Babban Yaya Book Compelet

Description

"Look, Alhaji Umaru, I am staying in the village; I am not in a position to give orders and have them carried out."

From the other end, the caller named Alhaji Umaru slapped his forehead (🤦‍♂️🤦‍♀️— wait, who could have dared touch their eldest brother?): He let out a sigh, adjusted the phone close to his ear, and said, "Elder brother, what is happening? Who are you with?"

"Oh, you are even asking me what is happening? Umaru, both you and Usmanu know better than anyone what you have brought upon yourselves. How could you leave a boy right in front of you for years living without a family? Year after year, up to thirty-six years, NAUFAL has been living doing whatever he pleases, refusing to marry. And because you people are western-educated, you just let him do whatever he likes! As for me staying here in the village, I won't tell you to do something and you refuse; no, it must be what you intend."

Politely, Alhaji Umar said, "By Allah, Elder Brother, it is not like that. We ourselves are doing our utmost best regarding him; we don't even know what to do with him anymore. We tried everything to get him to bring the girl he likes, but he refused."

Angrily, the one called Elder Brother said, "Nonsense and foolish talk! Did you go to that country of the white people where he lives to see him chained in one place? How can you leave a mature boy like Naufal unattended? Did he tell you he is an idol or a stone that he wouldn't desire a woman? I suppose this is how we see them on TV, flashy and in shorts, playing ball under the guise of a career. Now, cut this call, call him, and tell him that I, Abubakar, his father's elder brother and a man of authority and respect within the Arabo family, said he must call my close friend's daughter so they can understand each other. If he is looking for an educated girl like himself, that girl didn't grow up in the village either for him to look down upon her the way he looked down on me. I will send you her number for you to forward to him."

Alhaji Umar said, "Okay, Elder Brother, God willing, I will do as you say. Here is Alhaji Usman to greet you." He said this while trying to pull the phone away from his ear. Quickly, the older man said, "No, leave it, you are all cut from the same cloth," and with that, he hung up his phone.

Alhaji Umar raised his head and looked at Usman without saying anything. A single glance at them would make you certain they are of the same blood. They resemble each other so closely, almost identically. They are not very bulky in build, as they are originally of Tuareg (Buzu) descent.

Alhaji Usman said, "He was talking about Naufal, wasn't he?" Alhaji Umar nodded and told him how the conversation went. Without worry, Usman said, "No problem, just send him the number, let him call the girl. If we are lucky and this time it works out, then fine. Our only wish all along is for him to get married."

He was dressed in a pure white jersey and long trousers, with white sneakers on his feet, and a remarkably attractive white Bluetooth headset in his ear. He was jogging with his head down, but despite that, people kept talking to him, and he would wave back, being someone who dislikes too much talking. His phone started ringing; when he checked the screen, he saw "My Dady." He had to pause his run, holding his waist while taking a light breath. He raised his head and answered the call with greetings on his lips.

Only then did I get the chance to take a good look at him. He is extremely fair-complexioned—every part of his body is brilliantly white. He is an insanely gorgeous guy, and the very shape of his eyes is enough to instantly capture a young girl's heart. If you look at him once, you are bound to turn back to look at him again. He started greeting his father, and as he spoke, his dimples appeared.

Alhaji Umar said, "There is a girl's number, Habiba, that I just sent to you. Call her and let you two understand each other. Elder Brother is the one who insisted we give you the number; she is his friend's daughter. When you finish sorting things out, find some time to come home so the marriage discussions can be finalized. I don't want to hear any excuses later."

As soon as he finished giving him that directive, he hung up the phone. He knew why Dady hung up the phone; every time they brought up marriage to him, he knew the kind of talk he would give—begging them to give him more time. But time still refused to come around! ⤹🤷‍♂️

He exhaled a hot breath from his mouth, and in a deeply melodious voice that you could barely hear, he said, "As for this one, by what means can I get rid of her?" He thought for a moment, and right then, he took his heart's advice and dialed the number sent to him for Habiba.

It rang three times before she picked up. Without greeting, she said, "Hello, who is this?"

He felt a bit odd, as if he were the one calling someone and being asked who he was—and not just anyone asks him who he is, but a lady. Girls are always trailing after him just to get close to him, though he pays them no mind. He was certain that if she knew the true identity of the person calling her, she would have poured water on the floor and drank it out of sheer excitement! Noticing the silence as no one spoke, she said, "Hello, who is speaking?"

He waited a few seconds before moving his pink lips to say, "My name is Naufal Umar Arabo." Only when she heard "Arabo" did she say, "Okay, could you be the son of Alhaji Habu's younger brother who lives in the village?" "Yes." That was all he said.

From her end, she said, "Ah, they spoke with my Abba. He said he would send his son for me to see; if I like him, then the elders will step into the matter." (😆🤭)

Resentment gripped him, and he twisted his face in disgust. He wished he could lay eyes on this girl to see what she was so proud of. As if he would be the one she'd say if she likes him! Did she even know who he was? He closed his eyes, which allowed his long, separate eyelashes—like a woman's—to stand out. With a sullen, gloomy face devoid of any cheer, he said, "Yes, it's me."

She also replied, "Then you keep saying 'it's me, it's me' and can't say anything else. You speak like someone learning how to talk. I don't like this match any more than you want it, so don't think I like you. You're talking to me with difficulty and sounding all stiff like a woman. Tell me when you are coming to let me see you, not just phone calls, because I wasn't told you'd just call me; I was told you would come and let me see you or bring me something."

By this time, his temper was completely flared up! (😡😡) Yet a part of his heart felt happy; at least he knew this girl wouldn't give him any trouble regarding breaking things off, since she didn't want it either. He softened his voice, composed himself, and spoke disjointedly like a learner: "What... what is stiffness?"

"Uhm, oh, you don't even know what stiffness is? Tabdi jam, God is great! What brings together all sorts of guys and me, and today it's this one I've met? I really wished to see you, man of God, to see the person who doesn't know what stiffness is. Tell me, when are you coming?"

He didn't care about her long chatter; in fact, he just wanted to wrap it up today so each could go their separate ways. Softly, he said, "I... I don't have time to visit."

From her end, she said, "So we will marry like this, with you having no time for me?" He gave a sort of side smile, thinking to himself that they had reached the core now, and aloud he said, "No time. I am out there making money. You know money comes before everything else. Even for myself, I don't have time, let alone finding time for someone else. Making money is my only priority."

She said, "Okay, so you're telling me money is loved above everything else in your life?" "No, not just my life, but even the life of whoever is trying to come into my life. Money comes before everything else to me." "Then Mr. Naufal Umar Arabo—if I haven't forgotten your name, that's what you said it was, right?—I think we don't even need to meet. Just stay where you are, and may God match everyone with their compatible partner." Click, she hung up her phone.

He didn't know when a wave of pure joy washed over him, causing his dimples to deepen. Joyfully, he said, "Yessss!" and continued with his jogging.

Summary

This chapter introduces Naufal Umar Arabo, a 36-year-old famous professional football player based in Spain (widely known as Big Brother), and his family background. Naufal’s father, Alhaji Umar, and his uncles (Alhaji Abubakar and Alhaji Usman) belong to a wealthy Tuareg (Buzu) family originally from Niger Republic, later relocating to Nigeria.

Naufal’s family is desperate for him to settle down and marry, constantly setting him up with daughters of family friends and relatives. Naufal, however, uses his signature clever tactics and aloofness to chase them away so he can remain single and focused on his career. In this chapter, his elder uncle in the village (Baba Habu) forces Alhaji Umar to give Naufal the phone number of Habiba, the daughter of Baba Habu's close friend.

Naufal reluctantly calls Habiba, intending to scare her off or make her reject him. To his delight, Habiba turns out to be equally uninterested in an arranged marriage and has a sharp tongue of her own. After a brief, witty clash on the phone where Naufal claims money is his ultimate priority, Habiba gladly calls off the match, much to Naufal’s absolute relief and joy.

Meanwhile, the story also introduces Naufal's boisterous younger sister, Waheeda (nicknamed "Virus"), a vibrant, beautiful, and fiercely stubborn teenager living at home with their mother, her twin sisters (Ihsan and Intisar), and other siblings. Waheeda frequently clashes with her family, defies her siblings, and loves teasing and provoking everyone around her—serving as a lively counterpart to her stoic, intimidating older brother.

Description

• Characters:
  • Naufal Umar Arabo (Big Brother): The 36-year-old protagonist. Extremely handsome, fair-complexioned (Buzu descent), athletic, wealthy, and a star football player in Spain. Strict and intimidating to his siblings, but deeply successful and elusive when it comes to marriage.
  • Habiba: A bold, outspoken young woman chosen by the elders to marry Naufal. She matches Naufal's energy and readily dismisses him when he acts uninterested.
  • Alhaji Umar (Dady) & Alhaji Usman: Naufal’s supportive fathers/uncles who are eager for him to marry.
  • Alhaji Abubakar (Baba Habu): The stern eldest brother living in the village who holds high authority in the family.
  • Waheeda: Naufal's rebellious, gorgeous younger sister (the family's "Virus") who constantly tests boundaries, fights with her twin sisters (Ihsan and Intisar), and shares striking physical resemblance and dimples with Naufal.
• Setting: Alternating between a peaceful village in Nigeria (where the elders reside), a modern urban home where Naufal's family lives, and Naufal's high-end international lifestyle setting.
• Themes: Family pressure, traditional marriage expectations vs. modern independence, sibling dynamics, wealth, and humor.

Analytics

• Pacing: The narrative moves fluidly between dialogue-heavy phone interactions and descriptive family scenes, effectively establishing dual plotlines (Naufal's avoidance of marriage vs. Waheeda's domestic chaos).
• Character Contrast: Naufal is portrayed as cool, collected, and globally famous yet emotionally detached from traditional match-making, whereas Habiba is unapologetically direct, creating an entertaining subversion of the typical submissive romance trope.
• Cultural Elements: Highlights traditional Northern Nigerian family structures, the authority of elder siblings (Yaya), extended family visits, and the cultural linguistic nuances of Hausa domestic life (e.g., nicknames, sibling hierarchies, and parental expectations).

Comments

• The dialogue between Naufal and Habiba is refreshing; instead of the usual starry-eyed hero-worship, Habiba treats Naufal with total indifference, making their breakup phone call genuinely humorous.
• The introduction of Waheeda adds vibrant comedic relief. Her chaotic energy and constant squabbles with her twin sisters balance out Naufal's serious, disciplined lifestyle.
• The author does a wonderful job connecting the family tree, explaining why the family is nicknamed "Arab Family" or "Arabo" due to their fair Buzu heritage.

Conclusions

This chapter successfully establishes the central conflict of the story: the family's relentless quest to get Naufal married versus his stubborn determination to avoid it. By pairing Naufal with a girl who is equally eager to ditch the arrangement, the author highlights Naufal's cleverness while setting up future humorous hurdles. Simultaneously, the vibrant introduction of Waheeda enriches the family dynamic, promising plenty of domestic drama and entertainment in subsequent chapters.