A LOVE LIKE PHOENIX

CHAPTER TWO

(ALHAJI MUSA’S HOUSE)

The brief history of Alhaji Musa

Alhaji Musa is the son of a wood cutter in Borno State, he was born in to a polygamous family of 16, and he was introduced into the profession at the tender age of 9, he didn’t cut the wood at that age, but he sold and was involved in the process wholly, he was enrolled in Islamiyyar Tsangaya to learn Islamic knowledge, it was after a few years of selling woods and Islamic knowledge, their neighbor offered to undertake the recruitment of Young Alhaji Musa and 9 of his brothers, if they are interested in becoming officers of the Nigerian Army, their father accepted almost immediately and all the provisions were made to get them to Depot NA, Zaria, Kaduna State, the home of all officers of the Nigerian Army.

After their Passing out Parade, they were posted to Maiduguri in Borno State as their first Place of Primary Assignment, all the siblings were posted to Maiduguri, however, Musa was not posted to the war-front, as a certain top ranking officer had taken interest in him and requested that he appointed amongst his Quarter-Guards, Musa’s rank being a Private, he was subjected to mostly menial jobs in the officer’s house.

On a faithful, he was on a special assignment to pick up the daughter of his boss from Federal Government College, Yelwa, Borno State, when he got to the school, he found out that the young lady had followed her friend to her friend’s house, as she noticed that it was getting late, but upon direction of the school’s guard he found the house with ease, but found something strange, and that was the friend’s older siblings smoked m*******a openly outside their house, together with their father. He was shocked but composed himself, and collected the lady he went there for, and left.

It was on their way back home, he subtly advised her to desist being friends with a girl from such a family. And she promised to desist and informed him that she was compelled to follow her home, seeing that they were the last students in the school compound, before his arrival. He apologized for the lateness, and informed her that the message for their vacation was not relayed to him on time, coupled with the multiple checkpoints in Maiduguri which are mounted due to the increasing insecurity in the state. He later learnt that her name was Fatimat Idris, the daughter of his boss, Major General Idris Kallah Alkali, the commander of the 112 brigade in Bama Local government, Borno State. He later learnt that she requested that her father direct Musa to be in charge of taking her back to school upon resumption and also taking her home when school was on holiday. Love ensued between them in the repetitive process of taking her to school and bringing her back home when schools are on holiday. Parents were involved as soon as possible and the wedding date was fixed for after her graduation from secondary school. After the marriage, she proceeded to the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna to obtain her degree in Law and was ranked a Lieutenant Lawyer. With her influence and that of her father, Musa rose through the ranks speedily. In a number of years, he was ranked a Master Warrant Officer of the Nigerian Army. They had 3 children together.

PRESENT DAY

“Yaya Mujee, bestien ka zatayi aure, ku zaku kaita dakin auren ta (brother Mujee, your bestie is getting married, you are the one to take her to her matrimonial house)” Malikah said while sticking her tongue to him. He threw her a look that said “behave yourself.”

“Mujahid, Malikah has been teasing you all day, regarding Maira’s wedding, kodai akwai lauje acikin nadi ne (is there something that is not in the open to us all)” Alhaji Musa said humouredly while chuckling lightly

“A’a (No) daddy, wallahi, I don’t know why she is teasing me” Mujahid said while itching his head. “she just wants me to throw her into the guardroom.”

“You want to throw my princess into room 57 (the nickname they gave the guardroom), why?” Hajia Fateemah asked.

“Ummah this girl is disrespectful. I do not know if it is because of the fact that she is my immediate younger sister. She should try it with Yah Abdullahi”

“Niii (Me)” she said while widening her eyes. “I dare not, no offence Yah Abdullahi”

“None taken” Abdullahi responded, which made everyone in the living room erupt in laughter.

The whole members of the family of Alhaji Musa Rabiu were seated in the living room after Salatul Ishai (late night prayers observed by Muslims at 8:00pm). They were discussing their plan to visit their hometown for their annual visit and to attend the wedding ceremony of their family friend’s daughter ‘Maira AbdulRahman (who is the bestie earlier referred to, by Malikah)’ in two weeks' time, he brought up the issue to inform the children that everyone is expected to be around to partake in the activities owing to the good standing relationship between the families.

“Maira, would un-doubtedly make a beautiful bride. If not for fate, I would have sought her hand for my Mujahid”, Hajia Fateemah said.

“uhm uhm” Malikah faked coughing

“Come here, Malikah”. Mujahid chased after her as she ran away.

He finally caught up with her in the kitchen, where he pulled her ear and said “who will save you now?”

“Yaya Mujahid, Please, I beg you with Allah’s 99 names, please I will not repeat my actions again” she cried out while kneeling down and standing up.

“Why then were you trying to blow my cover today in the presence of Abbah?”He asked.

“I am so sorry, I will never repeat such an act again” she replied, “but I have to ask, how are you coping with the news of her getting married, and now Abbah has made it mandatory that we all attend the wedding ceremony, you inclusive, will you be able to cope?” she asked in a voice filled with concern

“I do not know, Malikah” he said, looking downtrodden all of a sudden, as if he had received the news of the demise of a close relative.

“You should have listened to your baby sister, but no, you thought that I was too young. I did not know what I was talking about. Now what has happened, you said to wait, a bari ya huce shi ke kawo rabon wani (now you have waited and someone else has taken the reward of your patient)” she said while shrugging her shoulder, and walking away.

Muhajid retreated to his room where he sat down pensively and thought about his life. He had had a crush on Maira for as long as he knew, he couldn’t summon the courage to tell her in the past and when he finally summoned the courage to do so, he found out that she was already betrothed to Doctor Zayyad Bello. He remembered the day vividly.

“Yah mujahid, when will I meet my sister-in-law?” she asked innocently.

“Oh, don’t you know?” he feigned ignorance and decided to shoot his shot while praying luck fell on his side “it’s you nah, or you don’t love me?”

She left out a beautiful laugh that’s sounded like a birdsong, before she responded “Yah Mujahid you have started again koh? Don’t you know that you’re many things to me, e.g. older brother, best-friend?”

Zayyad was Mujahid’s colleague at the National Defence Academy, he knew Zayyad like the palm of his hand, he always had a w***e from mammy market residing with him in his hostel room, and he drinks like a sailor, in his opinion, Zayyad is the worst choice of suitor for his precious Maira. ‘All things happen for a specific reason’ he thought to himself ‘I wish her all the best life has to offer’