<p>In a gathering led by the village head, it was declared, “Malam Habu has passed away, leaving behind one wife and eight children. His possessions consist only of this house and a large farm. However, all his remaining money was used to settle debts after his passing. Now, the elders and scholars are here to distribute his inheritance according to Islamic principles.”</p><p>Iya Abu, the wife of Malam Habu, stood up and said, “As the legal wife and mother of his children, I insist that Hanna, the other woman, should not be included in the inheritance share of my children. Let her be given her separate share, so we avoid disputes later.”</p><p>The village head responded, “Inheritance is not decided by personal sentiments. It is Allah's decree, and the division will follow Islamic law.”</p><p>After deliberations, the scholars divided the estate. Hanna was left with nothing but a small storage room for food, a tiny corner of the house, and an insignificant part of the farm. Iya Abu, on the other hand, received the bulk of the house and farmland for herself and her children. Overjoyed, she declared, “This distribution is fair. Hanna must now leave the room she's occupying.”</p><p>The village head intervened, saying, "Iya Abu, even in death, you continue to oppress Hanna? Have some compassion." But Iya Abu remained adamant, saying, “She can stay in the room, but only as a tenant. If she doesn't pay rent, I'll evict her.”</p><p>One of the attendees, Alhaji Bilya, then offered to pay Hanna's rent. He handed over a full year's rent without asking for a discount, knowing Iya Abu's intention was to exploit Hanna. The gesture earned him blessings from the community, but Hanna and her uncle understood his ulterior motive: Alhaji Bilya wanted to marry her.</p><p>Hanna was consumed by bitterness. She despised the thought of marrying him, considering his age and dominance over her life. But she felt trapped, knowing she had nowhere else to go.</p><p>Over time, Alhaji Bilya's persistence increased. He even went to the village head to formally request Hanna's hand in marriage. The village head called Hanna and asked for her decision. She firmly refused, saying, “I respect your advice, but I do not wish to marry anyone, especially not Alhaji Bilya. He is like a father to me.”</p><p>Her rejection angered Alhaji Bilya, who retaliated by instructing Iya Abu to evict Hanna. One day, while Hanna was in her room, Iya Abu barged in and began throwing her belongings out. Hanna pleaded, but Iya Abu was unmoved. Alhaji Bilya stood outside, refusing to relent, despite Hanna's tears and pleas.</p><p>Meanwhile, Hanna's cousin, Wada, arrived with food for her. Seeing the commotion, he rushed to inform Iya Salmai, a relative. Soon, Iya Salmai and the village head arrived to witness the chaos. The village head admonished Alhaji Bilya and Iya Abu for their actions, but Hanna, heartbroken, declared, “Leave them be. I will vacate the room and live in the storage shed.”</p><p>Just as Hanna was moving her belongings into the small shed, two strangers arrived. They introduced themselves as Ahmad and Bello, travelers from Niger. Ahmad revealed that he was Hanna's maternal uncle, saying, “I am the son of your late mother’s brother. I have come to take Hanna with me.”</p><p>Hanna, overwhelmed with emotion, embraced Ahmad, and they both wept. The village head narrated Hanna's struggles, and Ahmad was deeply moved. He explained, “I have always known about the hardships your mother endured and suspected Hanna would face similar challenges. I was young and powerless then, but now I have come to fulfill my duty.”</p><p>Ahmad then declared his intention to take Hanna with him, promising to provide her with a better life away from the injustices she had faced.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
