Garin Mazugal

chapter 11/12.

Habu has always nursed the ambition of kicking Abuh off his throne. Abuh,despite being a fantastic and legendary liar wasn't a totally bad person. He never wished evil for anyone. He has never been part of an nocturnal gathering built on the premise of delusional sense of self importance or destruction. He was a hard working and contented young man who secretly hoped for a better life. His only fault was the ceaseless reservoir of lies.. something someone with legendary status does. His fame as liar masked any good trait he has. Habu on the other hand was the silent, cunning and manoeuvering man who silently sought power and was ready to do anything to get it. He was as intelligent as well as crafty,seeing and seeking relevance in politics, concomitantly defining his self worth with acceptance from people. What Abuh had in lies, he had in scheming things to have his way. Habu wasn't as good an orator as Abuh was but trust him to find his way around things. A pantomime of an ultra violent ambitions, he has been plotting ,secretly, on ways of dethroning Abuh as the king of the youths. Being the youth leader is preparatory to taking the highest seat in Mazugal; that he eyed too but suspended to a much later date. Little wonder that he found a veritable ally in the game of devilry will his brother in dark arts,Mallam Barau.

Habu was ranting on a very good Saturday evening... but not so good at least to him. He just left the gathering of youth and to his amazement,all his plots and efforts to disgrace Abuh failed. Its as though the level of love and respect he commanded from the youth was increasing! No one even looked at him. Habu was ranting, sticking his fingers into airy nothingness, threatening brimstone and Apocalyptic Armageddon, sweating, swearing that he won't rest till he ends Abuh.

"Birds of same plumage are magneted by their characteristic propensity to move circumjacent,together".

This statement couldn't be more apt. As Habu was shouting, Barau who was making a stop at a nearby bush to ease himself took note if everything and smiled to himself. " Finally! I've found a brother!"

He stealthily made to the spot Habu stood ranting. With a little tap,he summoned the attention of Habu who instantly pounced on him like a wounded lion. After landing a couple blows and discovering the concomitant helplessness of his victim,Habu drew backwards. "If this one was sent to kill me,why is he not fighting?" He thought.
Barau was on the floor with spilling from his mouth. He liked the anger in Habu. He enjoyed it!
Habu woke him up from his trance by using his leg to hit Barau with so much power that he winced in rapid succession.

"Young man! Who are you?" Habu asked.

"Your long lost brother" Barau replied.

"You must be out of your mind..I have no brother. In fact I have no..."

"I'm here to help you bring down Abuh" Barau chirped in.

"And why should I trust you?"

"Because I'm Barau,Alhaji Iro's closest worker"

This revelation made Habu's jaw drop. He just ignorantly manhandled one of the strongest men in Mazugal! He was done for! With knees on the floor and an immediate release of tears, he began to beg Barau and him being a smart politician,made Habu feel like he was done a favour. Barau made sure that Habu left with the impression that his continuous existence is only because of his magnanimity. In him,Barau found a conduit for all his evils. The fact that Abuh was ravenous about seeing the end of Abuh played beautifully into Barau's hands. So they started by killing Hajiya Talle and ingeniously crafting one of mankind's most successful lying cycle ever. First,they planted a false alarm rumour in the minds of people by saying that Hajiya Talle will fake her death in no distant time. "Why will she do that?" People will ask them and like two devils plotting on which part of the human heart to attack,they draw them closer and with hushed voices, say "They want people,lots of people to gather. When they do,they'll pump something into the air.. Kaman O2 ake kiran shi( like it's called O2.) If you inhale it,you'll never give birth again".

The lie sounded ridiculous but trust humans, Mazugalians to fall for it. They've always suspected her to be allied with the Jews anyways so this didn't sound too surprising to them. True to their words,after a few days,Hajiya Talle was pronounced dead. Nobody cared. This explains why no one came to her funeral as they all thought it to be the false alarm they were warned against. Barau himself succeeded in persuading the MIL to quickly leave town on a " spiritual assignment " for Alhaji Iro. The people Yaro met at their HQ were students who didn't even know the basic tenets of Islam very soundly. They were also given specific warning by Barau not to leave no matter what happens. Habu on the other hand, personally supervised Abuh's slander. He invented the "He-stole -2-eggs" story to bring Abuh down to his knees. It was a sight he has continuously fantasized about and a sight he wants to get ...at all costs! Pleasing it was this to him that his alliance with Barau has brought him what he so much wanted..the gradual demystification of Abuh. This alone strengthened his resolve to keep the alliance with Barau..at least for now. An alliance built on diabolism will surely have defects. Such alliances are susceptible to hijacks and scheming from members who are fast in acting and fill with inordinate ambitions. Theirs was no different.

CHAPTER 12.
The political dust hovering around Mazugal made it hard for anyone to realise the absence of Yaro. No one seem to know what he was doing or where he went to. No one even remembered him. Alhaji Iro and others couldn't care less. His death was of more usefulness to them than his life. His absence to them is a welcomed development but his continuous existence gave each of Iro,Sabiu,Mai Naira and Barau sleepless nights. They know of how easily he would get people behind him taking into account,their recent show of ravenous and avaricious ambitions.

Yaro was sitting down in his mum's compound when Munifa,the girl who abused drugs on a legendary scale, walked in. She looked too normal for a stoner. Yaro,knowing of her past and present, sat up in readiness for whatever drama she came with.
'Maybe she ran out of stock and came to beg for money" He thought. "I have nothing to give."

"Salaamun alaikum Yaya"

"Wa alaikumusalam" Yaro replied carefully, not to sound too surprised.. and confused.

"I know you're thinking something else but I'm here to help you"

"Help me? How?"

"Look, I know most people think I'm of no use but your mum took me in. She treated me well. She looked after me and made me see things differently. She guided me..." She said sobbing..

Yaro then remembered what his mum told him when she was about dying. She only said "Munifa " and kept quiet. Yaro now understands the reasons behind these.

" You have no time " She continued "You must leave Mazugal now! They're all planning to kill you. Gather whatever you can and leave."

Yaro did. He smiled on his way out,remembering his mum. Indeed,good and being good is good. No one knows Munifa's present status. No one knows she has given up drugs. This anonymity gives her perfect disguise when she goes out to get in formations on recent happenings in Mazugal. While Habu and Barau had the devil superintending their own alliance, Yaro and Munifa had the Almighty watching over them. And HE is the best of watchers.