UWANI 'YAR ƘASHIN GWIWA

<p><strong>Page One</strong></p>
<p>With a heart heavy with sadness, twin tears began to race down Baba Isuhu's face. His gaze fell on Malam's namesake, who was wriggling in Lami's arms, and he said, "Malam's namesake, I cannot bear to part from you. Please, Lami, don't torment my soul with your absence." Baba Isuhu's tears started afresh as he looked over at Lami's packed belongings wrapped in a scarf.</p>
<p>After wiping his nose on his sleeve, he softened his tone, saying, "Lami, do you know how much I love and cherish you? Do you want to leave me, helpless and alone? If you insist on going back to your parents' house, then you'll have to take me with you. For your sake, Lami, I would rather lose my mind than live without you." Baba Isuhu pulled Lami close, holding her and Malam's namesake against his chest as he broke down in tears again.</p>
<p>"Please, reconsider this decision to leave, Lami. If it's the cost of meat that's standing in our way, I'll do whatever it takes, even if it means selling myself to get it for you. I promise that I'll search high and low to bring you what you want, Lami."</p>
<p>Lami shrugged slightly and replied, "Honestly, Isuhu, nothing is stopping me from leaving tonight. I've already told Goggo Sala that we won't stay here another hour. I feel cursed living in this house, with days passing without a trace of meat—no chicken, goat, or even a sheep to pin my hopes on. I regret ever marrying you; if I'd married Isa the butcher, I'd know what it meant to eat meat." Baba Isuhu quickly interrupted her.</p>
<p>"What do you mean by that, Lami? Have you forgotten that I'm the prosperous Isuhu, the one who always gets what he wants?" Lami smirked and replied, "A big deal, indeed! We have a child together, and yet, not once has he had meat. Is that how I'm supposed to live?"</p>
<p>Hearing this only distressed Baba Isuhu further, and he quickly raised his hands, saying, "I'm still the wealthy Isuhu, feared by men and beloved by Lamisuwa!" Lami let out a small smile as she looked at him.</p>
<p>"And where's my Lami?" She asked. "Right here," Lami replied hastily, beaming with anticipation.</p>
<p>"Then tonight, not tomorrow, I'll bring you a sheep." He glanced around, lowered his voice, and leaned close to her ear, saying, "Tonight, I'll cook you the finest ram." Lami’s face lit up with excitement as she whispered, "A whole ram?"</p>
<p>"Lower your voice, Lami. Do you want everyone to hear?" Baba Isuhu cut in quickly.</p>
<p>With a laugh, she replied, "Now I understand, Isuhullena. May you be successful in not getting caught stealing that ram." Lami's heart swelled with satisfaction.</p>
<p><strong>Later That Night</strong></p>
<p>At midnight, Uwani awoke with an urgent need to relieve herself and began trying to rouse her grandmother, Dada.</p>
<p>"Dada! Please wake up, I need to use the bathroom." Dada sighed deeply in frustration, muttering, "Dijen Iro's daughter really didn't prepare you for life; she didn't even potty train you."</p>
<p>"Dada, I think I hear the sheep crying," Uwani quickly interrupted, straining her ears to listen closely.</p>
<p>Dada ignored her, muttering about her misfortune. "Dada, please come with me; something might be wrong with them."</p>
<p>"No one—not even a ghost—could make me go out this late. You'll have to go alone," Dada declared.<br><br></p>
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<p>"Meeeeeesuuuhuuuu," Uwani, who was hiding, deepened her voice, mimicking the bleating of the goat, and struck the door of the room they were in. Startled, Lami, Isuhu, and Goggo Sala dashed into the inner room. Goggo Sala, who had her chest loosely wrapped, accidentally let her wrap fall off without realizing it. Goggo Sala and Baba Isuhu hid behind the inner room door, while Lami clung to the side of the bed. Hearing no further sound of the bleating, they began to regain their composure. Goggo Sala glanced down and, at that moment, realized she was left in just her underwear, her bare chest resting against Baba Isuhu, who was crouched on the floor. Only then did she notice Baba Isuhu's hands gripping her wrap. Deeply embarrassed, she exclaimed:</p>
<p>"Isuhu, what kind of nonsense is this? Are you seriously trying to wrap yourself in my cloth? I am your wife’s aunt!" Oblivious, Baba Isuhu stood up, accidentally brushing his face against Goggo Sala's chest. As they looked into each other's eyes, she muttered indignantly but sarcastically, "Well, Isuhu, since you’ve managed to press against me inappropriately, as your wife’s aunt, may you receive abundant blessings for it."<br><br></p>
<p><strong>PAGE TWO</strong></p>
<p>Uwani, who was hiding and eavesdropping, smiled to herself before leaving for the room where Lami and Goggo Sala slept. Entering quietly, she found the one who shared the teacher’s name lying asleep. Carefully, she carried him to the yard and placed him inside a large pot meant for heating Lami's bath water, but which was empty. Gently, she shook him awake, knowing well that Baba Isuhu was fearful of being written about in the newspaper, having figured out his weakness long ago.</p>
<p>Baba Isuhu was stung by Goggo Sala's harsh words, glancing at her with a frown before retorting.</p>
<p>"May God just sweep this away for us. Did I think it was your hands? I thought it was Lami's hands." He finished as he walked into the sitting room, leaving Goggo Sala standing with frustration.</p>
<p>“The nerve! My chest is being manhandled and mistaken for just any old hands?” Goggo Sala muttered to herself.</p>
<p>When he arrived, he heard the one named after the teacher crying loudly. Baba Isuhu and Lami exchanged glances but, hearing silence, relaxed slightly. Cautiously, they tiptoed outside and were heading to the room when they heard the teacher’s namesake crying again, this time from within the covered pot. Summoning courage, Lami opened it and was shocked to see him inside.</p>
<p>"Isuhu, something strange is going on," Lami whispered, her voice shaking.</p>
<p>"Lami, could it be I’ve stepped on a jinn while carrying the leader of the flock? I’m doomed; what if they harm the teacher’s namesake?" Baba Isuhu added, crying as Goggo Sala joined them and they explained the situation to her.</p>
<p>"Are you sure it was the leader of the flock you carried, and not a jinn? It’s clear that nothing goes wrong without reason." Baba Isuhu felt an unsettling chill in his stomach and glanced around, only to spot a shadowy figure standing by the wall. Seeing him almost notice her, Uwani shook her head and made a frightening sound.</p>
<p>"Meeeeesuuuuhuuuuuu, I will eat your eeeeyes."</p>
<p>Hearing this, Baba Isuhu and Lami ran into the room where Lami was recovering from childbirth. Uwani finally slipped away to Dada’s section, smiling to herself, having figured out how to manage them with ease.</p>
<p>None of them could sleep that night, and Baba Isuhu missed even his morning prayers. When dawn broke, they finally came out to perform their ablutions and pray, with Goggo Sala preparing Lami’s postpartum bath. Uwani had stayed awake until the morning prayers, only dozing off afterward.</p>
<p>By morning, Uwani was carefree, satisfied with the outcome of her prank. Even Dada was surprised to see Uwani busy with her chores, although when she went to check on her flock of goats, she felt a pang of pity for them, especially the twin leaders of the flock that were bleating as if they missed her.</p>
<p>"Baba Isuhu, our secret is about to be exposed. Only God can save us now," he muttered quietly.</p>
<p>"I know you'll fix this somehow. You’re quite the devil yourself," the village head, Talle, replied. "But about that goat leg you need for Dada… remember, you said I could have the back thighs." Baba Isuhu grinned, his mind racing.</p>
<p>"I’ll bring it by evening, but be sure it’s thoroughly prepared so no one suspects it’s from a large ram," Talle responded, nodding.</p>
<p>At a distance, Uwani watched them, seemingly indifferent but alert to their every move. She let them leave before discarding her basket and securing a cloth around her waist full of small animal tails she had gathered at the market. From the corner of the house, she watched Talle enter his courtyard and slip into his room. A while later, she heard him returning, speaking affectionately to his new wife, Zuwaira.</p>
<p>As soon as he entered, Uwani slipped inside and hurried to Zuwaira's room, seeing a dish of beans. She eagerly began eating, scooping handfuls quickly, finishing it, and then adding two tails of a ram into the dish. As she stood to leave, she heard Talle and Zuwaira approaching, affectionately chatting. Heart pounding, she hid behind the door.</p>
<p>Seeing the empty dish, Talle was shocked, wondering where the beans had gone and why it contained sheep tails. Startled, he called out, “Zuwaira, do you see this? Where are the beans you served me?”</p>
<p>As she gasped in confusion, they heard Uwani’s voice moaning, “Taaaaalleeeeeeeeh…” Zuwaira clung to him in fear, and they bolted from the room, tripping over each other.</p>
<p>Later, Uwani was returning home when she saw a fancy car outside their house. Curious, she peered into its mirror and saw her reflection. Inside the car, Jafar watched her mischief, while Salele came with a jug of water. Uwani called him over, ordering him to place the jug atop the car, saying, "Today, this jug will be my new car."</p>
<p>Watching from his car, Jafar slid down his window slightly as Salele dropped the jug in disbelief. Jafar decided to step out, towering over her, his authoritative stance intimidating Uwani. In a rare moment of hesitation, she tried to muster confidence, scolding him but trailed off as Jafar grabbed her arm firmly.</p>
<p>"Oh, Uwani’s caught!" Salele cheered, dancing around with delight, his glee stifled by the sight of Jafar’s gun. Pulling her into the house, Jafar didn’t relent until they reached Dada’s room. Tossing her aside, he ordered, “Start hopping like a frog.”</p>
<p>Dada entered in time to see Uwani hopping on all fours and, aghast, asked, "What is this nonsense, Jafar?" He ignored her, pulling out his belt, and after a while, Dada ordered him to stop his tirade, visibly shaken by his indifference.</p>
<p>Without another word, Jafar brandished his gun, silencing both Dada and Uwani. Dada’s voice faltered as she looked at her grandson, tears streaming down her cheeks, whispering, “So now, Jafar, will you truly kill us?”</p>
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