Barcin So Compelete

Description

Translation

"Thirteen years ago, a fierce destiny swept over us."

He paused slightly, drew a gentle breath, adjusted his sitting position, and wiped his tears with the palm of his hand.

While all of them turned their full attention toward him, they were extremely eager to know how that unforgettable day had unfolded. Yah Jafar took another deep breath and continued:

"That night, after Isha prayer, we were all in Mamey's parlor—myself, Jalal, Jamil, Affan, Ummi, and Imran, who was around eight years old at the time. We ate dinner there and then sat around chatting.

Because of the deep bond between Mamey and Affan—she loved children immensely, but her affection for Affan was extraordinary, to the point that even Jamil used to call Affan 'Mamey's right hand'—she would smile and say, 'Well, he is just calmer than the rest of you.'

As we sat, Mamey kept yawning, stretching, and blinking her eyes heavily, which made her say to us: 'I am dismissing all of you, go say good night, I feel such a heavy wave of sleep coming over me.'

Ummi said, 'Okay.' Yet we continued chatting anyway. We watched her as she stood up lazily and said, 'Guys, I am going to sleep, wallahi I feel this extremely heavy sleep pulling at me as if I am about to collapse. Good night to you all.'

We all replied, 'May God grant us goodness,' and she went inside. The moment she entered, she didn't even spend three seconds lying down before she fell fast asleep.

As for us, when we finished our conversation, we dispersed. Jalal and the others were the last to leave; apparently, they didn't wake her up to lock her door—was that negligence on their part?" He ended his statement looking at Jamil.

Quickly, Jamil said, "Yes."

Gently looking toward Lamiɗo and the others, he continued:

"When I returned to my room, I called Juwairiyya, and we started chatting on the phone like we always did. After we finished our phone call and I had already lain down, I got up and headed toward Mamey's room because I wanted to talk to her about Juwairiyya—so that she could inform her father about our marriage plans. By that time, Juwairiyya had completed her education, so she could tell Abba to start discussing our wedding, since I had also finished my studies and started working.

Around those days, I was also given the title of Galadima. Originally, that title belonged to the husband of Princess Saudatu, but after he passed away, Lamiɗo reassigned the rulership to me. He figured that way, his children wouldn't fight amongst themselves, since they couldn't accuse him of favoring one over the other. At that time, neither Mamey, nor Jabeer—who was out of the country—nor I wanted that title; it was given to us by force."

He leaned his back against the chair and continued:

"When I reached the door of Mamey's room, I pushed it open with a greeting and stepped inside. Suddenly, I stopped right at the doorway. In the distance, I saw Mamey lying on the bed, asleep with signs of a very heavy slumber.

As for Hajiya Mama, she was standing right over her, dressed in bizarre attire that looked more like that of a native doctor or a sorceress. In shock, I stared at Hajiya Mama standing at the bedside, dressed from head to toe in bright red clothes, her head uncovered, holding a calabash in her hand. She was sprinkling some water from the calabash onto Mamey while murmuring chants that resembled demonic incantations.

'Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihirraji'un,' I uttered loudly. Quickly, I rushed toward where Hajiya Mama stood in confusion and terror, saying, 'What is this, Hajiya Mama? What are you doing to her? What are you pouring on her body like this?'

Swiftly, she turned toward me, plunged her hand into the calabash, scooped up some water, and began splashing it at me as she stepped closer. I started dodging while trying to move toward where Mamey was lying like a corpse—she didn't even twitch. But Hajiya Mama kept lunging at me, splashing the water on me. My mouth dropped open in shock because of a ferocious, burning sensation wherever the water touched my body.

She splashed me again, which made me dodge quickly with my mouth open, intending to scream from the pain I was feeling and out of fear for the condition Mamey was in. But instead, my tongue uttered, 'Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihirraji'un!' I kept repeating those words loudly instead of screaming."

As for Hajiya Mama, she quickly turned away, fearful of her secrets being exposed, because the night wasn't very late yet—it was around 10:00 PM. She ran out of the room.

Upon running out, Hajiya Mama went straight to her own quarters, rushed into her bathroom, her whole body trembling, and called her marabout (sorcerer's) number. Panting with fear and apprehension about what might happen next, she said:

"Boka, I just came out of that woman's room. I made sure she fell asleep just like you said, and I sprinkled the water on her, she didn't wake up. However, someone saw me while I was sprinkling the magic water—the Galadima of the Joɗa Royal House, her eldest son, saw me."

The boka let out a sinister, wicked laugh and said, "So when he saw you, what was he doing? What was he saying?"

Trembling with fear and anxiety, lest his favor be lost, she replied: "He kept mentioning the name of Allah, reciting salati nonstop, along with some prayers."

Pausing his wicked laughter slightly, the boka said: "Well, the work will still succeed, though there is a flaw in it. But don't worry, now we will seal that boy's mouth; he will remain permanently mute, unable to speak a single word or utter anything, and he will just keep repeating whatever it is he was saying.

As for the twins, we will tie one to women and drug addiction, while the elder one will become like a madman. And as for that Jabeer, I told you since he was little that someone cast a spell on him—don't worry about him, he will never marry for as long as he lives, and even if he gets married, he will never settle down with a wife. So you see, all of them will have problems that will completely disqualify them from the throne, leaving it to be given to your son Affan, since Imran—the son of your co-wife—is younger than Affan."

Sighing in relief, she said: "Wonderful, Boka, thank you! My only wish was for my son to rule, because I didn't want the crown to leave my quarters, especially since you told me for a fact that among Habibullah's children, the husband of someone would inherit his grandfather's throne."

He laughed and said: "Do not worry, the crown belongs to you and your son."

Wa'iyazubillah! That is just a tiny glimpse of the evil of the accursed devils, enemies of Allah and His Messenger, the deranged sorcerers whose followers are doomed and fail to cross the Sirat bridge on the Day when believers rush across.

Inside Mamey's room, the volume of Jafar's prayers and recitations intensified as he tightly hugged Mamey, who was lying with her eyes closed, still fast asleep from the hypnotic slumber they had cast upon her. His mouth was incapable of uttering anything except prayers, while tears continuously streamed down his eyes due to terror and the burning pain he felt.

Meanwhile, Abba—whose quarters were situated right between those of his wives—was upstairs in his room. He began hearing Jafar's voice and his frantic prayers, recited in absolute panic and distress.

Jumping up, Abba rushed toward Mamey's quarters since the distance between them was very short. Running swiftly, he hurried inside Mamey's bedroom in intense distress and shock, finding Yah Jafar embracing Mamey, repeatedly shouting "Innalillahi!" at the top of his lungs, tears washing over his face, and his eyes bloodshot from crying, pain, and the terrifying impression that Mamey looked dead. Panicked, Abba rushed over to them, saying:

"Subahanallahi, Jafar, what happened? What is wrong with her?"

He asked frantically, reaching out to lift Mamey's head, which rested on Yah Jafar's lap, and began shaking her while calling her name: "Aisha! Aisha! Ummu Jabeer!"

When she remained unresponsive without even a twitch, though she was still breathing, his panic intensified. Frantically, he looked back at Yah Jafar, who was reciting prayers incessantly. He laid Mamey's head back down on Jafar's lap, turned in a daze, and rushed out of the room toward the quarters of his father, Lamiɗo.

As for Yah Jafar, he continued repeating "Innalillahi" while shedding tears.

Over at Hajiya Mama's side, she had just stepped out of her room, feeling delighted by how the boka had reassured her. Feeling happy inside that everything was going according to plan and that she would soon be rid of Mamey's pesky children so everyone could finally rest, she stepped outside and caught sight of Abba rushing anxiously out of his quarters through the window.

She grimaced, sat down on one of the parlor chairs, but then sprang up as if poked, quickly following after him.

Over at Lamiɗo's quarters, Lamiɗo and the Galadima stood up instantly after Abba explained what was happening. Together, they rushed toward Mamey's quarters.

With Lamiɗo leading the way, followed by the Galadima and Abba, they entered the room where Abba had left Yah Jafar. Upon seeing them, Jafar jumped up quickly, pointing at Mamey with his hand while crying, gesturing toward her and trying to explain how Hajiya Mama had treated her.

Hajiya Mama hastily pushed open the door to see Lamiɗo and the others enter. Seeing her, Jafar began pointing at her, then pointed at Mamey, continuing to act out what she had done. But his voice was gone—only prayers and tears came from him.

Everyone turned their gaze toward Hajiya Mama. Instantly, Lamiɗo, the Galadima, and Abba cast a huge question mark upon her. Seeing that Jafar wasn't actually speaking, she wasn't worried; she didn't realize that they suspected what had happened, nor did they fully understand what Jafar was trying to convey through his gestures.

With her characteristic boldness as a cunning, wicked woman, Hajiya Mama began clapping her hands, faking tears, and saying:

"Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihirraji'un! Jafar, what am I seeing? What happened to your Mamey? Speak up, man!"

Then she burst into tears accompanied by invocations of praise.

Lamiɗo cleared his throat upon seeing Mamey start to stir, signaling that she was waking up from her deep sleep. She sat up and stared blankly at them. They quickly stepped closer, focusing their attention on her, saying, "Take heart, Aisha," but she remained silent without answering.

With extreme haste and dread, Abba stepped close to her and stared at her toenails. Shocked and terrified, he looked at her toes, which had begun changing their natural form, turning into bird-like talons.

In profound grief, Lamiɗo and the others stared at her toes in panic. In absolute horror, Abba grabbed her hand and pointed it toward Lamiɗo, saying with a shaken voice:

"Innalillahi wa innailaihi raji'un! Lamiɗo, look at her fingers!"

Another wave of extreme panic engulfed them when they saw her fingers beginning to transform into bird feathers.

Together, all of them chanted, "Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihirraji'un! Hasbuna Allahu wa ni'mal wakeel!" Out of sheer terror and distress, their entire bodies were trembling.

In overwhelming panic and mental confusion, Lamiɗo turned to look at the Galadima and said in a harsh, frantic voice:

"Subahanallahi, go immediately and call Malam Musa right now!"

Swiftly, the Galadima replied, "I hear and obey," and turned to walk out quickly.

Before you knew it, news spread across the Joɗa royal palace. Without wasting time, Lamiɗo's summons reached Malam Musa.

Within seconds, Malam Musa arrived at the Joɗa palace. Lamiɗo gave the order for him to be brought straight into Mamey's room.

As soon as he entered, Malam Musa looked at her in distress, shook his head, and said to Lamiɗo and the others:

"This is witchcraft combined with sorcery, and from this moment onward, at any second, she can completely transform from a human into a bird!"

They all broke into massive outcries of salati, and the room erupted into weeping—Jamil, Jalal, Affan, Ummi, and Jafar. But Hajiya Mama's voice was the loudest, howling in fake grief and exaggerated panic.

(Ah, the hypocrisy of the wicked! Although to be fair, some co-wives face genuine suffering from the curse of polygamy, wallahi.)

That day, the palace witnessed unimaginable horror. Herbs, smoke, and traditional ointments were applied—there was nothing Malam Musa didn't try, but panic made them forget to use Ayatul Shifa (healing verses). Seeing that all traditional methods had failed, Dr. Aliyu, unable to sleep because he felt it might be a different kind of medical illness, left the room for his quarters to consult other prominent doctors over the phone. After finishing his call, he grabbed his medical kit, returned to Mamey's room, and ran all his diagnostic tests, but found no trace of any known disease or medical condition.

With bitter frustration, Malam Musa said, "Stop examining her! There is no disease here, only pure sorcery." In the end, he had to give up.

That night, no one closed their eyes; almost everyone stayed awake standing inside Mamey's room as they watched her bodily form continuously morph. Princess Aminatu cried her eyes out.

Lamiɗo called Jadda to inform her of the dire situation. Overwhelmed with shock, Jadda and Sitti immediately began preparing to travel.

Just before the Fajr (dawn) prayer, the situation worsened drastically. By that time, Mamey's physical form completely transformed into that of a Boleru bird right in front of Lamiɗo, the Galadima, and the majority of the people of the Joɗa palace.

Instantly, Abba collapsed to the ground and fainted. Panic-stricken, Dr. Aliyu rushed to him to administer first aid.

As for Mamey, who had now turned into a bird, she began flapping her wings as if preparing to fly. Like a miracle, whoosh!—she flew straight up, headed through the open window, made her way into the garden, and blended into a flock of birds gathered there.

"Innalillahi!" Jamil and Jalal fainted as well.

With frantic speed, Lamiɗo and the Galadima rushed to the window, looked down to see her landing among the birds, and burst into tears of horror at the wonders of the world.

Hajiya Mama let out a screeching wail, crying, "Woyyo Allah na! What on earth is happening to us?!" and collapsed to the ground, stiffening her eyes as if she had fainted.

That whole day, Hajiya Mama spent it crying, hugging Jamil and Jalal, who wept as though their souls were leaving their bodies.

Jadda, Sitti, Umaymah, Aunty Juwairiyya, and her father all arrived that day. The Boleru bird was tracked and contained in an enclosure, while crowds rushed to catch a glimpse of it.

Princess Saudatu came face-to-face with the bird—being somewhat foolish, she remarked:

"Oh dear, poetic justice! When someone's wickedness returns to haunt them... well, well, the Arabs have turned into a Boleru bird!"

From that moment on, the detractors of Sheikh seized upon her words and hid behind them.

As for the others, they continued weeping. Hajiya Mama cried as though her own mother had died; anyone who saw her would feel pity for her, except for Lamiɗo and the Galadima, whose suspicions remained firmly fixed on her, knowing all her actions were sheer plotting, hypocrisy, and deceit.

From then on, whenever that bird—Mamey—was caught, she would always flap her wings and fly away to rejoin her fellow birds. The situation became a baffling crisis that troubled everyone. Whenever she was caught, she would slip away, fly into the garden, and settle among the birds inside the Joɗa palace.

Amidst all this turmoil, Sheikh Jabeer knew nothing about it because he was studying at the Islamic University of Madinah at the time. However, throughout that period, his heart remained deeply unsettled. Whenever he called Mamey's phone, Aunty Rahma would answer and speak with him—since she and Mamma were staying there at the time. The theatrical panic displayed by Hajiya Mama made them trust her completely.

This tragic transformation of Mamey was what ultimately gave Jadda high blood pressure.

That night, Umaymah, Mamma, Aunty Rahma, Aunty Juwairiyya, and Sitti could not sleep at all, keeping vigil over the Boleru bird while the detractors mocked them.

Right at dawn, after they performed the Fajr prayer, the bird stirred, took flight, bypassed the Joɗa palace entirely, headed toward Cameroon, and flew straight into the Yaoundé region.

The disappearance of that bird caused them the deepest anguish imaginable. Worldwide searches were conducted until everyone grew exhausted. With neither sign nor trace of her, they eventually had to resign themselves to fate.

However, Lamiɗo, the Galadima, Jadda, and Umaymah continued their investigations and search for a solution.

When Sheikh completed his undergraduate degree and arrived in Nigeria, he was told what had transpired. The shock and psychological trauma he plunged into were indescribable. An even greater shock was discovering that Yah Jafar had stopped speaking, doing nothing but praying, reciting the Holy Quran, and weeping. Sheikh demanded to see his Mamey in her bird form, only to be told that just a day after the incident, she had flown away from the Joɗa palace.

That day, Sheikh wept like a little child, hugging Jamil, Jalal, and Yah Jafar—for ever since Sheikh's arrival, Jafar had kept a tight grip on his hand, reciting Quran and crying. They wept together while Hajiya Mama pretended to join them. That day felt like a brand-new tragedy for them.

From that time onward, Abba seemed to emotionally detach himself from his children. Instead of drawing them closer to serve as their shield and ease the burning pain in their hearts, he distanced himself from them. He himself didn't even understand why he did it—yet all of this was orchestrated by Hajiya Mama's schemes. Even during the single day the bird remained before flying off, she had gone back to her boka and told him she wanted the bird to leave the palace entirely because she saw how persistently they were using spiritual remedies.

Her boka had laughed and said: "You foolish idiot! The fact that you even managed this is because their Islamic prayers haven't caught up yet; otherwise, they would have broken the spell long ago."

Happily, she had replied: "My brilliance kept their minds from ever looking in that direction!"

Meanwhile, Lamiɗo drew Sheikh much closer to him. This was because of what Malam Musa had told them: that through Sheikh's marriage, their mother—the non-Fulani woman—would return. Consequently, the quarters given to Sheikh were located right next to the garden where the birds stayed, and a private door was opened from inside his apartment leading directly into the garden.

He didn't stay long in Nigeria before returning to Madinah, because he felt he had grown to despise Nigeria, especially the Joɗa palace. When he returned, Sitti's relatives noticed a profound change in his demeanor, and it took intense, continuous prayers before he regained his mental equilibrium. From then on, they watched over him with extreme care; his aunts and uncles played the roles of mothers, fathers, younger and older siblings to him, doing everything for him.

He would spend three or four years without visiting, though he frequently arranged for Jadda to send Jamil, Jalal, Yah Jafar, and Affan to him. Most years, they would visit twice—for Hajj and Umrah—and some years even three times. He devoted himself entirely to his studies and prayers, praying that Allah would reveal his Mamey to him wherever she might be, vowing that even if she remained a Boleru bird, he would continue to nurture and care for her for as long as he lived.

He went on to pursue his Master's degree. Instead of returning immediately, he stayed to complete his PhD. When he finally returned to Nigeria—under immense pressure from Lamiɗo, Jadda, the Galadima, and Umaymah (who acted as a mother to him)—he had no choice but to agree.

Upon his return, he kept a watchful eye on his younger siblings, guiding their upbringing, searching for their mother, caring for his children, acting as their ultimate protector, and investigating their enemies. Because of this pursuit, he successfully joined the State Security (SS) service—which had always been his personal dream, though Lamiɗo had originally forced him to study medicine. Alhamdulillah, he achieved his goal, especially after securing a position in the SS, which allowed him to uncover the whole truth.

There was a deep bond of love, empathy, compassion, and closeness between him and his grandparents.

As for Hajiya Mama, he left her to her own devices on purpose; she viewed him as a mere monkey, while he looked at her like a banana.

Malam Musa had told them beforehand that it would be through Sheikh that Mamey would return. He had informed them of what Allah revealed to him: that she had not died, she was alive, and she had transformed back into a human long ago, months after her departure.

(Such is life! It can change whenever Allah wills, for He turns difficulty into ease, day into night, year into year, bringing forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living.)

A heavy sigh of relief escaped everyone in the parlor after Yah Jafar finished recounting how everything happened—what he witnessed, how Mamey transformed into a bird, and how he himself had lost his voice, reduced only to tears and recitation.

The entire parlor erupted in the remembrance of Allah and praises to the Lord Almighty. As for Mamey, she just smiled, repeating:

"Alhamdulillah! Alhamdulillah ala kulli hal!"

Affan was weeping as though his soul was tearing away from his body. With profound tenderness, Sheikh pulled him close and embraced him, both of them shedding tears.

Moved by compassion for Affan's agonizing grief, Lamiɗo adjusted his sitting position, cleared his throat, turned to Bappa, and said:

"Tell us how Aisha came into your hands."

Instantly, the attention of everyone in the room snapped back to Bappa, as all of them desperately wanted to know how Mamey had ended up with him.

Gently, Bappa cleared his throat, adjusted his position, raised his hand, pointed his index finger at Shatu, and said:

"Shatu was the reason. Because when she first came into our hands, we saw her as nothing more than a Boleru bird for nearly seven months while she stayed with us, and we watched her..."

SLEEP OF LOVE BOOK COMPLETE

Summary

In this concluding chapter of Baccin So, Yah Jafar reveals the harrowing truth of what transpired thirteen years prior. He recounts how he witnessed Hajiya Mama performing a dark ritual over Mamey, casting a spell that transformed her into a Boleru bird. Jafar himself was struck mute by the sorcerer's curse, able only to recite prayers and weep. Mamey's subsequent transformation and escape into the palace gardens—and eventually across borders to Cameroon—plunged the Joɗa royal family into deep grief and chaos, while the scheming Hajiya Mama feigned innocence. Years later, after completing his education and joining the State Security service, Sheikh Jabeer returns to help piece together the truth, protect his family, and expose their enemies. The chapter closes with the miraculous revelation that Mamey is alive and has returned to human form, brought back into their lives through Shatu.

Description

• Setting: The royal palace of Joɗa, transitioning from a scene of dark betrayal and tragic metamorphosis to one of emotional reunion, closure, and restored hope.
• Key Characters:
  • Yah Jafar: The steadfast elder brother who witnessed the crime and bore the silent burden of muteness and trauma.
  • Mamey (Aisha): The beloved mother whose tragic curse turned her into a Boleru bird for years before her eventual restoration.
  • Hajiya Mama: The cunning and wicked co-wife whose malice and reliance on sorcery drove the family's destruction.
  • Sheikh Jabeer: The resilient scholar and security operative whose return brings protection, investigation, and the key to undoing the tragedy.
  • Bappa & Shatu: The pivotal figures who sheltered Mamey during her time as a bird, ultimately leading to her discovery.

Analytics

• Narrative Arc: Climax resolution. The long-kept secrets of the past are fully brought to light, bridging the gap between the tragic night of Mamey's disappearance and the present day.
• Character Dynamics: Highlights the stark contrast between genuine familial love (represented by Lamiɗo, Jadda, Sheikh, and Jafar) and deep-seated envy and betrayal (embodied by Hajiya Mama).
• Themes: The triumph of truth over deception, the consequences of malice and sorcery, divine intervention in human affairs ("Allah turns difficulty into ease"), and the enduring power of prayer and familial loyalty.

Comments

• Emotional Resonance: The chapter delivers a powerful emotional punch, moving from the agonizing trauma of the past to the overwhelming relief and gratitude of the final reunion (Alhamdulillah).
• Pacing & Resolution: Wrapping up the mystery of the Boleru bird and bringing Mamey back provides a deeply satisfying conclusion to the narrative arc.
• Moral Lesson: A classic cautionary tale reinforcing the Islamic motif that evil plots ultimately fail against sincere faith, patience, and divine justice.

Conclusions

• Triumph Over Evil: Hajiya Mama's elaborate plots, despite causing immense suffering, ultimately fail to permanently destroy the family or deny them their rightful future.
• The Power of Resilience: Sheikh Jabeer and his brothers—despite enduring muteness, trauma, and displacement—emerge stronger, guided by faith and dedicated to protecting their legacy.
• A Complete Journey: With Mamey safely recovered and the truth brought to light, Baccin So concludes on a note of spiritual peace, gratitude, and enduring family bonds.

"Thirteen years ago, a fierce destiny swept over us."

He paused slightly, drew a gentle breath, adjusted his sitting position, and wiped his tears with the palm of his hand.

While all of them turned their full attention toward him, they were extremely eager to know how that unforgettable day had unfolded. Yah Jafar took another deep breath and continued:

"That night, after Isha prayer, we were all in Mamey's parlor—myself, Jalal, Jamil, Affan, Ummi, and Imran, who was around eight years old at the time. We ate dinner there and then sat around chatting.

Because of the deep bond between Mamey and Affan—she loved children immensely, but her affection for Affan was extraordinary, to the point that even Jamil used to call Affan 'Mamey's right hand'—she would smile and say, 'Well, he is just calmer than the rest of you.'

As we sat, Mamey kept yawning, stretching, and blinking her eyes heavily, which made her say to us: 'I am dismissing all of you, go say good night, I feel such a heavy wave of sleep coming over me.'

Ummi said, 'Okay.' Yet we continued chatting anyway. We watched her as she stood up lazily and said, 'Guys, I am going to sleep, wallahi I feel this extremely heavy sleep pulling at me as if I am about to collapse. Good night to you all.'

We all replied, 'May God grant us goodness,' and she went inside. The moment she entered, she didn't even spend three seconds lying down before she fell fast asleep.

As for us, when we finished our conversation, we dispersed. Jalal and the others were the last to leave; apparently, they didn't wake her up to lock her door—was that negligence on their part?" He ended his statement looking at Jamil.

Quickly, Jamil said, "Yes."

Gently looking toward Lamiɗo and the others, he continued:

"When I returned to my room, I called Juwairiyya, and we started chatting on the phone like we always did. After we finished our phone call and I had already lain down, I got up and headed toward Mamey's room because I wanted to talk to her about Juwairiyya—so that she could inform her father about our marriage plans. By that time, Juwairiyya had completed her education, so she could tell Abba to start discussing our wedding, since I had also finished my studies and started working.

Around those days, I was also given the title of Galadima. Originally, that title belonged to the husband of Princess Saudatu, but after he passed away, Lamiɗo reassigned the rulership to me. He figured that way, his children wouldn't fight amongst themselves, since they couldn't accuse him of favoring one over the other. At that time, neither Mamey, nor Jabeer—who was out of the country—nor I wanted that title; it was given to us by force."

He leaned his back against the chair and continued:

"When I reached the door of Mamey's room, I pushed it open with a greeting and stepped inside. Suddenly, I stopped right at the doorway. In the distance, I saw Mamey lying on the bed, asleep with signs of a very heavy slumber.

As for Hajiya Mama, she was standing right over her, dressed in bizarre attire that looked more like that of a native doctor or a sorceress. In shock, I stared at Hajiya Mama standing at the bedside, dressed from head to toe in bright red clothes, her head uncovered, holding a calabash in her hand. She was sprinkling some water from the calabash onto Mamey while murmuring chants that resembled demonic incantations.

'Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihirraji'un,' I uttered loudly. Quickly, I rushed toward where Hajiya Mama stood in confusion and terror, saying, 'What is this, Hajiya Mama? What are you doing to her? What are you pouring on her body like this?'

Swiftly, she turned toward me, plunged her hand into the calabash, scooped up some water, and began splashing it at me as she stepped closer. I started dodging while trying to move toward where Mamey was lying like a corpse—she didn't even twitch. But Hajiya Mama kept lunging at me, splashing the water on me. My mouth dropped open in shock because of a ferocious, burning sensation wherever the water touched my body.

She splashed me again, which made me dodge quickly with my mouth open, intending to scream from the pain I was feeling and out of fear for the condition Mamey was in. But instead, my tongue uttered, 'Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihirraji'un!' I kept repeating those words loudly instead of screaming."

As for Hajiya Mama, she quickly turned away, fearful of her secrets being exposed, because the night wasn't very late yet—it was around 10:00 PM. She ran out of the room.

Upon running out, Hajiya Mama went straight to her own quarters, rushed into her bathroom, her whole body trembling, and called her marabout (sorcerer's) number. Panting with fear and apprehension about what might happen next, she said:

"Boka, I just came out of that woman's room. I made sure she fell asleep just like you said, and I sprinkled the water on her, she didn't wake up. However, someone saw me while I was sprinkling the magic water—the Galadima of the Joɗa Royal House, her eldest son, saw me."

The boka let out a sinister, wicked laugh and said, "So when he saw you, what was he doing? What was he saying?"

Trembling with fear and anxiety, lest his favor be lost, she replied: "He kept mentioning the name of Allah, reciting salati nonstop, along with some prayers."

Pausing his wicked laughter slightly, the boka said: "Well, the work will still succeed, though there is a flaw in it. But don't worry, now we will seal that boy's mouth; he will remain permanently mute, unable to speak a single word or utter anything, and he will just keep repeating whatever it is he was saying.

As for the twins, we will tie one to women and drug addiction, while the elder one will become like a madman. And as for that Jabeer, I told you since he was little that someone cast a spell on him—don't worry about him, he will never marry for as long as he lives, and even if he gets married, he will never settle down with a wife. So you see, all of them will have problems that will completely disqualify them from the throne, leaving it to be given to your son Affan, since Imran—the son of your co-wife—is younger than Affan."

Sighing in relief, she said: "Wonderful, Boka, thank you! My only wish was for my son to rule, because I didn't want the crown to leave my quarters, especially since you told me for a fact that among Habibullah's children, the husband of someone would inherit his grandfather's throne."

He laughed and said: "Do not worry, the crown belongs to you and your son."

Wa'iyazubillah! That is just a tiny glimpse of the evil of the accursed devils, enemies of Allah and His Messenger, the deranged sorcerers whose followers are doomed and fail to cross the Sirat bridge on the Day when believers rush across.

Inside Mamey's room, the volume of Jafar's prayers and recitations intensified as he tightly hugged Mamey, who was lying with her eyes closed, still fast asleep from the hypnotic slumber they had cast upon her. His mouth was incapable of uttering anything except prayers, while tears continuously streamed down his eyes due to terror and the burning pain he felt.

Meanwhile, Abba—whose quarters were situated right between those of his wives—was upstairs in his room. He began hearing Jafar's voice and his frantic prayers, recited in absolute panic and distress.

Jumping up, Abba rushed toward Mamey's quarters since the distance between them was very short. Running swiftly, he hurried inside Mamey's bedroom in intense distress and shock, finding Yah Jafar embracing Mamey, repeatedly shouting "Innalillahi!" at the top of his lungs, tears washing over his face, and his eyes bloodshot from crying, pain, and the terrifying impression that Mamey looked dead. Panicked, Abba rushed over to them, saying:

"Subahanallahi, Jafar, what happened? What is wrong with her?"

He asked frantically, reaching out to lift Mamey's head, which rested on Yah Jafar's lap, and began shaking her while calling her name: "Aisha! Aisha! Ummu Jabeer!"

When she remained unresponsive without even a twitch, though she was still breathing, his panic intensified. Frantically, he looked back at Yah Jafar, who was reciting prayers incessantly. He laid Mamey's head back down on Jafar's lap, turned in a daze, and rushed out of the room toward the quarters of his father, Lamiɗo.

As for Yah Jafar, he continued repeating "Innalillahi" while shedding tears.

Over at Hajiya Mama's side, she had just stepped out of her room, feeling delighted by how the boka had reassured her. Feeling happy inside that everything was going according to plan and that she would soon be rid of Mamey's pesky children so everyone could finally rest, she stepped outside and caught sight of Abba rushing anxiously out of his quarters through the window.

She grimaced, sat down on one of the parlor chairs, but then sprang up as if poked, quickly following after him.

Over at Lamiɗo's quarters, Lamiɗo and the Galadima stood up instantly after Abba explained what was happening. Together, they rushed toward Mamey's quarters.

With Lamiɗo leading the way, followed by the Galadima and Abba, they entered the room where Abba had left Yah Jafar. Upon seeing them, Jafar jumped up quickly, pointing at Mamey with his hand while crying, gesturing toward her and trying to explain how Hajiya Mama had treated her.

Hajiya Mama hastily pushed open the door to see Lamiɗo and the others enter. Seeing her, Jafar began pointing at her, then pointed at Mamey, continuing to act out what she had done. But his voice was gone—only prayers and tears came from him.

Everyone turned their gaze toward Hajiya Mama. Instantly, Lamiɗo, the Galadima, and Abba cast a huge question mark upon her. Seeing that Jafar wasn't actually speaking, she wasn't worried; she didn't realize that they suspected what had happened, nor did they fully understand what Jafar was trying to convey through his gestures.

With her characteristic boldness as a cunning, wicked woman, Hajiya Mama began clapping her hands, faking tears, and saying:

"Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihirraji'un! Jafar, what am I seeing? What happened to your Mamey? Speak up, man!"

Then she burst into tears accompanied by invocations of praise.

Lamiɗo cleared his throat upon seeing Mamey start to stir, signaling that she was waking up from her deep sleep. She sat up and stared blankly at them. They quickly stepped closer, focusing their attention on her, saying, "Take heart, Aisha," but she remained silent without answering.

With extreme haste and dread, Abba stepped close to her and stared at her toenails. Shocked and terrified, he looked at her toes, which had begun changing their natural form, turning into bird-like talons.

In profound grief, Lamiɗo and the others stared at her toes in panic. In absolute horror, Abba grabbed her hand and pointed it toward Lamiɗo, saying with a shaken voice:

"Innalillahi wa innailaihi raji'un! Lamiɗo, look at her fingers!"

Another wave of extreme panic engulfed them when they saw her fingers beginning to transform into bird feathers.

Together, all of them chanted, "Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihirraji'un! Hasbuna Allahu wa ni'mal wakeel!" Out of sheer terror and distress, their entire bodies were trembling.

In overwhelming panic and mental confusion, Lamiɗo turned to look at the Galadima and said in a harsh, frantic voice:

"Subahanallahi, go immediately and call Malam Musa right now!"

Swiftly, the Galadima replied, "I hear and obey," and turned to walk out quickly.

Before you knew it, news spread across the Joɗa royal palace. Without wasting time, Lamiɗo's summons reached Malam Musa.

Within seconds, Malam Musa arrived at the Joɗa palace. Lamiɗo gave the order for him to be brought straight into Mamey's room.

As soon as he entered, Malam Musa looked at her in distress, shook his head, and said to Lamiɗo and the others:

"This is witchcraft combined with sorcery, and from this moment onward, at any second, she can completely transform from a human into a bird!"

They all broke into massive outcries of salati, and the room erupted into weeping—Jamil, Jalal, Affan, Ummi, and Jafar. But Hajiya Mama's voice was the loudest, howling in fake grief and exaggerated panic.

(Ah, the hypocrisy of the wicked! Although to be fair, some co-wives face genuine suffering from the curse of polygamy, wallahi.)

That day, the palace witnessed unimaginable horror. Herbs, smoke, and traditional ointments were applied—there was nothing Malam Musa didn't try, but panic made them forget to use Ayatul Shifa (healing verses). Seeing that all traditional methods had failed, Dr. Aliyu, unable to sleep because he felt it might be a different kind of medical illness, left the room for his quarters to consult other prominent doctors over the phone. After finishing his call, he grabbed his medical kit, returned to Mamey's room, and ran all his diagnostic tests, but found no trace of any known disease or medical condition.

With bitter frustration, Malam Musa said, "Stop examining her! There is no disease here, only pure sorcery." In the end, he had to give up.

That night, no one closed their eyes; almost everyone stayed awake standing inside Mamey's room as they watched her bodily form continuously morph. Princess Aminatu cried her eyes out.

Lamiɗo called Jadda to inform her of the dire situation. Overwhelmed with shock, Jadda and Sitti immediately began preparing to travel.

Just before the Fajr (dawn) prayer, the situation worsened drastically. By that time, Mamey's physical form completely transformed into that of a Boleru bird right in front of Lamiɗo, the Galadima, and the majority of the people of the Joɗa palace.

Instantly, Abba collapsed to the ground and fainted. Panic-stricken, Dr. Aliyu rushed to him to administer first aid.

As for Mamey, who had now turned into a bird, she began flapping her wings as if preparing to fly. Like a miracle, whoosh!—she flew straight up, headed through the open window, made her way into the garden, and blended into a flock of birds gathered there.

"Innalillahi!" Jamil and Jalal fainted as well.

With frantic speed, Lamiɗo and the Galadima rushed to the window, looked down to see her landing among the birds, and burst into tears of horror at the wonders of the world.

Hajiya Mama let out a screeching wail, crying, "Woyyo Allah na! What on earth is happening to us?!" and collapsed to the ground, stiffening her eyes as if she had fainted.

That whole day, Hajiya Mama spent it crying, hugging Jamil and Jalal, who wept as though their souls were leaving their bodies.

Jadda, Sitti, Umaymah, Aunty Juwairiyya, and her father all arrived that day. The Boleru bird was tracked and contained in an enclosure, while crowds rushed to catch a glimpse of it.

Princess Saudatu came face-to-face with the bird—being somewhat foolish, she remarked:

"Oh dear, poetic justice! When someone's wickedness returns to haunt them... well, well, the Arabs have turned into a Boleru bird!"

From that moment on, the detractors of Sheikh seized upon her words and hid behind them.

As for the others, they continued weeping. Hajiya Mama cried as though her own mother had died; anyone who saw her would feel pity for her, except for Lamiɗo and the Galadima, whose suspicions remained firmly fixed on her, knowing all her actions were sheer plotting, hypocrisy, and deceit.

From then on, whenever that bird—Mamey—was caught, she would always flap her wings and fly away to rejoin her fellow birds. The situation became a baffling crisis that troubled everyone. Whenever she was caught, she would slip away, fly into the garden, and settle among the birds inside the Joɗa palace.

Amidst all this turmoil, Sheikh Jabeer knew nothing about it because he was studying at the Islamic University of Madinah at the time. However, throughout that period, his heart remained deeply unsettled. Whenever he called Mamey's phone, Aunty Rahma would answer and speak with him—since she and Mamma were staying there at the time. The theatrical panic displayed by Hajiya Mama made them trust her completely.

This tragic transformation of Mamey was what ultimately gave Jadda high blood pressure.

That night, Umaymah, Mamma, Aunty Rahma, Aunty Juwairiyya, and Sitti could not sleep at all, keeping vigil over the Boleru bird while the detractors mocked them.

Right at dawn, after they performed the Fajr prayer, the bird stirred, took flight, bypassed the Joɗa palace entirely, headed toward Cameroon, and flew straight into the Yaoundé region.

The disappearance of that bird caused them the deepest anguish imaginable. Worldwide searches were conducted until everyone grew exhausted. With neither sign nor trace of her, they eventually had to resign themselves to fate.

However, Lamiɗo, the Galadima, Jadda, and Umaymah continued their investigations and search for a solution.

When Sheikh completed his undergraduate degree and arrived in Nigeria, he was told what had transpired. The shock and psychological trauma he plunged into were indescribable. An even greater shock was discovering that Yah Jafar had stopped speaking, doing nothing but praying, reciting the Holy Quran, and weeping. Sheikh demanded to see his Mamey in her bird form, only to be told that just a day after the incident, she had flown away from the Joɗa palace.

That day, Sheikh wept like a little child, hugging Jamil, Jalal, and Yah Jafar—for ever since Sheikh's arrival, Jafar had kept a tight grip on his hand, reciting Quran and crying. They wept together while Hajiya Mama pretended to join them. That day felt like a brand-new tragedy for them.

From that time onward, Abba seemed to emotionally detach himself from his children. Instead of drawing them closer to serve as their shield and ease the burning pain in their hearts, he distanced himself from them. He himself didn't even understand why he did it—yet all of this was orchestrated by Hajiya Mama's schemes. Even during the single day the bird remained before flying off, she had gone back to her boka and told him she wanted the bird to leave the palace entirely because she saw how persistently they were using spiritual remedies.

Her boka had laughed and said: "You foolish idiot! The fact that you even managed this is because their Islamic prayers haven't caught up yet; otherwise, they would have broken the spell long ago."

Happily, she had replied: "My brilliance kept their minds from ever looking in that direction!"

Meanwhile, Lamiɗo drew Sheikh much closer to him. This was because of what Malam Musa had told them: that through Sheikh's marriage, their mother—the non-Fulani woman—would return. Consequently, the quarters given to Sheikh were located right next to the garden where the birds stayed, and a private door was opened from inside his apartment leading directly into the garden.

He didn't stay long in Nigeria before returning to Madinah, because he felt he had grown to despise Nigeria, especially the Joɗa palace. When he returned, Sitti's relatives noticed a profound change in his demeanor, and it took intense, continuous prayers before he regained his mental equilibrium. From then on, they watched over him with extreme care; his aunts and uncles played the roles of mothers, fathers, younger and older siblings to him, doing everything for him.

He would spend three or four years without visiting, though he frequently arranged for Jadda to send Jamil, Jalal, Yah Jafar, and Affan to him. Most years, they would visit twice—for Hajj and Umrah—and some years even three times. He devoted himself entirely to his studies and prayers, praying that Allah would reveal his Mamey to him wherever she might be, vowing that even if she remained a Boleru bird, he would continue to nurture and care for her for as long as he lived.

He went on to pursue his Master's degree. Instead of returning immediately, he stayed to complete his PhD. When he finally returned to Nigeria—under immense pressure from Lamiɗo, Jadda, the Galadima, and Umaymah (who acted as a mother to him)—he had no choice but to agree.

Upon his return, he kept a watchful eye on his younger siblings, guiding their upbringing, searching for their mother, caring for his children, acting as their ultimate protector, and investigating their enemies. Because of this pursuit, he successfully joined the State Security (SS) service—which had always been his personal dream, though Lamiɗo had originally forced him to study medicine. Alhamdulillah, he achieved his goal, especially after securing a position in the SS, which allowed him to uncover the whole truth.

There was a deep bond of love, empathy, compassion, and closeness between him and his grandparents.

As for Hajiya Mama, he left her to her own devices on purpose; she viewed him as a mere monkey, while he looked at her like a banana.

Malam Musa had told them beforehand that it would be through Sheikh that Mamey would return. He had informed them of what Allah revealed to him: that she had not died, she was alive, and she had transformed back into a human long ago, months after her departure.

(Such is life! It can change whenever Allah wills, for He turns difficulty into ease, day into night, year into year, bringing forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living.)

A heavy sigh of relief escaped everyone in the parlor after Yah Jafar finished recounting how everything happened—what he witnessed, how Mamey transformed into a bird, and how he himself had lost his voice, reduced only to tears and recitation.

The entire parlor erupted in the remembrance of Allah and praises to the Lord Almighty. As for Mamey, she just smiled, repeating:

"Alhamdulillah! Alhamdulillah ala kulli hal!"

Affan was weeping as though his soul was tearing away from his body. With profound tenderness, Sheikh pulled him close and embraced him, both of them shedding tears.

Moved by compassion for Affan's agonizing grief, Lamiɗo adjusted his sitting position, cleared his throat, turned to Bappa, and said:

"Tell us how Aisha came into your hands."

Instantly, the attention of everyone in the room snapped back to Bappa, as all of them desperately wanted to know how Mamey had ended up with him.

Gently, Bappa cleared his throat, adjusted his position, raised his hand, pointed his index finger at Shatu, and said:

"Shatu was the reason. Because when she first came into our hands, we saw her as nothing more than a Boleru bird for nearly seven months while she stayed with us, and we watched her..."

SLEEP OF LOVE BOOK COMPLETE

Summary

In this concluding chapter of Baccin So, Yah Jafar reveals the harrowing truth of what transpired thirteen years prior. He recounts how he witnessed Hajiya Mama performing a dark ritual over Mamey, casting a spell that transformed her into a Boleru bird. Jafar himself was struck mute by the sorcerer's curse, able only to recite prayers and weep. Mamey's subsequent transformation and escape into the palace gardens—and eventually across borders to Cameroon—plunged the Joɗa royal family into deep grief and chaos, while the scheming Hajiya Mama feigned innocence. Years later, after completing his education and joining the State Security service, Sheikh Jabeer returns to help piece together the truth, protect his family, and expose their enemies. The chapter closes with the miraculous revelation that Mamey is alive and has returned to human form, brought back into their lives through Shatu.

Description

• Setting: The royal palace of Joɗa, transitioning from a scene of dark betrayal and tragic metamorphosis to one of emotional reunion, closure, and restored hope.
• Key Characters:
  • Yah Jafar: The steadfast elder brother who witnessed the crime and bore the silent burden of muteness and trauma.
  • Mamey (Aisha): The beloved mother whose tragic curse turned her into a Boleru bird for years before her eventual restoration.
  • Hajiya Mama: The cunning and wicked co-wife whose malice and reliance on sorcery drove the family's destruction.
  • Sheikh Jabeer: The resilient scholar and security operative whose return brings protection, investigation, and the key to undoing the tragedy.
  • Bappa & Shatu: The pivotal figures who sheltered Mamey during her time as a bird, ultimately leading to her discovery.

Analytics

• Narrative Arc: Climax resolution. The long-kept secrets of the past are fully brought to light, bridging the gap between the tragic night of Mamey's disappearance and the present day.
• Character Dynamics: Highlights the stark contrast between genuine familial love (represented by Lamiɗo, Jadda, Sheikh, and Jafar) and deep-seated envy and betrayal (embodied by Hajiya Mama).
• Themes: The triumph of truth over deception, the consequences of malice and sorcery, divine intervention in human affairs ("Allah turns difficulty into ease"), and the enduring power of prayer and familial loyalty.

Comments

• Emotional Resonance: The chapter delivers a powerful emotional punch, moving from the agonizing trauma of the past to the overwhelming relief and gratitude of the final reunion (Alhamdulillah).
• Pacing & Resolution: Wrapping up the mystery of the Boleru bird and bringing Mamey back provides a deeply satisfying conclusion to the narrative arc.
• Moral Lesson: A classic cautionary tale reinforcing the Islamic motif that evil plots ultimately fail against sincere faith, patience, and divine justice.

Conclusions

• Triumph Over Evil: Hajiya Mama's elaborate plots, despite causing immense suffering, ultimately fail to permanently destroy the family or deny them their rightful future.
• The Power of Resilience: Sheikh Jabeer and his brothers—despite enduring muteness, trauma, and displacement—emerge stronger, guided by faith and dedicated to protecting their legacy.
• A Complete Journey: With Mamey safely recovered and the truth brought to light, Baccin So concludes on a note of spiritual peace, gratitude, and enduring family bonds.