Daughter of a Beggar
Episode 2
Hadiyat comes to accost the buses dropping and picking up passengers at the bus stop and Sule sees the opportunity to display his gallantry to impress his fellow touts and others around. He goes to her and calls her “My beautiful white wife.” His buddies hail him. Others jeer and wave his claim off in dismissal, saying that the Arabs don’t give their beautiful daughters away to strangers and non-Arabs. Because, they’re racist in inclination and their Islamic religion forbids them to intermarry with “infidels”. But, Sule’s buddies say that Sule has no other intentions, except to sleep with Hadiyat for the thrill of it and boast about it. And they are sure that he will sooner or later do so. And those who agreed cross their fingers with those who disagreed in a bet. Sule says that he has not been giving her money for nothing. That he will reap wherever he sows. And at this point he playfully pats Hadiyat’s bottom. She frowns and slaps his offensive hand off. And she warns him not to do so again. But he laughs at her warning and begins to dance like a clown as he goes on with his work shamelessly. His buddies join him in the comical dance and mimic their favourite native Yoruba songs. Many onlookers find them amusing, but others sneer at them calling them names such as “No future ambition, alias NFA.”
Later in the night, the bus stop is becoming calm, as the number of commuters has reduced with the bus drivers and conductors all leaving for their respective homes or elsewhere at the close of work. The traders are also packing up their goods and the beggars are retreating to their sleeping places nearby under the flyover or somewhere else they have chosen to pass the night. Hadiyat and her family live in a makeshift shack under the flyover. Sule often passes the night in any of the minibuses parked under the flyover left in his care by the owners or caretakers. Inside these buses, touts often sleep with their girlfriends or girl-child prostitutes and Sule has been planning to sleep with Hadiyat inside one of them anytime the opportunity comes his way. He has been inviting her, but she has not succumbed to his advances.
Hadiyat’s parents and their four children are having dinner inside their shack and at the same time counting the money they have made and planning when to return to their homeland in Niger. They discuss their daughter’s betrothal to one of their fellow Arab named Assam and that the sooner she returns home for the marriage the better to save her from the constant harassment of Sule and the other dangerous touts and hoodlums prowling and roaming about the stadium and environs. Because, she stands the risk of being assaulted. Hadiyat agrees with her parents.
“Father, we made quite a sum today,” Hadiyat says with a broad smile.
“Yes. Let us count,” says her father.
They start to count in Arabic.
“950 Naira,” her mother says as they sum up the total amount.
“Not bad at all. Thanks are to Allah,” her father says in appreciation.
“Hadiyat made 560 Naira,” says her mother.
“She has done well. But, she will soon stop and return home. Assam will soon come for his bride,” her father says.
“Of course. The sooner we do so, the better. Because, these infidels have been casting their lustful eyes on our beautiful daughter,” says the mother.
“I have noticed that infidel called Sule touching her here and there indecently. If care were not taken, he would defile her one-day,” says the father.
“God forbid such an abomination,” her mother declares.
“Yes. I want to go home to join Assam before the Ramadan,” says Hadiyat.
“Yes, my beloved daughter. We will not delay any longer. Look at you. You are already a full-grown young woman,” her father agrees.
“All her mates are getting married,” says her mother.
One night, there is a thunderstorm and in the torrential rain, people are running helter-skelter to escape from being drenched in the storm. The commuters that are waiting for their buses rush to stay under the flyover where the traders are, some of the touts, bus drivers and conductors are staying inside the buses or just nearby. The storm continues throughout the night and floods the whole place, washing away all the shacks and makeshift camps under the flyover, including the shack of Hadiyat’s family and her parents have gone to Iddo motor park to make arrangements for their journey back to Niger. And in the confusion, she shepherds her siblings into an open bus already occupied by others, but she does not find any more space for her to stay with her brothers. She leaves them there and looks for space in any other bus under the flyover.
As she is looking for the safe bus to pass the night, she finds Sule alone in a bus, smoking and drinking. She wants to turn away, but he quickly persuades her to come inside, promising not to harm her. She agrees and goes inside. Once inside, Sule does not waste time to talk her into sleeping with him. And under duress and the offer of a lump sum of money, Hadiyat succumbs and he discovers that she has been a virgin until now.
