Description
It was an exquisitely gorgeous gown worn with elegance. As she draped the matching scarf over her head, it revealed her captivating beauty. From her right, Abdull emerged, carrying two large baskets.
They had come specifically to bring food for their Daddy and Barrister Kabir, because they had been informed about a meeting they were holding. That was why Momy cooked a special meal and sent it over.
Right as Jannart reached the steps leading up into the hall, Dr. Rayyern stepped out of the hall, looking extremely upset and suffering from a splitting headache caused by the elders' shouting, plus a throbbing finger because he hadn't taken his medication in the morning.
Their eyes locked instantly, but the moment Jannart saw him, she quickly pulled back.
Inside the hall, everyone was in disarray, with people shouting over one another. This prompted Barrister Kabir Saleh Dakata to quickly stand up and head outside, following Dr. Rayyern Mai-nasara.
As for Rayyern, because he was furious, he didn't even look back at her; he headed straight to his car, and Jannart watched him until he vanished from sight. Barrister Kabir Saleh Dakata, who had just come out, also watched him go.
Abdull, standing nearby, looked at Jannart and asked, "What is it? Did you know him?"
She turned her head slightly away and, without dragging out the conversation, said, "Never mind, let's just go." Hearing that, Abdull kept quiet.
They quickly stopped upon seeing their father's younger brother, but his attention wasn't on them; his eyes were glued to Rayyern's car as he muttered something softly under his breath.
Hearing Abdul's voice made him turn slightly. He acknowledged their greeting, took the food items, and told them to go home. From there, they also turned back home.
As for Rayyern, from the company premises, he directly told his driver to take him home. That was exactly what happened; they headed straight home to Nassarawa G.R.A.
Riyyam-nsra was standing near a massive, luxurious gate. While taking a stroll and exploring the neighborhood with his friend Nasir, they had walked past this particular house. Nasir suggested that Riyyam-nsra stop so they could shoot a video right in front of the gate.
He slowly stroked the thick hair resting on his head. Ahmad, who was standing in front of him holding Riyyam's phone, laughed and said, "I swear, I'm tired of holding these phones. You've been saying you wanted to make a video with a Hausa song for a while, but you keep hesitating like a newcomer to the scene."
Riyyam laughed as well and replied, "You know my Hausa; I don't want the lip-syncing to go wrong." Nasir smiled and said, "No, don't worry, it will be great."
Riyyam-nsra smiled, stroked his hair, stepped forward, focused, and had Ahmad start the recording. True to his usual TikToker persona, he began dancing and mouthing the lyrics of a Hausa song playing from the device, singing:
"I have no house, I have no car," he sang while gesturing to the house behind him. He continued: "I don't have massive wealth, my dad is not a governor, not a president, and not a lawmaker."
Nasir smiled brightly, cheering him on because he looked amazing dancing to the Hausa song. Encouraged by Nasir's support, Riyyam continued:
"I didn't go to an expensive school, I didn't go to Dubai, and I didn't go to London. Our house is not in G.R.A., and I haven't taken a selfie for Instagram. Even if I become an outcast, I swear I will never become a liar!!"
He danced gracefully and looked exceptionally good.
Right at that moment, Dr. Rayyern Mai-nasara’s car pulled up right in front of the gate, while Ramadan's car simultaneously turned in from the left side, as he was also just arriving home.
At the same instant, they slammed on their brakes and widened their eyes in shock as G...
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When Rayyern and Ramadan looked up, their eyes landed almost simultaneously on the young man standing by the gate. Riyyam, who was about to raise his head, locked eyes with Rayyern, who was sitting in the passenger seat of his car. Because Rayyern had come out of the Dakata company hall in absolute fury, he hadn't bothered choosing a seat; he had simply opened the front passenger door and sat down.
There was not a single trace of a smile on his face; instead, intense anger had flushed his facial skin red, along with his eyes, and a visible vein throbbed on his forehead. His head was aching heavily from talking too much that day and the elders' shouting.
"Laah! Hamma Rayyern!!" exclaimed Riyyam-nsra, his face lighting up with extreme joy and surprise as he moved away from the gate and walked straight toward Rayyern's car. Still smiling, he added, "Thank God I got to see you around here. You disappeared on me at the airport yesterday, and I had a hard time looking for you."
Dr. Rayyern Mai-nasara closed his weary eyes. Even though he couldn't hear what Riyyam was saying, he could see the young man's lips moving and understood his words.
At that exact moment, Baba Mauɗo swung open the massive gate from inside, prompting Rayyern's driver to nose the car inside.
The sudden movement caused Naseer to look down and spot a handsome guy sitting inside the car who looked remarkably like his friend Riyyam-nsra. His mouth dropped open in shock, and he whispered, "La, Riyyam, look at someone who looks just like you."
Riyyam smiled, folded his arms across his chest, and watched as Rayyern's car drove inside the house.
Ramadan, sitting inside his own car, had been frozen in place, staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the young man who looked like an exact photograph of his older brother Rayyern. The resemblance between the young man's face and his Hamma Rayyern's was undeniable. Filled with wonder, he drove his car up to the gate, lowered his window, and kept staring at the young man, who still wore a smile.
Noticing that the young man had turned slightly away and blocked his path, Ramadan honked his horn.
The sound of the horn made Riyyam-nsra and Naseer turn. Their eyes landed on Ramadan as he maneuvered his car to enter the compound. As Riyyam looked at Ramadan's face, a sudden jolt hit his chest. Thinking his eyes might be playing tricks on him, he rubbed his palms together, only to realize it wasn't a trick—the face of the man inside the car bore a striking resemblance to his Mammy and his Zaytoon!
Overwhelmed with amazement, Naseer turned to Riyyam and said, "Allahu Akbar! Almighty God, Riyyam, look at someone who looks just like Zaytoon and your Mammy, and here is another one who looks just like you! Could they be your relatives?" Naseer asked as Riyyam already headed into the house, with Naseer rushing to follow him.
As Riyyam-nsra stepped into the compound, Dr. Rayyern Mai-nasara and Ramadan were stepping out of their cars. Riyyam quickly strode forward without a second thought, threw his arms wide open, and threw them around Rayyern in a firm hug.
"I'm so glad to see you, Hamma Rayyern! Is this your house? And who is this?" Riyyam asked Dr. Rayyern, gesturing toward Ramadan, who stood nearby with questions of his own.
Rayyern closed his heavy eyes and let out a deep sigh. His heart had been boiling, but at that moment, it suddenly grew calm. He gently placed his hands on Riyyam, pushed him back slightly, and said softly, "He is my younger brother, Ramadan."
A smile of pure surprise and delight crossed Riyyam's face. True to his lively and friendly nature, he immediately embraced Ramadan and said cheerfully, "My name is Riyyam-nsra, and I'm so glad to meet you, Hamma Ramadan."
Ramadan smiled with deep happiness, feeling an instant wave of warmth and affection for the young man. "Me too! But tell me, how do you know my Hamma Rayyern, and why do you two look so much alike?"
Riyyam-nsra smiled and, with a hint of wonder at the matching tone of Ramadan's voice, replied, "We met on a plane to Ethiopia yesterday. I was amazed by our resemblance too, but God works in mysterious ways, which is why he became my Hamma!" Riyyam finished by looking at Dr. Rayyern, who was already walking toward the entrance of the main living room.
Ramadan closed his eyes for a moment and hugged the handsome young man—who looked to be around 21 or 22 years old—tightly. He felt an intense fondness for him, wishing he could be a younger brother to him just as he was to Hamma Rayyern. Holding the young man's hand warmly, Ramadan said, "Masha Allah, Riyyam-nsra, let's go inside. I'm eager to show Abba and Mamy someone who looks just like our Rayyern."
They smiled, and Riyyam held tightly to Ramadan's hand, feeling as though they had known each other forever rather than just meeting today. Turning to Naseer, who stood nearby watching in pure awe, Riyyam gestured for him to follow, and Naseer hurried after them.
Dr. Rayyern Mai-nasara went straight up to his private upstairs suite, needing rest from his pounding head and hoping to avoid any disturbances.
"Abba! Mamy! Abbana!! Come out and see something amazing!" shouted Ramadan as he walked into the living room, hand-in-hand with Riyyam-nsra. His voice carried clearly to the downstairs bedroom where their parents were. Hearing the urgent call, Abba and Mamy quickly stood up and rushed out into the main living room.
When they reached the center of the room and saw Ramadan and Riyyam standing there, it triggered an immediate wave of shock, fear, and profound disbelief.
Mamy pressed her hand against her chest in utter astonishment, staring wide-eyed at the young man holding Ramadan's hand. If her eyes weren't deceiving her, the exact facial features of her son Rayyern were mirrored on this stranger. Struggling to steady her voice, she asked, "Ramadan, who is this? Where did you find him? I am seeing Rayyern's face on him—or are my eyes playing tricks on me?"
Ramadan smiled, pulled Riyyam closer with his other hand, and said warmly, "No, Mamy, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. His name is Riyyam-nsra, and he truly looks just like our Hamma Rayyern. Hamma Rayyern is actually the one who found him when they met on a flight from Ethiopia to Nigeria."
Mamy fell silent, staring fixedly at the young man—much like Abba, who stood staring without even blinking. From the very first glance, Abba hadn't been able to look away. His heart hammered wildly against his ribs, and a strange sensation surged from his feet to the crown of his head. He knew there were lookalikes in the world, but the resemblance to Rayyern was overwhelming.
Seeing his parents' stunned expressions, Ramadan smiled and gently pulled Riyyam closer to them. Taking Mamy's hand, he smiled broadly and said, "Please, Mamy, look closely at Riyyam. He looks so much like your Hamma Rayyern."
Turning to Riyyam, whose face wore a wide, polite smile, Ramadan introduced them: "Riyyam, this is our Mamy, a mother like a thousand in one, and this is our Abba, the pillar and shield of his children."
A radiant smile broke across Riyyam's face. With deep humility and respect, he knelt gracefully on his knees and said respectfully, "Abba and Mamy, welcome home. I hope you will accept me just as Hamma Rayyern and Ramadan did. From today, Mamy, you are my mother, and Abba, you have taken the place of my father."
Abba's heart almost stopped beating when the young man's voice reached his ears, noting how eerily similar it sounded to Ramadan's voice. His mind began to spin as old, powerful memories threatened to resurface. His heart raced even faster when his eyes drifted down to the young man's feet/toes.
Meanwhile, Mamy felt a soothing warmth settle in her chest. She reached down, gently lifted the young man up, and smiled warmly at him. "Insha Allah, Riyyam, we accept you with open arms, just like your Hammas did."
Riyyam beamed with joy, then looked up at Ramadan's father, who was still staring at him intently. Abba offered a gentle smile in return.
Ramadan then led Riyyam into the living room to sit down. He walked straight to the fridge, grabbed some bottled water and chilled fresh milk, and handed them to Riyyam and Naseer, who stood by as an observer. Mamy walked over to the dining table herself to set out lunch since it was already afternoon.
Ramadan lovingly led Riyyam and Naseer to the dining table. Once they were seated, Mamy served them a delicious plate of vegetable jollof rice paired with pepper chicken. After serving everyone, she pulled up a chair and sat next to Abba, who had also walked over and seated himself.
"Where is Rayyern? Hasn't he returned?" Mamy asked Ramadan, who was about to take a bite of food.
"He's back, but he went upstairs. I could tell from his mood that he's tired—I think it's work stress," Ramadan replied, swallowing his food.
Mamy nodded thoughtfully, then turned her gaze toward Riyyam-nsra with a warm smile. "Masha Allah, Riyyam, which country are you from?"
Riyyam paused eating, adjusted his posture to face Mamy respectfully, and replied in his unique accent, "I am from Ethiopia. My mother and my sister are there; that is where I was born and raised. I came to Nigeria because of my friend Naseer," he said, gesturing toward Naseer, who was sipping the Chapman Mamy had prepared.
Mamy smiled gently and resumed eating.
Just then, Rayyern began walking down the stairs from his upper suite, dressed comfortably in a stylish t-shirt and regular jeans. Seeing Abba, Mamy, and Riyyam-nsra gathered at the dining table, he paused and stared at them.
Abba, whose heart was still fluttering, turned his gaze to Naseer and asked, "And you, where are you from, and who are your parents?"
Naseer adjusted his posture respectfully and answered, "My father's name is Alhaji Ahmad Dasuki. We are originally from Nigeria, and we live here in Kano, in the Rijiyar Zaki neighborhood."
Abba paused in deep thought for a moment before speaking calmly, "Alhaji Ahmad Dasuki... honestly, I don't recognize that name."
Naseer smiled and replied, "Well, he isn't very famous because he's not in business. However, my mother is the daughter of Malam Mai-Nasara; I am his grandson."
Instantly, all warmth vanished from Abba's face. Every trace of his smile and pleasant expression evaporated the moment the name Malam Mai-Nasara was uttered.
Noticing the shift, Ramadan looked away from his father and up the stairs at Rayyern, who was also staring intently at Abba. None of them understood why Abba harbored such deep resentment or aversion toward anything related to Malam Mai-Nasara—it was a tightly kept secret, and they had no idea why.
Ramadan lowered his head slightly and said in a soft, troubled voice, "Abba, that is actually the reason I rushed home today. Earlier, Malam Mai-Nasara was rushed to our hospital; he is very sick, suffering from severe hypertension and diabetes. Dr. Rayyern's expertise is urgently needed to examine him. Sulaiman tried calling Rayyern's phone, but it wouldn't go through at all, so I came home hoping to reach him, because Malam's condition is critical!"
Abba's face hardened into a severe mask. With a cold and dismissive tone, he declared, "Rayyern is not going anywhere. He is not the only senior doctor in Kano; there are plenty of doctors. Take him to another hospital!"
Silence fell heavily over the entire living room, and Ramadan cast his eyes downward. Rayyern, standing upstairs, closed his eyes tightly, silently asking himself what reason or justification could possibly lie behind their father's bitter aversion...
Summary
In this chapter, two parallel worlds collide. The narrative begins with Jannart and Abdull delivering a specially prepared meal from Momy to their father and Barrister Kabir at a business hall. Outside, Jannart crosses paths with a furious and exhausted Dr. Rayyern Mai-nasara, who is suffering from a splitting headache due to unruly elders and a skipped morning dose of medication. They lock eyes, but Jannart quickly retreats, while Dr. Rayyern ignores her and leaves for home in Nassarawa G.R.A.
Meanwhile, not far away, a young TikToker named Riyyam-nsra is filming a humorous video by a luxury gate with his friend Naseer. Coincidentally, Dr. Rayyern and his brother Ramadan arrive home at the exact same moment. Ramadan and Rayyern are struck by the uncanny, almost twin-like resemblance between Riyyam and Dr. Rayyern.
Warm and friendly, Riyyam hugs Dr. Rayyern and meets Ramadan, quickly fitting into their lives like a long-lost brother. They bring Riyyam and Naseer inside to meet Mamy and Abba. Mamy and Ramadan are instantly captivated by Riyyam's charm and his striking physical likeness to Rayyern. Riyyam politely introduces himself, claiming Ethiopia as his home and asking to be embraced as a son.
However, the warm atmosphere instantly shatters when Naseer reveals that his mother is the daughter of Malam Mai-Nasara. Abba's face hardens with intense malice and rejection. Ramadan desperately tries to plead for help, explaining that Malam Mai-Nasara is critically ill in the hospital with severe hypertension and diabetes and urgently needs Dr. Rayyern's medical care. Abba coldly and stubbornly refuses, forbidding Rayyern from going anywhere near him, leaving the family in tense, unresolved silence.
Description
- Atmosphere & Setting: The chapter shifts between bustling public business premises, a luxurious residential neighborhood in Nassarawa G.R.A., and the emotionally charged, affluent family home of Dr. Rayyern. It moves from energetic hustle (filming TikTok videos, chaotic business meetings, food deliveries) to startling domestic revelations.
- Character Dynamics:
- Jannart & Rayyern: Brief, tension-filled eye contact that highlights hidden emotional undercurrents.
- Riyyam-nsra: Charismatic, joyful, culturally vibrant (Ethiopian-raised Nigerian roots), and strikingly similar in appearance and voice to Dr. Rayyern and Ramadan, acting as an emotional catalyst.
- Abba: Initially a stern patriarch, he transforms into a figure of cold hostility and deep-seated grudges the moment "Malam Mai-Nasara" is mentioned.
- Ramadan & Mamy: Compassionate, welcoming, and deeply concerned, caught in the middle of family friction and medical emergencies.
Analytics
- Thematic Conflict: The chapter centers heavily on identity, resemblance, and buried family secrets. The striking physical and vocal resemblances (Riyyam looking like Rayyern, sounding like Ramadan, and bearing features reminiscent of Zaytoon/Mammy) hint at a major forthcoming plot twist regarding hidden lineage or long-lost relatives.
- Character Motivation:
- Abba's Hostility: Driven by an unexplained, bitter grudge against Malam Mai-Nasara, overriding even basic human empathy during a medical crisis.
- Ramadan's Duty: Driven by family responsibility to secure medical help for an ailing elder.
- Riyyam's Openness: Represents innocence, connection, and an immediate desire for belonging.
- Pacing: The narrative uses effective juxtaposition—blending lighthearted, modern elements (social media, TikTok videos, beauty parlor advertisements) with high-stakes family drama and emotional confrontation.
Comments
- Suspense & Foreshadowing: The author skillfully drops hints about Riyyam's true identity. His uncanny resemblance to Rayyern, his connection to Ethiopia, and his immediate comfort with the family strongly suggest he is not just a random lookalike met on a plane, but someone intimately tied to the family's past.
- Abba's Rigidity: Abba's reaction to the name "Malam Mai-Nasara" highlights a toxic level of stubborn pride or historic animosity. Refusing medical assistance out of personal spite makes him appear uncompromisingly harsh, creating a compelling moral dilemma for Rayyern and Ramadan.
- Cultural Integration: The blend of modern Hausa youth culture (social media trends, TikTok) with traditional familial respect and domestic hospitality adds a realistic, contemporary flavor to the story.
Conclusions
- The Mystery of Riyyam-nsra: Riyyam is undeniably destined to disrupt and ultimately heal or reveal long-held secrets within the family. His seamless integration into the brothers' hearts contrasts sharply with Abba's rejection of anything connected to Mai-Nasara.
- Impending Family Rebellion: Abba's harsh veto regarding Malam Mai-Nasara's medical emergency is unlikely to stand. Given Dr. Rayyern's professional duty and Ramadan's persistence, a clash between filial obedience and moral obligation is imminent.
- Overall Outlook: Page 8 of Tubali successfully deepens the overarching plot, shifting from light character introductions to high-stakes emotional confrontation, setting the stage for major revelations in subsequent chapters.