The Activist 1

I never thought we could win this case, after all it is my first real case. It is the 2nd rape case da mukayi handling after launching of my NGO SBM Initiative for Rape Victims. We didn’t win the first one sai ma threats da muka dinga receiving, so wannan din ma a tsorace muka karba. Barr. Salahu had to ginger me and Barrister Amina before we accepted this, then he had to attend to some kind of family emergency earlier today just a few minutes before our final trial. So dole ni da Barrister Amina mukayi handling case din. 

I almost screamed when I heard the judge read out the sentence.

I looked up at Barrister Amina who’s driving us home after the case, our eyes met and we laughed – again. That’s what we’ve been doing since we left the court premises. 

‘Barrister’ I called her name to get her attention, and then I proceeded

‘This feels so good you know, at least mun kwato wa yarinyar nan ‘yancinta a wajen tsohon banzan nan. Yanzu sai yaje ya dana zaman prison.’

She smiled ‘Yeah, I’m so happy yet sad he has destroyed that girl’s life. I would have been happier if he had been sentenced to life imprisonment. But even this one is ok, at least he’ll be away and miserable for some time.’

She dropped me a few streets away from home as she had to rush to pick up her daughter Firdaus from school, so I walked home. 

I heard Mama’s voice from the kitchen chatting with our house help Ladi, so I rushed straight to the kitchen. As soon as Mama came into view I raised my hands in the air with a laugh and almost screamed

‘We won Mama, we won.’

She turned around to look at me with her smile ‘Wow, that’s good news, and the first case you win. Congratulations. I hope the girl is doing ok.’

I shrugged a bit ‘She’ll be fine, they have a few more visits to the doctor and she can go back to her normal life. We’ve also given her 20k to help with medication and transportation.’

‘Good. Barakallah feekum.’

I can see that she’s proud of me, at least at that moment. 

I spent all day smiling and telling everyone who cares to listen about our victory.

After isha’i prayer I was sitting in our room working on some case files while Fathiyya was chatting on her phone, Mama came in.

She looked at Fathiyya and said 

‘Fathiyya kina nan dai kina chatting ko, you won’t even drop the phone to rest your eyes.’

‘Allow her Mama, it’s because she doesn’t have anything more important to do. She won’t be able to chat someday.’ I said before Fathiyya could respond while Mama sat on the edge of our bed.

Ta zumbura baki ta cigaba da chatting dinta while I laughed. 

Mama looked at me tayi gyaran murya tace

‘Sarah.’

I dropped the pen I was holding and gave all my attention to her because she sounded quite serious, she continued

‘Abbanku yace na gaya miki ki sanar da Jamil ya turo, tunda kinga kin gama law school ga aiki har kin kusa shekara da farawa. Yana so a hada aurenki da na Fathiyya tunda ita Aliyu ya shirya suna maganar kawo lefe ma.’ 

‘Yes Mama, I will do that in sha Allah. He’s on his way here. I will tell him right away.’

Few minutes after Mama left our room his call came in. I quickly brushed my face with my powder and applied my lip gloss, then covered my head with my small veil. I looked at Fathiyya who was still chatting on her phone. I tapped her shoulder gently and said

‘Yauwa na tafi wajen rabin raina.’

She looked up at me with a giggle

‘To Allah ya so dai nima ina da rabin rai.’

I giggled too as I went out.

He came with his friend Ahmad, so I let them in after I opened the guest living room for them. We talked about random things with both of them, na basu labarin case din da muka yi winning earlier today. Few minutes into our conversations I looked at Jamil, our eyes met. He gave me that killer smile that never fail to give me butterflies in my stomach. I smiled as I lowered my gaze. 

‘Umm! Jamil Abba fa ya ce ka turo, I hope you are ready.’

Ya dan zaro ido, then he smiled at me again

‘Well I’ve always been ready to take you as my wife, I will inform my Dad and I know they will come by next week.’ 

I couldn’t hide my happiness as I lowered my gaze. I love Jamil and being his wife is the best thing that will ever happen to me, in fact I can not imagine life without him. We talked a bit more before they left.

I went straight to Mama’s room after they left, she was sitting on her praying carpet reciting her dhikr. I sat across her with a wide smile. 

She looked up and said

‘What is the good news that is making you blush this much.’

I covered my face with my palms giggling, when I opened my face Mama was still looking at me with a faint smile. 

‘Jamil said his family will come next week Mama, to fix our wedding date.’

She laughed a little ta lakace min hanci 

‘So that’s why you’re blushing and talking about marriage right in front of me. Hmm! Babu kunya.’

‘Mama, ke fa kika ce na gaya masa.’

‘To ai shikenan Allah ya nuna mana. Now let me go to bed.’

‘Yes Mama, good night.’

I left the room and headed for our room.

 

JAMIL’s POV 

 

Da yake a motar Ahmad muka je wajen Sarah shine yake driving. We started chatting immediately after we settled in the car. 

‘Jamil are you serious about marrying this girl?’ Ahmad almost spit the question out as he started the engine. 

I giggled a little bit then responded 

‘What do you think?’ 

‘I don’t know, I just know that she’s not a wife material.’

I gave a thin smile that ended on my lips

‘I know. I love her, she’s beautiful and classy but I know that she’s not the woman I want to be the mother of my children.’

‘Ah, I’m glad. I thought you were serious when you said zaka turo next week.’

‘I’m not crazy you know. She’s a career woman, she wouldn’t give up that career for anything. And don’t get me wrong I won’t mind my wife working but not as a lawyer and a human rights activist. That activism takes them out a lot, yawo suke kullum ga cudanya da maza. I can’t tolerate that.’

Ahmad looked at me and then back at the road, he said raising an eyebrow

‘Oh thank God! I thought you were crazy. She’s a feminist she won’t submit to you or even obey you, all this love that she’s showing you kafin ayi auren ne. Da zarar ta shige gidanka she won’t let you control her.’

I laughed hard before I responded

‘I know man. Umma will never approve of me marrying an activist or whatever she calls herself. If not for that I won’t mind marrying her, she’s beautiful you know.’ 

My thoughts wandered as Ahmad concentrated on driving; When I first met Sarah I wanted her to be my wife, but just a few days after our meeting I realized that she’s not for me. But she’s fun to be with so I stayed just to catch some fun. Now that she wants it to be formalized I’m running, like she’ll never see or hear from me ever again. 

Ahmad dropped me at home and left.

SARAH’s POV 

I woke up feeling so happy and excited about the day, we won a case yesterday and the love of my life is ready to make things formal. So da zan fita I told Mama that zan biya ta gidan Samira, my best friend, to share the good news with her. Haka muke yi ni da ita, we share every single moment of our lives. So zan je na bata labarin case din da mukayi winning kuma na gaya mata finally nima na kusa zama matar aure. 

I got off work an hour before closing time and I got in my car and drove to Samira’s place. 

After na bata labarin case din mu then we talked about Jamil. They’ve never met but she’s heard so much about him from me. We giggled a lot and we were almost planning my wedding when her husband Bashar came back from work. 

I’ve known Bashar since before he married Samira. So when he entered the living room I started greeting him with my big smile. 

‘Welcome Abban Safiyya, how’s work and family.’

‘Fine Alhamdulillah, hope you’re doing well.’ He answered rather awkwardly. 

I pardoned him thinking that it may be because he just came home after a long day. 

Samira stood up and followed him inside. Few minutes later she came out 

‘I will be right back bestie, let me serve him water.’ She said to me as she hurried to the kitchen. Before she came out of the kitchen Bashar came out of the room and went back outside. I reached out to the table in front of me and poured a cup of cold water for myself. Na kurbi ruwan naji yayi sanyi da yawa

‘Ah! This is too cold for drinking.’ 

I stood up and headed to the kitchen holding my glass of cold water to ask Samira for water that’s not this cold. As I reached the kitchen door I heard Bashar talking to Samira in a stern voice; probably he entered the kitchen through the backdoor. He was saying to her

‘Na ce ki rabu da wannan kawar taki amma kin ki ko? She’s not the Sarah you used to know, she’s now a feminist and I don’t want her to brainwash you. Besides she’s still single and you’re married, you’re not her class. Irinsu ne suke kwace mijin kawa fa.’ 

He paused and I heard Samira said

‘Haba Sweetheart, our friendship is nothing serious, besides, I didn’t invite her you know. She will even be getting married soon, please just be nice until she leaves.’

‘And who is the idiot da zai kwasheta? He doesn’t know that she’s an activist or maybe he doesn’t want a cultured wife. He might even ghost her before the marriage you know.’ Bashar said as he approached the door where I was standing. 

I couldn’t move as I wanted them both to know that I heard what they were saying about me. Ya dan tsaya muka hada ido sosai then he gave a nonchalant shrug and moved past me to the living room. 

I raised my teary eyes and looked at Samira, wadda tayi mutuwar tsaya.