Buzu Part 1 Complete Hausa Novel

She walked slowly, passing through the medium-sized houses that were joined together to form a section of the neighborhood.

The heavy rainfall that had fallen earlier had washed away dirt and grime from many places. However, due to poor roads and inadequate drainage, the water had entered people’s homes, while some settled in the streets, leaving it impossible to distinguish pathways—the water had merged and spread everywhere.

Her face fell in horror as she encountered the fear and anxiety she had dreaded. Since the storm began, her mind had been restless.

From where she stood, she could see that more than half of her family’s compound wall had collapsed.

She hurried to get closer, finding all the people of the house standing, anxiously lamenting the disaster that had occurred.

But what she saw up close was far worse than what she had seen from a distance. Approaching the house was difficult, and she found the family well near the collapsed well, as it had been constructed very close to the wall—there was hardly any space between them.

A tall man emerged from the collapsed structure. He looked at the young woman and asked:

"Nana, you’re back?"

Still trembling, she answered:

"Yes, Baba."

"Did you see what happened?"

Nana said:

"Yes, Baba. Ever since the rain started while I was at school, I have been worried and scared."

"We are in a difficult situation. Now, you will have to help us. Bring whatever you can find from what’s left in your hand, so we can rebuild the wall."

Nana opened her mouth in surprise but kept her gaze on Baba. Though it wasn’t entirely unexpected to hear it from him, she mustered courage and said:

"Baba, my salary is seven thousand, and today is the eleventh of the month. I don’t even have a single cent. You forgot that you took five thousand and gave me two?"

"Nana, where are you taking the money? Every time you are touched, you disappear. You all just sit there. Whoever hears this will know to go to the neighbors or to the bush; I have no other way to do it."

A woman, who had not spoken since the discussion began, now spoke:

"You better figure out how to do it, or we’ll keep wandering around borrowing from neighbors. Nana, you better keep the money you’ll use to repair your wall. She’s giving her salary, seven thousand, and you are letting your heart trouble you. By Allah, you must find a way to handle it."

Nana did not respond further. She headed toward her sleeping area, hearing one of the children in the house say:

"It’s easy, just get a big bucket. Everyone can turn the waste into fertilizer. Then sell it—it’s hot fertilizer. We’ll make enough money to fix the wall, depending on how much we gather."

"Will you shut your mouth, or do I have to hit you right here, you foolish, thoughtless child?"

Baba went outside because of the scolding Mama had given him. Neighbors came out too, lamenting the damage caused by the water, also sympathizing with Baba for what had happened to them.

Shivering, Nana entered a small, tidy room without greeting anyone.

Two girls were lying down, using their phones. One barely responded when addressed, while the other did not even lift her head.

Nana put down her bag and said:

"Jamila, was it the rain that caused this?"

Jamila said:

"Yes, the damage is serious. See, I’m calculating how I’ll get out of this house. What a disgrace! If you sit and dump your waste, there’s nothing left but to follow the neighbors. Only Allah knows when this house will be repaired."

Nana looked for a place to sit and asked:

"When you leave this house, where will you go?"

Frustrated, Jamila said:

"Anywhere. Poverty has worn us down. Every day the house remains unfinished, nobody cares for your needs, yet people come looking for you."

Nana shook her head and said:

"May Allah help us and give us a solution."

"Amen. Look, even your sleeping area is soaked. The water has reached everywhere."

Nana looked at the place and sighed silently, saying nothing.

That night, Nana’s household stayed in the house, half of the wall collapsed, and everyone who passed by looked inside.

The next morning, after dawn, some went to fetch water, others went around the neighborhood, and some went elsewhere. They performed ablution and prayed the morning prayer.

Since the night of the incident, neighbors had been coming to console them about the disaster.

Jamila lamented constantly:

"By Allah, only Allah’s power can repair this wall. We will continue living with a collapsed wall. I don’t care about the restroom; it’s the wall that matters. All our secrets are exposed—though what secrets do we really have except the poverty and hardship?"

Nana listened silently, not uttering a word. She picked up her Qur’an and began to read.