Garin Sakkwato (Sokoto Town), Unguwar Sama Road. It is a neighborhood of the elite, where only those who possess "salt"—meaning wealth (Naira)—can own a home and truly live up to the name. It is a neighborhood of big men, prominent politicians, wealthy merchants, and the well-to-do. In fact, anyone of importance in Sokoto has a house in this massive neighborhood, and even the opportunistic newcomers who come to make quick money in the city are not left behind. Misbahu's house is one of the grandest mansions on Naira Lane. It is a massive, modern architectural masterpiece built with staggering amounts of money. The house is adorned with every conceivable luxury. Just looking at the exterior tells you it is a custom-built marvel; even the main entrance gate alone is a sight to behold, while describing the breathtaking interior is a waste of time—you simply have to see it for yourself. As for the apartments and sections within the compound, there are nearly ten distinct zones. On the left is a children's playground. Moving further down leads to a massive swimming pool. Beyond that is a giant storehouse stocked with every daily household necessity—a walk that takes at least three kilometers. At the back of the property is a completely separate animal farm known as Gidan Gona (The Farmhouse), housing everything from local and foreign chickens, exotic birds, a fish pond, rams, cows, and much more. Every single section has its own dedicated staff managing it entirely. Kubra is seated on a sofa, elegantly dressed. She is surrounded by her wild, worldly friends, each with her own unique brand of decadence. A shisha pipe is in the hands of the queen-pin of the underworld (Uwar 'Yan Bariki), who puffs on it, exhaling smoke with practiced skill. Among these lizards of the underworld, each has her specialty: one puffs on a cigarette, another takes hard drugs, while a third consumes pure intoxicating syrups—the bottle is lifted only to be drained completely. Slowly, loud music echoes from the massive parlor. From where they are seated, they dance their underworld dances, filled with excitement and vulgar chants. A sleek Mercedes-Benz pulls up and parks precisely in the designated space for the estate's luxury vehicles. Three middle-aged teenage girls step out of the car. Each of them is dressed in a purple uniform, holding Qur'ans in their hands, suggesting they are returning from an Islamic school (Islamiyya). Just by looking at them, you do not need to be told they were raised on cornflakes and milk; pure comfort is written all over their faces. They are beautiful, with a fair, moderate complexion. They start walking toward the main section of the house when the eldest of them suddenly stops, clutches her head, and exclaims: "Oh shit!" The youngest of the three looks at her and asks: "Yaya Suxee, are you okay?" The one called Yaya Suxee replies: "I swear, I forgot my phone at Sayyadi's place! He gave it to me earlier to transfer some religious lectures, and I never actually took it back!" She looks at the middle sister and says: "Please, Haseena, go get the car keys from Baba Lawan, check where I was sitting, and see if it's there." Haseena replies: "Okay, Yaya!" She hands over her Qur'an and turns to do as her older sister asked. Just as she goes a short distance, the youngest turns back, glares at Suxee, and makes a face. Suxee smiles at her and asks: "What is it, Auta? Are you tired?" Pouting playfully, Auta replies: "I am tired, Yaya Suxee. I swear I'm just going inside." She turns and begins to walk away. "Lalalala! So now you won't wait for us, Auta? You're just leaving?" Suxee asks, resting her hand on her cheek. Auta doesn't even look back; she just keeps walking with a swagger. Just as she reaches the balcony leading to the main parlor, she stops short and turns around. This coincides with Haseena walking back, saying: "I swear, Anty, I checked and didn't see it. Wait until tomorrow when we go to Islamiyya and ask Sayyadi; I think you left it there." "O-Oh!" Suxee says, then adds, "Alright, let's go." Just as they are about to reach where Auta is standing, Auta calls out: "Yaya Suxee!" When Suxee looks up, Auta pulls out the very phone Suxee was looking for and says: "Look at your phone! It fell out of your clothes when we got in the car, and I took it just to tease you before giving it back." Haseena's eyes widen as she says: "You little trickster! So the phone was with you, and you let me run around searching? Come here so I can get you your chocolate!"—implying she wants to catch and rough her up for making her run around in vain. Auta, a cunning little girl, makes a face at Haseena, twists the door handle, and slips inside. Haseena hisses, saying, "I'm going to catch you!" She turns to Suxee and says, "Yaya Suxee, you're seeing this, and you won't say anything?" Amused by Haseena's reaction, Suxee laughs and says, "Well, except for you, Haseena, Auta's antics are just something else; why let it bother you? Don't forget she's the reason my old phone got ruined—she took it into our bathroom to play a game, and when it got hot, she filled the sink with water and dropped it inside so it would 'cool down,' thinking I wouldn't notice!" They all burst into laughter. Suxee says, "So you see, with Auta, I just have to take things easy. If only I could get Sweet Daddy to change this one for me..." "That's true, Yaya, we can only cover Auta's mischief with prayers," Haseena says, laughing. Together, they walk into the house, chatting about Auta's naughtiness. Right from the main parlor, they begin to hear loud music blasting from the upper parlor. Without asking, they know it is their mother. By now, they should be used to it, but because their lifestyle contrasts so sharply with hers, they have never been able to accept her bizarre way of life. Suxee frowns and says, "Mum again?" Haseena nods and says, "Who else? The source of all worldly noise; she has no other job." Haseena says this with a completely deadpan expression. "Stop, Haseenaaaah!" Suxee snaps at her, saying, "Didn't I forbid you from speaking ill of our mother? A mother is a mother. You need to watch your tongue." "I'm so sorry, Yaya, I won't do it again in sha Allah. But honestly, if mothers could be replaced, I would have dumped Mummy long ago, because she doesn't deserve to be our mother," Haseena replies. Without waiting for Suxee's response, she walks away. Filled with intense anger and frustration at their mother's behavior, Suxee climbs the stairs to the upper parlor where she knows the music is blaring.
Chapter Two
Furious, Suxee marches upstairs without paying attention to anyone, heading straight for the home theater system blasting sound so loud it shakes the downstairs rooms. She reaches out to switch it off, aiming specifically at Hajja Fati (Kubra's main partner in crime when it comes to wild partying), whom Suxee hates above all others, believing that if not for Hajja Fati, their mother's behavior might have been somewhat tolerable. "Hey, Suxee! Don't you dare switch off our music! Don't you dare!" Hajja Fati warns. Suxee glares at her with pure disgust and, ignoring the warning, reaches out and turns off the sound. Taking five or six swift steps, Hajja Fati stands right in front of Suxee. Before Suxee can even look up, she receives a resounding, violent slap across the face. Startled, she looks up, holding her cheek. "You're going to slap me just because I turned off the music? I look at everything you people do, and I don't see any reward in it—only a mountain of sins you are accumulating against yourselves..." Kubra, who has been watching everything from where she is seated, stands up and begins to slow-clap. She walks over to them and stops clapping. Giving Suxee a condescending look that says when did you grow up to talk back to us?, Kubra spits out: "Look at you! Just when were you even born, Suxee? Long before you were ever thought of, I went to Islamiyya and I knew God." Kubra turns to Hajja Fati and says, "Hajja Fati, honestly, you were too easy on her. I thought you were going to make her faint, because I think her brain needs recalibration." "Oh, just forget it, Hajja Kubra. How old is Suxee anyway? She's just a child who doesn't know where the world is heading. I think this was a waste of our time; I know when she grows up, she'll realize what we're doing isn't wrong as she thinks. In fact, she'll end up begging you to put her on the right path," Hajja Fati says. "Really?" Kubra asks delightedly. "Absolutely," Hajja Fati replies with a worldly smirk. Kubra offers her hand, and they high-five. At that moment, fresh tears of bitter grief begin to wash down Suxee's face. Weeping, she speaks: "A curse on this demonic lifestyle of yours! If you ever think you will wake up and see me join your ranks, you better wake up from that dream and think again. I, Suxee, will never be one of you, and I will never do the things you want me to do that go against God." Lubcy, watching the chaos from the side, steps forward with an air of arrogant swagger, puffing on a cigarette. She taps Suxee's shoulder and circles her like a predator about to devour her soul. Speaking in a low, conspiratorial whisper, Lubcy says: "Cool down, my dear! Look at you wasting your tears over something so insignificant. Calm down; what we are doing here is nothing—it's just modern civilization. Look at yourself, Suxee: you have a beautiful face and body, you'd fit any man, eh? Push your little sermon aside and come enjoy your life. In fact, you should thank God for giving you a forward-thinking mother." Suxee slaps Lubcy's hand off her shoulder, turns, and runs out of the parlor, weeping bitterly. As she reaches the bottom of the stairs, she collides with someone. Looking up, she sees her daddy smiling down at her. She throws her arms around him and bursts into fresh tears. He begins to soothe her, patting her back like a baby, knowing very well—even without asking—that it has everything to do with her wayward mother. He leads her into the parlor, seats her on a couch, and then storms upstairs in a fury. "Kubra!" he calls out in a harsh, stern voice. She looks back at him with an expression of utter contempt. Without waiting for a response, he warns her: "All this madness and devilry you know how to do or engage in, let it stop with you! Don't you dare drag my children into it, or we are going to have a massive falling out. You can do whatever you want to me, let it stop with me, but don't touch my children. I've told you." He points a finger at her. Hajja Fati gives Kubra a look that says you really let the lion cub grow up, as Kubra doesn't say a word. Kubra simply signals her not to worry. Daddy continues: "And as for you all..." He freezes mid-sentence, losing all strength, as a result of a talisman (kambu) Kubra twirls around her palm. "Get out of my sight, you fool!" is all Kubra utters, and to my surprise, Daddy turns and walks away immediately. They all burst into laughter. Hajja Fati says, "Now that's what I'm talking about! He came here to annoy us with his useless, boring noise." "I only let him have peace for a couple of days, but since he doesn't appreciate grace, he's back to the life of the talisman now. Whatever the talisman says goes," Kubra says with pride and arrogance. They burst into another round of demonic laughter, chanting praises whose meaning only they understand.
Chapter Three
Late at night, around eleven o'clock, Kubra is in her private wing in her nightwear. Just as she lies down to sleep, she remembers she is traveling to Niger Republic tomorrow with Hajja Fati to deliver her talisman (kambu), but she doesn't have enough cash on hand. She lets out a short hiss and steps down from the bed. She opens her massive wardrobe, takes out her talisman, twirls it, and slips it onto her wrist. At that exact moment, Daddy's heart skips a beat in his chest, and a profound sense of unease washes over him. He heads straight to his study. He is seated with a laptop before him, but his mind is clearly elsewhere. Not like the Kubra he knows, she walks right up to where he is seated, pushes his laptop aside slightly, and takes a seat. He looks up at her in utter shock; it is a known fact that Kubra never visits his wing out of affection. She flashes a sinister smile, strokes the side of his face, and whispers: "Give me the keys to your money drawer." Daddy looks at her in disbelief, as if she has lost her mind. Just as he is about to speak, she twirls the talisman on her wrist. Instantly, his head throbs violently. Smiling sweetly, she asks again, "Will you give them to me or what?" And repeats, "Where are the keys?" In a daze, Daddy stands up, retrieves the keys, and hands them over. She takes them, pats his shoulder, and says, "Wise man!" She walks over to the money drawer. She opens it effortlessly because she knows the pin. Kubra scoops up money—not just a little, but an immense, staggering amount. Even I cannot tell you the exact figure. Once she finishes taking the cash, she shuts the drawer, plants a kiss on his forehead, tosses the keys back at him, and walks away. After she leaves, Daddy begins to wonder what just happened to him over the past few minutes. He remembers her entering and sitting down, but everything after that is a blank, and he can't recall a thing. He clutches his head and utters "Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihi raji'un! Hasbunallahu wa'inimal wakil" three times. Suddenly, everything that happened feels like a dream. He gets up, performs ablution, offers voluntary prayers, and stays on his prayer mat until the dawn prayer is called. He wakes Suxee and Haseena's room before heading out for the mosque. Just as he steps outside, he catches the headlights of Kubra's car driving away—she is leaving. He pauses as if deep in thought, then shakes his head and continues on his way. At around 9:00 AM, Suxee and Haseena begin preparing breakfast as usual. They put water on the stove to boil for tea, fry yams and eggs, boil Indomie for Auta (who eats nothing else for breakfast), and prepare kunun gyad’a (peanut gruel) for Daddy, which is his absolute favorite meal. By 10:30 AM, they finish cooking and cleaning up everywhere. They carry everything to Daddy's parlor and arrange it on the dining table. Suxee says, "Alright, Haseena, since we're done, go wake up Auta, and I'll go call Daddy! And please, go easy on her, you know how she is." Haseena bursts out laughing: "Oh Yaya Suxee, Auta is just a stubborn little trouble-maker sometimes!" Suxee replies, "I've warned you..." After they finish eating breakfast, Daddy says, "Since you girls are on holiday, I think we should plan a trip to go greet Hajiya [his mother]." Auta leaps with joy and asks, "Daddy, when are we going?" Daddy flashes a knowing, paternal smile before replying, "If you want, we can even go today, Auta. I consider Kano like a second home, so I think we should just take a flight." Immediately, they fill the parlor with shouts of joy, thrilled at the prospect of visiting Hajiya. With profound love and affection, Daddy watches them one by one. If there is anything Daddy loves more than anything in the world, it is the happiness of his children. In no time at all, they pack everything they need into a single suitcase. They step out around 2:00 PM, and by 3:00 PM, they are in Kano. In Niger... Kubra and Hajja Fati are seated before the sorcerer RUBATSI. Rubatsi bursts into a terrifying, demonic laughter typical of the companions of Iblis, while scanning his occult divination bowls. He lets out a blood-curdling scream that echoes across the dark forest. Instantly, birds take flight, while others drop dead from the sheer overwhelming power of Rubatsi's dark magic. He strikes a black mirror, and within moments, Daddy's image appears within it. Rubatsi bursts into another spine-chilling, soul-crushing laugh before instantly hardening his face as if he had never smiled a day in his life. "Right now, your husband is in Kano with your children. And this trip of his is no blessing, because during this visit, his mother has finalized all plans to ensure he takes another wife..." Kubra and Hajja Fati's eyes bulge in shock, and at that very moment, Kubra's stomach twists in knotty dread.
2. Summary
Gidan Misbahu introduces readers into the opulent yet deeply troubled household of Misbahu, a wealthy elite living in Sokoto. While his teenage daughters—Suxee, Haseena, and the mischievous Auta—strive to live upright, religious, and morally grounded lives, their home is dominated by Kubra, their hedonistic, spiritually corrupt mother. Kubra spends her days partying with wild friends like Hajja Fati and Lubcy, indulging in heavy drinking, smoking, and psychological abuse. Kubra maintains tyrannical control over her family through dark occult practices, using a mystical talisman (kambu) to mentally enslave and manipulate her husband whenever he attempts to assert authority or protect his children. Despite the toxic environment, Suxee remains fiercely protective of her faith and morals, often clashing with her mother's corrupt circle. When Daddy decides to take his daughters on a surprise holiday trip to visit his mother in Kano, Kubra is away consulting a powerful sorcerer named Rubatsi in Niger Republic to secure her dark powers. Through Rubatsi's divination, Kubra discovers a terrifying truth: her husband's trip to Kano is a plot by his mother to arrange a second wife for him, setting the stage for an intense spiritual and domestic showdown.
3. Description
Tone & Atmosphere: The narrative swings wildly between high-society luxury and dark psychological/occult horror. It paints a vivid picture of extreme wealth contrasted with profound moral decay and spiritual bondage.
Setting:
Sokoto Town (Unguwar Sama Road / Naira Lane): A hyper-exclusive, sprawling estate equipped with modern mega-mansions, private playgrounds, massive pools, hyper-warehouses, and private animal farms.
Niger Republic: A dark, mystical enclave governed by occult practitioners and sorcerers.
Core Themes: Family dysfunction, moral integrity vs. peer pressure, the corrupting nature of extreme wealth, occultism/witchcraft, and maternal betrayal.
4. Analytics
Character Profiles & Dynamics
Character
Role / Archetype
Key Traits & Motivations
Kubra
Antagonist / Matriarch
Self-indulgent, abusive, and deeply involved in the occult. Uses a magical talisman (kambu) to control her husband and family.
Suxee
Protagonist / Eldest Daughter
Morally upright, deeply religious, and protective of her siblings. Despises her mother's lifestyle and stands firm against corruption.
Daddy
Father / Victim
Wealthy and loving toward his daughters, but rendered helpless and submissive due to Kubra’s witchcraft.
Haseena
Middle Daughter
Supportive of Suxee, playful, but deeply resentful of her mother's neglect.
Auta
Youngest Daughter
Mischievous, cunning, full of life, and provides lighthearted comedic relief.
Hajja Fati & Lubcy
Antagonistic Associates
Kubra's enablers, promoters of hedonism, substance abuse, and moral degradation.
Rubatsi
Occultist / Sorcerer
A powerful, dark spiritualist in Niger who acts as Kubra's supernatural consultant.
Narrative Structure & Pacing
Exposition: Establishes the extreme wealth of the Sokoto elite neighborhood and showcases the stark contrast between the daughters' Islamic upbringing and the mother's wild, drug-fueled parties.
Rising Action: Conflicts escalate as Suxee confronts her mother's friends, leading to a physical altercation and an intervention by Daddy, which is quickly neutralized by Kubra using dark magic.
Climax / Turning Point: Kubra drains her husband's wealth under a trance and travels to Niger with Hajja Fati, while Daddy takes his daughters safely to Kano for a family visit.
Cliffhanger: Rubatsi reveals via dark scrying that Daddy's trip to Kano is a secret plot by his mother to marry him off to another woman, threatening Kubra's domestic dominance.
Chapter One
Garin Sakkwato (Sokoto Town), Unguwar Sama Road. It is a neighborhood of the elite, where only those who possess "salt"—meaning wealth (Naira)—can own a home and truly live up to the name. It is a neighborhood of big men, prominent politicians, wealthy merchants, and the well-to-do. In fact, anyone of importance in Sokoto has a house in this massive neighborhood, and even the opportunistic newcomers who come to make quick money in the city are not left behind.
Misbahu's house is one of the grandest mansions on Naira Lane. It is a massive, modern architectural masterpiece built with staggering amounts of money. The house is adorned with every conceivable luxury. Just looking at the exterior tells you it is a custom-built marvel; even the main entrance gate alone is a sight to behold, while describing the breathtaking interior is a waste of time—you simply have to see it for yourself.
As for the apartments and sections within the compound, there are nearly ten distinct zones. On the left is a children's playground. Moving further down leads to a massive swimming pool. Beyond that is a giant storehouse stocked with every daily household necessity—a walk that takes at least three kilometers. At the back of the property is a completely separate animal farm known as Gidan Gona (The Farmhouse), housing everything from local and foreign chickens, exotic birds, a fish pond, rams, cows, and much more. Every single section has its own dedicated staff managing it entirely.
Kubra is seated on a sofa, elegantly dressed. She is surrounded by her wild, worldly friends, each with her own unique brand of decadence. A shisha pipe is in the hands of the queen-pin of the underworld (Uwar 'Yan Bariki), who puffs on it, exhaling smoke with practiced skill. Among these lizards of the underworld, each has her specialty: one puffs on a cigarette, another takes hard drugs, while a third consumes pure intoxicating syrups—the bottle is lifted only to be drained completely.
Slowly, loud music echoes from the massive parlor. From where they are seated, they dance their underworld dances, filled with excitement and vulgar chants.
A sleek Mercedes-Benz pulls up and parks precisely in the designated space for the estate's luxury vehicles. Three middle-aged teenage girls step out of the car. Each of them is dressed in a purple uniform, holding Qur'ans in their hands, suggesting they are returning from an Islamic school (Islamiyya). Just by looking at them, you do not need to be told they were raised on cornflakes and milk; pure comfort is written all over their faces. They are beautiful, with a fair, moderate complexion.
They start walking toward the main section of the house when the eldest of them suddenly stops, clutches her head, and exclaims: "Oh shit!"
The youngest of the three looks at her and asks: "Yaya Suxee, are you okay?"
The one called Yaya Suxee replies: "I swear, I forgot my phone at Sayyadi's place! He gave it to me earlier to transfer some religious lectures, and I never actually took it back!" She looks at the middle sister and says: "Please, Haseena, go get the car keys from Baba Lawan, check where I was sitting, and see if it's there."
Haseena replies: "Okay, Yaya!" She hands over her Qur'an and turns to do as her older sister asked. Just as she goes a short distance, the youngest turns back, glares at Suxee, and makes a face. Suxee smiles at her and asks: "What is it, Auta? Are you tired?"
Pouting playfully, Auta replies: "I am tired, Yaya Suxee. I swear I'm just going inside." She turns and begins to walk away.
"Lalalala! So now you won't wait for us, Auta? You're just leaving?" Suxee asks, resting her hand on her cheek. Auta doesn't even look back; she just keeps walking with a swagger.
Just as she reaches the balcony leading to the main parlor, she stops short and turns around. This coincides with Haseena walking back, saying: "I swear, Anty, I checked and didn't see it. Wait until tomorrow when we go to Islamiyya and ask Sayyadi; I think you left it there."
"O-Oh!" Suxee says, then adds, "Alright, let's go."
Just as they are about to reach where Auta is standing, Auta calls out: "Yaya Suxee!"
When Suxee looks up, Auta pulls out the very phone Suxee was looking for and says: "Look at your phone! It fell out of your clothes when we got in the car, and I took it just to tease you before giving it back."
Haseena's eyes widen as she says: "You little trickster! So the phone was with you, and you let me run around searching? Come here so I can get you your chocolate!"—implying she wants to catch and rough her up for making her run around in vain.
Auta, a cunning little girl, makes a face at Haseena, twists the door handle, and slips inside. Haseena hisses, saying, "I'm going to catch you!" She turns to Suxee and says, "Yaya Suxee, you're seeing this, and you won't say anything?"
Amused by Haseena's reaction, Suxee laughs and says, "Well, except for you, Haseena, Auta's antics are just something else; why let it bother you? Don't forget she's the reason my old phone got ruined—she took it into our bathroom to play a game, and when it got hot, she filled the sink with water and dropped it inside so it would 'cool down,' thinking I wouldn't notice!"
They all burst into laughter. Suxee says, "So you see, with Auta, I just have to take things easy. If only I could get Sweet Daddy to change this one for me..."
"That's true, Yaya, we can only cover Auta's mischief with prayers," Haseena says, laughing.
Together, they walk into the house, chatting about Auta's naughtiness.
Right from the main parlor, they begin to hear loud music blasting from the upper parlor. Without asking, they know it is their mother. By now, they should be used to it, but because their lifestyle contrasts so sharply with hers, they have never been able to accept her bizarre way of life.
Suxee frowns and says, "Mum again?"
Haseena nods and says, "Who else? The source of all worldly noise; she has no other job." Haseena says this with a completely deadpan expression.
"Stop, Haseenaaaah!" Suxee snaps at her, saying, "Didn't I forbid you from speaking ill of our mother? A mother is a mother. You need to watch your tongue."
"I'm so sorry, Yaya, I won't do it again in sha Allah. But honestly, if mothers could be replaced, I would have dumped Mummy long ago, because she doesn't deserve to be our mother," Haseena replies. Without waiting for Suxee's response, she walks away.
Filled with intense anger and frustration at their mother's behavior, Suxee climbs the stairs to the upper parlor where she knows the music is blaring.
Chapter Two
Furious, Suxee marches upstairs without paying attention to anyone, heading straight for the home theater system blasting sound so loud it shakes the downstairs rooms. She reaches out to switch it off, aiming specifically at Hajja Fati (Kubra's main partner in crime when it comes to wild partying), whom Suxee hates above all others, believing that if not for Hajja Fati, their mother's behavior might have been somewhat tolerable.
"Hey, Suxee! Don't you dare switch off our music! Don't you dare!" Hajja Fati warns.
Suxee glares at her with pure disgust and, ignoring the warning, reaches out and turns off the sound.
Taking five or six swift steps, Hajja Fati stands right in front of Suxee. Before Suxee can even look up, she receives a resounding, violent slap across the face. Startled, she looks up, holding her cheek.
"You're going to slap me just because I turned off the music? I look at everything you people do, and I don't see any reward in it—only a mountain of sins you are accumulating against yourselves..."
Kubra, who has been watching everything from where she is seated, stands up and begins to slow-clap. She walks over to them and stops clapping.
Giving Suxee a condescending look that says when did you grow up to talk back to us?, Kubra spits out: "Look at you! Just when were you even born, Suxee? Long before you were ever thought of, I went to Islamiyya and I knew God."
Kubra turns to Hajja Fati and says, "Hajja Fati, honestly, you were too easy on her. I thought you were going to make her faint, because I think her brain needs recalibration."
"Oh, just forget it, Hajja Kubra. How old is Suxee anyway? She's just a child who doesn't know where the world is heading. I think this was a waste of our time; I know when she grows up, she'll realize what we're doing isn't wrong as she thinks. In fact, she'll end up begging you to put her on the right path," Hajja Fati says.
"Really?" Kubra asks delightedly.
"Absolutely," Hajja Fati replies with a worldly smirk. Kubra offers her hand, and they high-five.
At that moment, fresh tears of bitter grief begin to wash down Suxee's face. Weeping, she speaks: "A curse on this demonic lifestyle of yours! If you ever think you will wake up and see me join your ranks, you better wake up from that dream and think again. I, Suxee, will never be one of you, and I will never do the things you want me to do that go against God."
Lubcy, watching the chaos from the side, steps forward with an air of arrogant swagger, puffing on a cigarette. She taps Suxee's shoulder and circles her like a predator about to devour her soul. Speaking in a low, conspiratorial whisper, Lubcy says:
"Cool down, my dear! Look at you wasting your tears over something so insignificant. Calm down; what we are doing here is nothing—it's just modern civilization. Look at yourself, Suxee: you have a beautiful face and body, you'd fit any man, eh? Push your little sermon aside and come enjoy your life. In fact, you should thank God for giving you a forward-thinking mother."
Suxee slaps Lubcy's hand off her shoulder, turns, and runs out of the parlor, weeping bitterly. As she reaches the bottom of the stairs, she collides with someone. Looking up, she sees her daddy smiling down at her. She throws her arms around him and bursts into fresh tears. He begins to soothe her, patting her back like a baby, knowing very well—even without asking—that it has everything to do with her wayward mother.
He leads her into the parlor, seats her on a couch, and then storms upstairs in a fury.
"Kubra!" he calls out in a harsh, stern voice.
She looks back at him with an expression of utter contempt.
Without waiting for a response, he warns her: "All this madness and devilry you know how to do or engage in, let it stop with you! Don't you dare drag my children into it, or we are going to have a massive falling out. You can do whatever you want to me, let it stop with me, but don't touch my children. I've told you." He points a finger at her.
Hajja Fati gives Kubra a look that says you really let the lion cub grow up, as Kubra doesn't say a word. Kubra simply signals her not to worry.
Daddy continues: "And as for you all..." He freezes mid-sentence, losing all strength, as a result of a talisman (kambu) Kubra twirls around her palm.
"Get out of my sight, you fool!" is all Kubra utters, and to my surprise, Daddy turns and walks away immediately.
They all burst into laughter. Hajja Fati says, "Now that's what I'm talking about! He came here to annoy us with his useless, boring noise."
"I only let him have peace for a couple of days, but since he doesn't appreciate grace, he's back to the life of the talisman now. Whatever the talisman says goes," Kubra says with pride and arrogance.
They burst into another round of demonic laughter, chanting praises whose meaning only they understand.
Chapter Three
Late at night, around eleven o'clock, Kubra is in her private wing in her nightwear. Just as she lies down to sleep, she remembers she is traveling to Niger Republic tomorrow with Hajja Fati to deliver her talisman (kambu), but she doesn't have enough cash on hand. She lets out a short hiss and steps down from the bed.
She opens her massive wardrobe, takes out her talisman, twirls it, and slips it onto her wrist.
At that exact moment, Daddy's heart skips a beat in his chest, and a profound sense of unease washes over him. He heads straight to his study. He is seated with a laptop before him, but his mind is clearly elsewhere. Not like the Kubra he knows, she walks right up to where he is seated, pushes his laptop aside slightly, and takes a seat. He looks up at her in utter shock; it is a known fact that Kubra never visits his wing out of affection.
She flashes a sinister smile, strokes the side of his face, and whispers: "Give me the keys to your money drawer."
Daddy looks at her in disbelief, as if she has lost her mind. Just as he is about to speak, she twirls the talisman on her wrist. Instantly, his head throbs violently. Smiling sweetly, she asks again, "Will you give them to me or what?" And repeats, "Where are the keys?"
In a daze, Daddy stands up, retrieves the keys, and hands them over. She takes them, pats his shoulder, and says, "Wise man!" She walks over to the money drawer. She opens it effortlessly because she knows the pin. Kubra scoops up money—not just a little, but an immense, staggering amount. Even I cannot tell you the exact figure. Once she finishes taking the cash, she shuts the drawer, plants a kiss on his forehead, tosses the keys back at him, and walks away.
After she leaves, Daddy begins to wonder what just happened to him over the past few minutes. He remembers her entering and sitting down, but everything after that is a blank, and he can't recall a thing. He clutches his head and utters "Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihi raji'un! Hasbunallahu wa'inimal wakil" three times. Suddenly, everything that happened feels like a dream. He gets up, performs ablution, offers voluntary prayers, and stays on his prayer mat until the dawn prayer is called. He wakes Suxee and Haseena's room before heading out for the mosque. Just as he steps outside, he catches the headlights of Kubra's car driving away—she is leaving. He pauses as if deep in thought, then shakes his head and continues on his way.
At around 9:00 AM, Suxee and Haseena begin preparing breakfast as usual. They put water on the stove to boil for tea, fry yams and eggs, boil Indomie for Auta (who eats nothing else for breakfast), and prepare kunun gyad’a (peanut gruel) for Daddy, which is his absolute favorite meal.
By 10:30 AM, they finish cooking and cleaning up everywhere. They carry everything to Daddy's parlor and arrange it on the dining table.
Suxee says, "Alright, Haseena, since we're done, go wake up Auta, and I'll go call Daddy! And please, go easy on her, you know how she is."
Haseena bursts out laughing: "Oh Yaya Suxee, Auta is just a stubborn little trouble-maker sometimes!"
Suxee replies, "I've warned you..."
After they finish eating breakfast, Daddy says, "Since you girls are on holiday, I think we should plan a trip to go greet Hajiya [his mother]."
Auta leaps with joy and asks, "Daddy, when are we going?"
Daddy flashes a knowing, paternal smile before replying, "If you want, we can even go today, Auta. I consider Kano like a second home, so I think we should just take a flight."
Immediately, they fill the parlor with shouts of joy, thrilled at the prospect of visiting Hajiya. With profound love and affection, Daddy watches them one by one. If there is anything Daddy loves more than anything in the world, it is the happiness of his children. In no time at all, they pack everything they need into a single suitcase. They step out around 2:00 PM, and by 3:00 PM, they are in Kano.
In Niger...
Kubra and Hajja Fati are seated before the sorcerer RUBATSI.
Rubatsi bursts into a terrifying, demonic laughter typical of the companions of Iblis, while scanning his occult divination bowls. He lets out a blood-curdling scream that echoes across the dark forest. Instantly, birds take flight, while others drop dead from the sheer overwhelming power of Rubatsi's dark magic.
He strikes a black mirror, and within moments, Daddy's image appears within it. Rubatsi bursts into another spine-chilling, soul-crushing laugh before instantly hardening his face as if he had never smiled a day in his life.
"Right now, your husband is in Kano with your children. And this trip of his is no blessing, because during this visit, his mother has finalized all plans to ensure he takes another wife..."
Kubra and Hajja Fati's eyes bulge in shock, and at that very moment, Kubra's stomach twists in knotty dread.
2. Summary
Gidan Misbahu introduces readers into the opulent yet deeply troubled household of Misbahu, a wealthy elite living in Sokoto. While his teenage daughters—Suxee, Haseena, and the mischievous Auta—strive to live upright, religious, and morally grounded lives, their home is dominated by Kubra, their hedonistic, spiritually corrupt mother. Kubra spends her days partying with wild friends like Hajja Fati and Lubcy, indulging in heavy drinking, smoking, and psychological abuse.
Kubra maintains tyrannical control over her family through dark occult practices, using a mystical talisman (kambu) to mentally enslave and manipulate her husband whenever he attempts to assert authority or protect his children. Despite the toxic environment, Suxee remains fiercely protective of her faith and morals, often clashing with her mother's corrupt circle.
When Daddy decides to take his daughters on a surprise holiday trip to visit his mother in Kano, Kubra is away consulting a powerful sorcerer named Rubatsi in Niger Republic to secure her dark powers. Through Rubatsi's divination, Kubra discovers a terrifying truth: her husband's trip to Kano is a plot by his mother to arrange a second wife for him, setting the stage for an intense spiritual and domestic showdown.
3. Description
Core Themes: Family dysfunction, moral integrity vs. peer pressure, the corrupting nature of extreme wealth, occultism/witchcraft, and maternal betrayal.
4. Analytics
Character Profiles & Dynamics
Narrative Structure & Pacing