BORN A NORTHERN DAUGHTER

CHAPTER SEVEN

They focused more on there education especially as they realised how one of them almost lost there secondary school education to marriage. As days turn to weeks and weeks to months and before they knew it, they were almost done with there secondary school education and that was when they started facing a lot of life challenges. Nafisa returned home to her father who refused to listen to her excuses and pleading to go into the university. He kept saying the religion and traditions those not accept a lady that is above fifteen years of age to stay in her fathers house. Nafisa is an abawa girl, abawa tribe is a tribe and culture under the nupe tribe, they live in Niger state, mostly in local governments under Minna and suleja. They speak abawa, dibo and nupe. The difference between the three languages is the tone In which they speak. They are people who have great respect and beliefs in their culture. They value everything about their culture and don't have any concerns about the western lifestyle. They are among the few Nigerian who are not absolutely colonised fully as they still believe in their ancestors and the culture they grew up into.

Nafisa was gotten a suitor by her dad and was forced to always see him whenever he comes around. He would always give money to her father and stepmother. They were both happy to get such a rich suitor for her while in the other hand Nafisa was not happy about it, she has not been eating well, she doesn't talk to anyone and she has been crying alot. As her brother watched her become so miserable and worried, he became sad and worried about her too, he called her one night and took her to the back of the house. He told her that he has an idea if she's willing to follow his idea. She nodded her head and told him she would do anything to get away from this marriage. Then he said to her "CAN YOU Runaway? Nafisa was dumbfounded and confused as just stood there looking at her brother with eyes wide open as she doesn't have answers to his question.

What?

You want me to leave the house?

Buttt to whe..to where exactly?

Who will I run to?

Where will I go to?

I don't even have money and even if I do where will I go to now ehn? Hnmm.

I don't like to see you sad at all because you are the only sister I have. I planned to work double shifts at my work place to get enough money and also get you a place to stay for the moment until we find solution to the problem at hand, is that okay by you hmm?

I don't know really?

I don't know what to do?

Apart from school I have never left the house to anywhere and how will I be able to take care of myself alone.

Thank you though!

Thank you for caring about me.

You are the only brother I have and you are more than enough for me. I love you.

Stop crying and eat well, stop worrying and don't overthink, everything will be fine by God's grace. I will try my best before they set a wedding date. Now go back to your room and rest, I will be going out for a walk.

Bye!

Bye.

After the quick chat Nafisa had with her brother behind the house, she became confused and in a state of dilemma. She doesn't know if she's ready to leave her family behind, she don't think she can go out there and live alone or ready to runaway and leaving her parents behind all because she doesn't want to be married, at the same time she doesn't want to get married either, so she's soo confused on weather to agree with her brother or not. She couldn't sleep at all that night. She was planning to ask her mother for help but deep down she knew her mother will also propose marriage idea to her some day because her mom can't feed them both. She's struggling on her own to pay rent, feed, and taking care of her siblings and parents too. Nafisa became more worried instead of having relieve from what her brother presented has idea and solution. She started praying over everything and asked God for guidance and protection. The next morning her father called her to his room and asked her to sit down on the traditional weaved mat in his room, she became concerned about whatever he has to say but kept calm and waited for him to finish whatever he was doing, her father was trying to lift up his mattress but it was too heavy as he kept groaning and humming as if singing for imaginary strength to come, nafisa offered help but he yelled at her to sit where she was and not move an inch. He kept trying until he successfully lifted and rested the mattress on the wall, he made sure it was balanced and won't fall over him by pressing it against the wall very well. He opened the sewn sack used to cover the bed hood, there's another leather used to cover the hood after the sack, I became interested in whatever he might be looking for down there with so much protections. He lifted the hood and I saw big sack of dangote sugar but I don't think what I'm seeing is sugar at all, I started stretching my neck and turning to have a clear view as I wasn't sure if it was what I'm thinking.

My father pulled out the sack under the bed with full force as he used all his strength. He dragged it closer to the mat where I was sitted, he was sweating profusely and his clothes were soaked in his own sweat as he breath heavily as if he ran a marathon of thousands miles.