hijab

Rabiah

"Hamidah, I don't think I can ever put on the hijab" she said to me , then she continued "the only things that matter is your faith and for you to dress decently. I will just wear my long gown, long enough to cover my feet and I will just use my veil to cover my head"
Those are Rabiah's word the first time she saw me after school.

Rabiah was my best friend in high school. She was actually a very nice person to be with. How we met always amuse me.
It happened that day we went to complete our registration to qualify as a student in the high school. We were both students coming from another school to complete our study in the school.

Rabiah, being a very friendly person, approached me with a smile. I just stared at her with a cold look like "what's wrong with this one, do I know you? ".

Actually, I was not the type that makes friend easily, I mean, I don't make friends. This was actually, not really my fault but then, Hamidah was the type that doesn't associate with people. I didn't like myself and I didn't like people. So most times, I felt odd cos I was actually odd, cold towards people and rarely seen smiling

Well, this certain girl approached me with smile on her face. She looked more like a Hausa girl, having this fair complexion and actually dressed like them. I wondered why she wanted to talk to me.
" hi, good morning " she said

"morning " I replied her hesitantly. It was too early to make friends here. I just got admission and I haven't even completed my registrations to qualify me as a Bonafide student of the school. I was about to walk away when she said.
"you are a new student here just like me. Right? " she said.

"Yes", I replied, already tired of the conversation.

"Are you through with your registration?"

"no"

"same here, then we can do that together, can we?", she said, seeming to be enjoying the conversation.

"alright", was all I could say and we went ahead to continue our registration.

I discovered that she was aspiring to be in commercial class while I was to be in humanity.

After completing the registration, she then said, "am Rabiah"

Well, she seems to be a nice girl.
"OK Robiah, am Hamidah"

"I like being called Rabiah" she corrected.

I wondered why she wanted it like that because the correct pronunciation should be Robiah and not Rabiah. But I didn't questioned her that day because she was still a stranger to me.

Rabiah then told me how she had to change her school because of the change of environment by her parents. They were initially living at Kano but due to one reason or the other, her dad deemed it fit to come back to ilorin, which is their hometown.

She actually confirmed my view about her. Being born and bred in Kano, although a native of Ilorin, she's definitely a Hausa girl and I doubted if she understands any Yoruba. Well, I liked speaking with her in English even though I was not that fluent in it. But I hate rich spoilt brat to look down on me. I mean I held high my self esteem. A little bit egocentric. Don't mind me, just hate being defeated.

That was how our friendship started and unconsciously, I got along well with my new Hausa friend. We talked about so many things and we usually converse in English. I wasn't still sure if Rabiah understands Hausa or not.
To our surprise, some girls in the school were envious of the way we spoke English all the time. They tagged us as being arrogant and full of pride. They abused and talked negatively about Rabiah, both in her presence and her absence.for most people, if not all, including me, believed that Rabiah is a Hausa girl who never understands Yoruba.