"Mama Aliyu... if u like yourself, you had better explain" the male voice said. Obviously it wasn't the neighbours, the voice belonged to Baba Aliyu.
"he only came asking for direction to the Me'Angua's house" Mama Aliyu said between sobs
"oh really! you think I am a fool?... who is he?... I said who is he?" he questioned, each question with a sound like a slap.
" I do not know... he just came..." she replied dutifully still crying.
"you do not know... I will teach you to know"
that was all I heard verbally, the rest was said with loud sounds like beating and wailing. All through this I couldn't sleep, all I could process is what might happen to mama Aliyu. She is pregnant for heaven's sakes, what has she done to deserve this. If the man is the same man I am thinking they are talking about; I saw him myself. Infact, the man had accosted me personally but he was speaking the Nupe dialect which I didn't understand, so I had directed him to Mama Aliyu. Mama Aliyu, answered him and it was as he was leaving, Baba Aliyu came in. So, all he heard was the man's last greeting and he (Baba Aliyu) had not even made a face when he came in, he was his normal self.
Finally, the beating stopped and the cries graduated into painful moans and grunts. At this point I was already on my feet, I started yelling "who is that, what is happening" to know if Mama Aliyu was alright and then Baba Aliyu ran out of the room and explain that she was going into labour and went back in.
"Labour" I asked, of course forced labour I told myself, as I started dancing round the room not knowing what to do. He came back dressed, half carrying her and told me to wake the eldest children. I did and came back to the room. he left his wife with me and went to get his car started. The second born Aliyu came in with his face designed with various lines from his sleeping mat. While his elder sister after ordering her went to get clothes into a bag for their mum, thanks to home economics. I heard the car being switched but it refused to start. In my heart I started reciting all the verse I could remember. I heard Baba Aliyu shouting for help from the next compound, while mama Aliyu started breathing in gasps. I think I might faint, if she passes out.
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thank God, for foreign movies I continued to talk to mama Aliyu, asking her to stay with me. Although, she was sliding in and out. Finally, Baba Aliyu was able to get another neighbour to help him with his car. He, the neighbour and his wife and the two older kids with eyes as red as blood from crying, departed for the hospital.
I knew there is no way I was going to sleep, just as I knew there was no how I was going to look at Baba Aliyu with respect. He knew how delicate his wife situation was and yet he still could be "brave" to beat her. Seriously, I think it takes a brave man to beat a pregnant woman, or is he not brave to have known and ignored the danger he might be putting both the mother and child? for what? because she spoke to another man.
Now I am trying to understand this, some people are going to say he reacted because he was being protective . protective of what? of what he could as well damage? how do you protect what it takes you nothing to crush or destroy?
Some other people would say he was jealous. jealous of what? of a man, he didn't even know for a woman who has bourne him nine (9) children and is pregnant with the tenth one? I do not think I understand the word jealousy anymore.
*Me'Angua's ; a title for the community leader