The spoilsport

‘What do you mean?’ I asked as we reached the car and were about to go in. ‘Just look at that fool who passed us by with her nose high in the air. Does she think she is anything to look at?’ She asked rhetorically. ‘Well stop right there. You do remember your resolution concerning […]

‘What do you mean?’ I asked as we reached the car and were about to go in.

‘Just look at that fool who passed us by with her nose high in the air. Does she think she is anything to look at?’ She asked rhetorically.

‘Well stop right there. You do remember your resolution concerning backbiting don’t you? Well it’s too early in the year for you to be breaking your New Year resolutions, especially one as spiritually important as ending this bad habit.’ I reminded my junior colleague, Zulai.

‘Okay Hajiya, thanks for the reminder. But it’s so irritating to see people who have no reason to be uppity trying so hard to be just that. If only you know her life’s story you’ll know that if she had any sense of decency she will be hiding herself in shame.’ Zulai explained buckling her seat belt on the passenger seat.

‘You mean you actually know her? I thought you were just pissed off by the pompous way she walked into the shop while we were coming out.’ I explained.

‘Oh I know her quite alright. She recently married my friend’s husband and now she thinks and acts like she’s the only female this side of our planet.’ Zulai commented.

‘I see, so this is what your animosity is all about? She married your friend’s husband and you are spit-firing on her out of solidarity with your friend. But that is very bad. You must never team up with someone to hate or ostracize others unless the person specifically targeted you in his wrongdoing.’ I advised.

‘You don’t know the whole story Hajiya. I am not against her just because she married my friend’s husband. As a Muslim I know that it is lawful to have up to four wives, so he is within his limits to marry her. But the circumstances of her marriage caused so much heartache to everyone particularly the groom. Did you ever see a man crying his heart out because he didn’t want to go through with his own wedding and was begging the bride to release him?’ she asked.

‘Was that what they told you had happened? You don’t have to believe everything you’ve heard, you know. In any case your friend is an interested party. Do not expect her to accept easily that her husband has voluntarily decided to take a second wife.’ I argued.

‘Yes I agree with you, but luckily I didn’t hear the inside story from my friend. I heard everything from my elder brother who happens to be a close friend to Maimuna’s husband. She herself had dropped the hint that Bello said he was not in the least interested in the marriage, that it was his mother who decided that her neighbour’s daughter was a suitable match for him. I didn’t give much thought to her explanation, preferring to just sympathise with her over the issue. But just days afterwards, my elder brother paid me a surprise visit at home. He sat down and told me he had witnessed the most incredible scene today. I asked what it was and he told me all about it.’ She concluded.

‘So what did he say?’ I asked, overcome with curiosity while driving through the early evening traffic.

‘He said that they were just coming from Bello’s mother’s house where they accompanied him to beg her to please stop the wedding arrangements. My brother said that Bello went down on his knees and cried before all his friends begging her not to destroy the peace and harmony he had known in his marriage to Maimuna, but she wasn’t moved. In the end she rose to her feet and said that he had been a good son all his life, and that he had never disobeyed her on anything, so he shouldn’t start now. She added that going through with this wedding is the only thing he can do to please her, so he should not incur her anger by refusing to do so. Almost as an afterthought she added “I could have asked you to divorce Maimuna but I didn’t, instead I said marry another wife, is that too much to ask?” and with this she walked away and left them in her sitting room.’ Zulai narrated.

‘But this is incredible. Does Bello rely on her for everything? Doesn’t he work to earn a living? Because usually when mothers are so domineering it is because a man is not his own man. If he was she’ll respect his wishes.’ I observed.

‘Unfortunately that’s not the case with Bello. He is actually his own man. He had been working since he graduated from polytechnic. The only hold she has on him was that as an only son, who also lost his father at a very young age, she had hoped to have a say in every aspect of his life. But by the time he met Maimuna it was entirely his decision to marry her. She didn’t hide her anger when he announced that he had found a wife without her consent and never bothered to hide the fact that she didn’t like Maimuna and the three children she bore for him. But in spite of this no one expected her to go as far as forcing another woman on him. It seems they had underestimated the extent of her hatred. Anyway as soon as she walked out on them, Bello dried his tears and told his friends they were going next door to see his intended bride. They accompanied him. He sent for this same young lady you saw Hajiya, and when she came he told her that he was there to say the wedding was off because it was all a misunderstanding on the part of his mother. But do you know what she did? She laughed aloud and then said ‘I have been warned to expect this because of the hold that woman has on you. Yes, I was told that you may try to back out of this wedding because you fear your wife so much. So forget it, the only person who can call off this wedding is your mother. As for you, you are too far gone you don’t know what is good for you.’ She accused.

‘But don’t you care that I am not interested and don’t have any feelings for you?’ Bello asked.

‘It doesn’t matter to me what you think or feel because you are under the influence of sorcery. Your mother told me everything so I am just coming into your life to liberate you. You may not realise it now but one day you will thank me.’ And with that she also turned and walked back into her home. The wedding took place two weeks later. His mother got her a rented apartment and bought her a car. Then called Bello and said if he doesn’t come to this insolent girl’s house every two days, she will curse and disown him.’ Zulai concluded.

‘Poor guy. But happened to her feminine pride? I thought every woman wants to be loved and cared for by the man she married. How can you marry a man at his mother’s behest and expect to be happy?’ I asked.

‘You can when you are spoilsport. Her only aim in being there is to spoil their fun. She has heard that Bello was happily married to Maimuna. Whether or not she’s convinced Maimuna had him on a string through sorcery is not certain but her mission there is to destroy that marital harmony. So today we see her driving around town, always overdressed, over made-up and acting as if she does own the world.’ Zulai ended.