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I told him I didn't have the strength to talk, so he hung up and came inside. He only greeted Hajiya since Alhaji had already left. Ra’is followed him, but Yaya Ridwan didn't even acknowledge him, let alone Yaya Radiya, who didn't even come out.
When we returned, Sardauna didn't ask me how things went with Alhaji, and I didn't tell him either. It wasn't until the next day that he informed me: "Big Daddy has given us a house—me and Turaki. It is one property divided into two wings, and he said we must move there. Turaki also has to live there once he gets married." It didn't bother me; my heart wasn't focused on moving. I was only thinking about Alhaji. Two days later, when I called Hajiya, she told me he wasn't feeling well. I became so worried that I forced Sardauna to take me home, where I cried over Alhaji.
I visited him three times during his illness until, by God’s grace, he recovered. Ever since my siblings visited my house, none of them had returned until Ra’is came to tell me about Alhaji’s poor health.
We continued visiting Dr. Dan Adala, and he kept me on medication, but there was still no sign of pregnancy. Sardauna was busy preparing for our move to the new house. He forbade all my friends from visiting, and as for my relatives, none of them would come anyway. I never went anywhere; I stayed home.
I had nothing to do but care for my husband. My daily goal was to do whatever would please him. I loved him with my whole life; I didn't want anything that would upset him. Above all, my heart was filled with pity for him. One day, after he refilled the gas, he told me it cost nearly 70,000 [Naira], and he was exhausted because he wanted to add more things for the new house. Like a joke, I told him to buy me charcoal and a charcoal stove. Before the week was out, he brought two bags of charcoal and a stove.
Hajja only visited my house once and never came back because she felt it was too far. The day she visited, I witnessed her extreme volatility. She even broke one of my hot water flasks because she was throwing a tantrum like a small child. She ate canned fish until she vomited, and in the end, she complained that I didn't give her the "fishy" kind, as if she hadn't been the one to choose it herself. She spent three days, but it felt like three years. Sardauna eventually had to bring a police dog to the house to get her to leave—she claimed she was coming to perform jego (postpartum care) for me since I wasn't giving birth. But as soon as she saw the dog, she packed her belongings and left. She hasn't returned since.
I live in a luxury house equipped with all the comforts of life, yet the distance between me and those living in the village is very small.
Narrative Continuation (Pages 15-16)
I was sitting in silence, motionless, as if someone had died, until Sardauna returned.
"Honey! What happened? Why are you so sad?"
I stood up and fell into his arms, sobbing. He was completely panicked, asking what was wrong.
"Honey, please tell me."
Through my sobs, I said, "Alhaji is very sick."
"Ya Salam, Honey, what is bothering him?"
"I don't even know, I swear."
"Who told you?"
"Ra'is. Yaya Radiya also called, but I didn't pick up; I guess she was going to tell me. I only just found out when Ra'is arrived."
"Calm down, okay? I will take you there tomorrow." He said, sitting me down on the couch. "Try to be patient, okay? Something else has come up for me too."
"What?"
"Big Daddy hasn't treated me fairly. He’s forcing me to be partners with that boy, Turaki. He found out about everything happening, and now he’s given us a house—me and Turaki—saying we must move there with our families because of our constant fighting."
"Well, I know that. Has something else happened?"
"Yes, he said we have to move within this week."
"Are we really leaving this house?"
"Yes. That’s what he wants, and it's by next week."
"Is Turaki married?"
"Married? Not at all. He’s just out there ruining other people's daughters."
"Ruining them?" I asked, terrified.
"Yes! A man his age with no family? That means he’s just corrupting other people's children. He’s thirty-one!"
"Thirty-one!" I exclaimed in surprise. He nodded.
My concern wasn't about Turaki; it was about Sardauna. I closed my eyes, recalling the time I asked Sardauna his age when he first came to our school. He told me he was twenty-five. I even thought to myself that he was exactly the kind of husband I wanted. And now, hearing he is so close in age to Turaki—could Sardauna have lied to me back then? Could Sardauna lie to me? Or was he just joking? My body went cold. I wanted to ask him, but I didn't want to upset him or make it seem like I didn't trust him.
"You aren't going to sleep today?"
"Uhm... yes, I will sleep."
"I thought maybe because Alhaji is sick, you wouldn't sleep, and you'd stay up praying for him."
I felt something strange in my heart. I hadn't been able to wake up at night to pray, only after mandatory prayers. Surely, my father needed that from me.
"Yes, I will wait until one o'clock to pray."
He sat back down and said, "Really?"
"Yes, really."
"Well, there's still a long time until one. Let's go inside; if you fall asleep, I'll wake you at one."
I followed him to the bedroom. I sat for a long time before he insisted I lie down, promising he would wake me.
The alarm I set for 5:00 AM went off. Sardauna forgot, I thought. I jumped up, performed ablution, and prayed nafila before the dawn prayer. I quickly prepared his breakfast because I wanted to leave early; my mind was entirely on Alhaji. I felt as if I was the cause of his illness.
Sardauna dragged his feet and didn't come out until 12:15 PM, and even then, he didn't eat breakfast. I was moved to tears.
"I'm sorry, Hon. I was looking into something, that's why I'm late. I'm not even finished, but please serve me breakfast so I can eat while you go and finish packing the documents."
I felt sick. I served him the ram pepper soup and yam with chicken stew I had cooked, knowing he preferred boiled yam over fried. While I served him, I went to the room where he had dumped his files. I started putting them in his bag, glancing through some. Suddenly, my eyes fell on his CV—his date of birth was 11/08/1994.
So, it's true, Sardauna isn't 25? That was the first thing I asked myself. But why did he hide it? Surely his youthfulness was part of why I started liking him in the first place. I felt tears streaming down my face. Could Sardauna lie to me? No, he wouldn't. Maybe I just heard wrong back then; my ears deceived me.
I packed the files, lost in thought. We didn't leave the house until 1:15 PM, even though I had been ready since 9:00 AM. Sardauna looked at the plastic container in my hand and asked, "What's that?"
"It's the leftover yam I cooked. I couldn't eat; my mouth feels bitter. I want to take it in case Alhaji can eat it."
"So, you only gave me a little?"
"No, that's not it!"
"You know best," he said, getting into the car.
He didn't say a word to me until we arrived. He didn't even tell me to greet the sick man. I made excuses for him, thinking he was just forgetful. I entered the house with the greeting "Assalamu Alaikum." My family was in Hajiya's living room, looking somber. I entered the room, heart pounding. The sight of Alhaji terrified me. He was lying there as if he wasn't breathing; he wouldn't even move.
I fell onto Hajiya's body, asking, "Is he really like this, Hajiya?"
Hajiya was suppressing her sobs and couldn't answer. Yaya Radiya said, "This is just how we found him."
I moved closer to him, calling, "Alhaji... Alhaji."
He looked at me with his eyes, but he couldn't speak. Ra'is said, "He can't talk."
"Where is Yaya Ridwan? Haven't you taken him to the hospital yet?"
"Nana, please compose yourself," Yaya Rumaisa said, everyone's face filled with tears.
I stood up and pulled the container I had brought. "Alhaji, please, eat this yam."
"Come and feed him," Ra'is said. I moved closer, opened the container, and fed him small pieces of yam. When I tried to give him some of the soup, Yaya Rumaisa stopped me. "Don't give him that, it has bouillon cubes; just give him the yam."
Just then, Yaya Ridwan entered. "The car has been found."
I thought to myself: So a car is what stopped my father from going to the hospital when he should have? What is the use of the cars in my house? Where is the car Sardauna gave me that I don't even use?
"Rid...wan," Alhaji said weakly. We all looked at him quickly. He gestured for him to come closer, then waved for Yaya Radiya and Yaya Rumaisa. Ra'is and I were already close to him. He looked at each of us one by one before saying:
"You are the eldest, you are the father to Ridwan... I didn't give you this burden; God did. I am sad that I am leaving and leaving you with this responsibility. Ridwan, please forgive me."
Our bodies went numb; everyone was suppressing tears.
"Be patient, don't cry. Come together as one unit. Here is your mother; in all the years I spent with her, there was nothing but goodness and kindness. Continue to obey her until your last breath."
He then pointed at me and Ra'is. "These are the little ones. Forgive them, be patient with them, especially Nana." He pointed at me and said, "She loves you. Forgive her, never be angry with her. Do not cast her aside; she is the youngest. She has no support other than God and you."
"Alhaji, please, let's take you to the hospital, for God's sake," Hajiya said, crying. He shook his head, sighing deeply, and said, "Thank you. Thank you for everything. God, thank you for the life you gave me. God, here is the trust of my children and my wife. God, watch over them, be their support wherever they are, and protect them, Oh God."
The whole room was silent, save for the sound of muffled sobbing. He reached out and signaled Yaya Radiya to come closer. "Be patient. Turn your affairs over to God; He sees, and He will provide a solution. You are the eldest; God is your support. Come together, for God's sake; don't let anything tear you apart."
"Alhaji, you tried your best for us from birth until today. You have been a good father, you stood by us and cared for us. We thank you, Alhaji, we thank you. Even if life stops now, Alhaji, you have been a heroic father. Alhaji, thank you," Yaya Radiya said, letting out a soul-touching cry.
He smiled and pointed at Yaya Rumaisa, who also moved closer. "Control your heart. Be patient with your siblings, for God's sake. Obey your husband. May God bless you and bring you together. Please forgive me."
Crying, she also began to speak. "Alhaji, we love you, and we thank you for everything you did for us. May God's blessings be upon you, Alhaji. Thank you, thank you."
He squeezed Yaya Ridwan's hand, which was in his, and said, "Patience! Patience! Patience, for God's sake. Ridwan, I didn't want to leave this burden on you, but I know God sees, and He will intervene in your affairs and give you the strength to care for your siblings. Always, my blessing is with you."
Yaya Ridwan was just crying; he couldn't say anything. Alhaji looked at me and said, "Nana! Be someone who accepts destiny, no matter what it is. Nana, your life is full of many challenges. Nana, do not be ungrateful to God. Do not lament. Be patient, and put it in your heart that everything will pass. Everything, absolutely everything, will become a story."
I hugged him and continued to cry.
"Be obedient, be kind to your siblings. Put it in your heart that God is your support, and they are your support. Ra'is, be patient in whatever life you find yourself. God sees, do you hear?"
Ra'is also burst into tears; everyone was crying.
"Thank you. Thank you, may God bless you and give you the patience to bear this loss."
Hajiya couldn't say anything; she was just shedding tears.
"God, even now, Alhamdulillah. God, I thank You, I thank You again, I will be someone who thanks You, Oh God. Tammat bi hamdillah."
Just then, Isah Nadabo entered the room. Seeing us all crying, he asked, "What happened, for God's sake? Ridwan, haven't you taken him to the hospital?"
Through his tears, Yaya Ridwan said, "He said not to go to the hospital."
Isah moved forward, took Alhaji's hand, and said, "Alhaji, please, let yourself be taken to the hospital."
"No, Isah, wait and listen," Alhaji said in a strained voice. He held his hand and said, "May God repay you with the best of rewards. May the Lord nurture your offspring. May God sustain you. The effort you put into me, may the Lord repay you. Thank you."
"Alhaji, please stop, for God's sake. Ridwan, take him, for God's sake."
"No! No! Please, leave me."
"Why, Alhaji?"
"Leave me. Let me finish my life surrounded by my family."
Before he could speak further, he was choked by a cough, and he began to recite the Shahada. We surrounded him, crying. Slowly, we heard him stop gasping.
The world stood still for us. Isah Nadabo began to lift my hand, saying, "Alhaji... Alhaji... Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un."
As I sat there, I felt a dizzy spell, and I collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
The Aftermath (Chapter 16)
When Nana wakes up in the hospital, the memory of what happened returns to her like a film playing in her mind. Her grief is visceral and all-consuming.
- The Loss of "Gata": Nana feels she has lost her "gata" (her protector/status/security). She struggles to accept that Alhaji is gone, repeatedly begging Sardauna to take her back home so she can prove he is still alive.
Sardauna’s Role: Sardauna attempts to comfort her, telling her, "I will become the gata you lost." However, for Nana, his words feel distant. She is trapped in a state of emotional paralysis, feeling as though her heart has been physically ripped from her body.
Family Friction and New Realities
Once Nana is discharged and returns to the family house, the atmosphere is heavy with mourning, but also with the underlying tensions of the transition:
- The Funeral: The funeral (Jana'iza) takes place while Nana is unconscious in the hospital. The finality of the burial is a massive blow to her psyche.
- Hajja’s Presence: Hajja and other relatives are present, but their mourning is mixed with the logistics of the estate. Isa Nadabo has taken charge of the keys to the shop, signaling the shift in power.
The "Turaki" Factor: Turaki, the man Sardauna was forced to partner with by "Big Daddy," returns from abroad. He makes a point to reach out to the family, specifically seeking contact with the male siblings (Ra’is and Yaya Ridwan).
Growing Suspicion
A critical turning point occurs when Ra’is shares details about his conversation with Turaki.
- The Age Mystery: Nana’s earlier realization that Sardauna lied about his age (his CV says 1994, which would make him significantly older than the 25 he claimed to be when they met) begins to gnaw at her. She realizes that the version of Sardauna she fell in love with might be a curated persona.
The Hidden Agenda: The way Turaki gathers information about the family—asking about their levels in school, their academic progress, and their future plans—feels calculated to Nana. She begins to wonder if this "forced" partnership in a new house is part of a larger plan to control or dismantle what is left of Alhaji’s legacy.
Key Thematic Shifts
- The Fragility of Security: Nana’s world was built on the foundation of Alhaji’s presence. Now that he is gone, she is forced to confront the reality that Sardauna, while loving, may be hiding things from her.
- The "Sartse" (Divorce/Separation/Gap): The novel's title suggests a tear or a rift. We are seeing this rift in two ways: the sudden "tear" of death in the family, and the growing emotional "rift" between Nana and her husband as she discovers he may not be the person she thought he was.
- Survival Mode: The characters are transitioning from mourning to survival. They are no longer the children of a powerful patriarch; they must now navigate a world where they are vulnerable to people like Turaki and the machinations of “Big Daddy.”
