradition can sometimes weaponize a victim's own family against them.
The Spoiling of Maryam as a Plot Device: The text explicitly notes that Maryam was raised with "toxic, extreme indulgence" (sangartacciyar rayuwa). This serves as a vital psychological explanation for her modern-day character flaws, showing that her contemporary arrogance is not innate, but a calculated product of Sailuba’s domestic strategy to alienate the girl from her biological roots.
3. Key Literary Motifs & Haussa Cultural Terms
To maintain the raw flavor of Hassana Abdul Aziz Yakasai's prose, the translation carefully preserves several critical cultural motifs:
Hausa Term / MotifLiterary/Contextual MeaningNarrative Significance in this ChapterSujjud ash-ShukurProstration of gratitude to Allah.Executed by Baffa in the delivery room; underscores his deep, repressed longing for biological legacy.TsakiA loud, sharp clicking/hissing sound expressing deep contempt or frustration.Used fiercely by Amina against Sailuba, marking the exact moment her traditional compliance shatters into open defiance.AsiriDark spiritual manipulation / occult sorcery.Referenced as the tool Sailuba and Zakiyya rely on to disrupt Amina's fertility and blind Baffa’s judgment.MaijegoA woman in the immediate postpartum healing period.Used when Inna relocates to the city to personally care for Amina, showing traditional matriarchal solidarity.SangartaHyper-indulgence / destructive spoiling of a child.The exact method Sailuba uses to ruin Maryam's moral foundation, turning her into a weapon against Amina.4. Single Relevant Follow-up Question
Given how Sailuba has successfully hijacked Maryam's custody and systematically spoiled her to spite Amina, would you like to analyze how this specific childhood trauma directly impacts Maryam's volatile interactions with Yaya Muhammad (MD) and Ammey in the modern timeline?
