She straightened up and looked at me intently, saying, “Stop crying like that and just look at me.” She raised herself and looked at me firmly.
“Calm yourself, stop crying, and tell me the truth about what I know,” she said. I nodded my head in agreement, and she continued:
“Tell me the truth—when the bandits attacked you, did they rape you?” I cried and said:
“By God, Ummu, they didn’t succeed at all on me. Only Humaira was unlucky, but apart from her, no one else was harmed.” She shook her head in disbelief and said:
“Get ready; we are leaving.”
We went together to the state specialist hospital. The examination revealed that I was indeed pregnant, just two and a half weeks along. I was stunned—so it was true. But how had it happened? Where did it come from?
When we arrived, I cried the whole way. Ummu scolded me gently, looking at me seriously:
“Autan Ummu, tell me the truth between you and God. I promise I will accept whatever you say. Fear God and tell me exactly what happened. Who is the father of this pregnancy?”
I quickly looked at her and said,
“By God Almighty, Ummu, I’ve never been with any man. Even with my husband, Ali Abbas, I will not lie to you. I don’t know how this pregnancy happened, and I don’t know its father.”
Ummu shook her head, astonished at this situation. If Manga were to give birth to a child, the father would reveal himself—but she suspected Ali Abbas. She wanted to separate him from Manga now. She sighed and said:
“Go lie down and rest. You need sleep. Don’t tell anyone about this because Ali Abbas will be the one to take care of this child.”
I said nothing and just lay down, unable to sleep, unsure what to do.
Meanwhile, Ali Abbas entered the room, looking upset and furious. From the moment they arrived in India, someone had whispered into Manga’s ear, ruining her life. By God, he felt completely betrayed, but he could not argue with Ummu’s decision.
When Manga saw the morning, it seemed as if God Himself had woken her. She didn’t even look at the breakfast that was brought. She was surprised by Ummu’s refusal to approach her, knowing that normally someone would check on her daily.
Later, a servant came to greet her, and she asked,
“Your Excellency, are you ready to leave?”
I stood up, put on my hijab, and followed the servant to the car. Seeing Ali Abbas in the car made my heart race. I looked at Ummu and lowered my head.
“Good morning, Ummu,” I said. Ummu pulled me closer and asked,
“How are you, Autan Ummu Hafsatu Manga? May God bless you. How is your body?”
Tears filled my eyes, and I could not speak.
As we drove, I said, “Good morning, Ali,” and he replied shortly, “I’m fine.” Ummu did not like the way he spoke to me. She felt deep sympathy for me, unsure of the secrets the girl carried. She could not understand the situation fully.
Ummu reflected on the attack. By the time the bandits raped me, I was already five months pregnant, but this new pregnancy—where did it come from? She shook her head, thinking that His Excellency had acted to prevent chaos from spreading in the palace. This was the only solution.
When we reached Ali Abbas’s house in Arqillah, we entered the main parlor. No one else was there except the servants. Ummu looked at him seriously and said,
“His Excellency has issued this decree. You must take care of your wife carefully. Do not speak of this until she gives birth. Only then can we investigate this pregnancy and find out what it means. You will spend two days with the servants here; two days in her room, and two days elsewhere. Do you understand?”
He nodded in frustration. Ummu said,
“Autan Ummu, I will call you later. Accept this patiently. Now your life is with your husband. I will not tolerate disrespect or any misbehavior.”
He shook his head, and she left. They sat silently, tense. After some minutes, he stood, grabbed my neck gently, and said angrily:
“From the moment we met, your pitiful ways fooled me. Then your reckless actions in the wilderness manipulated my heart. I am sure now that you are deceitful. I swear, you are evil-hearted. I will not expel you, but it is your fate to endure in this house. Only evil sorcerers manipulate people; you have harmed yourself by your actions.”
I cried my heart out, screaming:
“Ali, I never thought all people in the world would fail me, and you too would. I did not commit adultery, and neither did my parents. I am not a sorcerer!”
He felt a sharp pain, and suddenly, blood started trickling from his mouth, moving around his left eye. He said:
“I will not let you ruin my mind again. You’ve hurt our kingdom, disgraced our lineage, and caused destruction. I am sure this happened in India. God willing, you will give birth to a child, and I will take care of him. Don’t harm yourself again.”
I slumped, overwhelmed, without attempting to defend myself.
---
After four months
Apart from verbal abuse and insults, nothing else separated Manga and Ali. She was in deep distress, her pregnancy showing in dramatic ways. She wept while he cursed her, showing no mercy. Ali Abbas was patient but deeply concerned.
When three scholars came to Manga’s house, she was amazed. By God, the spirit explained everything about the evil done to her. She feared the revelation but understood everything eventually.
She stayed with Ummu for a month, then was sent to serve elsewhere, in Kaduna. She revealed nothing to anyone, resolved to stay away from Sokoto forever, and to leave Ali Abbas behind.
After two days in Kaduna, preparations began to enter camp. Ali Abbas tried calling, but she didn’t answer. She greeted Ammy and quickly went to pick something for Haj Azumi. Despite the late hour, she didn’t dwell on the task.
When she left the house, she noticed men following her and a car keeping pace with hers. She tried to escape, but a cloth covered her nose, and she fainted.
She woke up in a large parlor, frightened. A man explained over the phone that she would be held for money. She was blindfolded, fed little, and her environment stripped of everything. In two weeks, she deteriorated physically and mentally, with blood and stress taking their toll.
Ali Abbas was frantic, deeply distressed by her disappearance. His Excellency prevented anyone from blaming Ammy, leaving only prayers for her safety.
---
Mom Nu’aiym…
By now, there was no doubt Ammy had been involved in Manga’s ordeal. Manga’s father grew furious, ready to report the injustice to His Excellency. He condemned Ibrahim for neglecting their family and acting with cruelty despite their high status in Agadez.
She straightened up and looked at me intently, saying, “Stop crying like that and just look at me.” She raised herself and looked at me firmly.
“Calm yourself, stop crying, and tell me the truth about what I know,” she said. I nodded my head in agreement, and she continued:
“Tell me the truth—when the bandits attacked you, did they rape you?” I cried and said:
“By God, Ummu, they didn’t succeed at all on me. Only Humaira was unlucky, but apart from her, no one else was harmed.” She shook her head in disbelief and said:
“Get ready; we are leaving.”
We went together to the state specialist hospital. The examination revealed that I was indeed pregnant, just two and a half weeks along. I was stunned—so it was true. But how had it happened? Where did it come from?
When we arrived, I cried the whole way. Ummu scolded me gently, looking at me seriously:
“Autan Ummu, tell me the truth between you and God. I promise I will accept whatever you say. Fear God and tell me exactly what happened. Who is the father of this pregnancy?”
I quickly looked at her and said,
“By God Almighty, Ummu, I’ve never been with any man. Even with my husband, Ali Abbas, I will not lie to you. I don’t know how this pregnancy happened, and I don’t know its father.”
Ummu shook her head, astonished at this situation. If Manga were to give birth to a child, the father would reveal himself—but she suspected Ali Abbas. She wanted to separate him from Manga now. She sighed and said:
“Go lie down and rest. You need sleep. Don’t tell anyone about this because Ali Abbas will be the one to take care of this child.”
I said nothing and just lay down, unable to sleep, unsure what to do.
Meanwhile, Ali Abbas entered the room, looking upset and furious. From the moment they arrived in India, someone had whispered into Manga’s ear, ruining her life. By God, he felt completely betrayed, but he could not argue with Ummu’s decision.
When Manga saw the morning, it seemed as if God Himself had woken her. She didn’t even look at the breakfast that was brought. She was surprised by Ummu’s refusal to approach her, knowing that normally someone would check on her daily.
Later, a servant came to greet her, and she asked,
“Your Excellency, are you ready to leave?”
I stood up, put on my hijab, and followed the servant to the car. Seeing Ali Abbas in the car made my heart race. I looked at Ummu and lowered my head.
“Good morning, Ummu,” I said. Ummu pulled me closer and asked,
“How are you, Autan Ummu Hafsatu Manga? May God bless you. How is your body?”
Tears filled my eyes, and I could not speak.
As we drove, I said, “Good morning, Ali,” and he replied shortly, “I’m fine.” Ummu did not like the way he spoke to me. She felt deep sympathy for me, unsure of the secrets the girl carried. She could not understand the situation fully.
Ummu reflected on the attack. By the time the bandits raped me, I was already five months pregnant, but this new pregnancy—where did it come from? She shook her head, thinking that His Excellency had acted to prevent chaos from spreading in the palace. This was the only solution.
When we reached Ali Abbas’s house in Arqillah, we entered the main parlor. No one else was there except the servants. Ummu looked at him seriously and said,
“His Excellency has issued this decree. You must take care of your wife carefully. Do not speak of this until she gives birth. Only then can we investigate this pregnancy and find out what it means. You will spend two days with the servants here; two days in her room, and two days elsewhere. Do you understand?”
He nodded in frustration. Ummu said,
“Autan Ummu, I will call you later. Accept this patiently. Now your life is with your husband. I will not tolerate disrespect or any misbehavior.”
He shook his head, and she left. They sat silently, tense. After some minutes, he stood, grabbed my neck gently, and said angrily:
“From the moment we met, your pitiful ways fooled me. Then your reckless actions in the wilderness manipulated my heart. I am sure now that you are deceitful. I swear, you are evil-hearted. I will not expel you, but it is your fate to endure in this house. Only evil sorcerers manipulate people; you have harmed yourself by your actions.”
I cried my heart out, screaming:
“Ali, I never thought all people in the world would fail me, and you too would. I did not commit adultery, and neither did my parents. I am not a sorcerer!”
He felt a sharp pain, and suddenly, blood started trickling from his mouth, moving around his left eye. He said:
“I will not let you ruin my mind again. You’ve hurt our kingdom, disgraced our lineage, and caused destruction. I am sure this happened in India. God willing, you will give birth to a child, and I will take care of him. Don’t harm yourself again.”
I slumped, overwhelmed, without attempting to defend myself.
---
After four months
Apart from verbal abuse and insults, nothing else separated Manga and Ali. She was in deep distress, her pregnancy showing in dramatic ways. She wept while he cursed her, showing no mercy. Ali Abbas was patient but deeply concerned.
When three scholars came to Manga’s house, she was amazed. By God, the spirit explained everything about the evil done to her. She feared the revelation but understood everything eventually.
She stayed with Ummu for a month, then was sent to serve elsewhere, in Kaduna. She revealed nothing to anyone, resolved to stay away from Sokoto forever, and to leave Ali Abbas behind.
After two days in Kaduna, preparations began to enter camp. Ali Abbas tried calling, but she didn’t answer. She greeted Ammy and quickly went to pick something for Haj Azumi. Despite the late hour, she didn’t dwell on the task.
When she left the house, she noticed men following her and a car keeping pace with hers. She tried to escape, but a cloth covered her nose, and she fainted.
She woke up in a large parlor, frightened. A man explained over the phone that she would be held for money. She was blindfolded, fed little, and her environment stripped of everything. In two weeks, she deteriorated physically and mentally, with blood and stress taking their toll.
Ali Abbas was frantic, deeply distressed by her disappearance. His Excellency prevented anyone from blaming Ammy, leaving only prayers for her safety.
---
Mom Nu’aiym…
By now, there was no doubt Ammy had been involved in Manga’s ordeal. Manga’s father grew furious, ready to report the injustice to His Excellency. He condemned Ibrahim for neglecting their family and acting with cruelty despite their high status in Agadez.