My name is Asiya Sani Toro. However, most people call me Yabi because my mother performed Hajj while she was pregnant with me. Only my mother calls me Asiya because she opposes the name Yabi, as it implies that I am also a Hajiya.
Our house is a large one in Toro town. Even a small child can show you the way to Marina's house, thanks to our grandfather who came from Kano and established this business in the town over seventy years ago. Despite modernizing the business and moving it out of the house due to its smell, it has never been abandoned.
Our house is indeed very large, housing many different families. At the entrance is our father, Alhaji Sani (Baban Marina), who has three wives. Hajiya Habiba is the first wife, a woman known for her gossip and scheming. She is involved in every conflict at our doorstep and within the house, and she despises seeing any progress in other people's children, preferring only her own.
She does everything with cunning and maturity, so not everyone understands the kind of plots she weaves. Only those of us who live with her daily do. She controls everything, and everything is done according to her plans, except on the rare occasions when our father defies her.
She has five children: Musa, Hadiza, Salamatu, Indo, and her youngest, Nazira, who was born after many years and is three months older than me.
Then there is my mother, Hajiya Asma'u, whom we call Goggo. Not just because she is my mother, but she is a very gentle and extremely patient woman. When I say patient, I mean the kind of patience that makes those around her take advantage of her rights.
She has eight children: Salisu, Rabi'u, Ummi, Adnan, Ali, myself (Yabi), though I am not directly after Ali as there was another child who passed away, Anas, and our youngest, Ikilima.
The number of children my mother has, especially the boys, has made Mama constantly harass her with trouble and schemes. Almost everyone in the house dislikes my mother, and not many interact with her. The entire household is united against her, all because of Mama's influence.
Even our grandmother, Dada, who lives in a separate section of the house, does not hold us in high regard. Then there is Hajiya Sahura, whom we call Innah. She has five children: Ubaid, Ubaida, Abida, Hajara, Ismail, and the youngest, Saliha.
Despite Mama's efforts to create discord among us, it has not affected my relationship with Nazira. Even though she does not pay much attention to me or show me affection, it does not stop me from spending time in her room because of Nazira. Moreover, Nazira sleeps in our mother's room.
Innah is far better than Mama. She would never conspire against Goggo or provoke her intentionally, but she does not show her much respect either, influenced by Mama, who has corrupted her and prevented her from interacting with Goggo by telling her that Goggo is the one who owns the house and that all her sons will inherit everything if Alhaji dies.
When I started to understand things, I wondered what our father owned that made people wish for his death. He was once very wealthy, having built our large house and helped many of his relatives perform Hajj. However, since the year I was born, he fell victim to fraudsters, leading to his financial ruin, and even after fifteen years, he has not recovered.
His relatives have all abandoned him, leaving him in a pitiable state. Despite this, Mama claims that Goggo will take over everything.
That's the story.
