Chapter One
“Teacher! Teacher!! Teacher!! Come quickly, and witness the power of God. This girl has fainted!” The urgent call propelled the teacher out of the classroom. Upon reaching the scene, he observed the girl’s condition and immediately turned to her mother. “Gentlemen, help me carry Mumtaz outside. I will call Alhaji, and we’ll take her to the hospital. This is Mumtaz we’re talking about.”
Before Malam could return, Inna, noticing blood streaming from Mumtaz’s leg, rushed out the door, frantically calling for Malam’s attention.
Who is Mumtaz?
Mumtaz, originally named by her father, Malam Abdullahi, hails from Bauchin state. Her father was a businessman, and they led a comfortable life. However, tragedy struck when Arzik’i’s heartbreak befell their family. Alhaji Jibrin, Malam Abdullahi’s brother and a close friend of Alhaji Bukar from Maiduguri, experienced a significant setback in his roofing material business after a falling out with Alhaji Bukar. Consequently, Alhaji Jibrin’s descent into dire poverty left them in destitution.
One day, Alhaji Jibrin stumbled upon an abandoned baby girl near a doorstep, reminiscent of an Arabian princess. Taking her into his care, he brought her home to his wife, Adama. Despite having their own son, Abdullahi, the couple embraced the little girl, whom Alhaji named Maryam. Abdullahi’s love for his newfound sister knew no bounds, even as she grew older. The entire family reveled in this newfound bond.
Tragedy struck again on the day of Abdullahi’s wedding, as news arrived of Alhaji Jibrin’s fatal accident. The loss of their loving father plunged the family into deep mourning.
Following her husband’s demise, Inna Adama invited Abdullahi and Maryam to live with her in their spacious house, enabling them to sustain their livelihood. However, during one fateful night, Inna Adama suffered severe stomach pain and uttered her last words, foretelling a dire future for Abdullahi and Maryam. Soon after, Maryam, aged only ten, became pregnant with Mumtaz. The story of Mumtaz’s parents thus unfolded.
