Chapter 1: The beginning

In the past, arranged marriage used to be a blessing upon the Hausa family. But now, we must realize that girls are humans and have an initiative to think for their own.

The breeze blew violently against Amina's house. Her parents rushed to place buckets under the leaking roof. Amina looked up from her book, her brows still furrowed. She had been trying to learn the word 'emancipation'. As she heard her father's approaching footsteps she put the book under her pillow. She could not risk her father seizing another of Clara's book. The last time, the book was seized for a week causing a slight strain on Clara's academic work.

Her father entered causing her to jump slightly. He surveyed the room noting her worn mattress and peeling wall. "What are you doing?" He asked. Amina watched his slightly yellowed top. She swatted a fly irritably.

"I just finished praying." She lied smoothly. It had always been like this. Amina had been a local, village girl before. Just like anyone in Sanko, Sokoto state. But one day, it happened. Like light shone in her empty, dark mind. She had met Clara, an Igbo girl who lived close to her house and went to school every morning. Clara had always taught her many things.

"Why don't you like rubbing your lips, Amina? And you are very pretty." Clara had said. Her lips always shone, reminding Amina of her stainless steel at home.

Soon, Amina started cultivating an abominable interest for school. Abominable. That was the word her father called it.

"A girl should not step foot in school. Do you remember Zahra? She went to school and came back with a two- year old boy. This proves my point!" He said with that wide-eyed seniority that displeased her.

Standing in her room, he stared with the same wide eyes. "Come and eat. Your mother is looking for you. You must hurry before Rukayat will finish yours."

If anyone was the opposite of Amina, it was Rukayat. Unlike her, Amina took pleasure in fetching water and watching trains pass than the chapters of a book. She couldn't read because she didn't bother to try despite being much older than Amina.

" Baba has promised that he will find a big man from the city. He will take good care of me. Of us." She said dreamily. Amina could not help but feel pity for this ignorant little soul.

Amina ate silently. Her mother looked up. "Sanusi, you have not responded to my request of having Khadija over. She has been waiting for a reply and I do not fancy keeping her waiting."

Khadija was Amina's maternal aunt. At sixteen she had married Danjuma, a gold seller, and now he had travelled leaving her heavily pregnant.

"Does this house look like it would fit a woman of Khadija's status? Why can't you go and stay with her for a few days? She cannot stay here. She will not be comfortable."

"But you know she wanted to be around family."

"Okay, but let me sleep over it...."

The next day, Amina's mother tapped her lightly.

"Wake up, Amina. Your father has agreed to allow us visit your aunt. We must leave early before the bus drives off.