THE SMILE THAT FADED

            

                      by

                             Muraimaa Na'abba ✍️

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم   

اللهم اجعل بدايتي في هذا العمل بدايةً مباركة، واجعل نهايتي فيه نهايةً طيبة. اللهم ارزقني التوفيق والحكمة والصبر وبارك لي في كتابتي، ويسّر لي إتمامها على خير.

اللهم اجعلني أبدأ بخير، وأستمر بخير، وأتمّه بخير. آمين يارب العالمين       

            

            

Chapter 1:

 Asokoro, Abuja

14th April 2020

Gaba ɗaya garin yayi duhu sakamakon gagarumin hadarin daya haɗu,garin yayi baqi qirin wanda ya saka shi ɗaukar zafi,tsit baka jin komai sai shuuuuu ɗin hadari alamar ana ruwa a wani gurin,shirun ne ya katse,sakamakon jiniyar motocin 'yan sanda da ambulance da suka karaɗe titin asokoro da yake fetal, qarar gaba ɗaya ta cika unguwar,gudu suke na tashin hankali,kamar za su tashi sama, se kace gasar tsere suke, kafin suka ja wani wawan birki a bakin gate ɗin wani gida me masifar kyau.

     Mutanen cikin gidan kuwa,tunda suka jiyo qarar jiniyar duk sukayi zumbur suka tashi kamar wani abu ya tsikare su,zuciyoyinsu ne suka fara bugawa da sauri da sauri,duk an rasa me motsa wa,wani acikin su ne yazaburar dasu ta hanyar cewa "ko dai shine",bai qarasa faɗa ba, duk suka dawo hayyacinsu ,cikin sakanni gidan ya hautsine, wani na ture wani sukayi waje ko takalma babu a qafarsu suka fita compound, ganin basa nan ne yasa suka dangana ga gate suka fita,kamar yadda sukayi tunani sune, ai a miliyan suka kwasa suka nufi motar,sai dai kash ba yacce suke zato bane ,da suka qarasa jikin motar yan sandan,har rige rigen buɗe kofar motar suke da wani matsanancin farin ciki da buri, absolutely convinced that their long nightmare was finally over and that justice had arrived.

Lokaci guda duk wannan farin cikin da zumuɗin ya dauke,turus sukayi suka kasa takawa, sai a lokacin danshin gurin ya fara shiga ƙafarsu.Babu kowa a motar,babu wanda suke tsammani, a abinda befi second ɗaya ba duk wani farin ciki ya ɗauke kamar be taɓa wanzuwa ba, wani tsoro da firgici mai tsanani ya na maye gurbinsa.

Before they could even process the shock,wani gabjejen mutum baƙi ƙirin da kayan y'an sanda ajikin sa ne yafito da ga gaban motar,yana musu wani kallo me ɗaga hankali, wanda ya tariyo musu wannan daren,wanda suka yiwa laƙabi da " daren baƙin ciki da ƙunci".

    Ta kowa ya fara yi zuwa inda suke, inda duk takun da yayi yana tafiya ne da bugun zuciyoyinsu,wanda hakan ya qara ɗaga musu hankali.Yana qarasowa tun kafin yace komai ,wani wari na tashin hankali ya fara surarowa, kafin kace me wani irin wari ya mamaye gurin gaba ɗaya, thick and suffocating, wanda yasa kowa dole ya rufe hancinsa.

    Ta bayan ambulance ɗin ne wasu maza guda biyu suka ɓullo,sun ɗakko wani abu mara fasali a buhu ,duk inda suka wuce sai wani baqin ruwa me wari ne ke ɗiga ,ɗan sandan daya ga warin yayi yawa ne yasa hannun sa a aljihu ya cirowata doguwar farar takarda ya miqo musu,rasa wanda ze karɓa akayi ,gaba ɗayansu kamar an doke musu gwiwoyi.Durqusawa yayi ya ajje musu ita a ƙasa,cikin gadara ya fara cewa,"ya kashe kansa jiya out of guilt ",ji sukayi kamar ya chaka musu wani mashi a qirji, gaba ɗaya suka daskare a gurin ,wani murmushin mugunta yayi ganin halin da suka shiga ya cigaba da cewa"Dan haka duk wasu qararrakin an janye,sannan zaku biya tara ,da duk wani abu da wanda ya kai qara ya kashe, nan da kwana uku zamu dawo mukarɓar mai haqqinsa "..... My condolences."

 

University of lagos (UNI LAG)

26th July 2026,

   

   Dakin taron jami'ar ya cika maƙil da mutane,har wani baya jin maganar wani saboda hayaniyar data cika gurin,ppƙofar hall ɗin da aka buɗe ne yasa kowa hankalinsa ya koma gurin,tun kafin ta bayyana qarar takun takalmin ta ya cika gurin yana sanar da isowar ta with an unmistakable aura.

    Nan da nan, hayaniyar gurin ta ɗauke kamar ba ta taɓa wanzuwa ba idon kowa da hankalin kowa ya koma kanta,hall din ya dauki wani shiru na ban mamaki.

Doguwa ce zata iya kaiwa 6 feet's ,farar abaya ce ajikin plain tana jan ƙasa ,kanta ta ta yafa mayafin abayar , duk da gashin ta yaɗan bayyana wanda ya kasance baqi da maroon Kaɗan-kaɗan,fuskar ta sanye da baqin glasses wanda yayi matuqar dacewa da glowy skin ɗinta,sai baqin face masks,bata da qiba amma baza'a ce mata ramammiya ba,she has the perfect structure na models.Akwai wani irin kwarjini a tattare da ita kwarjini mai ɗauke da cikakkiyar nutsuwa da yarda da kai, tafiya tafara zuwa stage batare da damuwa da kallon ta mutane keyi mata ba.

Stage ɗin ta hau tana karbar loud speaker,daidaita tsayuwar ta tayi ,tana cire face mask ɗin dake fuskar ta ,Masha Allah kyakkyawa ce ta qin qarawa,fatar fuskarta se sheƙi take,irin kyan nan ne me tsari wadda ke ɗaukar ido tun daga kallo na farko.Gurin ne ya qara daukar hayaniya wacce tafi ta farko.

      Gyaran murya tayi a hankali ,nan da nan gurin ya ƙara ɗaukan shiru,kamar ruwa ya cinye su. Motsa red lips ɗinta tayi tafara magana hankali,kallon dubban daliban dake gurin tayi kafin tafara magana dacea,"Assalamualaikum everyone", muryarta me daɗi ta ratsa gurin,amsawa dubban daliban sukayi, cigabawa tayi da"kamar yadda kuka sani suna na MALEEKA Muhammad ,2025/2026 SUG president,daga department of political science,“Barkan ku da safiya, kowa da kowa. Ina fatan dukanku kun wayi gari cikin ƙoshin lafiya da annashuwa.Topic ɗin mu na wannan watan shi ne: 'MAFARKI BA SHI DA IYAKA."

      “Kamar yadda kuka sani, an shirya wannan shiri ne domin mu matasa mu wayar da kanmu, mu ƙara ilimantuwa,tare da haɓaka kanmu,domin mu zama mutanen da za su iya kawo sauyi a cikin al’ummarmu.Ku kalli wannan ɗakin taron,ba ɗalibai kawai bane,ku ne bugun zuciyar makomar wannan ƙasa.

 Ku yi mafarki fiye da abin da idanunku suke iya gani,kada ku bari halin da kuke ciki yau ya zama hukuncin makomarku. Kada ku kalli gidan da kuka fito, ku ce shi ne ƙarshen inda za ku iya zuwa. Kada ku kalli abin da kuka rasa, ku ce shi ne abin da zai ayyana rayuwarku.

Rashin nasara na gaskiya ba ya farawa ne daga faɗuwa,yana farawa ne lokacin ka rage girman hangen nisanka saboda matsalolin da kake fuskanta

Ta sauko daga stage ɗin, tana tafiya cikin nutsuwa,kwarjininta yana ƙara ɗaukar hankalin ɗaukacin jama'ar ɗakin taron.

 Cire baƙin shades ɗin fuskar ta tayi, wanda ya bayyana idanunta grey colour(ruwan toka)masu shape ɗin almond, suna ɗauke da wani irin kaifi da wani abu me nauyi. Ta ɗaga su tana kallon ɗaliban ɗaya bayan ɗaya kafin ta ci gaba da magana. 

   Ba zaku san irin ƙarfin da kuke dashi ba sai ranar da rayuwa ta tilasta muku amfani da shi.Ku daina jiran lokacin da komai zai zama daidai kafin ku fara. Babu lokacin da rayuwa za ta zo ta ce muku, yanzu ya dace ku fara,ku fara da abin da kuke da shi,daga inda kuke, da ƙaramin mataki.

  Domin duk wani babban abu da kuke gani a yau, wata rana wani mutum ne ya fara shi da ƙaramin tunani.Ta ɗan yi murmushi,don haka, idan duniya ta ce muku ba za ku iya ba, kada ku yi mata gardama,ku nuna mata zaku iya".

Gurin ne ya qara ɗaukan wata hayaniyar dama tafi ta farkon yayin da kowa ke fadar albarkacin bakinsa, program ne yaciga ba da gudana har time dinsu ya cika aka tashi,kowa ka kalla fuskar sa murmushi da farin ciki .

Wasu samari da yan mata ne da suka tsaya abakin kofar hall din suna sharhi ,saurayi daya ke cewa cikin su " kai, wallahi Allah yayi wann baiwar Allah kwarjini da baiwar iya magana",dayar ta kama da cewa"kaidai bari ussy wlh nima tana matuqar burgeni shiyasa bana taɓa tsallake programs dinta",ɗayar macen ce ta taɓe baki tana cewa "mtswwww ay kin banza in ba girman kai da jiji da kai ba me ta iya ", ɗaya wata me bleaching ce tayi charab ta karbe zancen tana cewa"kedai bari halee ,jinta take kamar wata hurul-ayni ", kwashewa da dariya ussy yayi yana cewa " toh in banda abinki billy ay dole ne wann,dan wann ko ita aka ce tayi kanta toh wlh baxata iya yin irin haka ba ",hafsy da ta fara magana a farko ce ta karbe zancen tana tabe baki tace,"ay wlh halee kaf zuriar ku babu me rabin kyanta ,yoo in ke ce ay da bama kyanan, in ba tsoro bama ki fada agabanta wlh kin san kinyi tsararo dan tsinkaki zatayi,tsinkawar charbi makuwa ,kuma naga ay ba wanda ya muku dole duk month kudinga zuwa program ɗin ,ta karashe maganar ta gallamusu harara " ,nan da nan fada ya kaure tsananin su inda hafsy ta musu tasss da qyar aka rabasu.

         Ta ɗaya bangaren kuma ,maleeka na sauka daga kan stage ɗin,wata black beauty ta biyo ta tana murmushi ruwa ta mika mata tana cewa ,"ungo nasan kina jin qishirwa wann uban surutu haka", murmushi maleeka tayi wanda ya fito da dimple dinta guda daya tana cewa,"thank you bestie ", murmushi budurwar tayi tana cewa yanxu ina muka yi toh,maleeka ce tace "zamuje office ɗin DEAR zamuyi magana akan cafeteria damuke so a bude duk faculty,amma kafin nan zamuje office mu jira su nadiya da salman sai mutafi tare",sakin baki budurwar tayi tana kallonta tace wai ke ATTI bakya gajiya ne ko kuwa kin manta ana cin abinci ne, 1 fa har tayi amma ba kiyi break fast", murmushi atti tayi tana cewa "FATIMA kenan,azumi toh nake ",shiru sukayi saka makon wasu mata da su ka qaraso gurin,daya musulma daya christian ,gaishe su suka inda musulmar ta fara magana da cewa,"queen munxo ne akan maganar hostel har yanxu bamu samu ba",atti ce tace"ah ah bakune na last week ba" ," eh queen mune," muje ciki bari nadiya taxo, binta cikin sukayi ,inda suka shiga cikin wani madaidaicin office,sallah zuhr sukayi basu daɗe da idarwa ba sai ga wani namiji da mace sun shigo ,macen da kalleta kasan igbo ce saboda skin tone dinta, " fatima ce tayi magana tana cewa "SALMAN shanyar da kukayi ta bushe ","salman ne yace afuwan bestie'n queen kinsan harka ta mutane sai Allah", atti ce ta katse su ta hanyar cewa" yawwah nadiya waennan tun last week suke zuwa akan zancen hostel, pls gasu help them" ,nadiya ce tace " okay queen ku taso muje , tashi su kayi suka bita ",inda su kuma suka fara tattaunawa akan cafeteria's ɗin dasu ke son budewa da meeting dinsu da DEAR wandq bazai yuwu yau ba saboda time din daya basu ya wuce",basu tashi ba sai da aka kira sallar la'asar,Salman ne ya tashi ya fita Masallaci, in suma suka tashi sukayi sallah,fara shirin tafiya gida suka fara, fateema ce ta kalli maleeka tace "atti pls dan Allah yau kibini mutafi tare kinji",atti ce tace "ba gida zani ba akwai inda zan biya",fatima ce tayi kalar tausayi tana cewa " dama mafarki nake nasan bazaki taɓa bina ba,ay shikenan atti ,ayy ni nayi tunanin mun zama daya",hararar wasa atti tayi mata tana cewa"zaki fara ba ,dagaske nake akwai inda zani ,gobe zan biki shikenan", murmushi fatima tayi tana cewa "Allah ya kaimu goben" fita su ka yi inda fatima ta hau motar ta land cruiser,ita kuma atti tahau napep, tana cewa ajegunle ,face mask ɗinta da shades ɗinta tasaka , tafiyar 1hrs sukayi qaraso babban titi , mai adaidaitan ne ya tsaya , ɗago wa tayi tana cewa "Allah yasa dai lafiya na ga muntsaya" mai adaidaitan ne yace gaskiya hajiya wann hanyar taku tayi chaɓi da yawa zata ɓata min napep sai dai in sauke ki anan " ,cewa tayi " amma kasan malan bahaka mukayi da kai ba ko , shikenan ay kyauta" ,sauka tayi tana jin baqin cikin yacce mutane suka dau magana biyu ba wani abu ba ,rana ce qwalleliya ah titin , da cinkoson ababen hawa ,yayin da ah ta ɗayen ɓangaren mutane keta hada hadarsu ta yau da kullum giving the lively vibes of lagos state.

Tafiya tafara a gefen babban titin ga duk wanda ya kalleta, she looked like an ordinary student returning home after school,wacce bata da damuwa ko wata matsala,but to everyone who knows life knows that,not every smile tells the truth,Sometimes,the happiest face hides the deepest pain,qarasowa tayi the real ajegunle tun da ga kan layin daya shigar da kai ciki zaka ganecewa kazo ajegunle ,tsaki ta ja saboda wata uwar kwata da ta taru da kwatami tsakiyar hanyar,dage rigar ta tayi ta bi ta gefe ta shige, gaba ɗaya unguwar is crowded ga gidajen unguwar dukkan su ruɓaɓɓu ne ,sai da tayi tafiyar wajen 20 minutes kafin ta tashiga wani lungu me dan dama dama at that time har an fara sallar magariba ,wani qaramin gida me ɗan dama dama ta ƙwan ƙwasa,bude ƙofar wata cute yarinya tayi wacce baxata wuce shekara 12 tayi ba ,da gudu ta fito ta rungume ta tana cewa "Aya, nina gaa'idin nantarjik"(adda tun dazu muke jiranki), murmushi tayi tana jawo ta jikin suka shiga ciki gidan tana cewa'"Darbal amsakhni ya Husnaty, laikin ma hani riga'at hassa"(hanya ce ta riqe ni husnaty,amma bagashi yanzu na dawo ba),gidan qarami ne amma ba can sosai ba dan tsakar gidane qarami sai daki falle biyu da dan qaramin daki a gefe ,sai bandaki da wani yar hanya da suka mayar kitchen ,daya daga cikin dakin suka nufa suna da ga labulen wani qanshine daya bulbule dakin me shiga zuciya da kwantar da hankali ke tashi a hankali,sakin husna atti tayi ta na qarasa shiga ɗakin da sallama abakin ta tana cewa "Ummu, Ummu"wata babbar mace ce akan sallaya da kaskon turaren wuta a gefenta duk da taɗan manyata dakuma rashin wadata kyanta be ɓuya ba ko kadan,kyakyawa ce sosai kamar balarabiya, ashe ga idan sukayi gado,dago kanta tayi carrying the dignity of a mother who had survived more storms than anyone could imagine,murmushi ne dauke ta fuskar juyo tana cewa."Ke ATTI, yaushe za ki daina shigowa kina kwalla min wannan kira kamar wata ƙarama yarinya?"Atti ce ta qarasa gurin matar da sauri , hugging her tightly,"wallahi, Ummu, i missed you so much',ummu chuckled softly,"In kin yi aure sai mu ga ƙarshen wannan missing ɗin,the smile on Atti's face faded,"ummu.. har kin gaji da ni ne?, Ni dai ba inda zan je,muna nan tare da ke har abada",ummi ce tace yanzu dai bar surutun nan je kiyo alwala kiyi sallah,tashi atti tayi tafita tsakar gida ta dauro alwala ,dakin ta dawo tasa hijjabi tayi sallar magrib,bayan ta idar ne husna tazo jikinta ta kwanta ta miko mata alawa Adda atti kinga tsarabar dana yo miki,kalla tayi nan da nan murmushin fuskarta ya dauke ta hade rai tana cewa ,"Asma ban hana ku karɓar abu ɗaga hannun wanda ba ku sani ba? "The little girl immediately defended herself."Wallahi, Adda, ban roƙa ba, ah makaranta aka bani saboda na amsa tambaya, na ce addata zan ajjewa in kaiwa tsaraba ,"The seriousness on Atti's face disappeared,a beautiful smile spread across her lips, tana cewa,"autar ummu nagode,amma ai taki ce,ke kika samu,"Zahra ta girgiza kanta,'"A'a, Adda ke fa na ciyowa ,"Atti laughed softly,"Toh... sai mu raba,the little girl's face brightened,"Toh, Addata."

               Just then, a young boy in his middle teens who had been watching everything, folded his arms dramatically,yana cewa,"husna ta adda, Allah sarki ni dama ummu ce kawai ke sona,husna ce ta zare ido tanacewa,"Adda, Yaya Ammar yace ba kya sonsa wai,atti ce ta juya tana murmushi ta na cewa,"Ni na isa in qi son autan mazan ummu ,Ina son ku duka, you guys are my happiness",ummu ce tace ni kar kufara wann musun jeka kitchen kadakko abinci azo abinci(su tsarin su kenan basa cin abin in 8 ta wuce,haka aladar su take,har cewa suke in aka ci abinci bayan isha toh ba abinci bane cuta ne),tafiya kitchen yayi ya dakko wani flask din silba ,da flask din shayi ,kawo wa atti yayi inda tazuba abincin da yawa acikin wani ɗan madaidaicin tray ,zama sukayi inda suka fara ci gaba ɗayansu a tray ɗaya (kai daga ganin yacce suke cin abinci kasan na karamar shaquwa ce tsakanin su ba),abincin suka gama ci gaba ɗaya ,atti ta tattare gurin ,husna ta karɓi kwanukan ta fita ta wanke su.

    Dawowa sukayi su ka zagaye ummu inda suka cigaba da hirarsu cikin so da qaunar juna basu tashi ba sai da sukaji an fara kiran sallar isha,alwala sukayo inda ammar ya jasu jam'i,bayan sun idar ne kowa ya ɗakko alquranin sa da home work ,hadda da qari Atti tayi musu da yan gyararraki daba'a rasa ba,sai ta tashi tabarsu su qarasa saboda wani bacci da take ji ,tsakar gida ta tafi a daddadafe ta qarasa bandakin famfo kawai ta kunna ta tari ruwa ,wanka ta shiga sai da ta dau wajen 30 minutes kafin ta fito,tanafito wa ɗakin ummu taleqa ta yi musu sai da safe,ta nufi ɗakinta ta buɗe wanda rabonta da shi tun safe ta shiga ,ta na buɗe wani qanshin turaren wuta ne me dad'i ya buso,ɗaki ne qarami dan katifa ce kawai sai akwatin ta guda biyu da abubuwan da ba'a rasa ba ,amma duk da haka ɗakin tsaf yake ,shiga tayi ta zauna akan katifar tana janyo,mayukanta kala kala na na gargajiya dana waje ,dan duk da suke cikin wann matsin rayuwar basa wasa da jikinsu da tsafta ko kadan,shafe-shafen ta gama yi har na tsahon 40 minutes kafin ta tashi ta dakko t-shirt da zani ta saka.

Komawa kan katifar tayi ta jawo jakar litattafan ta,wani tsohon hoto ne ya faɗo daga wani text book,qura mai ido tayi kamar taga wani abun tsoro nan da nan bugun zuciyar ta ya chanja,fuskar ta ta fara ja,hannun ne ya fara rawa ,baya da baya ta fara ja har ta kai qarshen katifar, durqusawa tayi ta maqure a lungun tana riqe kanta saboda wani irin sarawa da yayi mata,acikin mintinan da basu fi 10 ba gaba ɗaya ta tashi daga maleekar UNILAG ,ta tashi daga attin husna da ammar,tsigar jikin ta duk sun tashi ,gaba daya ta rikiɗe ta sauya...........end of chapter 1

✍️✍️ Muraimaa Naabba