From the outside, you could easily call it the home of someone with limited means.
The entrance had a door that led to a short corridor. Along this corridor was a bedroom with an attached toilet before you reached the main courtyard. The courtyard had no cement — just leveled sand, neatly swept despite its size.
On one side, four rooms were lined up in a row. At the far end of the courtyard stood the bathroom, hidden behind a rusty corrugated metal door. Opposite it was the kitchen — which also had no proper door — and you couldn’t see inside because the soot-blackened walls darkened the space completely from years of firewood cooking.
A Young Girl Under Punishment
In the courtyard knelt a young teenage girl, no more than fourteen years old, drenched in sweat. Her arms were raised above her head, each palm balancing a football boot.
She shifted slightly, causing the boot on her left hand to almost fall. Panicked — between the scorching sun and fear of the whip — she quickly grabbed it but, in the process, dropped the one in her right hand.
Before she could fully recover, the man holding a long whip raised it high and brought it down hard across her hands. The pain made her drop the other boot and collapse to the ground.
Without pause, he began beating her mercilessly. She screamed, crying out:
> “Mama! Mama!! Mama!!!”
Inside a room, her mother — who had been listening since it began — closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face, praying for someone to save her daughter.
The Intervention
Suddenly, as if from nowhere, the whip was snatched away. The man turned angrily, ready to lash out — but locked eyes with a handsome young man.
This newcomer had large eyes, thick hair and eyebrows, a straight nose, and well-shaped lips. His skin was a light chocolate tone, glowing in the sunlight.
This was Junaidu, glaring at the man — his own elder brother, Ja’afar. They resembled each other, but Junaidu’s features were softer, with light pink lips instead of Ja’afar’s dark ones.
From his room, Junaidu had been half-awake, hearing the noise, until the cries drew him fully out. Now, glaring into Ja’afar’s eyes, he threw the whip to the ground, hissed deeply, and said:
> “For God’s sake, Ja’afar — is this right? If you must punish her, do it when you’re in your senses! Look at your eyes — you’re high again! You want to injure her? And I swear on the Qur’an, she’s done nothing serious. What did she do to you?”
Ja’afar’s Defense
Ja’afar blinked sluggishly, stepped back unsteadily, then closed the gap again, hands in his pockets:
> “Are you my mate?”
Junaidu softened his tone:
> “Alright, forgive her. What exactly did she do?”
Ja’afar hissed.
> “It’s about cleaning my room. Jalila told me her side and left. But this one here claims Umma sent her to sweep the courtyard. When I entered my room — not even a broom had touched it. She defied me! And since Jalila had to go to an exam, I found her sweeping instead. Jalila told me she begged her to clean my room but she refused — even insulted her! That’s why I decided to teach her a lesson today.”
Junaidu Suspects a Plot
Junaidu began to suspect this was a setup by Umma and Jalila, who disliked the girl and knew Ja’afar would blindly act when drunk.
When Ja’afar tried to grab the whip again, Junaidu stopped him, coaxing him to let it go. Ja’afar refused until Junaidu handed him twenty naira. Satisfied, Ja’afar left, saying she could clean tomorrow — or Jalila could do it if she wasn’t busy.
Junaidu turned to the girl, still kneeling and crying. He gently lifted her chin and looked at her tear-streaked face, noticing her neat hair, shaped eyebrows, and delicate features.
> “Huda,” he called softly.
She opened her eyes, then quickly pulled away and ran into her mother’s room.
Conflict with Umma
As Junaidu turned to leave, he saw Umma standing there, with Anty Zainab at the doorway. Umma stormed toward him:
> “From your father’s house! You dare side with that girl? You’re no son of mine!”
She raged at him, accusing him of lacking loyalty to her. Anty Zainab added her own insults toward Huda’s mother. Both women went into Umma’s room, leaving Junaidu quietly disturbed.
Huda’s Mother Speaks
Inside Mama’s room, Huda lay crying on her lap. Mama asked why she refused to clean Ja’afar’s room. Huda explained:
> “Mama, Jalila lied. She swore she’d make Ja’afar beat me because I refused to wash her school uniform yesterday.”
Mama’s mind darkened — this was not the first time Umma and Jalila had conspired against Huda.
Grandfather’s Warning
In the past, Mama had complained to Kaka (Baba Bashir) about the abuse. Kaka warned Baba: if Huda was struck again by Umma or Jalila, he would not forgive.
Baba, fearing both Kaka’s anger and Umma’s wrath, ordered that Huda should not be beaten or sent hawking anymore. Her only chore would be sweeping the courtyard, while other heavy tasks went to Jalila.
Umma was furious at the restriction, feeling humiliated. She began overworking Huda by making her sweep multiple times a day.
Jalila’s Entrance
One day, Mama saw Jalila returning from school, chewing gum and walking with attitude. Mama stopped her for a talk:
> “Jalila, why do you make Ja’afar beat Huda unjustly? She’s your sister. Why can’t you live peacefully?”
Before Jalila could answer, Umma emerged from her room, accusing Mama of hypocrisy.
Jalila then challenged Mama directly, denying any sibling bond with Huda:
> “She’s not my sister! Go find her real family. You brought a bastard into our home!”
Mama slapped Jalila for her insult. Jalila tried to slap back — but Junaidu appeared, grabbing her hand.
Umma immediately attacked Junaidu, demanding he release Jalila.
Description
Three Years Ago…
In Kano, Gandun Albasa Neighborhood
Inside a modest, medium-sized house…
From the outside, you could easily call it the home of someone with limited means.
The entrance had a door that led to a short corridor. Along this corridor was a bedroom with an attached toilet before you reached the main courtyard. The courtyard had no cement — just leveled sand, neatly swept despite its size.
On one side, four rooms were lined up in a row. At the far end of the courtyard stood the bathroom, hidden behind a rusty corrugated metal door. Opposite it was the kitchen — which also had no proper door — and you couldn’t see inside because the soot-blackened walls darkened the space completely from years of firewood cooking.
A Young Girl Under Punishment
In the courtyard knelt a young teenage girl, no more than fourteen years old, drenched in sweat. Her arms were raised above her head, each palm balancing a football boot.
She shifted slightly, causing the boot on her left hand to almost fall. Panicked — between the scorching sun and fear of the whip — she quickly grabbed it but, in the process, dropped the one in her right hand.
Before she could fully recover, the man holding a long whip raised it high and brought it down hard across her hands. The pain made her drop the other boot and collapse to the ground.
Without pause, he began beating her mercilessly. She screamed, crying out:
> “Mama! Mama!! Mama!!!”
Inside a room, her mother — who had been listening since it began — closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face, praying for someone to save her daughter.
The Intervention
Suddenly, as if from nowhere, the whip was snatched away. The man turned angrily, ready to lash out — but locked eyes with a handsome young man.
This newcomer had large eyes, thick hair and eyebrows, a straight nose, and well-shaped lips. His skin was a light chocolate tone, glowing in the sunlight.
This was Junaidu, glaring at the man — his own elder brother, Ja’afar. They resembled each other, but Junaidu’s features were softer, with light pink lips instead of Ja’afar’s dark ones.
From his room, Junaidu had been half-awake, hearing the noise, until the cries drew him fully out. Now, glaring into Ja’afar’s eyes, he threw the whip to the ground, hissed deeply, and said:
> “For God’s sake, Ja’afar — is this right? If you must punish her, do it when you’re in your senses! Look at your eyes — you’re high again! You want to injure her? And I swear on the Qur’an, she’s done nothing serious. What did she do to you?”
Ja’afar’s Defense
Ja’afar blinked sluggishly, stepped back unsteadily, then closed the gap again, hands in his pockets:
> “Are you my mate?”
Junaidu softened his tone:
> “Alright, forgive her. What exactly did she do?”
Ja’afar hissed.
> “It’s about cleaning my room. Jalila told me her side and left. But this one here claims Umma sent her to sweep the courtyard. When I entered my room — not even a broom had touched it. She defied me! And since Jalila had to go to an exam, I found her sweeping instead. Jalila told me she begged her to clean my room but she refused — even insulted her! That’s why I decided to teach her a lesson today.”
Junaidu Suspects a Plot
Junaidu began to suspect this was a setup by Umma and Jalila, who disliked the girl and knew Ja’afar would blindly act when drunk.
When Ja’afar tried to grab the whip again, Junaidu stopped him, coaxing him to let it go. Ja’afar refused until Junaidu handed him twenty naira. Satisfied, Ja’afar left, saying she could clean tomorrow — or Jalila could do it if she wasn’t busy.
Junaidu turned to the girl, still kneeling and crying. He gently lifted her chin and looked at her tear-streaked face, noticing her neat hair, shaped eyebrows, and delicate features.
> “Huda,” he called softly.
She opened her eyes, then quickly pulled away and ran into her mother’s room.
Conflict with Umma
As Junaidu turned to leave, he saw Umma standing there, with Anty Zainab at the doorway. Umma stormed toward him:
> “From your father’s house! You dare side with that girl? You’re no son of mine!”
She raged at him, accusing him of lacking loyalty to her. Anty Zainab added her own insults toward Huda’s mother. Both women went into Umma’s room, leaving Junaidu quietly disturbed.
Huda’s Mother Speaks
Inside Mama’s room, Huda lay crying on her lap. Mama asked why she refused to clean Ja’afar’s room. Huda explained:
> “Mama, Jalila lied. She swore she’d make Ja’afar beat me because I refused to wash her school uniform yesterday.”
Mama’s mind darkened — this was not the first time Umma and Jalila had conspired against Huda.
Grandfather’s Warning
In the past, Mama had complained to Kaka (Baba Bashir) about the abuse. Kaka warned Baba: if Huda was struck again by Umma or Jalila, he would not forgive.
Baba, fearing both Kaka’s anger and Umma’s wrath, ordered that Huda should not be beaten or sent hawking anymore. Her only chore would be sweeping the courtyard, while other heavy tasks went to Jalila.
Umma was furious at the restriction, feeling humiliated. She began overworking Huda by making her sweep multiple times a day.
Jalila’s Entrance
One day, Mama saw Jalila returning from school, chewing gum and walking with attitude. Mama stopped her for a talk:
> “Jalila, why do you make Ja’afar beat Huda unjustly? She’s your sister. Why can’t you live peacefully?”
Before Jalila could answer, Umma emerged from her room, accusing Mama of hypocrisy.
Jalila then challenged Mama directly, denying any sibling bond with Huda:
> “She’s not my sister! Go find her real family. You brought a bastard into our home!”
Mama slapped Jalila for her insult. Jalila tried to slap back — but Junaidu appeared, grabbing her hand.
Umma immediately attacked Junaidu, demanding he release Jalila.