Bibiyata Yake Yi Part 1 Complete Hausa Novel

Sensing someone was about to enter the room, I quickly tore my eyes away from the flat-screen TV mounted on the wall and focused my attention on the book in front of me. With a greeting, she pushed aside the room’s curtain, entered, and sat in one of the chairs in the living room. She was a young woman, no older than thirty-eight. She looked at me, pursed her lips, and grabbed the remote, saying:

"I am in my own house, yet I am not allowed to leave the channel I want to watch. It’s always this cursed football channel. You are a girl; I don’t know what you have to do with watching this agonizing football."

I didn’t say anything until she changed the channel to a Hausa program and set the remote down. I stood up, pouting, and walked out of the room, hearing her say:

"I knew it, that studying was just hypocrisy; you were only watching the ball game."

I didn't reply. I walked to my father’s wife’s room—whom we call Aunty—and sat down to continue watching the football there. I only felt at peace once the game ended, as the team I supported had won. Feeling refreshed, I came out and headed to my mother’s room. I found her in the main room, and as I sat down, she said:

"Is the football match over?" Without waiting for my answer, she continued, "Now, focus and study, since you’re done with your 'worship'." I pouted and said:

"Mama, I had already finished studying; I was just reviewing."

"You’d better focus and give yourself some advice, Mamee. You need to take this study seriously. You yourself are a witness to how hard it was to even get you started. If you refuse to settle down and fail this exam, you know how your father will feel. And if you want to push him over the edge, go ahead. You saw how difficult it was to scrape together ninety thousand to pay for your registration, just because you showed interest. If you throw dirt in his face, you aren't being fair to yourself. Try your best to study and pass this exam. God willing, once you pass, we will see how we can combine our strength to help you continue. But if you play around and fail, I have no doubt that your father will marry you off, despite your young age, just to make life easier for himself. But if you pass this exam, even if he marries you off, your husband will take over the responsibility of your education so you can finish at his house." I quickly shook my head and said:

"For God’s sake, Mama, stop saying that. I will study, and God willing, I will pass." She looked at me for a moment and then said:

"Alright, may God make it so." I said, "Amen." Because I wanted to pass that exam so badly, I didn't let my eyes close; I stayed up until the middle of the night before I finally slept.

The next day, I woke up before anyone else. I was the first one up in the whole house. I could hear my father preparing for the dawn prayer, knocking on every door so everyone would wake up to pray. As soon as I finished my prayer, I bathed and got ready. I didn't stop to eat breakfast because my exam was at seven o'clock. Mama gave me transport money, and I went out to the compound. It was empty, so I opened the small gate, stepped out, and left. It was difficult to find a ride, but I eventually got one and went to school. By 12:00 PM, I had finished everything I needed to do at school and headed home. I hadn't left with enough money for breakfast, and I was hungry, so as soon as I finished my tasks, I found my way back home, even though I usually don't linger.

I entered the house with a greeting. In the courtyard, I found my Mama and Aunty cleaning rice. I greeted them and went inside to change into my house clothes, then looked for something to eat. Once I was sure my stomach was full, I came back out to the courtyard and sat down, helping them clean the rice. While doing so, I kept glancing at my mother’s phone clock so I wouldn't miss the start of the football match. I jumped up quickly when I saw there were only two minutes left before the game started. Mama was talking, but I didn't even hear her; I reached the room, changed the channel, and sat down to watch the game.

I didn't even avert my eyes because I didn't want to miss a single thing, even though it wasn't the team I supported playing today. When one of the players put the ball in the net, I let out such a shout that Mama stood up and came into the room. I looked at her with a frown because I knew she was about to stop me from watching the football. And that’s exactly what happened; she started scolding me, saying:

"When will you ever be sensible, Mami? You’d rather leave your parents working while you sit here watching nonsense? You’re screaming like a lunatic? By God, you’d better get up before your father comes out and sees us working while you’re sitting there watching. You know that will ruin our day completely." I softened my voice and said:

"Wallahi, Mama, I’m tired. You see, I just returned from school, and in a little while, I’m going to study. Please, have patience; I just sat down to rest a little." Mama said:

"What did you even do to be tired? Get up before our tempers boil over."

I stood up, though I didn't want to, and went back inside to continue cleaning the rice. When we finished, I took it and went to the kitchen, pouring it into the pot on the stove that had been boiling for a while. I stood there helping them finish the work, but my mind was somewhere else. While we were all sitting in the house, my father walked in. Respectfully, both women greeted him, and I greeted him too, since I had left early that morning and we hadn't spoken. He answered with care.