Abinda Ake Gudu Part 1 Complete Hausa Novel

It was a room full of young women, all making noise and chatting. Some were putting on clothes, which were red Ankara with black designs, while others were doing their makeup in front of the mirror. Those who could not get a space at the mirror used the mirrors attached to their makeup boxes, happily painting their faces.

While they were chatting and laughing, a woman who could not have been more than thirty entered. She was heavily pregnant, wearing the same Ankara fabric as the others, with moderate makeup on her face. Looking worried, she began to speak.

“Please, hurry up and come out. Everyone is waiting for you. Umma keeps scolding me, saying there is still no bride and no bridesmaids. You all know how much she warned us about African time.”

One of them, who seemed to have finished getting ready, said, “Sorry, Aunty Shema’u, we’ll be out soon.”

“There is no ‘soon.’ You are coming out now. Where is Asma’u?” she said, looking around.

At the edge of the bed, she spotted her younger sister having her makeup done in bridal style. She looked very beautiful. Shema’u moved closer to them and again urged the makeup artist to hurry up and finish so the bride could be brought out. As for Asma’u, even after her elder sister finished talking, she did not say anything, so her makeup would not be spoiled. This was a very important day in her life, the day she would be formally handed over to the man she believed had no equal in the world.

Just as Shema’u started to leave, she quickly came back and glanced at the front of the bride’s dress. She frowned.

“Every bride in the world loses weight during her wedding because of the anxiety of leaving home and starting a new life, except you, Asma’u. Look at how tight this dress has become on you. Your chest is almost spilling out from the top.”

Asma’u quickly covered herself with her hand because all the relatives and friends in the room had turned to look at her. Shema’u continued,

“Make sure whatever shawl you wear covers your chest, because I will have no answer for Umma when she starts complaining.”

With that, she left, still marveling at her younger sister’s body shape. Asma’u had always been on the chubby side.

The courtyard of the house was now filled with women. One part had been decorated in a traditional style for the bride’s sitting area. There were chairs and tables, and the place looked very beautiful. Incense made from scented sticks and charcoal was burning, filling the air with fragrance.

The event host, a woman, asked everyone to keep quiet because the bride was about to come out. The drummer changed the rhythm to one suitable for the bride, and she came out with her friends, all stepping in unison.

They looked very beautiful, and people were impressed by the style of their entrance. Applause followed, while photographers, both with cameras and phones, began doing their work. They kept walking until they reached the place where she would sit. Their youngest sister, Aina’u, a girl of about thirteen, stood holding a traditional hand fan made from leather, and as her elder sister sat down, she began gently fanning her. That too delighted the guests.

Hajiya Bara’atu, who was seated among her relatives and friends, even shed a few tears. By the will of Allah, this was now the second time she was marrying off one of her daughters. Softly, she said,

“Allah, have mercy on Alhaji. He did not live to see the marriages of his daughters, let alone the grandchildren that have already started coming.”

After that, the wedding celebration truly began, and the groom’s family was invited to come forward for the bride’s capture ceremony. As they approached, Asma’u handed her phone to her close friend Walida and whispered to her to take pictures of her when the perfume for the kamu ceremony was sprayed on her. Walida said,

“Hm, Asma’u, you really know how to love. I know very well you want to send them to Abubakar.”

Asma’u rolled her eyes playfully and said,

“So what? Has anyone forbidden a man from seeing his wife? I have to help him with pictures.”

They all laughed, and the celebration continued.

By the time the Maghrib call to prayer began, the event had ended. That was exactly why Hajiya Bara’atu had kept reminding them not to follow African time. They all went to observe the prayer, including the bride, who was already very tired. She and her friends went to her room and performed their prayer there. When she finished, food was offered to her, but before it arrived, she took her phone and sent Abubakar the photos from the kamu ceremony.

At that time, he was with his friend Qasim. Qasim noticed that Abubakar shifted a little to the side and started making a call. He smiled, because he knew very well who he was talking to. They spoke warmly, and he kept telling her how beautiful she looked and how unhappy he was that he had not been allowed to attend the kamu ceremony.