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Fifty Three
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Misfortunate One
"Action!"I turn to face Ali, and started with my index finger in his face, speaking Hausa. "You're being so unfair to ask me to move in with your mother so that you can move your other wife in. You're being unfair." He eyes me and gives me a signal to get out of the way, not touching me. I sigh for the camera and then observe the director's face. He doesn't look happy, so I am not surprised when he shouts "Cut!""Labeebah" He begins using my own name, not Amina which I bear in the movie. "You should say that to Ali as softly as possible. Don't be aggressive. That's not how a Hausa woman behaves, not even any woman anywhere. We'll take this again, don't shout at him, sound as pleading as possible." I blink at him, wanting to ask if I read the script wrong. I clearly read that the statement was supposed to be said aggr
Misfortunate Two
"So, when is she giving you the money?" Abdul's question stops me in my tracks. I was pulling off my hijab just after praying Zuhr prayers. I let the orange stretchy material drop back unto my body before slow"What money?" He sighs and looks everywhere but at me. "The recommendation money fa. You're supposed to have collected it by now." I make a face at him and he points at me, shaking his index finger from his seat. "And don't give me that face. You're too slow." I shake my head.It's been two days since Ali's insistent pushing and Abdul told me of his trip to Kano and a single moment of peace has not been my own since then. He talks about money at any available time. Money! Money all the time.
Misfortunate Three
"That's all for today's shoot people." I internally do a jig when the director says we're done for the day. I intentionally helped rush the shoot because I have to travel to Kano. Need to go visit Abdul who left for Kano a week ago, I miss him.I step out into the cool morning air, we'd been shooting since four am. I left my house at an ungodly three am to get here early, the only downside is that I have to follow the minivan that brought the rest of the cast. So I lean against a pillar and wait for the rest of the cast to finish, right there I imagine myself frying eggs and plantains with hot spicy noodles for breakfast. The thought keeps me company and helps be less angry at the stalling actors."Labeebah." I sigh. I can't even fault him for calling my name right. There's no Nafeesah here to save me today. The worst thing is, I didn't hear him walk so close
Misfortunate Chapter Four
The door opens as I pull off the old threadbare navy blue hijab I used to pray Isha¹ and wear my scarf. My aunt comes in holding my favorite large mug with my face on it, I giggle as I climb the bed, leaving space for my aunt to climb in. She hands me the mug and the scent of Lipton tea, Milo and three crowns milk and a little sugar tickles my senses. I lift the cover and stir it with the spoon in it to take a dainty sip. I smile at my aunt thankfully, safely keep the mug on my bedside table and lean on the wooden headboard. "Labibi? How are you?" I shut my eyes and exhale. "Nothing Ma. I'm fine." I call her Ma and she calls me Labibi because when my parents just died, many things reminded me off them, I tried not to let myself forget their memories, so I made new
Misfortunate Five
6:50 pm,The Lamido house, Life Camp, Abuja.I responded to greetings as I shut the door of the Uber I ordered and watched it drive out of the gates that Baba Sarah opened. I waited to greet the gateman who i knew was itching to talk to me.He quickly shut the gate and ran to me. "Oga soldier." He greeted, mimicking the attention stance my battalion soldiers gave when they saw me. I just nodded and waited for him to stop trembling enough to speak."My daughter had the baby yesterday. She is still at the hospital because there is no money to use for discharge." He said in Hausa, tear clouded his eyes and I sighed. His daughter had been raped by some boys in their area who thought she was playing hard to get, I personally reported to the assistant inspector general who sent the police there to get all three boys arrested.I tapped Baba Sarah's back as I
Misfortunate Six
"I have some free time between ten and twelve later, so please get ready to go to the bank." As I spoke, a ping came on both our phones, I know because I saw him walk to his and open his message. I took a leisurely stroll to where my phone was and tapped on it, heart literally falling into my stomach when I saw it was from the bank. "Abdul? Another five hundred thousand? Why?" He just hisses and walks to the room we once shared, my whole self is trembling as i follow him at a more sedate pace. "Why would you withdraw another five hundred thousand naira? Zuwaiya isn't getting married ba? It's you? You're using my money to fund your marriage. How cruel can you be? That you'll take an orphan's money to fund a frivolous thing. I didn't say don't get married, I didn't ask you a single question. Why then are you punishing me?" I furiously wipe tears that gathered on my lower lids. "What your money? Last time I checked, i
Misfortunate Chapter Seven
I keep swallowing the expensive Ben's and Jerry's ice cream we were given as souvenir at the Kamu I attended yesterday. I don't even look Abdul's way, I instead stick my short spoon for another scoop of ice cream."Can't you hear me?" I finally raise my eyes to look at him. "What did you say?" I ask stupidly. I pat myself on the back, the acting was superb."Don't sit there acting stupid Labeebah. You transferred all that money, even cancelled the account. Why kind of human does that? Ehn? Tell me. How am I supposed to pay for the wedding when you take all the money." I don't say a word, I just keep scooping the chocolatey goodness into the spoon and into my mouth next."Aren't you going to answer me?" I lean against the sofa, smiling like I didn't hear a word. He throws his hands up and leaves the room, my face changes immediately he leaves. If he were full of fake apologies, I might have listened, but slapping me over
Misfortunate Eight
"Was that all he said?"I hummed to my aunt as I prepared my own mixed cocktail using a fizzy non alcoholic drink. I pick the two cups and a beautiful wooden tray I use for my advertisement pictures and do the difficult to my room with my phone balanced on my ear."What do you suggest Ma?" My aunt sighs. "I'm short of words. If your uncle heard this, he'd ask you to move back home, I can condone anything but fetish things. That one is too much." I set down the tray on my filming table and sit in the brown leather chair."I do not know what to do Ma. Tired is an understatement for how I feel. He keeps showing me sides to him everyday, I'm scared for my own life." I sigh. Putting down the cocktail cup cover I was holding."Just be careful. Since you said you use camera in your room, keep using it till you find another apartment." I shut my eyes in tiredness. "But Ma, I paid for this house, with my mone
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