Aisha-Siddiqah was in great joy today, as it was the day she sat for her final secondary school paper in good health. All signs showed that Abdulrasheed’s parents had not wasted the huge amount of money they spent enrolling Aisha in an expensive school where their children attended, for today, by God’s will, she successfully completed her studies.
Meanwhile, the time for Nenne’s Hajj journey of that year was approaching, and she had already begun preparations. This time, she was traveling together with Nanin from Gombe—her own mother, Hajiya Oummana. Therefore, Nanin would be brought from Gombe to Lagos, where they would all depart with the Lagos State Pilgrims.
She had a phone conversation with Haj. Zainab and told her about her trip. In return, Umman Siddiqah informed her that they too, in Gombe, were preparing to set out, and by God’s grace, that year she herself, Umman, had also secured a seat from Malam Yunus’ office. Nenne rejoiced at the thought of meeting again in Saudi Arabia for the second time, and jokingly told Umman:
“By God, you’ll see, another year from now we will meet again in the Ilorin Emirate and celebrate Petel’s childbirth ritual.”
Haj. Zainab laughed shyly at Nenne’s teasing. She replied, “Petel should clean the room, prepare beans with rice and salad with pepper, for she will come to bid us farewell, since she too will soon be joining her husband after completing school.”
With that, Nenne and Umman Siddiqah bid each other farewell full of affection. Haj. Zainab then told Malam Yunus that Petel would come for a home visit to bid farewell, as she was moving to where her husband lived. Malam Yunus was delighted and immediately instructed Sunusi, a student living with Umma since Siddiqah’s wedding, to prepare Petel’s room properly.
When the time came to bring Nani Ummana, Nenne informed Siddiqah to get ready, as they would all go to Gombe together. She explained that she wanted to take her to greet her parents, and possibly stay three days to bid farewell before joining her husband (Hamma), since the time had come for her to finally settle in her marital home.
Though Nenne gave this explanation about the visit, Siddiqah wasn’t worried about the part about moving in with her husband. Her heart was instead overwhelmed with the joy of going home to see her family. She was so excited about the trip that she nearly fainted from happiness. It had been so long since she last saw her mother and father—she felt it had been ten years.
Nenne did not explain directly how her settling with her husband would be; instead, she left that to Haj. Zainab, knowing she would be more persuasive without upsetting her. Haj. Zainab had originally wanted to start preparing Siddiqah for marriage before her Lagos trip, but she was not given the opportunity then. Now, Nenne thought it would be best if Siddiqah went home where Haj. Zainab could make those preparations.
Seun and Firdausi prepared plenty of gifts for Siddiqah to take home: fabrics, wrappers, lace materials for her mother and her father’s sisters in Kumo, fine men’s shaddas and embroidered clothes, perfumes for her father and her brother Baba Barau, who was her guardian. Together with Nenne and Firdausi, they traveled to Gombe on Saturday.
Upon arrival, before heading to the Emir’s palace, they stopped first at her family home in Jeka da Fari. Umman Siddiqah was already aware of their coming and had prepared to receive them with special meals and drinks as she usually welcomed important guests. She treated them warmly. After eating, praying, resting, and chatting, they prepared to head to the Gombe palace.
Umma teased Princess Firdausi saying, “Here comes the princess of the twins, the youngest, and spoiled by Nenne.” Princess smiled shyly, lowering her head, and said, “Umma, Siddiqah has long taken over that throne.”
Reunion, Family Bonds, and Preparations for Marriage
Aisha-Siddiqah, nicknamed Petel by her mother, was admired for her beauty and fullness from healthy Yoruba meals, complemented by body care oils and skin treatments. She leaned closely against her mother, giving off the fragrance of a mature woman. She refused to leave her mother’s side, causing embarrassment. Whenever her mother complained, Nenne would say:
“Please let her be close to you, Zainaba. Don’t you see the effort she made? How long has it been since she last saw you? Could you have expected such effort from her? This is Petel—your own daughter! Now that she has to leave the whole country for you, she deserves to enjoy your presence fully.”
This made Hajiya Zainab laugh heartily, and both women laughed together. Petel pressed her head again against her mother’s body.
When Nenne later left for the palace, Malam Yunus returned from work to find their special guest, Aishatu Indo Siddiqah. As her father, he expressed his happiness, saying:
“Have they been feeding you Yoruba delicacies like Amala and Iyan? Where did you get this blossoming beauty, Indo? You look like you could burst!”
They all laughed, and he handed Aisha a pack of Ayuba’s famous beef kebabs, still steaming with spice, onions, and cabbage. She eagerly accepted, saying:
“Anyone who leaves home leaves behind its treasures. I missed Ayuba’s kebabs so much, I missed the whole North.”
That night, Aisha and her parents had joyful moments together, exchanging stories from Lagos and Gombe. They even discussed her marriage, particularly about Ishaq, who had returned from national service only to find out about her marriage. Abba explained that Ishaq had cried like a child and revealed how his father wronged him. Afterward, Ishaq had left Gombe in sorrow and stayed with his uncle in Kano, who involved him in textile trading at Kantin Kwari. He was now doing well in business. Hearing this, Aisha felt a wave of pity for Ishaq but kept silent.
That night, Umman Siddiqah began giving Aisha nourishing food and herbs (“tukudi” and “sabaya”) to strengthen her body and enhance her chest. Although she had not been directly prepared for marriage before, this was their family’s traditional way of preparing brides.
Her parents spoke gently, advising her that after returning to Lagos, she would move in with her husband. They gave her words of encouragement, asking for her acceptance. Aisha felt happy that they did not pressure her but instead sought her consent lovingly. She resolved to obey her parents’ wishes, even though she disliked the Yoruba ethnicity of her husband. She knew she would deeply miss her parents, Nenne, Firdausi, Fatima, and even the household staff, but marriage was now her reality.
After three days, they all returned to Lagos, accompanied by the elder Nani Ummana.
The Arrival of Nani Oummana and Stories of Heritage
Nani Oummana arrived at the home of her in-law, Engr. Idris Akanni, safely. Out of love for her granddaughter Aisha-Siddiqah, she wanted to spend all her time with her. She insisted on sleeping in Nenne’s prepared room with Aisha instead of letting Nenne have her usual space. Aisha was overjoyed at this love and gladly gave up her bed for her grandmother, sleeping instead on the floor mat.
That night, they shared long conversations about Gombe. Nani narrated the history of the Gombe emirate, while Aisha recalled childhood memories of attending Eid celebrations at the Emir’s palace. This delighted Oummana, as it reminded her of her husband’s reign, Sarki Ahmadu Jalloh Umar, and his close friendship with the Emir of Ilorin, Sarki Abdulrasheed Abdullateef Akanni. She also recalled how she once resisted her daughter Sappa’s marriage to Waziri Idrisu because she considered him Yoruba, but in the end, Sappa’s marriage turned out the most successful. “The Yoruba man is loyal and loving in marriage,” she admitted.
She went on to share stories of her struggles with co-wives and rivals, before recounting Prince Abdulrasheed’s childhood and his love for horseback riding. From these stories, Aisha realized more clearly that her husband Hamma Abdulrasheed was both his grandmother’s and grandfather’s most favored grandchild.
The next day, they accompanied Nani and Nenne for their Hajj visa fingerprinting. Aisha was also asked to register at a separate place. This made her wonder if the reason she was being taken along was to help care for Nani during Hajj, as she was the one who handled all her needs. She even imagined herself returning from Makkah to Gombe, where neighbors would call her Hajiya Aishatu-Siddiqah Indo.
Description
Aisha-Siddiqah’s Joy and Educational Milestone
Aisha-Siddiqah was in great joy today, as it was the day she sat for her final secondary school paper in good health. All signs showed that Abdulrasheed’s parents had not wasted the huge amount of money they spent enrolling Aisha in an expensive school where their children attended, for today, by God’s will, she successfully completed her studies.
Meanwhile, the time for Nenne’s Hajj journey of that year was approaching, and she had already begun preparations. This time, she was traveling together with Nanin from Gombe—her own mother, Hajiya Oummana. Therefore, Nanin would be brought from Gombe to Lagos, where they would all depart with the Lagos State Pilgrims.
She had a phone conversation with Haj. Zainab and told her about her trip. In return, Umman Siddiqah informed her that they too, in Gombe, were preparing to set out, and by God’s grace, that year she herself, Umman, had also secured a seat from Malam Yunus’ office. Nenne rejoiced at the thought of meeting again in Saudi Arabia for the second time, and jokingly told Umman:
“By God, you’ll see, another year from now we will meet again in the Ilorin Emirate and celebrate Petel’s childbirth ritual.”
Haj. Zainab laughed shyly at Nenne’s teasing. She replied, “Petel should clean the room, prepare beans with rice and salad with pepper, for she will come to bid us farewell, since she too will soon be joining her husband after completing school.”
With that, Nenne and Umman Siddiqah bid each other farewell full of affection. Haj. Zainab then told Malam Yunus that Petel would come for a home visit to bid farewell, as she was moving to where her husband lived. Malam Yunus was delighted and immediately instructed Sunusi, a student living with Umma since Siddiqah’s wedding, to prepare Petel’s room properly.
When the time came to bring Nani Ummana, Nenne informed Siddiqah to get ready, as they would all go to Gombe together. She explained that she wanted to take her to greet her parents, and possibly stay three days to bid farewell before joining her husband (Hamma), since the time had come for her to finally settle in her marital home.
Though Nenne gave this explanation about the visit, Siddiqah wasn’t worried about the part about moving in with her husband. Her heart was instead overwhelmed with the joy of going home to see her family. She was so excited about the trip that she nearly fainted from happiness. It had been so long since she last saw her mother and father—she felt it had been ten years.
Nenne did not explain directly how her settling with her husband would be; instead, she left that to Haj. Zainab, knowing she would be more persuasive without upsetting her. Haj. Zainab had originally wanted to start preparing Siddiqah for marriage before her Lagos trip, but she was not given the opportunity then. Now, Nenne thought it would be best if Siddiqah went home where Haj. Zainab could make those preparations.
Seun and Firdausi prepared plenty of gifts for Siddiqah to take home: fabrics, wrappers, lace materials for her mother and her father’s sisters in Kumo, fine men’s shaddas and embroidered clothes, perfumes for her father and her brother Baba Barau, who was her guardian. Together with Nenne and Firdausi, they traveled to Gombe on Saturday.
Upon arrival, before heading to the Emir’s palace, they stopped first at her family home in Jeka da Fari. Umman Siddiqah was already aware of their coming and had prepared to receive them with special meals and drinks as she usually welcomed important guests. She treated them warmly. After eating, praying, resting, and chatting, they prepared to head to the Gombe palace.
Umma teased Princess Firdausi saying, “Here comes the princess of the twins, the youngest, and spoiled by Nenne.” Princess smiled shyly, lowering her head, and said, “Umma, Siddiqah has long taken over that throne.”
Reunion, Family Bonds, and Preparations for Marriage
Aisha-Siddiqah, nicknamed Petel by her mother, was admired for her beauty and fullness from healthy Yoruba meals, complemented by body care oils and skin treatments. She leaned closely against her mother, giving off the fragrance of a mature woman. She refused to leave her mother’s side, causing embarrassment. Whenever her mother complained, Nenne would say:
“Please let her be close to you, Zainaba. Don’t you see the effort she made? How long has it been since she last saw you? Could you have expected such effort from her? This is Petel—your own daughter! Now that she has to leave the whole country for you, she deserves to enjoy your presence fully.”
This made Hajiya Zainab laugh heartily, and both women laughed together. Petel pressed her head again against her mother’s body.
When Nenne later left for the palace, Malam Yunus returned from work to find their special guest, Aishatu Indo Siddiqah. As her father, he expressed his happiness, saying:
“Have they been feeding you Yoruba delicacies like Amala and Iyan? Where did you get this blossoming beauty, Indo? You look like you could burst!”
They all laughed, and he handed Aisha a pack of Ayuba’s famous beef kebabs, still steaming with spice, onions, and cabbage. She eagerly accepted, saying:
“Anyone who leaves home leaves behind its treasures. I missed Ayuba’s kebabs so much, I missed the whole North.”
That night, Aisha and her parents had joyful moments together, exchanging stories from Lagos and Gombe. They even discussed her marriage, particularly about Ishaq, who had returned from national service only to find out about her marriage. Abba explained that Ishaq had cried like a child and revealed how his father wronged him. Afterward, Ishaq had left Gombe in sorrow and stayed with his uncle in Kano, who involved him in textile trading at Kantin Kwari. He was now doing well in business. Hearing this, Aisha felt a wave of pity for Ishaq but kept silent.
That night, Umman Siddiqah began giving Aisha nourishing food and herbs (“tukudi” and “sabaya”) to strengthen her body and enhance her chest. Although she had not been directly prepared for marriage before, this was their family’s traditional way of preparing brides.
Her parents spoke gently, advising her that after returning to Lagos, she would move in with her husband. They gave her words of encouragement, asking for her acceptance. Aisha felt happy that they did not pressure her but instead sought her consent lovingly. She resolved to obey her parents’ wishes, even though she disliked the Yoruba ethnicity of her husband. She knew she would deeply miss her parents, Nenne, Firdausi, Fatima, and even the household staff, but marriage was now her reality.
After three days, they all returned to Lagos, accompanied by the elder Nani Ummana.
The Arrival of Nani Oummana and Stories of Heritage
Nani Oummana arrived at the home of her in-law, Engr. Idris Akanni, safely. Out of love for her granddaughter Aisha-Siddiqah, she wanted to spend all her time with her. She insisted on sleeping in Nenne’s prepared room with Aisha instead of letting Nenne have her usual space. Aisha was overjoyed at this love and gladly gave up her bed for her grandmother, sleeping instead on the floor mat.
That night, they shared long conversations about Gombe. Nani narrated the history of the Gombe emirate, while Aisha recalled childhood memories of attending Eid celebrations at the Emir’s palace. This delighted Oummana, as it reminded her of her husband’s reign, Sarki Ahmadu Jalloh Umar, and his close friendship with the Emir of Ilorin, Sarki Abdulrasheed Abdullateef Akanni. She also recalled how she once resisted her daughter Sappa’s marriage to Waziri Idrisu because she considered him Yoruba, but in the end, Sappa’s marriage turned out the most successful. “The Yoruba man is loyal and loving in marriage,” she admitted.
She went on to share stories of her struggles with co-wives and rivals, before recounting Prince Abdulrasheed’s childhood and his love for horseback riding. From these stories, Aisha realized more clearly that her husband Hamma Abdulrasheed was both his grandmother’s and grandfather’s most favored grandchild.
The next day, they accompanied Nani and Nenne for their Hajj visa fingerprinting. Aisha was also asked to register at a separate place. This made her wonder if the reason she was being taken along was to help care for Nani during Hajj, as she was the one who handled all her needs. She even imagined herself returning from Makkah to Gombe, where neighbors would call her Hajiya Aishatu-Siddiqah Indo.