The Power Of Calmness

Chapter 60

Babe'sBabe 2023

The long anticipated day is finally here. The day everyone has prayed and waited dearly for. Yes, you guessed right. Bashir Bukar Ali and Habeebah Hassan Ribadu are wedding today. #Babe'sBabe2023 has been the buzz in the air, on everyone's lips, on social media, you name it! It wasn't your regular wedding, it was a festival. Indeed in Humairah words, "Royal families don't do low-key and okay likewise the Ribadu's" because they clearly went all out for this wedding. A golden wedding, if I may add.

Relatives, friends and generous acquaintances of the family, from far and near began arriving a week/days to the wedding. Umma in her own goodwill, graciously received them heartily with a hospitality that was topnotch. Due to how many they were, two of Baba's houses were prepared purposely for the arrival of the guests. Aisha's mom, Umma's bestie - Binta was already present and in action, after all it was her daughter's wedding as well. Humairah had a surprise bridal shower organized for Habeebah with bunch of her's and Habeebah's friends in attendance. Humairah made sure of it that her sister had no inkling clue of what she was up to because, knowing Habeebah well, she will try to talk her out of it. So she had to draw her out of the house with a little lie, rasping to her on the phone that, "Adnan got into a fight with a kid and he injured the boy pretty bad, his family are asking for a compensation." And that did it. Because the next minute, Habeebah was blaring her horn to cars that were sluggishly driving as if they owned the road.

The term "bewilderment" wasn't enough to explain what she felt in that moment; seeing her friends, Aisha, who she had no idea was in the country already and Ilhaam- her work buddy brought tears to her orbs.

"How did she see this past Humairah?" She thought to herself, after she was remodeled into a bride-to-be she is. All in all, she was beyond grateful for the people around her, she wouldn't  have asked for anything else.

Today was the Daurin-aure (marriage-ceremony). All the men of the house already left for the mosque to go witness the ceremony. The ladies were left to the house, as they sang and danced joyfully in Fulfude, beating the kwarya (calabash) to make melodious sounds along with their tunes. Kids were in packs, as they played and roamed around the whole house. Habeebah was in the center of all these, being serenaded with scented candles wax, basking into the whole euphoria of in the air. This, had to be her most happiest day yet because, what? The love, adoration, devotion and shine from the people oozed of, was beautiful and super satisfying.

Twinkle twinkle little star, and Humairah came yelling out her lungs"An Daura!" (It has been SEALED). Everyone, both young and old erupted into yodeling of the congratulatory scream of "Ayyiriri!" The smile on the bride's face could lit up a whole room, she couldn't help but, move her body to the music as it went up a high notch. Prayers and congratulations poured in from everywhere in the room "Allah ya sanya alkhairi, Allah ya bada zaman lafeeya" was the mantra on everyone's lips. She replied "Aameen" to every prayer, silently saying hers too as her daughters came to hug her. Hanan being Hanan, kept on giggling amidst her screams; Aaliyah couldn't morph a word out but, her eyes held the word Habeebah needed to hear, her grip gave her the warmth she needed to feel and that in all, was all enough. Just on reflex, her phone beeped with a message from a contact "Hubby"  and it read as thus;

Dear wife,
         I have longed for this day and, it finally feels so good to call you mine. Today, I pledge my undying love to you; I promise to  adore, cherish, care and protect you till I no longer breathe. SEALED IS OURS and, I really can't wait to see what lies ahead for us - MRS Bashir Bukar Ali.
                                                                         Your darling husband,
                            ~ Bukar.