Evil Gossip
Many villagers envy their class status due to poverty and low self-esteem. They feel that Yarr Harr is haughty, arrogant and vain unlike her husband who is simple and accommodating.
Some people took special interest to go around the village spreading false rumours about the family.
Kongosa
The busy body or Kongosa is Yaa Ndaate. She goes around and speak to whoever wants to hear her gossips.
“Wonders shall never end! Ngorr is sent home from her matrimonial abode being accused of trying to poison Omar when he decided to marry a beautiful girl as a second wife. Who is she, ‘Madam Untouchable’? She married a Muslim man and should have expected that her husband can marry up to four wives if he can and ofcourse he can as he is rich man. Did Omar’s mother give birth to her son only for her? Some women abuse their position as the first wife. I’m a first wife, ‘Awo’, but will not stop my husband from marrying many wives so far as he is addressing my needs.”
“Didn’t you see her mom, Yarr Harr, who is a one and only wife to Baa? She controls him all throughout their marriage up to old age. He dares not marry another wife and Yaa boasts about it,” said Mbissine.
“The ‘juju’ is broken,” said Ndaate.
Money Palaver
Yaa became pissed off as the money is no longer flowing in abundance as before. Business is slow for Amadou and he is already married with a son and had made this known to his parents. “I can no longer lavish money as before because I’m married now and have to take care of my family. You have to start up a small business in order to supplement what I’m giving you as allowance. I know it is going to be difficult for you and please don’t blame me. You have to understand my reality.”
That was Amadou’s point when Ngorr came from her matrimonial home.
“How are you going to be feeding yourself?” he asked his sister without mincing words.
“What sort of stupid question is that? How is the family feeding itself? If you can answer that question then that is fine with me.”
“Let us be realistic here because Omar will no longer be feeding you because you are out of his house and I don’t blame him. I would have done the same. Go and beg your husband to take you back or you try some form of petty business to feed yourself. I cannot feed you as I have a young wife and child to take care of.”
Ngorr went into tantrums.
“Hey! Villagers, come and hear this ingrate of a sibling! Who taught how you to fish? Was it is not my husband and my humble self? What have you ever bought for me since you left school and established your family business? You are very selfish but I don’t blame you. Allah made me and my survival is in his hands. As for for the advice you have given for me to go and beg my husband, that is not your business.”
“’Yalla-Yalla beye sa toll.’” (God does not come down and work on your farm.)
Ngorr hurls insults on her brother and called him all sorts of names.
Ngorr
She is at home preparing lunch. Yaa came with an almost empty pot of mayonnaise quarreling.
“Look at the pot of mayonnaise, who has finished it clean like this?” she asked.
“Why is this anger? I took some but did not finish it. But why are you angry? Have you not forgotten so soon? I use you bring groceries that would last for more than a month before being replenished until you would dispose of them by giving to neighbours. Take it is easy mom! You should know that no condition is permanent. I was a giver until my predicament which is just a trial that will not last long by the grace of Allah.”
“Moreover, that is not my only complaint. Where is my D100 note which I kept under my pillow inside my bedroom?”
Ngorr wept bitterly for being accused of stealing. She then asked:
“Who is keeping your keys? Are they not in your purse which you carry always? Mom, give me a break! You are choking me to death.”
That is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Now you have resorted to accusing me of stealing your D100? Ngorr you have suffered.” She raised her hands and prayed to Allah.
“Judge my case with them. My case is in your hands.”
“My D100 is lost and I should not ask you? Who are you? You have to go and beg your husband to take you back. I am very tired of taking care of you.”
“When I was in the city, how much have I been giving you as monthly allowance apart from the groceries I’ve been providing?”
“We are talking about the present not the past.”
Baa
He came and found Ngorr sobbing bitterly and enquired what her problem is. But before she answered her dad, Yaa chipped in.
“I lost my D100 and also found out that the Mayonnaise was finished. I asked and she took offence. I should not state my mind because someone will be offended?”
Baa took a different approach.
“I do not like how you are treating our daughter. Where should she go in a situation of distress? Is it not her parents’ abode? This girl is a good daughter and should not be maltreated her situation of distress when she is undergoing trial and tribulation. We should show her love and concern in her time of need. She did everything for us when she was in her matrimonial home. Yaa don’t be ‘puroh’ a throat (meaning ungrateful) which does not praise the food that passes through it last.”
Ngorr shook her head.
“Thank you dad! You’ve shown me that I can always trust your judgment.”
“I know your daughter is always right, according to you, but no one can prevent me from asserting my ‘freedom of expression’.”
Yarr Harr
She went and met Ngorr sitting down under the verandah and gave her a machete.
“What is this for?” Ngorr asked.
“What is machete used for? You are no longer a city lady but a village woman. Let us go to the farm.’ Ngorr got up put a basket on her head and then head to the farm with her mum.
The Gossips
They met Kongosa and Mbissine who greeted them and then vanished out of sight. The duo stopped and then started a gossip on Ngorr and her mother.
“The world is three days, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Who would have believed that these two proud peacocks would walk past us with baskets on their heads heading for the farm? Yesterday, it was farm hands that were harvesting their crops and Ngorr would come to the village with a flashy car to pick up their farm produce to take to the city for their consumption. The have been bluffing about this that they consumed fresh farm produce but now they are very broke. The other day I learnt from their close neighbour that they were fighting over Mayonnaise and D100 which was said to be stolen. Ha! Ha! Ha! ‘Yalla mo baah chi borom tahikow’ (Allah is very good to the owner of the story building.)
To be Cont.
