In the city of Kano, in the Kofar Nassarawa area, lived Alhaji Lawan. He was a well-known and successful businessman who traveled to many countries, conducting his business both within Nigeria and abroad. God had blessed him with immense wealth. He had only one wife, Hajiya Lubna, but they never had children. They searched tirelessly for a solution to childlessness until they became exhausted, yet nothing worked. They even traveled abroad, but still there was no success.
Hajiya Lubna was of Fulani origin—fair-skinned, tall, with long hair reaching her back, beautiful eyes, and an elegant sense of style.
She had everything a woman could desire. Whenever she dressed to go out, her outfit had to perfectly match the car she would ride in.
If she wore lace fabric, her jewelry had to match its color; the handbag and shoes as well—and above all, the car she would use.
Hajiya Lubna never wore lace worth less than fifty thousand naira. Her Ankara fabrics were either Aura or Super Wax. As for shadda, it had to be Hilton U.K.—so luxurious that only those who saw it could truly appreciate it.
Many city women wanted to associate with her, but she only kept company with elite women—wives of governors, ministers, and the like. She had everything in life as it should be, except for one thing: childbirth.
One Friday, Alhaji Lawan left Kano and relocated permanently to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, to a villa estate close to the Nigerian president’s residence.
The house was so well designed that once inside, one would hardly believe it was in Nigeria. The interior decorators were brought all the way from Abu Dhabi—after all, wealthy people get whatever they want.
They settled into their new paradise-like home, and everything changed. Hajiya Lubna made new friends, including even the wife of the president. Her circle now matched her status.
That day, she prepared to visit a hospital in Abuja run by Indian doctors who had come to offer medical assistance to Nigerians.
After explaining that she wanted to conceive, they asked her to lie down for a scan. When they were done, they explained to her that God had not created her with a womb, and therefore it was impossible for her to conceive. They said that if she had a womb, they could have helped her have twins or even triplets at once.
They spoke with her at length, even discussing possible alternatives, but there was nothing to be done. She had no choice but to accept and return home heartbroken and unsettled.
Hajiya Lubna became deeply distressed. Her joy turned into sorrow; her happiness into pain.
After returning from the hospital, as she entered the house, she met her younger brother Yusuf and his children. He had come to greet her.
He quickly went to where she parked her car, trembling with respect.
“Welcome, Hajiya.”
“Thank you, Yusuf. So you’re the one in the house?”
“Yes, by God. I came with the children to greet you.”
“You did well,” she replied.
They entered the living room and sat down, including the three children. Hajiya Lubna went into her bedroom.
She lay down to ease the burden on her heart. After a while, she came out and found Yusuf in the living room watching television with his three children.
After exchanging greetings, she brought him water to drink and asked after their family and his wife.
Yusuf was her full younger brother—same mother and father—but she did not really pay much attention to him. Even though they now lived in the same city, she would not look for him unless he came to her house.
Yusuf worked with MTN in Abuja. He had a wife and three children—two boys and one girl.
When Yusuf stood up to leave, Hajiya Lubna opened her handbag and brought out twenty thousand naira to give him, but he refused, saying he only came to visit her. She let him go and thanked him.
During this exchange, Alhaji Lawan entered the living room with greetings.
As soon as they saw him, Yusuf’s children jumped up and ran, shouting, “Daddy! Daddy!”
Alhaji Lawan quickly picked up the youngest and lifted him joyfully. The other two held onto his legs. He was overwhelmed with happiness and went straight to his room with them.
He brought out biscuits and sweets for them, then returned to the living room and sat down.
Yusuf stood up from his seat and knelt down.
“Welcome, Alhaji.”
“Thank you, Yusuf. How is home? How is work?”
“All praise be to God.”
“And the family?”
“They are fine, Alhaji.”
After a short while, Yusuf prepared to leave.
“Alhaji, we will be going now.”
“Alright, Yusuf. Thank you—greet the family for me.”
It was with difficulty that Yusuf’s youngest child climbed down from Alhaji Lawan’s lap, insisting he did not want to leave and wanted to stay behind.
After Yusuf and his children left, Alhaji noticed that something was troubling his wife. He moved closer and sat beside her.
“Hajiya, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she replied.
“I noticed you seem upset, that’s why I asked.”
“I’m fine,” she insisted.
Hajiya Lubna became withdrawn. Life no longer felt pleasant—her heart was filled with nothing but thoughts.
That day, she received a visitor—her friend from the Ijo tribe, a Muslim woman.
She met Hajiya Lubna in a state of distress and began to remind her of God and His mercy. She spoke to her for a long time about God, until her heart calmed down. Hajiya Lubna then felt she could even look for another wife for her husband to marry, since he was healthy.
She regained her composure and left everything to God, as nothing troubled her anymore.
At the wedding ceremony of her friend’s younger sister—Hajiya Halima, the Minister of Women—she was the one giving her sister away in marriage.
In the city of Kano, in the Kofar Nassarawa area, lived Alhaji Lawan. He was a well-known and successful businessman who traveled to many countries, conducting his business both within Nigeria and abroad. God had blessed him with immense wealth. He had only one wife, Hajiya Lubna, but they never had children. They searched tirelessly for a solution to childlessness until they became exhausted, yet nothing worked. They even traveled abroad, but still there was no success.
Hajiya Lubna was of Fulani origin—fair-skinned, tall, with long hair reaching her back, beautiful eyes, and an elegant sense of style.
She had everything a woman could desire. Whenever she dressed to go out, her outfit had to perfectly match the car she would ride in.
If she wore lace fabric, her jewelry had to match its color; the handbag and shoes as well—and above all, the car she would use.
Hajiya Lubna never wore lace worth less than fifty thousand naira. Her Ankara fabrics were either Aura or Super Wax. As for shadda, it had to be Hilton U.K.—so luxurious that only those who saw it could truly appreciate it.
Many city women wanted to associate with her, but she only kept company with elite women—wives of governors, ministers, and the like. She had everything in life as it should be, except for one thing: childbirth.
One Friday, Alhaji Lawan left Kano and relocated permanently to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, to a villa estate close to the Nigerian president’s residence.
The house was so well designed that once inside, one would hardly believe it was in Nigeria. The interior decorators were brought all the way from Abu Dhabi—after all, wealthy people get whatever they want.
They settled into their new paradise-like home, and everything changed. Hajiya Lubna made new friends, including even the wife of the president. Her circle now matched her status.
That day, she prepared to visit a hospital in Abuja run by Indian doctors who had come to offer medical assistance to Nigerians.
After explaining that she wanted to conceive, they asked her to lie down for a scan. When they were done, they explained to her that God had not created her with a womb, and therefore it was impossible for her to conceive. They said that if she had a womb, they could have helped her have twins or even triplets at once.
They spoke with her at length, even discussing possible alternatives, but there was nothing to be done. She had no choice but to accept and return home heartbroken and unsettled.
Hajiya Lubna became deeply distressed. Her joy turned into sorrow; her happiness into pain.
After returning from the hospital, as she entered the house, she met her younger brother Yusuf and his children. He had come to greet her.
He quickly went to where she parked her car, trembling with respect.
“Welcome, Hajiya.”
“Thank you, Yusuf. So you’re the one in the house?”
“Yes, by God. I came with the children to greet you.”
“You did well,” she replied.
They entered the living room and sat down, including the three children. Hajiya Lubna went into her bedroom.
She lay down to ease the burden on her heart. After a while, she came out and found Yusuf in the living room watching television with his three children.
After exchanging greetings, she brought him water to drink and asked after their family and his wife.
Yusuf was her full younger brother—same mother and father—but she did not really pay much attention to him. Even though they now lived in the same city, she would not look for him unless he came to her house.
Yusuf worked with MTN in Abuja. He had a wife and three children—two boys and one girl.
When Yusuf stood up to leave, Hajiya Lubna opened her handbag and brought out twenty thousand naira to give him, but he refused, saying he only came to visit her. She let him go and thanked him.
During this exchange, Alhaji Lawan entered the living room with greetings.
As soon as they saw him, Yusuf’s children jumped up and ran, shouting, “Daddy! Daddy!”
Alhaji Lawan quickly picked up the youngest and lifted him joyfully. The other two held onto his legs. He was overwhelmed with happiness and went straight to his room with them.
He brought out biscuits and sweets for them, then returned to the living room and sat down.
Yusuf stood up from his seat and knelt down.
“Welcome, Alhaji.”
“Thank you, Yusuf. How is home? How is work?”
“All praise be to God.”
“And the family?”
“They are fine, Alhaji.”
After a short while, Yusuf prepared to leave.
“Alhaji, we will be going now.”
“Alright, Yusuf. Thank you—greet the family for me.”
It was with difficulty that Yusuf’s youngest child climbed down from Alhaji Lawan’s lap, insisting he did not want to leave and wanted to stay behind.
After Yusuf and his children left, Alhaji noticed that something was troubling his wife. He moved closer and sat beside her.
“Hajiya, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she replied.
“I noticed you seem upset, that’s why I asked.”
“I’m fine,” she insisted.
Hajiya Lubna became withdrawn. Life no longer felt pleasant—her heart was filled with nothing but thoughts.
That day, she received a visitor—her friend from the Ijo tribe, a Muslim woman.
She met Hajiya Lubna in a state of distress and began to remind her of God and His mercy. She spoke to her for a long time about God, until her heart calmed down. Hajiya Lubna then felt she could even look for another wife for her husband to marry, since he was healthy.
She regained her composure and left everything to God, as nothing troubled her anymore.
At the wedding ceremony of her friend’s younger sister—Hajiya Halima, the Minister of Women—she was the one giving her sister away in marriage.