(Episode 1) Behind Closed Doors: A tale of Love and War

All human beings have three lives: public, private, and secret
– Gabriel Gàrcia Màrquez.

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He sat on the chaise, with a book in his hand. He was not reading it, but he was peering at it to stop his mother, Hadiza, from speaking with him. Bashir was the only son of the royal family of Kano. Due to being doted on, he grew up with a sense of entitlement, which followed him everywhere he went.

It didn’t help that he was handsome and the most eligible bachelor in Kano. His expressive dark eyes could make a woman go wet in her pants, and his chiseled face like that of the Hausa warriors of old, gave him a distinctive appearance.

He always wore English clothes, and had stopped going to the mosque. He told his parents that religion was for the poor and the oppressed, while he was liberated. Of course, this was kept a secret because, if it got out, they would lose their royalty and Bashir could die.
Now more than ever, his secret had to be guarded, for he was running for governor, and it could not be known, that Bashir had forsaken the ways of Islam. Also worth hiding, was his amorous relationship with a woman from the East.

 

Bashir could not pretend forever that he was reading, so he raised his head, and his mother did not spare a moment, to speak.

“My son, we need to talk” the regal lady, decked in gold and fine apparel said.

Her face showed nothing of the expensive things she had on, she looked sad. Bashir was her only son and a constant source of worry. He always did what he wanted, regardless of who was hurt by it. But for the love her husband had for her, he would have married another wife, to bear him more sons who would make him happy.

Fortunately, Bashir had graduated from the University, magna cum laude. However, he denounced Islam and became apostate. He also went around with a Christian girl from the East, and she didn’t know how to tell her son to make his ways right.

“Mother, I really cannot stand another lecture about religion” he said harshly.

“Bashir, I am not going to talk about religion. I want to talk about your political ambition” she said and watched Bashir close the book, and settle into the chair.

“What about it? Do you have a magic wand that would turn around the polls. It is obvious that my opponent will win this election. Everyone loves him” Bashir said.

Hadiza wanted to tell him that, if he could be a little nicer to people, perhaps they would love him enough to vote for him. But if she said that, Bashir would not talk to her for days, and what she needed to discuss with him was important. So instead, she said,
“I have a solution to turn things around and make you governor” she saw the glint in her son’s eyes and knew she had his attention.

“But it will require some commitment from you. The public likes emotional things like marriages and love stories. So let’s give them a love story which will endear them to you”

“Genius! I have a love story to share with them” Bashir said excitedly.

“I am sorry, but Becca is not an option. You will only make things worse”

“What do you mean mother, Becca is the girl I love” He said, as he stood up from the chaise.

“My son,nobody will support your union with Becca. You may finally push your father to disown you. Bashir, every human has three lives. Let Becky be your secret life, and let the girl I will choose for you, be your public life” Hadiza said.

“I will think about it” Bashir replied and walked away from his mother.

Hadiza smiled, knowing that she had won. Now her son would marry a proper girl from a good family, and she would make a fairytale out of their marriage and the public would fall in love. She was happy that he had been saved from the clutches of that witch from the East.

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“I think I will be getting married soon” Bashir said as he laid in Becca’s arms.

They had just had steamy sex. Becca was able to come to the house because Bashir’s father was on diplomatic duties, and his mother indulged his excesses.

“Oh dear, are you proposing? You can’t even propose right. Where is the ring?” Becky pushed him off her, and began to dress up.

“I guess my mother already bought the ring. But I am not proposing to you” he dropped the bombshell. Becca spun around in shock.

“What are you saying right now?” She asked even as her eyes misted.

“I am losing at the polls, so this is just to make sure I become governor. Then, I will divorce her. It is you that I love” he said and pulled her back to the bed.

“Are you sure you are going to divorce her?” Becca asked.

“Yes, don’t you trust me. I will divorce her after I become governor” he said and kissed her passionately on the lips. But that did nothing to quell her doubts.

Hadiza went with her husband to the house of a middle class family to ask for the hand in marriage of their daughter, Safiya.

“But we have heard rumours about your son. They say he goes out with an Igbo girl that is Christian. Is Safiya suppose to be a second wife?” The head of the family asked.

“Haba, my son, Bashir, is not married nor going out with any woman. He sent me to this house because he saw Safiya and liked her” Hadiza said.

They called Safiya to ask her if she would marry Bashir, the royal prince of Kano.  Safiya was a beautiful fair lady with elven face. Her eyes were windows to her beautiful soul, her lips were always parted like she was having an orgasm. She was a quiet one, soft and always smiling. But no one knew the strength of her character, until she met Bashir.

Safiya had lots of suitors asking for her hand in marriage and she could easily have married a wealthy man. But when Bashir’s parents asked for her hand in marriage, she accepted their offer. Her parents were surprised because they thought that their soft spoken daughter would not want someone like Bashir, despite his royalty. But they didn’t know that, she had met Bashir before and had fallen in love with him.

“Mother, Allah has blessed me, for He has given me the man I love, for husband” Safiya told her mother, and so, the two families began preparations for the royal wedding.

Hadiza, Bashir’s mother, saw it as a point of duty to publicize the forthcoming nuptials for her son and Safiya. There was a media buzz around the intended couple, as reporters followed them everywhere with cameras. People wondered how the rich prince had met Safiya, a quiet girl who avoided frivolous company.

“Bashir, you have to play your part. Do not allow the public to know, that this marriage is not what you want. Invite Safiya out on a date” Hadiza said to her son, eyeing Becca who had just walked in with him, “The more the public falls in love with you, the more votes they will give you” his mother advised.

So, he called Safiya and invited her to go out with him.

They dined in upscale restaurants, with cameras flashing at them. They also went to an IDP camp where they donated foodstuff and other essentials. While Safiya did it with her heart, playing with the children in the camp, Bashir posed for pictures. If he had to marry a girl he didn’t know just to be elected, he might as well make good of it.
Two weeks after the wedding was announced, Bashir’s rating had gone up and people were seeing him as the one fit to be the governor of the state. Although things were going well for him politically, his girlfriend, Becca, was becoming disgruntled with the situation.
“Becca, I thought you were dating Bashir, how come he is getting married to another woman?” Her best friend had asked.

“It is just an arrangement to get him elected. When he becomes governor he will divorce her” she replied.

“Did you see their last outing, the way he was smiling into her eyes. This girl is beautiful and I heard she was the best student in her class. What man wouldn’t want to be married to her?” Her friend questioned.

“It is just for the cameras, Bashir belongs to me” Becca sneered.

Throughout the day, she thought about everything her friend had said, and decided, that it was better to be close to Bashir,and prevent him from getting close to Safiya.

“In fact, I will not let you get married to my Bashir, Safiya” Becca said through clenched teeth.

Becca devised a plot to get into Bashir’s household. It was imperative for her to get into the house, if she wanted to stop the wedding.

“Sorry Safiya, Bashir belongs to me” she said to herself and then dialed Bashir’s number.

Will Becca be able to stop the wedding, or will the marriage go through. What fate awaits Becca, Safiya and Bashir?

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