????️ AUREN MU ????️(A Story of Love, Conflict & Growth)

STORY BY: ZAINAB BUTALAWA

Aisha and Farooq are locked in a heated argument. "Bar maka gidanka zanyi!" she shouts, throwing clothes into a suitcase. Farooq, equally angry, retorts, "Ki bar gidan mana, ai dama haka nake so!"

As she packs, he snatches a dress from her hands. "Ba kayan ki bane. Rannan na siya miki." One by one, he picks apart her belongings—reminding her of the things he provided.

Frustrated, she storms toward the door. But just as she’s about to leave, they hear a knock. It’s Farooq’s mother. In a split second, he grabs Aisha’s suitcase and shoves it back inside.

When she enters, Aisha greets her with forced politeness. "Ba komai, Umma, muna zaune lafiya."

Farooq, playing along, adds, "Mu ba ma fada. Ai ba ma san ma'aurata suna fada ba."

But the moment Umma leaves, they resume their silent war, throwing glares at each other.

A Love That’s Fading

The tension between Aisha and Farooq only worsens. Aisha feels trapped in a marriage without love and without children.

One evening, she tells him bluntly, "Ka sakeni. Bana iya zama da kai ba tare da haihuwa ba."

Farooq, devastated, pleads, "Aisha, kiyi hakuri. Zan daina bata miki rai."

But she is firm. "For five years, babu haihuwa. Ina son yara, ba fada."

After much pressure from her family, Farooq finally gives her the divorce she demanded.

As she leaves, he watches her with tears in his eyes. He never stopped loving her.

Affan the Carefree Bachelor

Affan is the definition of a broke but stylish young man. He lives in an expensive estate but hasn’t paid rent for months.

One morning, he argues with his neighbor, Raudat. "Ke dai kin ci sa’a Ina da appointment yau."

She rolls her eyes. "Appointment kullum? Amma har yanzu baka da kudi."

Later, he tricks a shop owner into giving him food on credit, pretending his ATM isn’t working. "Ka rubuta a list din yan bashi," he says, walking away with bags full of groceries.

The next day, his landlady corners him. "Kai, baka biya kudin haya ba!"

But Affan, always full of excuses, flashes a smile. "Ki bani lokaci, zan biya nan kusa."

Raudat laughs. "Mutumin da bai iya tara dubu hamsin."

But Affan has his ways—smooth-talking, scheming, and escaping responsibilities.

Nusaiba’s Struggles

In another part of the city, Nusaiba lives a life of hardship. Her father, Shehu, is selfish and refuses to provide for the family, leaving her mother to struggle with six children.

One day, while selling kosai, a man grabs her from behind. Furious, she throws hot oil at him, causing a scene.

Her life revolves around hustling for survival. She shares the little food they have with her younger siblings while her father eats lavishly.

She dreams of escaping poverty, but reality keeps pulling her back.

A Risky Scheme

Nusaiba and her best friend, Charity, hatch a plan to escape their struggles—they pretend to be rich girls from a distant village and sneak into the home of a wealthy man.

At first, the housemaid buys their lie and welcomes them in. But when the house owner, Oga Aslam, learns about them, he orders, "Kar a barsu su fita!"

Days turn into weeks, and they are trapped.

Their families, believing they were kidnapped, start searching for them. But Nusaiba and Charity have no way to contact home.

Finally, after weeks, Nusaiba confesses the truth to Aslam—they were never his relatives.

Surprisingly, he doesn’t get angry. Instead, he helps them, giving them food and a place to stay.

A Change in Fortune

After learning of Nusaiba’s struggles, Aslam decides to change her life.

He moves her family to a better house, puts her siblings in school, and opens a business for her mother.

For the first time, Nusaiba sees hope.

Then, one day, Aslam surprises her with a marriage proposal.

"Tunda na ganki, na san ke ce matar da nake so."

Nusaiba is shocked but happy. She finally has a way out.

A Wedding and a Lesson

Aslam’s mother approves of the marriage, and within a month, they are married. Nusaiba, once a kosai seller, is now a rich man’s wife.

But success changes her. She starts looking down on Charity, calling her a poor girl.

"Ke kika tsaya a inda kika saba. Ni na fita daga talauci," she boasts.

Even her mother advises her, "Ki daina raina kawayanki. Nasara ba ta dindindin."

But Nusaiba ignores the warning.

Fate Has Its Way

One day, Aslam’s business collapses.

Suddenly, they are back to struggling.

Nusaiba realizes too late—money isn’t everything.

She remembers her mother’s words: "Ki zauna da mutunci. Talauci ba mutuwa ba ne."

Now, she must fight to rebuild her life.