(Episode 2) A House Of Commotion… The Favourite Wife’s Lot!
As soon as they got to Kaduna, Fatimah insisted on going to her parents’ house without further delay. She wanted to tell them about her decision to marry Alhaji Abdul and the earlier she got down with that, the better for her.
Alhaji Abdul: “you want to go to Zaria right away? I thought you would like to come to my house for the first time and see my wives who would soon be your co-wives” he said to her in the car.
Fatimah: “I will do that some other time after I have gotten my parents approval”
Alhaji Abdul: “okay then. I will drive you home myself. Let me call my driver to bring my car” he said for they were in the taxi they had boarded.
Fatimah: “don’t worry. We just came back and I am sure you are very tired. I will pick a commercial bus to Zaria” she lied to him. The reason why she was against him going to drop her at home was because she was afraid of her father’s reaction when he meets him.
Alhaji Abdul: “no. My wife to be cannot be seen hopping from one commercial vehicle to the other. If you insist that I go home and rest, then we will get a cab that will take only you to Zaria. She agreed and they got a cab as drop that drove her to Zaria.
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Mustapha was alhaji Alhaji Abdul’s first and only child. He looked very much like his father in all things and his father was well pleased with him. At 33, he lived in his father’s mansion with his wife and two children. His father had insisted on them living in the same compound since the compound had three detached apartments. The one he had given to Mustapha after he helped him marry the daughter of his best friend was a 2 bedroom well furnished bungalow. Alhaji Alhaji Abdul with his three wives lived in the main apartment that had four rooms upstairs and 3 rooms downstairs each with its toilet and bathroom and two parlours. All the rooms in the compound including Mustapha’s and the boy’s quarters where the domestic staff lived were all well furnished and decorated. They never went out of electricity as Alhaji Abdul could not stand darkness. He had solar power plant and a standby generator in his house just in case PHCN seized electricity which they rarely do since his house was located in the GRA area of Ungwan Rimi, a place where the cream de la cream of politicians and business tycoon in Kaduna owned their houses.
Mustapha had protested against living in the same compound with his father after marriage but his father had assured him that it was for the good of the family so that they would be united. Mustapha knew that unity was far away from his family because the other wives hated his mother who was the mother of Alhaji Abdul’s only child and the uwar gida (first wife).
Mustapha was therefore shocked when his father summoned him to his bedroom after he returned from Dubai and told him of his intention to take another wife.
Mustapha listened with apt attention to all that his father said without interrupting him for he could not bring himself to interrupt his father.
Mustapha: “but father, I cannot believe that you are thinking of marrying another wife” he said after his father had finished talking.
Alhaji Abdul: “and why don’t you believe it? Is it that I cannot afford another wife or what?”
Mustapha: “it is not about the money, alhaji. I am not sure there is anything that you cannot afford in this world, so long as money is involved”
Alhaji Abdul: “then what are you talking about, young man” he asked getting irritated.
Mustapha: “it is about the entire stress involved in getting a new wife and the endless commotions going on among your wives in this house. Do you want to add charcoal to a fire that is already burning?”
Alhaji Abdul: “which stress? Did I tell you that I am not longer man enough or what? Look, about the quarrels, don’t bother yourself about that. Women will always be women and they must always quarrel. I am sure doing that gives them joy”
“but father” Mustapha started to say before his father interrupted him.
Alhaji Abdul: “kai yaro, I did not tell you this because I wanted to seek your permission. I told you because our culture demands that I tell you things like this as my first child. For your information, the girl in question has already accepted my proposal, so it is a signed deal”
Mustapha: “okay father. Who is the girl?” he asked in feigned resignation.
Alhaji Abdul: “now you are talking. She is from this state, she just finished her NYSC, don’t worry, she is very young and would respect your mother and step mothers. She is just 23 years old”
Mustapha: “What! 23 years old? Haba mana father. That is not right. How can you, an old man marry a 23 years old girl? Even my wife is older than that for crying out loud” he observed.
Alhaji Abdul: “I have told you my own and that is final. Have a good day, young man” he said and dismissed his bewildered son.
Mustapha left his room and went into his mother’s court. Her female maids were giving her a pedicure when he entered. As soon as she saw the looks in his eyes, she dismissed them.
Hajiya: “what is it son? You don’t look too good. Are you having issues with your wife again?” she asked going up to meet him.
Mustapha: “Do you know that your husband is planning to take another wife?” he asked ignoring her chain of question.
Hajiya: “is it your father that you are referring to as my husband?”She asked ignoring his question too.
Mustapha: “mother, please answer my question. This is no time for frivolities”
His mother sighed and went back to her seat.
“he told me as soon as he returned from Dubai that I should get ready to welcome another wife in a few months time” she said sadly.
Mustapha: “and what did you tell him?”
Hajiya: “nothing. I just accepted. Women do not have a choice about our husbands marrying other wives, do we” she asked rhetorically.
Mustapha: “I cannot believe this mother. You mean you did not tell him it is wrong to marry a girl who is several years my younger sister? Why didn’t you tell him that you were having enough troubles with other wives already and that he shouldn’t add to your stress?”
Hajiya: “your father is the man of the house and it is not in my place to challenge his decision”
Mustapha: “don’t tell me that, mother. At the end of the day, you will be the one to bear all the brunt of the pain as the first wife. What does he need another woman for at this age? Does he want to die on top of a woman?”
Hajiya: “be careful how you talk about your father son. You must respect him in all things, no matter what”
Mustapha: that marriage cannot hold. I will do all that is within my power to stop it” he said and stormed out with his mother calling out to him.
Hajiya: “don’t harm the poor girl in anyway, it is your father that asked her to marry him and not the other way round. Allow them get married” she said after his retreating figure.
Mustapha could not afford to watch his mother go through the heartbreak she always went through anytime his father took another wife. He had watched twice as her heart shredded to pieces when his father married his other wives. To make it worse, she had to cover up her pain and welcome her co-women with all smiles and kindness. Most times she went out of her way to make them comfortable and they turned around to bite her accusing her of being the reason behind their inability to conceive.
He was going to do something to stop that marriage for the sake of his mother’s good heart and that was final.
Question: Do you approve of Mustapha’s resolve to stop the marriage? Is his mother as good as she appears?
Watch out for episode 3
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