She was a white woman, extremely beautiful, sitting in the last row with her hands on her chin, crying. Two little boys sat near her—clearly twins—so beautiful that at first glance you would think they were mixed race. Their complexion wasn’t as bright as whites’, yet fairer than most Africans. Their hair and everything about them looked blended. They sat playing quietly.
Her phone rang. She quickly picked it up and, in her fluent English, said, “Have you arrived in the country?”
The person she called confirmed, “Yes, I’m here. You’ll see me soon.”
She became excited and said, “A person can finally rest from this stress. I feel like dropping them off in an orphanage. These kids have drained me. I can’t even relax, I don’t go to clubs anymore. He met me in a club before we married. Now he divorced me and left with his children. I can’t handle Nigeria.”
While still sitting, she heard the doorbell. She jumped up angrily and opened the door. Standing there was a handsome young man dressed in a neat kaftan, clearly a Muslim. She called his name: “Ali, here are your children. Please divorce me in your Muslim way. I can’t do this anymore. I’m tired of these children. Take them. Bring them only for visits.”
Ali was already tired of the disrespect the white woman gave him. Ever since she gave birth he had suffered. He divorced her immediately. She handed him the divorce papers; he signed them. She also signed. Ali bent down, carried his twin sons—one on his left arm, one on his right—and walked out of the house.
Who Is Ali?
Ali was originally from a Fulani village in Jigawa State. He grew up an orphan, raised by his paternal grandfather until the old man died. His extended family in the village then supported him. By God’s grace, Ali moved to Kano City, where he began selling drinks from a tray, going from school to school.
From there, he gained admission into the university, having completed secondary school and acquired Islamic knowledge as well. By Allah’s mercy, he finished his degree. After his NYSC, a friend—son of a state governor—helped him secure a high-level government job.
Ali married his first wife, Asmau. She never conceived. They visited many hospitals, and the doctors confirmed she would never bear children. Because of this, Ali married a second wife, Nadia. Within a year, she gave birth to a handsome baby boy, Adnan. Asmau was overjoyed and supportive, never troubled by it, a woman of good character.
Later, Nadia gave birth to another boy, Ibrahim, and then a girl, Amal. After that, she stopped conceiving as well, and three years passed without pregnancy.
Meanwhile, Ali ventured into business while still working in government. His business grew rapidly. He became so wealthy he quit his government job altogether. He bought lands, houses, and even filling stations across different states. Ali Sa’ad became a famous name—known across Nigeria. His family barely lived in the country; they traveled often. When his children grew old enough to attend secondary school, they all returned to Kano.
During one of Ali’s foreign trips, at a nightclub, he met Halley—a white non-Muslim woman. They fell in love and married quickly. One year later, she gave birth to their twin boys, Sohail and Sahil—extremely handsome children.
But a problem arose as they grew. It was discovered that one of them—Sohail—was not fully healthy. He behaved strangely, almost like a child of the water. Though identical to Sahil, Sahil was slightly taller. Many couldn’t even tell them apart.
Sohail had unusual habits:
• He barely ate; he played with his food.
• He grew, then suddenly shrank into a smaller child overnight, only to return to Sahil’s size again the next day.
• When he ate, he used the food to draw shapes—often drawing the number zero.
• When drinking water, he poured it into holes or muddy spots, then drank from there.
These behaviors exhausted Halley. She gave up on the children and handed them over to their father, saying she couldn’t cope.
Two weeks after collecting his sons, Ali returned to Kano. His driver and escort vehicles—over five cars—took him and the boys to his massive new GRA mansion. He entered the main wife Asmau’s section. Dressed elegantly in expensive material, legs crossed, watching a movie, she smiled when she saw him and rushed to carry the twins.
“My children have arrived,” she said happily.
Ali smiled back. Asmau never complained, even when he said he would bring the twins home. She welcomed it joyfully as if she were the one who birthed them. She had long wished for children, and now she embraced these ones wholeheartedly.
Sohail, meanwhile, was changing—brightening and dimming strangely. Asmau examined him and said, “This boy is like NEPA—light on, light off.”
Ali replied, “Honestly, I sometimes wonder if he’s a water child.”
Asmau reassured him, “No, insha’Allah. Let me go take care of the children. You go rest. Tonight belongs to the youngest wife—you know I already have my own children.” She laughed.
Ali smiled, though he preferred spending the night with Asmau because she was special.
Description
The Troubled Mother and Her Children
She was a white woman, extremely beautiful, sitting in the last row with her hands on her chin, crying. Two little boys sat near her—clearly twins—so beautiful that at first glance you would think they were mixed race. Their complexion wasn’t as bright as whites’, yet fairer than most Africans. Their hair and everything about them looked blended. They sat playing quietly.
Her phone rang. She quickly picked it up and, in her fluent English, said, “Have you arrived in the country?”
The person she called confirmed, “Yes, I’m here. You’ll see me soon.”
She became excited and said, “A person can finally rest from this stress. I feel like dropping them off in an orphanage. These kids have drained me. I can’t even relax, I don’t go to clubs anymore. He met me in a club before we married. Now he divorced me and left with his children. I can’t handle Nigeria.”
While still sitting, she heard the doorbell. She jumped up angrily and opened the door. Standing there was a handsome young man dressed in a neat kaftan, clearly a Muslim. She called his name: “Ali, here are your children. Please divorce me in your Muslim way. I can’t do this anymore. I’m tired of these children. Take them. Bring them only for visits.”
Ali was already tired of the disrespect the white woman gave him. Ever since she gave birth he had suffered. He divorced her immediately. She handed him the divorce papers; he signed them. She also signed. Ali bent down, carried his twin sons—one on his left arm, one on his right—and walked out of the house.
Who Is Ali?
Ali was originally from a Fulani village in Jigawa State. He grew up an orphan, raised by his paternal grandfather until the old man died. His extended family in the village then supported him. By God’s grace, Ali moved to Kano City, where he began selling drinks from a tray, going from school to school.
From there, he gained admission into the university, having completed secondary school and acquired Islamic knowledge as well. By Allah’s mercy, he finished his degree. After his NYSC, a friend—son of a state governor—helped him secure a high-level government job.
Ali married his first wife, Asmau. She never conceived. They visited many hospitals, and the doctors confirmed she would never bear children. Because of this, Ali married a second wife, Nadia. Within a year, she gave birth to a handsome baby boy, Adnan. Asmau was overjoyed and supportive, never troubled by it, a woman of good character.
Later, Nadia gave birth to another boy, Ibrahim, and then a girl, Amal. After that, she stopped conceiving as well, and three years passed without pregnancy.
Meanwhile, Ali ventured into business while still working in government. His business grew rapidly. He became so wealthy he quit his government job altogether. He bought lands, houses, and even filling stations across different states. Ali Sa’ad became a famous name—known across Nigeria. His family barely lived in the country; they traveled often. When his children grew old enough to attend secondary school, they all returned to Kano.
During one of Ali’s foreign trips, at a nightclub, he met Halley—a white non-Muslim woman. They fell in love and married quickly. One year later, she gave birth to their twin boys, Sohail and Sahil—extremely handsome children.
But a problem arose as they grew. It was discovered that one of them—Sohail—was not fully healthy. He behaved strangely, almost like a child of the water. Though identical to Sahil, Sahil was slightly taller. Many couldn’t even tell them apart.
Sohail had unusual habits:
• He barely ate; he played with his food.
• He grew, then suddenly shrank into a smaller child overnight, only to return to Sahil’s size again the next day.
• When he ate, he used the food to draw shapes—often drawing the number zero.
• When drinking water, he poured it into holes or muddy spots, then drank from there.
These behaviors exhausted Halley. She gave up on the children and handed them over to their father, saying she couldn’t cope.
Two weeks after collecting his sons, Ali returned to Kano. His driver and escort vehicles—over five cars—took him and the boys to his massive new GRA mansion. He entered the main wife Asmau’s section. Dressed elegantly in expensive material, legs crossed, watching a movie, she smiled when she saw him and rushed to carry the twins.
“My children have arrived,” she said happily.
Ali smiled back. Asmau never complained, even when he said he would bring the twins home. She welcomed it joyfully as if she were the one who birthed them. She had long wished for children, and now she embraced these ones wholeheartedly.
Sohail, meanwhile, was changing—brightening and dimming strangely. Asmau examined him and said, “This boy is like NEPA—light on, light off.”
Ali replied, “Honestly, I sometimes wonder if he’s a water child.”
Asmau reassured him, “No, insha’Allah. Let me go take care of the children. You go rest. Tonight belongs to the youngest wife—you know I already have my own children.” She laughed.
Ali smiled, though he preferred spending the night with Asmau because she was special.
He turned and went to his quarters.
Asmau went to her bedroom with the twins.