Chapter 4 Even the lion, the king of the jungle protect himself against flies

Mallam Balarabe and Al-warith landed in a town named "Gidan-lafia", an industrious town and a place where everyone face his/her businesses. Mallam Balarabe already had a house there and his flourished textile business. They settled down, and took their time to study the environment.

Some days passed by, but Al-warith was still disturbed and worried about their sudden migration to Gidan-lafia. He was in his room so deep in thought, pondering why his Grandpa changed their environment. His eyes were glued to the T.V that anyone who saw him at that time would think he was watching the T.V. Mallam Balarabe was different, a wise man with his innocent looks could easily detect that his grandson was deep in thought.

"Hmm! If an arrow has not entered deeply, then its removal is not hard." Mallam Balarabe mentioned as he placed his right hand on Al-warith shoulder. The action of Al-warith truly showed the colours of the rainbow.

"Oh grandpa, you scared me."

"You got scared because you were deep in thought."

"Deep in thought, No, I wasn't grandpa."

"Yes you were son, what is bothering you?" mallam Balarabe asked.

"Who told you something is bothering me?" Al-Warith said.

"A little bird told me son. I know you very well, share your troubles with me son." Mallam Balarabe pleaded.

"I don't know what we are doing here grandpa, why do we have to leave Gidan-kowa so sudden? You didn't even give me a chance to bid bye to my friends, and you even promised to show me my sisters, why haven't you fulfilled your promise grandpa? What about my uncle, you told me I have one, where is he, why are you selfish grandpa?" Al-warith spoke out anxiously and cried.

Mallam Balarabe was emotionally weak, tears and anxiety showed its identity through his eyes. He staggered, tried all means to get his balance, he held on to himself and moved closer to Al-warith to calm him down.

"This is the first time someone told me I'm selfish....am I really selfish? It shouldn't have been you da'na." Mallam Balarabe snivelled.

"Yi hakuri Baba (I'm sorry) it's just that I'm so devastated. Please tell me the reason we left", Al-warith pleaded, and knelt before his grandpa.

"Hmm! You are growing so fast to become a man. In this life, for everything that has happened and is still happening, there is always a reason. I will tell you everything son." Al-warith adjusted himself, sat on the mat, and faced his grandpa who sat on a stool.

"Hmm! If a toad jumps around in the daytime, it is either chasing something or something is chasing it. Some months back, I had a nightmare. I saw someone chasing you with a sharp cutlass. I was also there running after that person, trying to protect you from been harmed. I ran so fast till I got tired and couldn't move anymore. I heard you scream for help and then I woke up and prayed over it. I thought it was just a normal thing, but I had the same frightened nightmare for 3 consecutive days, then I realized that there was fire on the mountain. Our enemies are after us da'na, and that was the reason we left Gidan-kowa so sudden. I'm not selfish son." Mallam Balarabe narrated.

"Ya Allah na, I'm so sorry grandpa, please forgive me. But grandpa, I didn't fight anyone, why would they want to kill me?" Al-warith anxiously asked.

"Hmmm! We are living in a wicked world son. Now that you know, be careful and be prayerful. May Almighty Allah in his infinite mercy guide and protect us, ameen."

"Ameen Baba. Thank you grandpa, thank you for your love and care, please forgive me. What can I do without you?" Al-warith said and embrace his grandpa.

"Hmmm! How I wish you can see and read my mind. You are precious to me da'na, you are forgiven."

After 2years, Mallam Balarabe opened another branch of his business in the same town. Al-warith was in ss2 then; he performed well in his test and exams and was well loved by his teachers. In his school, he met a new friend "Zahra".

Zahra was as intelligent as Al-warith although, she always come second after him in class. Mallam Balarabe employed new staffs in his new branch, and had lots of customers from various towns and cities. He became a well respected entity and a business tycoon.

"Walahi secretary, ba'zan yadaba (I disagree), hai narigashi (I was here before him.)"

Mallam Balarabe heard a strong voice from outside his office; he adjusted his table and almost fell. He tried all he could to stop the noise but the customer didn't notice him. Mallam Balarabe took a thorough look at the customer and it appeared to be someone he knew.

"Yahaya!" mallam Balarabe called.

"Is this you? Mallam Balarabe, ko kai ne manager a ne? (Or are you the manager here?)"

"Dan Allah yi hakuri, barin gamadasu, se muje gidana (please, let me finish with others, then we'll go to my house).

Mallam Balarabe attended to his customers and after 45 minutes, he took Yahaya to his house. Yahaya felt relaxed and overwhelmed after meeting Mallam Balarabe and Al-warith, gazing at every angle of the house, and dumbfounded with the elegance of the sitting room.

"Yagida (How is home?) mallam Balarabe asked.

"gida lafia ( home is fine). I'm happy to see you both, after how many years. You promised to contact us but you didn't, we thought something had happened to you." Yahaya uttered.

"I'm sorry about that. How are Jumai, Ladidi, and Hauwa and their daughters, hope they are all fine?"

"Hmm! didn't you heard that they left the house 8 months after the death of their husband."

"No I didn't, but why did they leave, or did Ali sent them packing?"

"No Ali is innocent. Ali even went in search for them, he begged them to return, but they refused. Even Tanko and I went with Ali but they still refused."

"They left without telling you the reason?" Mallam Balarabe asked.

"Yes, but Ali never stopped giving them money. You and I know that Ali is generous.

"Yes... so Ali is around now?" Mallam Balarabe asked calmly.

"He is around. He even asked after you, since we didn't know where you relocated to, we told him nothing, and he even thought Al-warith is no more. Haba, you didn't even ask after Fati, Talatu, and their daughters?"

"Who are they?" Mallam Balarabe curiously asked.

"Oooh, you don't know them? They are the women Alhaji Basir married in another village."

"Ya Allah na! So Alhaji Basir married another wives after my daughter."

"No, it was before your daughter. They came to Gidan-kowa and have been living there with their daughters."

"Ya Allah na! So he lied to me and my daughter, what a world."

"I thought you know about them?" Yahaya inquired.

"Hmmm! Anyway, please inform the mai-angwa and the other wakilai that I will be visiting by this weekend."

"Ooh they will be so happy to see you." Yahaya expressed.

After Mallam Balarabe had listened to his business proposal, he gave him an envelope filled with money for his transport.

Al-warith did spend his Sundays with Zahra and her father. Zahra's father loved Al-warith like a son; he was a good man and had always wanted to meet Mallam Balarabe.

"Zahra told me she met your grandpa last week, she told me awesome things about him. So when am I meeting your grandpa? Zahra's father calmly asked.

"Sir, I also told my grandpa about you, he's also willing to meet you. He is travelling very soon and I'm sure he's going to fix a day for you both to meet", Al-warith said joyously.

"I can't wait to meet him, after listening to your story; he's really a good man to get acquainted with." Zahra's father uttered.

"Daddy, I totally agree with you, he's a man of good virtue." Zahra said with all smiles.

"Zahra told me you came first in class, I'm really proud of you."

"He was only lucky dad, just few points ahead of me", Zahra said dramatically.

Zahra's father was all smiles after he heard the statement from his daughter, he urged her to work harder next time. He joked with them and they all had fun till sunset.