Garin Mazugal

Chapter 9 (cont)

Yaro stood transfixed, apparently appalled and shocked at what he just heard. Nothing could be more demoralising. There, Binta stood,sobbing, her hands trying to,in clinical futility,prevent the hurricane of tears that's sweeping the perimeter of her face.Her nose ran non stop as though it didn't want to be left of the flowing party.Decent,string and intelligent girls are very rare in Mazugal.Dr.Yaro,despite being of international exposure, wanted taking a bride from Mazugal.His efforts were perpetually futile until one very good Saturday morning

"My best Saturday in Mazugal.I was walking back home,fleeced of energy and passion and irritated. My party was intentionally trying to frustrate my ambition. My contacts in town were telling me of a campaign orchestrated to spoil the prestige of my family. I was tired.I've never been this stressed in my entire existence.To cap it all,my search for a bride yielded no positive result. It was like everything and everyone had a meeting to eternally frustrate me.My thoughts took control of my consciousness, motioning the legs to move,the brain to direct the legs and the eyes to see.That was where it ended.I didn't even know where I was before a voice interrupted by thoughts with piercing familiarity. The voice sounded like one I've heard before so I followed the sound.I saw the most beautiful girl reciting the most beautiful verses of poetry I've seen in my entire sojourn on earth.

"Mazugal my land of
flowing rivers and drought,
topping castles and naught,
golden bangles and want,
hidden figures and cult.
Eating sugar and salt,
thieving sultans and bought,
silken sofa and burnt.
Oh Mazugal!
Thy children calleth!
Canst thee quiver?
And make thy bile answereth?!

I was mesmerized. I made up my mind immediately to see her through school and ultimately make her my woman"

Binta came to inform Dr.Yaro of her impending wedding with Alhaji Sabiu.The scene was reminiscent of a scene off a Bollywood movie.Binta sobbed uncontrollably while Dr.Taro,trying to man up,could do nothing about the tears that colonized his eyelids. The next few minutes was spent inter-crying.

" But why,Binta..why would your dad do that?" .
Dr Yaro asked after obviously regaining his composure.This episode was a true test of his masculinity.

"How would I know?"

"And what's that supposed to mean" Anger resonating throughout.

  "What's that tone for? I told you I don't know. We were engaged with house chores one faithful day when I heard daddy calling my attention. His attitude was a marked diversion from what it used to be. He has been very happy these past days,the reason for which nobody knows. So when he called me,marriage was the last thing I had in mind.On getting there, he told me how my marriage with one Alhaji Sabi'u has been fixed and how either me or anyone can do nothing about it"

"And your mum? Didn't she protest?"

"Protest? You talk like you don't know my father. His mum of bleassed memory was the only one with the ability and capability of influencing his decision making"

Dr.Yaro was confused and angry.It wasn't enough that his political career was heading into jeopardy. Now,the only place of peace and sanctuary is to be taken from him...

".but that'd be over his dead body "
He thought to himself, a new wave of energy gushing down his nervous system.

  "What is the name of the person?"

"What person?"

  "The one you're to be married to"

"Alhaji Sabiu

Dr.Yaro said nothing. He was too drowned in his emotions to think of doing anything. Or just maybe because he didn't hear the name clearly. The next few minutes was spent in tension soaked silence. Just then,his mind wandered back to what Binta said. Then he realised the enormity of a mess he is in.

"Wait..what did you call the man?"

   "What man?"

"The one you're being married to."

  " Alhaji Sabi'u"

"Chaaap! Ku kashe ni kawai (Just kill me)"

He bursted into tears, humiliating for his age but understandable for he situation he is in. His face convulsed with every eruption of tears, leaving him with the appearance of a hungry and hopeless homeless person.

  "Do you know him?"

"Why won't I? Who doesn't know Sabiu? He is friends with Alhaji Iro and Alhaji Mai naira-2 devilis bestriding the earth. They are spearheading a campaign against me in the party....intact,both men,alongside Mal Barau,are responsible for my political failures. They're my emeries"

A new wave of tears erupted in the glands of Binta.She placed her hands on her head,after making sure her wrapper sat tight around her,and yelled "Na shiga uku (I'm in trouble)". Her heart raced to different places bringing alongside her person, questions deserving of answers but having no answers.

"How will I leave with him?  How will I even love him? Can I even stand his presence? What happens to Dr. after that?"

These questions propelled her into taking solace in fantasies pathetically oblivious of the works if her bodily existence.The heightened silence was broken by a sudden blast of strength evident in the manner of his strides.He blasted into space with such strength never seen with him.Binta was shocked and surprised. Yaro continued his journey without looking back or talking to her.

" Yaya..Yaya..."  She called out. He neither turned nor acknowledged her summons.He was broken yet in strength. The sudden burst of energy he felt surprised even him. Where was he heading to?He didn't know.He continued trudging on, anger evidently written on his face. There was no mistaking his mood. His steps, as brisk as lion preying,as bold as an elephant stumping but as confused as the strides as a homeless person.He continued walking sparsing each strides with a muscular sigh and dripping sweat. After realising that he was on a path to perdition, an oath of self inflected destruction, he turned towards the road leading to home.At least, his mum would give him words to soothe his throbbing hearts. He opened the door to an uncharacteristic silence bestriding the atmospheric condition of the house.Everything wasn't normal.The tap in the toilet kept running nonstop. This was unlike Haj.Talle's house. Even the ever garrulous Ramatu was nowhere. Yaro peeped into the cellar,the Kunu cellar,that has gained fame throughout Mazugal. This was like a sanctuary for the poor. They are always welcomed to drink Kunu for free.The door to the cellar wasn't locked.Yaro walked in gingery as though scared of stirring the dead into changing sleeping positions. He saw 7 cups of unfinished Kunu across the various tables in the room.His fears was heightened when he saw how utterly useless the cat they kept as a pet has been reduced to.His lively and bubbly demeanor was replace with a suleln look of dejectedness and pity.His happy faced was now masked with the look of pity,the face of someone trying to scream for help but had his voice blocked by a phlegm covering the throat.Yaro quickly rushed to the sitting room.The sight that greeted him froze him to death. There, Ramatu was, swimming in rivers made of her own blood.Tears flexed the perimeters of his face. But he hasn't seen his mum yet.This was as troubling as it gets. He ran into the room,ransacking every strand of normalcy. She wasn't there.Looking behind him,he saw that the door to the bathroom was open.He took mechanic steps to the bathroom and met the greatest shock of his life.His mum was gasping for breath. he quickly rushed to where she was,confused and still wanting to do something logical in spite of his confusion.

"Hajia..Hajia" He called her,frustrated desperation ingrained in his tone.. "Hajiya what happened? Who did this to you? Na shiga uku!(I'm in trouble).. Let's take you to the hospital."

He made to lift her up but was stopped the faint calls of hi mum.

"Yaro "

"Hajiya". He answered amidst sobs.

" Be careful...Be careful. "
 
"Of what? Hajiya let's get you to the hospital"

"No..its fruitless "
 
"Hajiya....?!"

"Yaro my boy......come close.."

She whispered something into his ear and died almost immediately. Yaro didn't know what to do.The enormity of what Hajia told him and her subsequent death was too much a burden.It was like being nailed to a volcanic eruption. His heart wandered around reciprocals until it went to what Binta told him.He let a scream and fell with a thud so strong to be compared to the blasting of rocks.