<p>Ummiey sighed deeply and said, “Today, I will tell you the complete story of our family.” Then she began:</p><p>“My name is Khadija Abubakar.</p><p>I am originally from Gombe because both my father and mother hail from there. I was their only child, so I grew up with lots of love and care. However, despite all the pampering, my parents didn’t spoil me.</p><p>I received both Western and Islamic education in Gombe because my father was a renowned scholar in the city. He was also a direct descendant of the Emir of Gombe.</p><p>My mother, named Janan, lived in the same neighborhood as my father. Their frequent encounters and her passion for education brought them closer, and eventually, they got married.</p><p>After their marriage, my mother faced repeated miscarriages. However, after 10 years, Allah blessed her with a pregnancy. It wasn’t until her belly grew that they realized she was expecting.</p><p>My father was overjoyed. Out of happiness, he offered charity and gathered students (almajirai) to feed them.</p><p>After a few months, my mother gave birth to me safely.</p><p>On the naming day, I was named Nana Khadija, but everyone called me Nana, as I was named after my paternal grandmother.</p><p>The family celebrated greatly; my parents’ relatives slaughtered two rams and provided plenty of food. Gifts poured in for both my mother and me.</p><p>My parents continued to care for me as I grew. My father’s fortune increased significantly after my birth, and he frequently traveled for work.</p><p>When I was a few years old, we moved to Makarfi because of my father’s teaching assignments. That’s where I completed my education and eventually met your father, Pharouk Ibrahim Makarfi.</p><p>Pharouk and I developed a strong bond of love, which led to marriage.</p><p>Barrister Pharouk Ibrahim Makarfi, a hardworking lawyer, climbed the career ladder quickly. We lived in various cities, including Abuja, Kano, Jigawa, and Lagos.</p><p>We were married for four years before I gave birth to your eldest sibling, Ibrahim, also called Khaleel, after your grandfather.</p><p>Three years after Khaleel, I gave birth to Saleem.</p><p>From then on, I couldn’t conceive again. I had a strong desire for a daughter, but Allah had other plans. The doctor explained that my uterus was weak and I couldn’t carry another pregnancy.</p><p>I accepted Allah’s will and remained grateful for the two wonderful children He had given me.</p><p>Out of nowhere, after eight years, I found myself pregnant again. We were surprised and overjoyed. At that time, we were living in Lagos. Your father told me, ‘What’s surprising about this? It’s just one of Allah’s wonders.’</p><p>I carried the pregnancy to term and gave birth to you, though you didn’t inherit my fair complexion. Instead, you took after your father. You were named Janan, after my mother.</p><p>Your father humorously said, ‘This daughter of mine will marry a doctor.’ We laughed about it.</p><p>Your naming ceremony was grand, filled with joy and celebration.</p><p>Three years later, we relocated to Kaduna, where you started school. Everywhere you went, people adored you. When we visited Makarfi, they jokingly called you The Doctor’s Wife, and the name stuck. Even in school, everyone called you that as you grew older.</p><p>One night, you woke up with a high fever and kept fainting. Your breathing was labored, and you kept losing consciousness. We rushed you to the hospital. I couldn’t stop crying. Upon arrival, you were taken into the emergency room. It turned out you had asthma, but it wasn’t too severe.</p><p>After about six hours, you woke up from the deep fainting spell. A doctor came in and said you needed a drip and an injection.</p><p>You started crying because you hated injections. It took a lot of effort to get you treated.”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
