05/08/2022
LOVE IS NOT A WINNING GAME
By Aliyu Ahmed (Smartest)
My first year in the university was somehow a traumatic one, having met some misfortunes of academic failures for the indefinite nationwide strike the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) went on, when the Nigerian Government fails to fulfill their demands. During the nationwide strike, I decided to build a career in fiction writing, where I wrote many fictions, yet ASUU didn't call off that strike on time.
Nigerian students also threaten to embark on riots but all their attempts were in vain. The Nigerian public universities indeed are at the verge of destruction. Huh! They demand the government to improve the academic activities of both the students and lecturers; for they do not have enough classes, lecture theatres, infrastructures, and other academic facilities, but the authorities turn a deaf against their issues.
So, as time goes on, I got tired at home being idle. Then I remember one uncle of mine who lives in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State. I told my father I would be going there and he agreed. I started packing my things, as it would be my longest journey to date.
As I hoped, I enjoyed the journey. It was a nice one. That was on Saturday morning my trip began but I didn't reach my destination till 11:00pm. What a whole day journey. I successfully landed at the company lodge he works and informed the employees about me. Abbaty, a nice guy whom later became a friend, was the first person I meet at the lodge's premises, and lodged me in his room.
Earlier in the morning my uncle called me. Unfortunately, as I tried to pick it up, the phone shutdown. Then I asked someone to call him for me but he didn't pick up the call. I waited for him outside for more than an hour.
One employee named Bala asked me, "what are you doing here young man?"
"I'm waiting for the manager, I am his nephew from Yobe state", I answered politely. Then he brought some drinks and bread for me. I really enjoyed his generosity.
When I finished, my uncle arrived and took me to his office and introduced me to his subordinates, where I met Oga Ibrahim and Mallam Habu. They were very nice people too. Later I realized that my uncle wasn't the manager of the company, the manager was Oga Musa. So, my uncle was the general manager of five companies in Lafia city, what an astonishing.
Life was easy those days, my uncle's wife, Aunty Khadija was very nice. She used to give me food and everything. You know traveling is my hobby, so I like following people to Benue, Abuja and within Nasarawa state, I see the beauty of nature. One day I followed Gaddafi one of the company goods distributors to Lafia city GRA, and suddenly met a beautiful young lady. I swear I never see a beautiful girl like her. I was totally confused.
Gaddafi understood my situation and even encouraged me to talk to her. As I headed to where she was, she started walking swiftly. I said, "Assalamu Alaikum", which literary means "peace be upon you", and luckily for me she responded politely.
I cleared my throat and decided to begin, "Excuse me young lady, I want to talk to you if you won't mind please"
"I'm sorry, I can't attend you right now, but this is our house" she said while pointing a big mansion, then she gave me her phone number.
When I went back home, I called her and introduced myself to her, and she also did same. She told me her name, Rahama.
"Well, I'd like to welcome you to my life, but I'm sorry to say, I'm already taken”
Her last statement causes so much pain, but I endured and congratulated her, saying "congratulations dear, if there's no problem can we be friends?"
Then she accepted my request without a doubt.
I used to care for her, chat frequently and have fun. Gradually, Rahama fell in love with me. I got to know by realizing the changes in her, even though to was nice to everyone.
One Saturday night, while having a phone call with Rahama, she gave me her attention to discuss seriously about her life.
"Aliyu do you truly love me I mean will you marry me?", this question didn't amazed me the way I thought it should've, because of the changes I experienced in her.
"Yeah, Rahama, why not? But how is this possible?"
"Just come to my house tomorrow and ask my father's permission to date me, pretend we didn't know each other" Then I thanked her for the chance and ended the call when my heart was beating so fast.
The next day in the evening, I went to Rahama's house and met her father. After greetings, I asked for his permission to date his daughter as she requested. Fortunately, he commended my idea as it is the first requirement in the Islamic religion when seeking for marriage. I was so excited that moment, and immediately informed my heartthrob after leaving.
But there's one guy dating Rahama, he was Saleem, but he don't even give her attention. Saleem met Rahama's father and told him about me, that he loves her and wanted to marry her. Then her father called me about the issue, saying, "I'm sorry Aliyu take heart Rahama is already taken" I was hurt. I immediately told her about it, but she said we should make a promise and endure any inconvenience as long as it is for sake of our love.
Rahama and I love each other so much, even beyond expectation. Life without her would be tasteless. Saleem, my rival was a kind of jealous person who could no longer hide his feelings. So, he always tries his best to go ahead of me.
Getting these problems, I decided to meet her father at the second time to discuss with him thoroughly about the love I hold for his daughter. Unfortunately, that attempt was good enough to make her father change his mind. He said our relationship would be unachievable, because Saleem was Rahama's cousin, so the matter was not under his control and could not do anything about it.
Gradually, I came to realize that no one supports me in their family, then felt I disappointed and decided to just give up. It's been a while I hadn't heard from Rahama, until one night when I received her text from a new number, informing me about her phone was seizure by her dad. She lamented the issue about missing me.
But on the other side, Rahama attempted to disown Saleem, telling her father she loves me and wants to marry me, and no one else. To her misfortune, he turned her wish down, even though she remained obstinate on her points. When her father realized that she use to chat with me with another phone, he never allowed her to go out of the house.
Being the follower of the Tijjaniya sect, Rahama's father adheres the doctrines of the renowned cleric, Sheikh Ibrahim Inyass, so they use to celebrate maulid nabiy —which is the birthday of the Holy Prophet every year. On this occasion, Rahama invited me to her house to celebrate it together. Her father wanted to celebrate the whole night but when he noticed my presence there, he ended the event around 12am. Though, Rahama was glad to see me.
A week later, my school call off the strike so I had to go back home. Like two days ago, Rahama got her phone back. We used to chat as usual. But she faced her father's wrath when he discovered she still use to chat with me.
Rahama was mangled by her father. Then she decided to run to Gashua Yobe state to escape from her father’s rage as well as family trap. I was shock when I heard that Rahama is in Gashua, as I reach home I saw her with my siblings. I said, Rahama what’s wrong? I wonder why you come here. She said “love is blind I was confused if daddy love me now” no matter how blind love is you shouldn’t do this, what if your father discover you are here? The aftermath would not be good for both of us, I tried to explain. Perhaps she didn’t understand me, but am in deep trouble, I suggested.
Beside her family check everywhere but couldn’t find her. Her mother’s first suspect was me, so she told Rahama’s father. They asked where possible but all was in vain. Her father called me saying that I should bring back his daughter or I’ll face the consequences, but I insisted that I don’t know where she was. I was panic, even though we shared the best moments ever. Mom was back in the morning, I told her everything. Then she sent her home.
When Rahama reached home, her father was very angry. He force her to show where she was slept for 2 days. He called two policemen to accompany him. Rahama take them to a friend house in the city, they convinced him.
Later, her father called me and told me that he would talk to his siblings about my relationship with Rahama, he will ask me to send my parents soon. I was excited I tell my mother and Rahama too, that was very surprised. In the next day, having phone call with Rahama in the morning, I heard her crying saying her uncles didn’t agree, I was perplexed. I don’t know when ties start pouring down my cheek, we cry out till mtn warns me.
Rahama was at the first stage of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), life becomes difficult for me. One of her uncle came up with the idea to take Rahama’s name to one cleric Sheikh that can uses charm and logical ways to change her mind, and her father agreed. It’s doesn’t take long time Rahama agree to marry Saleem. That charm really worked on them since they truly believed in it.
After a long time I went to supermarket with my friend, Rahama had eyes contact with my friend as I didn’t see her, she quickly run out of my sight. Why love is not a winning game? I deserve to marry Rahama, but love always fail me. Such questions remained unanswered. Whenever I feel alone I use to listen to Rahama’s song everyday.
Fiction...
