By Amie Sillah Sap with Ken “Guess who?” Ken asked Sap. She turned and saw Magi who walked past her. She hissed and threw innuendoes. Magi ignored her but Ken greeted him. “Good afternoon sir.” “Good afternoon, how are your husband and children?” “They are fine sir and how are Ja and the girls?” “They are fine and thank you.” Magi walked past. As Sap threw jibes at him. She turned to Ken. “Why did you greet my enemy? Who are you as I don’t understand you anymore?” “Didn’t I tell you that it is none of my business in your family feud?” “Don’t you know that the enemy of your friend is also your enemy and her friend also your friend? That is what is called loyalty.” “Well, call it whatever you like but I’ll not be part of it.” Sap got angry and went into her house, Ken followed her. “You have to be matured for once and understand me now,” Ken posited. Ja and Yaa Baajen Yaa Baajen reported Sap to Ja. “I past that vagabond of yours and greeted her thrice without any response from her. She has definitely join me in the dispute; she threw jibes and called me useless and a gossip.” “Please sit down,” Ja begged her. “So this is what you put up with all this while? I am not you and I’ll fight her back, she has to take it easy with me O because everybody is not like you! I am a ‘panka’ no nonsense woman.” “Sit down and let me give you water,” Ja posited. “I don’t need water. I want to fight Sap and put her to size.” “Please don’t fight as it is said the patient dog eat the fattest and juiciest bone,” Ja advised. “How are you faring now?” Yaa asked. “We are doing fine but this time around Magi refused to bulge in and he refuse to make peace with them.” Yaa Baajen screamed and became excited. “For once Magi has acted as a man; who are they? Peace, peace, what is all this peace about for them to sit at your head and defecate on it? No! I refute that peace, you can now go and get me cold water from the jar, I can drink now.” “No water for you Satan, you can die of thirst.” “I am very happy,” Yaa posited. Ja She is never tire, she is just sweet, a God fearing and peaceful woman; she went back to Sap to preach peace and she snubbed her as she continued brushing her teeth. “What do the family stand to gain in this ‘cold war’ but stress and hatred?” Still Sap ignored her. “Why you and your husband want to continue troubling people in this village? As a wife you are the one who can calm your spouse, our children do not play anymore, we are harming them. Swallow your pride and think about it my sister.” She washed her teeth and spat the dirty water at Ja’s face which shocked her and she screamed. “What have I done to deserve this? You spat dirty water at my face?” “You witch leave me alone, I don’t want to make peace with you.” She went into her house and Ja also left embarrassed and disgraced. At Magi’s House Ja is shattered and she wept bitterly as she is surrounded by her two daughters. “This is too much, what have I done to deserve this? Look at my clothes!” Magi He found his wife crying surrounded by their two daughters and he enquired. “What is it again?” “Didn’t you found me a virgin when you married me? Where did I go wrong to be blessed with daughters instead of sons? I was never wayward.” “Who said you were wayward? So it is all about male children again? Please my wife stop judging yourself and makes it difficult for us who love you.” Magi counseled his wife Magi with Ja We should not be grumblers to Allah; there are couples who are childless and have done nothing to him and here we are with two beautiful, well mannered, disciplined and witty daughters; why are you complaining? What is expected of us is to continue with them on the right path, the other family has sons but are they any match to our daughters? I am always sad to see you lament and make our detractors laugh at us, they provoke you because of your soft spot, ignore them for me and I’ll be very happy and fulfilled. Don’t lament or comment on this issue again. Do me a favour you break my heart when I see you look like this, give me your support, this is the time I need you the most, I am not at all worried because I know these girls are our investment, our jewels tomorrow, Allah does everything for a purpose.” The Siblings “Mama wipe your tears, we have heard all the insults meted out to you by the other family, Allah will shame them, we will work hard and prove them wrong, we will make you proud and do for you what male/males can do for their parents.” “Do you hear our daughters? Wipe your tears and stop tormenting us with such frivolities and praise Allah for what he did for us; there are couples who are childless who have done nothing to him.” He called T.J and asked her to bring his flute. He played the flute and the girls danced to the sweet melody and make mama laughed heartily. “Get away from here I am not in the mood.” Papa tickled her to more laughter, “We are here to make you laugh.” Magi with Ja “I want you to also do me a favour.” “Is it about my arrogant brother and your peace mission? Count me out and please let me be.” “Not exactly!” “What is it, I am all ears?” “It is about your uncle Alhajj Banta he’s just come from the ‘umrah’ and I want to go to him and ask him to intervene to help solve the conflict.” Magi hesitated then said, “If that is what you want, so be it!” He shrugged his shoulders. The Reconciliation Cow summoned the two families and talked sense into them. “There is no case in this matter as it is just an issue of misunderstanding that you men could have handled amicably but I am disappointed in all of you.” He turned to Ja and praised her. “If it was not for Jaabel I would have been still in the dark and uninformed.” He then face Sap and reprimanded her. “What have you done to solve the conflict?” “Are you blaming me? What would I have done?” Sap challenged Cow and become defensive. “You could have done like Jaa talking and working the peace instead of adding fuel to the burning fire; I’ve heard everything that you’ve done, walls have tongue and ears in this village. If it was not for Jaabel this family feud would have continued and continued.” “Let it continue! Who cares?” Maga posited. “Let it continue! I don’t care either, enough is enough! I am ready for anything now! I am tired of insults and truants from my younger brother and his wife.” Magi also posited with anger. Cow calmed both brothers down. “If you are angry with the tongue that does not mean you have to cut off the head, this is a family affair. And it is said blood is thicker than water. Forgive and embrace each other as a sign of reconciliation.” Cow instructed the siblings. Ja She stooped down and begged the brothers to embrace and reconcile with each other. She first approached Maga her brother-in-law then Magi her own husband. She called Sap and went to embrace and kiss her to shame. “I am sorry and begging you to forgive your brother-in-law.” Then she turned and thanked Cow for making the time for peace to once again reign in their family. Maga softened and said. “It is alright, I’ll give peace another chance because the ‘cold war’ is tormenting all of us and it is really nonsense and a non-starter.” Magi took up from there and apologized to his younger sibling. “I thought what I’ve done was for the good of the family but if you see it otherwise I am sorry for offending you and your family.” They simultaneously got up and embraced each other. Cow Lama asked all to read some ‘surrahs’ for peace to forever reign in the family and never again to witness such acrimony and hatred. Kolanuts were served along with soft drinks. To be Cont]]>
