She was walking quickly and a bit unsteadily, muttering like elderly people normally do. I hastened my steps and caught up with her. After observing her closely, I realized she was an elderly Fulani woman full of wisdom. I greeted her in Fulfulde with a slight smile, and she responded without stopping.
I followed her gently and asked, “Grandmother, where are you going so early in the morning, and why are you in such a hurry like someone trying to catch a flight before it leaves them?”
She turned slightly and looked at me while continuing to walk and said, “Must I not hurry? If I fall, then I fall. You better stop talking before I lose patience.”
I laughed. She continued, “What I’m dealing with moves faster than a plane. It does not wait for anyone. A plane gives time but what I’m dealing with does not! It is like a storm—when it rises, it does not wait. It scatters gatherings like a whirlwind!”
Surprised, I asked, “Grandmother, who is this you’re talking about? And where is he located?”
She answered, still talking and mumbling, “I’m going to the Kamanni compound to work, because today they will be butchering cattle in Mambila.”
I hurried beside her and asked, “Kamanni compound? So that’s really the name of the family? And what kind of people are they?”
From there, she began giving me detailed information. 🐄🐄🐄
The Kamanni Family Lineage
They are the descendants of Alhaji Muhammad Babayo, popularly known as Malam Babayo, the master of cattle, originally from Taraba State, in the Mambila region. He had two wives, five children—four sons and one daughter. The senior wife, Innayi, had three children: two boys and one girl. Their names:
The eldest, Barrister Muhammad Bello Muhammad
The second, Dr. Aliyu Muhammad
The last, their sister Aisha Muhammad
Then the co-wife had two sons: Amadu, the eldest, and Hamisu.
Although Malam Babayo was not a Fulani man, he did not fail in educating his children properly. They all attained high levels of both religious and modern education.
Barrister M.B.M, known as Baba Bello, had one wife, Nenne. She gave birth to 12 children, but only 3 survived due to recurrent miscarriages. The eldest is Sadiya. After giving birth to her, she had 5 more children, all of whom died. The 7th was a boy named Ahmad, followed by four more pregnancies that ended likewise. The 12th child survived and was named Rabi'u.
Dr. Aliyu, known as Abba, married Ummi. They had 4 children: Yusuf, the eldest, then Abubakar, Usman, and lastly their sister Aisha.
Goggo Aisha married in Yola to Dr. Umar, the close friend of her brother Dr. Aliyu. Their children were: Adam, Hyder, and Maryam.
Amadu, called Baba, had one wife and two children: Abdul and Amira.
Hamisu had one wife and one son: Sadiq.
They were known as the Kamanni Family, blessed abundantly by Allah with wealth, beauty, knowledge, peaceful living, mutual love, and deep compassion.
Since some of Innayi’s sons did not pursue much formal education, Baba Bello and Abba established a large farmland and livestock business called Kamanni Family, where they worked. Amadu and Hamisu lived with their parents in Mambila, while Baba Bello and Abba lived in Taraba with their families, visiting their parents and siblings every weekend.
As for Adam, Yusuf, and Ahmad, they grew up like brothers of the same mother and father. Adam and Yusuf studied Medicine, while Ahmad studied Business in India. Yusuf later continued Islamic medical studies at a university in Madinah.
Yusuf was very different in character—born already circumcised, a quiet and observant young man who disliked noise and interference. He rarely laughed and could go years without showing his eye-teeth when smiling. He took after Baba Bello. Ahmad inherited patience from his father Abba. Despite their differences, the three were deeply attached to one another.
There was tension, however, between Yusuf and his sister Aisha, as if they were fire and gunpowder. But Yusuf’s cousins admired him greatly, including Amira, who often vowed never to return after visiting unless Yusuf was there.
Still, a powerful love existed between Ahmad and Yusuf, and between Adam and Amira.
And so, dear readers... this is only the beginning.
Description
A Strange Encounter at Dawn
She was walking quickly and a bit unsteadily, muttering like elderly people normally do. I hastened my steps and caught up with her. After observing her closely, I realized she was an elderly Fulani woman full of wisdom. I greeted her in Fulfulde with a slight smile, and she responded without stopping.
I followed her gently and asked, “Grandmother, where are you going so early in the morning, and why are you in such a hurry like someone trying to catch a flight before it leaves them?”
She turned slightly and looked at me while continuing to walk and said, “Must I not hurry? If I fall, then I fall. You better stop talking before I lose patience.”
I laughed. She continued, “What I’m dealing with moves faster than a plane. It does not wait for anyone. A plane gives time but what I’m dealing with does not! It is like a storm—when it rises, it does not wait. It scatters gatherings like a whirlwind!”
Surprised, I asked, “Grandmother, who is this you’re talking about? And where is he located?”
She answered, still talking and mumbling, “I’m going to the Kamanni compound to work, because today they will be butchering cattle in Mambila.”
I hurried beside her and asked, “Kamanni compound? So that’s really the name of the family? And what kind of people are they?”
From there, she began giving me detailed information. 🐄🐄🐄
The Kamanni Family Lineage
They are the descendants of Alhaji Muhammad Babayo, popularly known as Malam Babayo, the master of cattle, originally from Taraba State, in the Mambila region. He had two wives, five children—four sons and one daughter. The senior wife, Innayi, had three children: two boys and one girl. Their names:
The eldest, Barrister Muhammad Bello Muhammad
The second, Dr. Aliyu Muhammad
The last, their sister Aisha Muhammad
Then the co-wife had two sons: Amadu, the eldest, and Hamisu.
Although Malam Babayo was not a Fulani man, he did not fail in educating his children properly. They all attained high levels of both religious and modern education.
Barrister M.B.M, known as Baba Bello, had one wife, Nenne. She gave birth to 12 children, but only 3 survived due to recurrent miscarriages. The eldest is Sadiya. After giving birth to her, she had 5 more children, all of whom died. The 7th was a boy named Ahmad, followed by four more pregnancies that ended likewise. The 12th child survived and was named Rabi'u.
Dr. Aliyu, known as Abba, married Ummi. They had 4 children: Yusuf, the eldest, then Abubakar, Usman, and lastly their sister Aisha.
Goggo Aisha married in Yola to Dr. Umar, the close friend of her brother Dr. Aliyu. Their children were: Adam, Hyder, and Maryam.
Amadu, called Baba, had one wife and two children: Abdul and Amira.
Hamisu had one wife and one son: Sadiq.
They were known as the Kamanni Family, blessed abundantly by Allah with wealth, beauty, knowledge, peaceful living, mutual love, and deep compassion.
Since some of Innayi’s sons did not pursue much formal education, Baba Bello and Abba established a large farmland and livestock business called Kamanni Family, where they worked. Amadu and Hamisu lived with their parents in Mambila, while Baba Bello and Abba lived in Taraba with their families, visiting their parents and siblings every weekend.
As for Adam, Yusuf, and Ahmad, they grew up like brothers of the same mother and father. Adam and Yusuf studied Medicine, while Ahmad studied Business in India. Yusuf later continued Islamic medical studies at a university in Madinah.
Yusuf was very different in character—born already circumcised, a quiet and observant young man who disliked noise and interference. He rarely laughed and could go years without showing his eye-teeth when smiling. He took after Baba Bello. Ahmad inherited patience from his father Abba. Despite their differences, the three were deeply attached to one another.
There was tension, however, between Yusuf and his sister Aisha, as if they were fire and gunpowder. But Yusuf’s cousins admired him greatly, including Amira, who often vowed never to return after visiting unless Yusuf was there.
Still, a powerful love existed between Ahmad and Yusuf, and between Adam and Amira.
And so, dear readers... this is only the beginning.