Heart and Stamina (Zuciya da Kwanji)

Part 1: The Meeting at the Zoo

An exceptionally beautiful woman! She was strikingly fair-skinned and radiant, with a well-proportioned, average build. Her poise clearly reflected her high status and stage in life—signaling the heavy weight of her own pockets or those of whoever was responsible for her. From a single glance, it was obvious she was a woman of immense elegance, possessing an air of dominance and self-importance. Although she had a petite frame, her sheer beauty and haughty aura commanded absolute awe, making both old and young wary of her. Any man or woman who looked at her would feel intimidated, viewing her as someone who commanded ultimate authority—not due to seniority of age, but of presence—for she was only thirty-two years old.
She was sitting on a white chair under a neem tree in a secluded section of the Kano Zoo alongside a man of about fifty who appeared patient and cheerful. A single look at him would tell you exactly where this beautiful woman derived her arrogance. Just as the place felt isolated, their faces mirrored anxiety and longing. Because of this, the area was dead silent except for the chirping of various birds. Every now and then, the man would look at the woman, his face filled with signs of boundless, immeasurable love—his body almost trembling with affection—but the woman remained completely unfazed, her face showing nothing but fatigue and boredom.
Eventually, he sighed and spoke softly with the politeness of an experienced lover.
"Don't let this upset you, Fatima. I know you tend to worry too much... You know..."
He trailed off, looking at her as if expecting her to speak, but she swallowed her words and turned her face away. He watched her for a long time, a true slave to love, before checking his wristwatch again. Looking back at her respectfully, as if she were an elder, he said,
"Please exercise patience, Binta, alright?"
Again, she didn't answer or even look at him; she merely shifted her weight slightly. Just as he was about to speak again, he spotted a young man approaching them, about thirty-three years old.

Part 2: Abdullahi's Arrival and the Proposition

The young man was dark-complexioned (wankan tarwada), of average height and build, looking very much like a man in his prime moving gracefully with the times. He wore crisp, well-ironed purple shadda fabric tailored in the Bankole style, with neatly combed hair that suited him perfectly. He, too, seemed cheerful, yet possessed the stern, heroic face of someone whose character couldn't easily be judged at first glance.
With visible relief, the older man looked at Fatima, his face lighting up. "Calm down, Binta, look, he has arrived."
She looked up, glanced at the young man just once, and then turned away with a small scoff. Even when he reached them, she showed no interest in looking at him again. She listened as he and the older man exchanged greetings, after which he turned to her, his voice sounding somewhat forced.
"Greetings, Madam."
She moved her lips but swallowed her greeting, simply turning her head away with a dismissive pout. The older man brushed aside her behavior and said, "Abdullahi, we are tired of waiting. You know I have things to do, and Madam herself detests waiting like this."
Softly, Abdullahi replied, "My apologies, Alhaji. I had to take one of my wives to the hospital because she is suffering from severe stomach pain."
"May Allah grant her healing," Alhaji replied, shifting his gaze to Fatima, who had turned her eyes elsewhere as if they weren't even standing in front of her. Gently, he said, "Fatima, this is the Abdul we were talking about."
She turned and looked at Alhaji sideways but didn't utter a word. Widening his smile, he asked her, "I hope he meets your approval?"
At that moment, she raised her head again to look at Abdullahi, who was also looking away. Since he arrived, he had looked at her only once and had no desire to look again. Even now, sensing her gaze on him, his expression hardened further into an unreadable look. She turned her face away from him with a sneer, even spitting slightly to show disdain, and said, "Alhaji, he's fine, since I won't be carrying him on my feet anyway."
Alhaji gave a short laugh, then brushed it aside, looking at Abdullahi.
"Abdullahi, this is Fatima, whom I first explained to you the other day. She is my wife; we have been together for ten years, and we love each other deeply! A bitter destiny crossed our path, and I divorced her THREE times at once. Life has become difficult for us because we cannot live without each other. Yet, we have no legal right to be together."

Part 3: The Secret Agreement

"In the past, we made a few attempts at an interim marriage (auren kisan wuta) so we could legally remarry, but her uncle found us out due to the nature of the people we hired for the job. This time, we chose you because we are confident you can plug that loophole that keeps getting us caught. Now, I am introducing you to her. Do you agree to marry her and then divorce her within one month? You must make this promise to us. In return, I promise to pay you a fee of three million Naira. What do you say?"
Alhaji fell silent, watching him, while Abdullahi shifted slightly, showing immense respect, and said, "Just as I told you the other day, I accept your terms..."
Fatima interrupted him, staring at him with deep skepticism. "How can we trust your promise when you've just shown us you have no respect for time, leaving us waiting here like little children?"
Abdullahi remained calm and composed, maintaining his dignified aura. He moved his lips slowly but held back whatever he wanted to say, letting it slide. Instead, he simply looked at Alhaji, who was observing them one after the other. Their dynamic amused Alhaji; they seemed to have similar strong personalities, meaning they would never get along under the same roof.
He looked at Fatima, then back at Abdullahi, who had already looked away, and said, "Let it go, Binta. I didn't choose him until I trusted him. He is from a reputable family that values trust, and he is not too young to marry you. He has direction and a good job. He isn't the type to cause trouble. All these are the right tools to achieve our goal smoothly without your uncle suspecting a thing."
She didn't flinch or reply, and Abdullahi saw no need to comment either.
"So, what is the next step?"
Abdullahi didn't move, but Fatima looked up, glared at Abdullahi, and said petulantly, "Honestly, Alhaji, one month is too long for me. Even one week will feel like sitting on thorns..."
He interrupted her gently, "I know, but there is no better way than this to deflect public suspicion..." Seeing how stern her face became, he lowered his voice and stopped. "Alright, be quiet. You too, Abdullahi."
Both of them were breathing heavily, visibly irritated. Alhaji watched them closely, then looked at Fatima dejectedly before turning to Abdullahi and saying sharply, "What is the meaning of this? I don't want this hostility between you two. You know you have to ACT thoroughly so that it's difficult for anyone to uncover what's buried underneath, do you understand?"
Fatima didn't move, only glaring harder at Abdullahi. In response, Abdullahi smiled broadly, dimpling his cheeks, and looked at Alhaji. "Don't worry, Alhaji. This isn't the stage where we need to act yet, which is why we are standing our ground."

Part 4: Setting the Terms

Alhaji let out a sigh of relief, adjusted his posture, and said, "Very well then. You will start coming for formal courting. And you, Fatima, receive him with a pleasant face so your uncles won't suspect anything. Act convincingly so everyone assumes you love each other. Let him visit about twice, and then he will send his elders to discuss the marriage. When setting the date, don't make it too long—about two weeks should be enough before she moves in."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out two sets of keys—one for a car and one for a house—then produced a written check, holding them out to Abdullahi.
"One is a car key; come to my office tomorrow to pick it up and start using it immediately to clear public suspicion. This other one is a house key; I want her to move into that house since I know you don't have a residence befitting her status. Furthermore, this is a check for seven hundred thousand Naira to begin the wedding preparations according to your standard, understand? If you need more, come see me. The fee for your service will be given to you by her on the day you divorce her; you won't leave the house without it. And we need you to issue three divorces at once, I hope you understand?"
Abdullahi's face showed deep contemplation. He kept turning the keys and the check in his hand until Alhaji finished speaking, then looked at him squarely and said, "If that's the case, honestly, there's a problem."
They all looked at him again, including the haughty Fatima. He paused for a moment before saying, "My father keeps a very close eye on his children. It would be extremely difficult for him to see me with a house and a brand-new car without pressing me to tell him where I got them. And that reason alone would give him grounds to forbid the marriage entirely."
Alhaji's face fell. "Oh dear! So what do we do then?"
Abdullahi went quiet for a moment, then took a breath. "Leave the car out of it since I have mine, even if it's modest. As for the house, if it's possible, since this whole thing is a temporary arrangement, why can't she manage in my house? The house is spacious; it has three women's wings plus mine. Right now, I have two wives, and I am looking to marry a third, with the date already set for six months from now. She will just have to stay in the new bride's wing by necessity since it won't take long anyway; this whole marriage will be done and over with before the other wedding arrives."
They all fell silent in skepticism. With difficulty, Alhaji sighed and said, "Are you sure that will work, Abdullahi? How can you put Fatima together with other wives given her status? If she never experienced the bitterness of a co-wife in my home, it isn't right for her to experience it in yours..."
Abdullahi quickly interrupted him, "But Alhaji, how can we compare this marriage to yours? My wives shouldn't bother her since there's no reason for her to be jealous of them... But if not... Honestly, I fear my father's wrath..."
He handed the keys back to Alhaji as he stood up. Alhaji looked intensely at Fatima's face, which had soured even more, and said, "So why are you returning the check to me?"
Abdullahi replied, "Just until you make a decision."
Quickly, Alhaji said, "No, sit down so we can finalize everything now. Fatima, you can hear us; do you think you can handle living among two other wives, when you're used to having your husband all to yourself?" he finished teasingly.
She answered directly, "Even if there were ten wives, as a temporary migrant worker, they shouldn't bother me. What I care about most is emphasizing the exact limit of days I will spend in that house before he divorces me. Furthermore, I don't want him approaching my room under the guise of being my husband even for a second; let him mind his business while I mind mine, and on the agreed day, he should just hand over my divorce certificate."

Part 5: Establishing the Boundaries

Alhaji turned his eyes back to Abdullahi and said, "You have heard our terms."
Without a hint of hesitation, Abdullahi replied, "I accept."
As soon as he finished speaking, Fatima, who was watching him, said pointedly, "I didn't hear you say 'I promise.' And what sign do we have to believe you will fulfill it?"
He answered firmly without looking at her, "No one can witness what is hidden in the heart except the One who created it, unless the heart allows the face to show glimpses of it. But judge me by the marriage I said I am having in six months. I know you realize that love is no lie, since you are currently intoxicated by it. The love I have for that girl is so profound that I wouldn't risk losing her for a minor reason—which, in this case, would be keeping you as a wife."
For the first time, she and Alhaji looked at each other and smiled. Without letting her smile fade completely, she looked at Abdullahi and said, "Well, if that's the case, you clearly don't know what love is, seeing as you already have two women at home, and I will be entering as the third. Even if I leave, someone else will take my place. I am certain a year won't pass without you filling the vacancy again."
To this point, he hadn't turned to look at her, but with a relaxed expression, he replied, "There is no one who can replace you, since yours is just a temporary game. And rest assured, I only marry frequently because I haven't found my true soulmate. But with this upcoming one, I feel in my heart that I will close the door after her, because she alone can answer to the name of four women, not just two."
Without any hesitation, Fatima said, "Well, may Allah make it so, because I don't see any appeal in hoarding women like it's some sort of competition."
She and Alhaji laughed, but Abdullahi refused to ignore her comment, responding with energy, "Amen."
Alhaji chimed in, "By the way, how old are you?"
He answered, "On the 22nd of next month, I will turn thirty-three."
Nodding his head, Alhaji remarked, "See, you are only a few months older than Fatima, so you must accord her the respect you would give me. Even without this arrangement, she isn't your age-mate for marriage, right? Or do people marry their exact peers?"
Abdullahi remained silent, and Alhaji concluded by saying, "So please, be a good man. Don't let me hear that Fati cried because of you. Treat her gently, for God's sake; she is an orphan, and I don't want her to be upset even in the slightest."

Part 6: FLASHBACK – Fatima's Origins

Fatima’s father was a native of the Gwarzo Local Government Area. Her mother was a pure-bred Fulani woman, and Fatima inherited nearly 70% of her beauty from her mother's side. As for her proud demeanor and aristocratic air, she inherited that from her father, who was of royal blood. Fatima’s grandfather, who was the District Head (Hakimi) of the local government, had only three children: Fatima’s father, followed by his two younger siblings, Professor Alkasim and their youngest sister, Dr. Maryam.
Fatima grew up as a complete orphan, as both of her parents passed away on the very day of her third birthday celebration. From then on, her guardianship fell into the hands of her father's younger brother, the Professor, who at the time had been married for only three months.
Kawu (the Professor) was a highly disciplined and upright man who knew what was right, and he was fortunate to marry a virtuous woman just like himself. Because of this, up until today, Fatima never tasted the bitterness typically associated with orphanhood; it was only when she grew older that she realized they were not her biological parents.
Their household was highly communal and welcoming due to the generosity of its owners. Consequently, anyone raised within it turned out to be sophisticated, socially adept, and completely devoid of envy or malice. The Professor had six children, the eldest being Safiyya, who was like a twin sister to Fatima; they went through the ups and downs of childhood together. Two boys followed, Najib and Abdullahi, then Nasiba, and finally the last-born, Khalid.
Thus, among all his grown children, Fatima was the one he cherished deeply, never differentiating her from his biological offspring. He gave her an excellent education just like the rest and remained steadfast in her upbringing to the best of his ability. However, the special favor he showed her due to her orphanhood allowed her to become spoiled. She grew into someone with very rigid opinions, making it difficult to change her mind once it was set.
Ever since Fatima was young, anyone who looked at her knew she would grow into an exceptionally beautiful woman who would make men lose their breath. Her beauty, combined with education and wealth, made her a shining star among women. She was highly sought after by men, and even by women whom Allah had freed from jealousy and envy. Due to her elegance and mysterious, reserved nature, it was rare for Fatima to go anywhere without a suitor trailing behind her.
The year she completed secondary school, her uncle began lecturing at Bayero University. It was a perfect alignment of timing because that was the same year she started her own studies there, majoring in Biochemistry. They subsequently packed up and moved from Tarauni to the staff quarters of the university.

Part 7: The Backgrounds of Alhaji Sulaiman and Abdullahi

At that exact time, Alhaji Sulaiman's fortunes had reached their peak after a long struggle born out of the fight to achieve his ambitions. His father was a low-ranking civil servant who, after fighting off illiteracy, became a man of fierce determination. Even if they had to go to bed hungry, he endured it just to ensure Sulaiman's educational needs were met. Fortunately, his mother was deeply trusting in God and supportive, which eventually led to Sulaiman completing his master's degree (MBA) in Business Administration.
Since his youth, Alhaji was a man of grand ambitions, possessing the resilience and courage to swallow hardships to fulfill them. After completing his studies, he spent over two years looking for a job, as he couldn't find one that matched his aspirations. Ultimately, he returned to school and obtained a Master’s degree in Economics. Two years later, he returned to the waiting game, but finding a job was even tougher this time because his advanced degrees meant the available vacancies for his level were scarce.
A year into this waiting period, a friend's father introduced him to a foreign expert who had come to Nigeria for business. They tested him with the importation of certain machinery, and his diligence and expertise in the field were so impressive that before a year passed, they opened a massive company and placed him in charge of it.
The story changed completely. Alhaji Sulaiman began achieving some of the grand ambitions buried deep in his soul—such as owning luxury cars, amassing wealth, and acquiring well-furnished homes that looked like an earthly paradise. From there, he began searching for a beautiful woman who would be a fitting match for him, for ever since his secondary school days, he had promised himself that he would not marry until he owned a house and a car, and could marry an exceptionally beautiful woman.
Abdullahi’s father was a renowned Islamic scholar and a judge named Ustaz Ukashatu Mohammad. He was a just and highly dignified gentleman who had a large family of six sons and twenty-three daughters, born to his four wives—though only three wives remained now, as Abdullahi’s mother had passed away two years prior.
Abdullahi was his tenth child and the last-born among the sons. Among the boys, he was the only one who did not inherit the family tradition of studying law or Islamic teaching; instead, he studied Mass Communication. However, he ended up working at the Ministry of Rural & Community Development, reaching a grade level ten salary.
Abdullahi was a wise and remarkably clever man whose long-term foresight greatly aided him in achieving all his ambitions in life. He was incredibly resilient, and no one could ever discover his weaknesses. He never showed anger where he realized his anger would be meaningless, nor did he laugh where laughter was uncalled for.

Part 8: Abdullahi's Marital Struggles and Connection to Alhaji

Therefore, his youthfulness was merely physical; his heart was that of an elder, and his wisdom was rock-solid. His first wife, Sadiya, whom he married the year he graduated before he even secured a job, was their neighbor. An intense romance had blossomed between them before the marriage, which helped convince his father to approve the union, even though Sadiya did not come from a household whose upbringing fully satisfied the scholar. However, out of respect for her father, the scholar relented, specifically approaching her father to request Sadiya's hand in marriage for Abdullahi.
Unfortunately, Sadiya did not bring honor to the scholar’s son. Her marriage to Abdullahi constantly bred problems, both medium and small, some stemming from mutual jealousy. Sadiya was a highly argumentative woman, plagued by a narrow mind and constant suspicion. On the other hand, Abdullahi was a reserved, quiet man who tolerated no disrespect and attached little importance to endless complaints. These factors caused their hearts to shift from lovers into something entirely different. They were locked in a cycle of constant arguments; Sadiya would often pack her bags and leave in a huff, while he would stubbornly ignore her until elders intervened. When the situation exhausted the scholar, he simply sought another marriage for Abdullahi.
This brought in Hindatu, Abdullahi’s second wife, whom he married not out of deep romance, but who found a place of respect in his heart due to her patience and modest expectations. She constantly showed him contentment with whatever love and justice he provided her, even though he could not entirely hide the difference his heart showed between her and Sadiya—who could still be called his favorite despite her troublesome nature. Four years had passed since his first marriage, and two years since his marriage to Hindatu, yet neither of them had ever missed a period or conceived. This, too, joined the ranks of the problems weighing heavily on Abdullahi's mind.
Alhaji Sulaiman was a close friend of Abdullahi’s elder brother, Abdulwahab. They had attended secondary school together, which was where their friendship originated. It couldn't be said that Abdullahi knew him intimately, because by the time Abdullahi grew up, Alhaji Sulaiman was already consumed by his vast business affairs—meaning he was rarely seen around. However, Abdullahi became better acquainted with him when Alhaji visited his elder brother during Abdulwahab's second marriage.
Abdullahi was sitting with his brother, listening to their conversation. Abdulwahab was teasing Alhaji, saying, "Sulaiman, your ambition seems to go beyond owning massive wealth, houses, and cars before settling down with a family. What exactly are you doing to yourself?"
Alhaji laughed and replied, "Wallahi, up till today, I have failed to find a woman who fits my home. Months ago, I wanted to marry an Arab woman, but a friend of mine kept dissuading me, saying they drain men dry and run away. I had to let it go, since they say one shouldn't disregard the advice of others."
Abdulwahab remarked, "That's true, but you must be cautious when dealing with women. They are more hazardous than any luxury, especially the beautiful ones, because most of them lack the moral character that less attractive women possess. You could live with a less beautiful wife and manage your household exactly as you please, but with an exceptionally beautiful woman, you stand little chance. No matter your wealth or power, the moment she looks at herself in the mirror, she feels superior to you. Even if you separate today, she knows she will find someone better than you, so you can't easily command her, let alone restrain her."
Somewhat dejectedly, Alhaji Sulaiman murmured, "Well, may Allah choose what is best for us."

Part 9: The Spark

Alhaji Sulaiman met Fatima on the day of her graduation ceremony, and he completely lost his mind over her, for Fatima surpassed nearly every standard he had set for his ideal woman. Her name...