The Fulani Bride (Boddo)

Saddest page

🅿️02

Seeing how sad Baddo is, her uncle Baffa decides to approach her and tries to comfort her by lowering himself to her eye level.

Baddo feels shy and embarrassed by the attention, quickly turning her face away to avoid being seen by her him.

"My dear Baddo!" he calls her name lovingly, smiling at her. She tries to cover her face with her hands, feeling even more self-conscious. He gently removes her hands to see her face, while her older brother suddenly appears.

"Baddo!!!" he screams her name, sounding furious.

"Who's permission did you take before going to that stupid dance? How many times have I warned you against it?" he adds, glaring at her angrily.

Baddo starts trembling, already scared by her brother's furious demeanor. She knows he won't go easy on her this time. She secretly hides behind her uncle.

Noticing Bello's behavior, Baffa becomes sad, realizing that Bello shows no respect towards him. He stands up, looking at Bello with anger.

"Bello, look! There's something I've noticed about you," Baffa says, surprising Bello.

"Yes, Baffa?" Bello replies, curious about what his uncle has to say.

"Bello, I used to be just like you always filled with anger, hate, and rage. But do you know what happened then?"

Bello is surprised that his uncle can see the same behavior in him, which he himself struggles to control as he grows older.

"One day..." Baffa begins, but they are interrupted by one of Bello's brothers announcing that the food is ready.

"I'm hungry, Bello. Maybe next time, or when you visit me in the city, I will tell you the story of the angry young man, okay?"

" Will love to hear, thank you Bappah!" Bello replies, feeling disappointed about the interruption. His uncle smiles as he enters his brother's Mbororo.

As Baffa enters the Mbororo, the aroma of the soup makes him happy. "Oh, Allah! Is this not Nyiri and kuka soup?"

His older brother laughs heartily. "Open them and see for yourself, my dear."

Baffa quickly sits down and opens the beautifully carved calabashes. As he opens the first one, he looks at his brother with joy and gratitude. "Haako! Oh my God, brother, I can't remember the last time I had these vegetables. Thank you so mu-"

"Do you want to eat or talk until it gets cold?" Ardo interrupts, nodding his head. He is always happy to see his brother so joyful. He washes his hands, ready to eat together it has been a long time.

"What are you doing out here, Baddo?" one of her father's wives says loudly, looking towards Baddo's mother's room.

Baddo looks at her sadly and mutters something under her breath. She slowly moves towards her mother's room, afraid of how her mother will react this time since she didn't inform her.

"Uhm! I hope this girl will not bring shame to this family. She is very uncultured, just like her useless mother," the wife spits out those hurtful words and goes to her room. Baddo hears it but refrains from saying anything that could cause more problems or disrespect her stepmother, whom she has been taught to respect as a mother.

As Baddo reaches her mother's hut, she stands by the door, completely scared of what may happen next. She hears her mother coughing intensely, unable to stand anymore. She hurriedly enters the room and sees her mother lying

down, coughing uncontrollably with blood everywhere.

Baddo starts crying and screaming, running out of the room shouting. This grabs the attention of everyone in the house, including Ardo. They were all rush into the hut, but it's too late her mother has passed away already before anything could be done.

"Father, please ask Mother to open her eyes!" Baddo pleads, drawing their attention back to her. However, her mother has already passed away, leaving Ardo in a complete state of shock. He couldn't find any words, just a look of sadness.

Her uncle takes her hand and forcefully leads her out of the room, as she doesn't want to go with him. Some of her brothers and their mothers seem happy about it, while Ardo is filled with sadness, thinking about his only daughter.

It's not easy for the young girl Baddo to lose her mother. Her uncle Baffa is heartbroken, thinking about her future.

Her mother is buried on the same day and time, following Islamic teachings. It is the saddest moment for young Baddo as she cries uncontrollably. Innawuro's mother comes and took  her with, as Baddo is very fond of her.

I, myself, feel sad for young Baddo. It's not easy to begin life after losing a mother at such a young age. Till we meet again on the next page.