Niamey is the capital of the Republic of Niger and the largest city in the country, covering an area of 239.30 square kilometers. Niamey was established in the 18th century but gained significance after the French established their center there in the 1890s. It became the capital of Niger in 1926. The population of Niamey grew from 3,000 in 1930 to approximately 30,000 in 1960, reaching 250,000 in 1980 and 800,000 in 2000. The main reason for the population increase in Niamey is migration during drought periods.
As the capital of the Republic of Niger, Niamey has historical sites including the national museum and zoo, as well as cultural centers from the USA, France, and Niger. There are also seven major markets in the city. Ninety percent of Niamey's population is Muslim, and it is also the headquarters for Roman Catholic Christians.
SA'AYRASA
The Sa'ayrasa Emirate is located in the southeastern part of Niger, covering an area of 156,906 square kilometers. It borders the Fabarusa Emirate to the north, Zinder to the west, Nigeria to the south, and Chad to the east. The Sa'ayrasa Emirate is one of the less populated emirates, with a population of around 400,000 as of the 2001 census. The inhabitants include Kanuri, Tubawa, Hausa, Fulani, and Arabs. The economy is based on livestock and both rainy and dry season farming. The main crops grown include millet, maize, rice, and vegetables like tomatoes and peppers. Despite the farming activities, the emirate is the least productive in agriculture in Niger due to drought.
FABARUSA
The Fabarusa Emirate is the largest emirate in Niger, covering an area of 634,209 square kilometers, which is about 52% of Niger's total area. The Fabarusa Emirate includes the Tenere Desert, Bilma, and the mountainous Air region. The majority of the population are Tuaregs, with Tubawa, Fulani, and Hausa also present. The main traditional occupation is the trade of salt and dates, but since the 1990s, tourism has become a significant industry. Additionally, uranium mining in Arlit contributes 20% of Niger's revenue.
NIAMEY 1/01/2000
They were traveling by car, and since they left their emirate, Sa'ayrasa, she had been lost in thought until they arrived in Niamey, where their school, Sovereign Girls Secondary School, is located. This school is attended by the daughters of nobles and rulers from various emirates and regions of the Republic of Niger. She sighed in relief as they approached the school gate, and the two cars in front of them parked, followed by their car. She looked back to see if the car behind them had arrived, and indeed, it had. Her attention then turned to the school gate. Four cars had arrived to bring Princess Binta, the daughter of the Emir of Sa'ayrasa, to school. The first car carried two guards and a driver, the second had four female servants, and the third carried the princess herself, sitting elegantly in the back, with her maid Bintu in the front seat and the driver. The fourth car had four guards, two in the front and two in the back.
The shout she heard startled her back to reality, hearing, "If you are done writing your usual letter, you can get out." The driver said this with irritation. She quickly got out of the car, realizing they had already entered the school compound. The other servants had already lined up, waiting for Princess Binta to get out. Bintu joined them, standing in her place, while the guards quickly formed their line on the other side. Both the servants and the guards wore matching uniforms of gray and blue, with gray tops and blue skirts.
With their heads bowed, no one moved, as if they were statues. The driver opened the door for Princess Binta. She first put her feet out, wearing expensive leather shoes, and after a few moments, she fully stepped out. They immediately began praising her, saying, "Walk gently, Princess, daughter of the powerful king, may your steps be blessed, queen of women." She was dressed in her school uniform, a blouse and skirt, with a hijab that reached her shoulders. She also wore a luxurious cloak over her school uniform. With royal grace and pride, she walked forward, followed by her entourage. They proceeded inside, while Bintu was filled with worry about her metal trunk, fearing it would be left behind if she didn't return quickly, as Ado the driver was not known for his patience and would leave with the luggage. Her stomach churned with anxiety.
Cars were coming and going as it was the day students returned from the third term break. They headed straight to the dormitory section, where each room was designed for two students. They stopped at the wall separating the school compound from the dormitory section, as the school's rules prohibited men from entering the dormitory. They waited for the guards carrying the trunks to arrive and hand them over to take inside. Princess Binta went straight in, followed by two of her servants, leaving Bintu and two other servants behind. Bintu was in a hurry, her body trembling, eager to get Princess Binta's belongings inside so she could retrieve her own. It took about ten minutes for the guards to arrive with the heavy trunks, and even then, there were still more in the car. They carried the trunks up to the third floor, where Princess Binta's room was. She was already lounging on her bed, the room spotless as it had been cleaned three days before the students' return.
They made three trips up and down, and Bintu was relieved they would go back for the remaining trunks. Just as she was about to speak, Princess Binta asked, "How many trunks are left?" One of the servants replied, "Four, your highness." Princess Binta said, "You can go, leave the remaining trunks for the servant girl to carry." Bintu's eyes filled with despair, not because of the difficulty of carrying the trunks, but because of her own metal trunk. The servants bowed respectfully, saying, "As you wish, your highness," and she waved them off. They quickly bowed again before leaving. Bintu, feeling desperate, heard the other servants mocking her, saying, "Aren't you the one serving the princess in school? May God help you." Another added, "Since she was chosen, she has become so arrogant, the servant girl in a prestigious school." She pretended not to hear them, picked up one trunk on her head and dragged another by hand. She hadn't reached the stairs when she encountered them, and they passed by, laughing at her. With determination, she carried the trunks upstairs, pausing at the door to catch her breath, fearing the princess would discover her absence. She gently pushed the door open and greeted. The princess didn't acknowledge her presence, let alone respond to her greeting. Calmly, she placed the trunks down and left, running to get the remaining ones. She repeated the process for the last two trunks. As soon as she placed them down, she turned to leave, but the princess shouted, "Where are you going? Do you expect me to arrange my things myself, servant girl?" Trembling, Bintu knelt down, saying, "I apologize, your highness, I will arrange them. I was just in a hurry to get my belongings before Ado leaves with them." The princess remained silent, and Bintu, thinking she might be asleep, looked up to see her with her eyes closed. Reluctantly, Bintu began arranging the trunks. When she finished, she knelt again, saying, "Your highness, I am done." After a few moments, the princess said, "You may go get your rags." She said this with disdain. Bintu bowed respectfully, saying, "Thank you, your highness," and left. All her composure was gone, and she ran as fast as she could, not seeing or hearing anything. Students were coming and going, commenting, "She's at it again, every time we return from break, it's the same." She ran out of the dormitory section into the classroom area. She didn't see him coming and bumped into him. She quickly stepped back, almost falling, but he caught her with both hands. She stared at him, forgetting her rush. He was dressed in a black suit, well-groomed with broad shoulders. He had a long nose, and his mustache and beard added to his handsome and commanding presence. His eyes were hidden behind dark glasses, preventing her from seeing their color. His voice startled her, saying, "Be careful, why are you running like this?" She quickly stepped back, and he let go of her. "I'm sorry, Ado the driver might leave with my belongings," she said, her eyes welling up with tears. He looked at her attire and said, "Indeed, your uniform is that of the servants of the Sa'ayrasa Emirate. I saw their cars leaving as I arrived. Did they forget you?" She didn't wait for him to finish his sentence, running off, saying, "Oh no, they've taken my trunk, I'm doomed." He watched her run off in confusion, shrugged, and continued on his way. When she reached the busy area with many cars, there was no sign of the Sa'ayrasa cars. Tears began to stream down her cheeks.
