Niger Republic.
It shares borders with seven countries.
Chad
Burkina Faso
Benin Republic
Libya
Algeria
Mali
Nigeria.
And all these countries are surrounded by the Wodaadabe Bororo tribe and other Fulani clans...
2000/ May/08
She was breathing heavily, biting her lip. She took another breath, indicating she was in intense labor pain, turning her head in extreme frustration and sadness, with something stuck in her throat. It had been about fifteen months since she felt this way, and she still hadn't found relief. "Hang in there, Abuh, drink the prayer water, Insha Allah, you will deliver safely." She looked up at him with intense hatred and sadness, then lowered her head, leaning against the tree trunk that formed the bed. She took another deep breath, and a baby fell from her, crying loudly after sneezing, with his eyes wide open. She smiled as she exhaled deeply, releasing the burden in her chest. Slowly, she stood up, took a veil and a wrapper, wrapped herself, and then took the large wrapper he had bought for her, tying it around her waist. Before she reached him, she said to him, "Every life has gains and losses, victories and defeats. Just as you wronged me, may Allah multiply your wrongs. Just as you made me cry, may Allah make you cry. Just as you denied me happiness, may Allah deny you happiness. I hope the Lord casts you into the land of hell. May He place you under the feet of Pharaoh and Haman. May the Lord afflict you with calamities and disasters. May Allah bring you more sorrow than you brought me." She stepped in front of the baby, turning him around, looking at the man standing there, and smiled again with a mix of tears, saying, "I don't wish for you to be like that wicked man. I hope you live in peace. The man who fathered you is evil, directionless, a faithless sinner, filthy with dirt and calamity, and ignorance has stained you with a dark mark for the rest of your life. That alone is enough for you to hate the one who contributed to your unfortunate fate." Then she stepped in front of him with boundless sorrow, saying, "Sama'ila, here we are, you, the world, and Allah who stands for the truthful." She turned to leave the room. He grabbed her hand, kneeling, and said in distress, "Please, have mercy on me, take your child, he has no better guardian than you. Zainabu, I will correct my mistakes, I am ready to face your family, please have mercy on me, don't turn your back on us when we need you." She stopped, crying deeply for the first time, sobbing. "May Allah's peace and mercy be denied to you in this world and the hereafter," she said, leaving the room and the entire settlement, walking and crying despite it being the middle of the night. She walked a long distance before reaching a small village, seeing it from afar as a barren land with nothing but sand. She stared at the place, unsure if it was her destination, and continued walking until dawn approached. She sat under a tree, holding her stomach as it twisted, blood slowly dripping. Exhaustion took over, and she fell asleep. As Zainabu left the room and the settlement, he sat looking at the baby crying loudly as if he would faint. He could hear the baby's voice echoing in his ears, unable to bear it. He took a wrapper and covered the baby, looking at his face, almost shaking him but stopped. Another thought came to him to kill the baby and end the shameful act he had committed. He sat staring at the baby, seeing nothing but his own eyes in the baby's. Tears from his eyes fell on the baby's, who opened his eyes wide and closed them. The baby's eyes were like they were drawn with a pencil, with golden lines inside. A small black dot in the center beautified the baby's eyes. His forehead was full of soft, silky hair. His eyebrows were joined, his nose straight to his mouth, his small, beautiful lips just like a baby's, which the father could see in the light of the lamp. The baby put his hand in his mouth, sucking patiently. The father began to cry in regret. Why did he do what he thought was right? Why didn't he let Zainabu go that day? Why did he ruin her happiness?