Jaafar

THE OBSESSION13

...13

Gaban Fatima ya fara faɗuwa, ji take kamar ana buga ganga a cikin ƙirjinta. She quickly remembered his words, ‘na yi recording ɗin komai a kyamara,’ hakan dama shi ne makaminsa, barazanar da zai dinga mata kenan. He had sex with her just to use it against her.

"Yes, Fatima, ke tawa ce, ina son ki kuma ba zan taɓa barin kowa..."

Tass! A fuskar Jaafar, ƙarar marin ya ƙarade lungu da saƙon cikin falon. A wannan mawuyacin lokacin, hatta lokaci sai da ya tsaya, zuciyoyi suka tafi yaƙin aikin saƙonni. Jaafar na dafe da kuncinsa yana kallon Fatima cikin matsanancin mamaki.

"You just slapped me, Fatima?" ya tambaya, his heart sank, unbelievable after what had just happened.

"Yes, Jaafar. Na mare ka, kuma idan ka ci gaba da faɗin maganar banza, zan yi maka abin da ya fi haka," ta faɗa tana kallonsa cikin ido, babu shakka ko tsoro a cikin idanunta.

"Me ke faruwa a nan?" Alh. Yusuf, wanda yake ƙarasowa a kan keken guragu (wheelchair) nasa, ya faɗa yana kallon kowannensu ɗaya bayan ɗaya. Idanunsa suka tsaya kan Jaafar, fuskarsa da mamaki ya ce,

"You, man! Me ya kawo ka gidana? Ban yi maka gargaɗi (warning) ba?" Alh. Yusuf ya faɗa.

Jaafar ya kasa cewa uffan; firgicewar marin da Fatima ta yi masa har yanzu bai sake shi ba.

‘Yanzu har wulaƙancinsa ya kai Fatima ta ɗaga hannunta ta wanke fuskarsa da mari? Lallai yana cikin masifa, yana dab da rasa Fatima, amma ba zan taɓa barin hakan ta kasance ba,’ ya faɗi hakan a cikin zuciyarsa.

"Kai, ba da kai nake ba!" Alh. Yusuf ya faɗa da ƙarfi.

Kakkausar muryarsa ce ta dawo da Jaafar daga dogon tunanin da ya faɗa; ya juyo ya kalli Alh. Yusuf. Tabbas gurinsa ya zo kuma akwai magana mai muhimmanci da ya so su tattauna, amma zuwa yanzu bai iya jin zai yi maganar ba. Kawai ficewa ya yi daga falon bai tanka ba.

Sai a sannan Fatima ta yi wani dogon ajiyar zuciya. A zuciyarta tace, ‘I escaped this time. Allah ya rufe bakinsa ya hane shi faɗin komai, ya Allah.’

"Are you okay, Fatima?" Sir Abdul ya tambaya, ganin yadda yanayinta ya canza.

"Ina lafiya," ta yi sauri ta ba shi amsa tana kawar da tunanin da ke zuciyarta, don gudun kada a ga wani canji a fuskarta.

Jaafar ya kusa kwashe awa biyu yana tuƙi; shi kansa ya rasa wurin da zai je, ya rasa tunanin da ya kamata ya yi ya samu sauƙi. ‘To shi yanzu ina ya kamata ya je? Wace hanya ya kamata ya bi domin gano shi ɗin wanene? Idan Alh. Lawal da Hajiya Fatima ba su ne mahaifansa ba, to su waye? Wanene zai ba shi wannan amsar?’—‘GOC, Marcus Victor’—wani ɓangare na zuciyarsa ya ba shi amsa. Wani dogon birki ya ja a tsakiyar babban titin. Duk mutanen da ke kusa da shi sai da suka waigo don ganin me ke faruwa; ya tilasta wa na bayansa shan birki ba tare da sun shirya ba. Wasu marasa haƙuri suka fara surfo masa zagi.

"Oh my goodness! Where was my brain wandering that it refused to allow me to remember that man? He has been a friend to my dad since their childhood and education until now," ya faɗa a bayyane sannan ya tayar da motarsa zuwa gidan Marcus.

Bai sha wahala wajen shiga gidan ba, saboda yawancin sojojin da suke tsaron gidan sun san shi; suna ganinsa jefi-jefi. Don haka, bincikensa aka yi—for security purposes—sannan suka bar shi ya shiga.

Direct gurin Marcus ya shiga, kuma ya samu sa’a yana nan bai fita ba.

"Lafiya Jaafar, na ganka a wannan lokacin? Ya baban naka?" Marcus ya tambaya.

"Lafiya ƙalau, Dad. Wata tambaya ce don Allah na zo ko zan samu amsarta a wurinka."

"Ina jin ka, yi tambayarka, Jaafar," Marcus ya faɗa yana ajiye kofin da ke a hannunsa.

"Last time na taɓa ji kace tare kuka yi karatu da Dad."

"Kwarai kuwa, mun yi karatu da Dad ɗinka kusan shekaru 27 da suka shuɗe, kuma tun daga wancan lokacin amintakar tamu take haɓaka har zuwa wannan lokaci."

"Dama cewa na yi, don Allah lokacin da kuka yi karatu da shi, bai taɓa faɗa maka shi ɗan wane gari ba ne?" Jaafar ya tambaya curiously.

"Yes, Alh. Lawal haifaffen garin Kano ne; daga baya ne ya dawo nan Lagos saboda kasuwanci."

Shiru Jaafar ya yi na ɗan lokaci yana tunani. "Amma Dad, bai taɓa ɗibar mu ya ce zamu Kano domin mu haɗu da yan'uwa ba. Don Allah ko zaka iya faɗa min dalili?"

"Jaafar, ban san wannan dalilin ba wlh, amma dai na san tabbas Alh. Lawal daga Kano yake. Domin da muna karatu a Lagos, mun sha sauka garin Kano, sai na fara biyawa ta gidansu sannan na samu flight na taho Lagos. He is my best friend; duk inda zaka gan mu, tare muke har a US, so ban san meye dalilin da ya sa bai ɗiban ku zuwa can Kano ɗin ba..." Marcus ya ba shi amsa.

Wani daɗi Jaafar ya ji a zuciyarsa jin abin da Marcus ya faɗa, ya ce,

"Dad, tunda ka san gidan, please ko zaka faɗa min sunan unguwar da kuma cikakken adireshin (full address) gidan?"

Shiru Marcus ya yi kamar mai nazari. "Please don't say no," Jaafar ya faɗa yana haɗe hannayensa biyu wuri ɗaya alamar roƙo.

"Ai gidanku ba wai ɓoyayyen gida ba ne; indai har ka shiga cikin garin Kano, duk wanda ka tambaya gidan Alh. Ibrahim na Amadu, to kowa ya san shi. Ana yawan maganarsa a garin. Na daɗe ban je garin ba, so gaskiya ba zan iya tuna sunan unguwar ba a yanzu, amma tabbas kana shiga ka tambaya za a kai ka har gidan," GOC Marcus Victor ya faɗa.

"Thank you very much, Dad. Bari na koma gida..."

**

Kwanaki na tafiya, Jaafar yana ta shirye-shiryen zuwa Kano—ba tare da sanin kowa ba—haka kwanakin da aka saka auren Fatima suma suna ƙara kusantowa. Yana lura da komai kuma yana lissafin kowane minti da zai zo ya wuce. Yana son ya gano ko shi wanene kafin lokacin auren Fatima da Sir Abdul. A wannan lokacin ne zai je ya durƙusa a gaban baban Fatima ya ce, 'Ga mahaifina na kawo kamar yadda ka buƙata, a taimaka a aura min Fatima.' Idan kuma hakan bai yi aiki ba, to zai saki sirrin da ya tanada; sai dai komai zai faru, ya faru. Kuma idan tafiyarsa ba ta yi nasara ba, bai gano su waye mahaifansa ba, shi ma ya yi alƙawarin sai ya saki bidiyon. In any way, he couldn't bear the loss of his Fatima; he can't.

Wata ranar Juma'a, zaune yake a kan kujera (three-seater) yana jiran mamarsa ta fito. Jin shiru, ya tashi zuwa sashenta (part dinta), ya duƙa har ƙasa ya gaishe ta.

"Jaafar, yau kai ne da wuri haka?" ta tambaya, mamaki a bayyane a fuskarta.

"Eh Mum, dama ina so na ɗan yi wata 'yar tafiya ne, amma ba daɗewa zan yi ba insha Allahu."

"Ina zaka haka, Jaafar?" ta tambaya tana kallonsa da kulawa.

"Mum, ina son na je Ibadan ne, daga nan kuma zan ƙarasa Niger State. So zan iya yin sati ɗaya a can. Wani kasuwanci ne nake son mu ƙulla ni da wani mutumi; na ga kamar za a samu riba sosai a kasuwancin, that is why..." Jaafar ya yi ƙarya.

"That is wonderful, Jaafar. Have you informed your dad about it?"

"Yes, Mum. Na faɗa masa tun jiya," ya ƙara yin wata ƙaryar.

"To, Allah ya sauke ka lafiya, ya ba da sa'a," ta yi masa addu'a.

"Amin, Mum," ya amsa ya tura 'yar ƙaramar akwatinsa zuwa waje.

Ya warming motarsa sannan ya tada ya fice daga gidan, a zuciyarsa yana fatan samun nasara cikin sauƙi a kan abin da zai je nema...

**

Sai yamma lilis Alh. Lawal ya shigo gidan da sauri yana kiran Hajiya Fatima, hankali a tashe. Da sauri ita ma ta fito daga kicin jin yadda yake kiran sunanta da iya ƙarfinsa.

"Lafiya Alhaji? Me ya faru kake min irin wannan kiran?"

"Ina fa lafiya, INTA?" He usually calls her by this name if he loses control. Da wannan sunan yake kiranta lokacin da suke zaune a Kano; tunda suka baro can, sunan ya ɓace daga bakinsa, sai lokaci-lokaci yake kiranta da shi.

"Where is Jaafar?" ya tambaya yana kwaye babbar rigarsa; ji yake gumi na tsattsafowa ta ko'ina daga jikinsa, kuma ya ɗora alhakin hakan ne a kan babbar rigar.

"Alhaji, ai tun safe ya fita gidan nan; ya ce wai zai Ibadan, daga nan kuma zai wuce Niger State domin yin wani kasuwanci."

"What the fu*k!" ya faɗa yana cire hular da ke kansa ya watsa ta gefe, ya ce, "He lied! Karya yake yi. Kano ya tafi, kuma Marcus ya faɗa masa komai, Fatima. He is going to our roots; he wants to dig out things that we spent a long time covering."

"Ayye! I cautioned you to watch his every move, Alhaji. Yanzu kaga abin da yake ƙoƙarin yi," Hajiya Fatima ta faɗa, hankalinta a tashe ita ma.

"Wlh na yi tunanin ya manta ne. Duk tunanina ya mance da komai; duk tunanina ya ƙyale ta, ya bar maganar, ya daina sonta. Shi yasa nima na ɗan ja baya daga bibiyarsa. Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihi raajiun," ya faɗa yana zagaye falon, ya je ya dawo. Shiru falon ya ɗauka na tsawon mintuna kafin Hajiya Fatima tace,

"To yanzu Alhaji, menene abin yi?"

"Me ye abin yi, Fatima? We must leave this place. Ya zama dole mu bar nan garin, maybe ma ƙasar gaba ɗaya."

Shiru Fatima ta yi. Sai kuma tace,

"Yanzu Alhaji, haka zamu ci gaba da bin yawon gari-gari, ƙasa-ƙasa? Ya kamata mu saduda mu zubar da makamanmu."

Kallonta ya yi, mamaki ɓaro-ɓaro a fuskarsa, ya ce,

"Okay, ki zauna nan ke, ki tabbata a asararriya mara galihu." Yana faɗin haka ya shige sashensa ya fara shirya kayansa cikin babbar akwati...

**

Tafiyar kwana biyu Jaafar ya yi a kan hanya kafin ya iso Kano, a hakan ma cikin dare. Cikin natsuwa yake kare wa garin kallo, yana kallon cikin birnin Kano. Iya saninsa, wannan shi ne karon farko da ya taɓa taka cikin garin da hankalinsa.

Kowace gaɓa ta jikinsa ciwo take masa. He desperately needs rest. Wayarsa ya ciro ya shiga Google Maps; ya samu hotel da yake kusa da shi ya shiga.

Duk wani abu da ake buƙata ya bayar sannan ya cike duk abin da ake so a cike, ya biya kuɗi aka ba shi mabuɗin ɗakin. Sannan ya sa aka yi masa odar abinci.

Sai da ya ci ya ƙoshi sannan ya tafi banɗaki ya yi wanka, ya ɗauro alwala, ya yi sallolin da ake bin sa kafin ya yi addu'a ya kwanta...

Washegari misalin ƙarfe 12 na rana, bayan gama duk wani shirye-shiryen sa—ya yi wanka, ya ci abinci—ya fito hannunsa rike da makullan motarsa.

Sanyin iskar garin Kano ya bugi hancinsa, ya wani lumshe idanu na ɗan lokaci. Mutanen da suke yawo (roaming) a gabansa were totally different from those in Lagos. Their decency, lifestyle, and even their buildings were totally different.

Motarsa ya hau; tafiya kaɗan ya yi ya nufi wani gidan mai (station) ya faka, ya ce a cika masa tankin motar. Sai da aka gama zuba man ya duba aljihunsa zai ciro kuɗi amma wayam. Sai a sannan ya tuno ya bar kuɗinsa da walat ɗinsa gaba ɗaya cikin hotel ɗin da ya sauka.

"Oh my God!" he murmured.

"Please, na manta katin bankina a baya kaɗan, bari na je na ɗauko yanzun nan," ya faɗa wa mai zuba man, ya fito ya nufi zuwa hotel ɗin da bai yi nisa sosai ba.

Sai da ya kusa dai-dai bakin hotel ɗin ya waiga titin sau ɗaya cikin sauri ya haura. Unfortunately, sai kaji ƙiiiii! Kafin Jaafar ya yi wani yunƙuri, motar ta yi sama da shi ta nuna wa Allah, sannan ta fyaɗo shi ƙasa kan titin; his head smashed the road violently. Sai jin tsaaar daga kansa zuwa jikinsa; ko motsi bai yi ba a wurin.

Mutanen da suke gefen wurin suka rugo da gudu zuwa kan Jaafar, wanda yake kwance a wurin lifeless, wasu kuma suka dafe kai suna ambaton 'Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihi raajiun.' A rude mai motar ya fito, ya ma rasa inda zai saka kansa. Ganin shi ma ya rude ya sa mutanen wurin suka riƙe shi suka zaunar da shi gefe, sannan aka ɗauki Jaafar da yake kwance matacce aka ɗora shi a mota aka nufi asibiti da shi...

**

Kwana biyar a asibitin ko motsa hannunsa Jaafar bai yi ba. Hankalin mutumin a tashe, ya kalli likitan da ke duba Jaafar ya ce, "Doctor, please is there any progress? Yana samun sauƙi kuwa? Idan kana ganin akwai matsala sai mu kai shi wani asibitin, if possible even abroad." Mutumin ya faɗa hankalinsa tashe. Kallonsa likitan ya yi na ɗan lokaci sannan ya ce, "Muje ofis, ina son ganinka, Alhaji." Ya faɗa ya wuce gaba. Ɗaki ne musamman aka ware wa Jaafar domin jinyarsa, kuma an hana kowa ya shiga wajen sai shi Alhajin kaɗai. Wasu mata ne, sai kuma wata tsohuwa daga gefe, suka kalli Alhajin da ya fito babu natsuwa tattare da shi, suka ce,

"Alhaji, ya jikin yaron?" Ko tanka su bai yi ba ya wuce. Shi kwata-kwata ma bai san me suke cewa ba.

Zama likitan ya yi sannan ya kalli Alhajin ya ce, "Alhaji, zaka iya zama."

Zama ya yi a tsorace yana jiran abin da likitan zai ce. Tun ranar da hatsarin ya faru yake ta fama a yi masa bayani, amma gaba ɗaya likitocin babu wanda ya ce masa komai, sai yanzu suke shirin faɗa masa.

Ya tsaya ya nutsu ya yi shiru.

Miƙa masa fayil likitan ya yi ya ce,

"Alhaji, mun yi wa wannan bawan Allah gwaje-gwaje, kama daga CT-scan, EEG (electroencephalogram) da neuropsychological test; mun tabbatar da cewa yana da Transient Global Amnesia (TGA)."

Rawa jikin Alhajin ya fara yi, ya kalli likitan cikin tashin hankali ya ce, "Likita ban gane ba, please can you speak in a language I could understand?"

"Okay, TGA dai cutar mantuwa ce, amma ana samun waraka idan aka ɗora mutum a magunguna kuma aka bi ƙa'idodi yadda ya kamata..."

**

Kwana biyu kafin aure, Fatima zaune take kan kujera ta dafe kanta. Khadijah da Khairat suna gefe suna kallon TV. Jin maganganun da ake yi a TV ɗin take kamar a cikin ƙwakwalwarta ake yin su. Kwana biyun nan, ita kanta ba za ta iya tantance menene ke mata ciwo ba; kawai ita dai ga ta nan, ta dai san ba ta jin daɗin jikinta. Amma ta ɗora alhakin hakan a kan auren ta da yake matsowa, domin dangi na nesa duk sun fara hallara.

Hajiya Rabi'atu ce ta leƙo ta ce, "Fatima, Alhaji na son ganin ki." Miƙewa ta yi zata tashi, wani jiri ya kwashe ta, ta tafi... sai kaji ta a ƙasa timmm! Miƙewa Khadijah da Khairat suka yi suka yo kanta. Ita ma Hajiya Rabi'atu ta ƙarasa shigowa da gudu tana salati. Jin hayaniya da 'yan ihu-ihu ya sa Sadiq fitowa da sauri daga ɗakinsa. Ganin abin da ke faruwa ya sa bai tsaya ba; ya kwashe ta zuwa motarsa sai asibiti.

"Ya jikin?" Hajiya Rabi'atu ta tambayi Fatima dake kwance kan gadon, jikinta duk a mace.

"Da sauƙi," ta amsa a takaice.

Likitan ne ya shigo riƙe da takardar, ya kalli kowa da ke wajen ya tabbatar dukkan su yan dangi ne, sannan ya kalli Hajiya Rabi'atu ya ce,

"Hajiya, akwai matsala."

"Matsala kuma? Wace iriyar matsala?" ta tambaya, hankalinta a ɗan tashe.

Miƙa mata fayil ɗin likitan ya yi ta amsa, sannan ya ci gaba da cewa,

"Fatima tana ɗauke da juna biyu na sati uku."

Sakin takardar ta yi, ta yi saurin ja da baya, sai kuma ta kalli Fatima dake kan gado.

Shiru ɗakin ya ɗauka. Hatta iska, mutanen dake cikin asibiti da komai da komai sai da ya yi biyayya. Shiru ko'ina ya ɗauka, kowa na kallon kowa cikin ɗakin. Ƙoƙarin tashi Fatima take yi daga kwancen da take, amma kamar an danne ta. Wani gumi ne ya fara keto mata a kai.

Hajiya Rabi'atu da tun ɗazu take kallon Fatima, tana sauran ta ji ta ƙaryata maganar likita, ta yi ƙasa suuu; Sadiq da ke a gefenta ya taro ta, ta faɗa jikinsa a sume...

Anan zamu tsaya insha Allah. Zuwa bayan Sallah zamu ci gaba da yardar Allah.

Allah ya nuna mana ƙarshen wannan wata mai albarka lafiya, ameen.

@Buhari Yusuf IBr