Rabuwace Sanadi Book One Complete Hausa Novel: Narrative Overview & English Translation

Welcome to the translated narrative edition of Rabuwace Sanadi Book One Complete Hausa Novel, written by Queen Meemi. The novel presents a gripping story of trauma, resilience, and fate, beginning with a catastrophic bomb blast in the town of Bunkure that separates a young toddler from her family.

Below is the complete narrative adaptation and English translation for Chapters 1 and 2.

Chapter 1: Chaos in Bunkure and the Lost Toddler

Chaos on the Main Road

The main road in the town of Bunkure was engulfed in utter chaos. Panic was etched onto every face as people ran frantically for their lives. Bodies lay strewn near a large truck, and beside one of the vehicles sat a helpless little girl—scarcely three years old—screaming in utter terror. Her tiny body trembled uncontrollably, and her voice had grown completely hoarse from endless crying.

BOOM!

Another violent explosion shook the area, sending the crowd into a fresh wave of panic. The young girl, who had been drifting off to sleep from sheer exhaustion, bolted awake with a terrified shriek. She ran aimlessly with toddler-like strides, unnoticed by the fleeing crowd, continuously calling out for her mother and father: “Mommy! Daddy!”

She spotted a nearby car, ran up to it, and banged on the frame, crying out for her father. But there was no sign of her parents anywhere. The bomb blast had turned the entire town into a chaotic inferno.

Seeing a man running from behind, she rushed toward him, crying, “Daddy!”

The man turned around in panic, startled to find the little girl behind him. Before he could speak, the rapid crack of gunfire echoes through the air: POP! POP! POP! Thick smoke quickly blanketed the entire street.

Rescue and Misunderstanding

The girl—her clothes soaked in urine and her mouth bleeding—clung to the man as he sprinted away. She trailed behind him, calling for her father. Soldiers rushed into the scene, firing their weapons. The man ducked around a corner to hide, and the girl followed, grabbing onto his clothes while crying, “Daddy! Momma!”

He shoved her back in frustration, exclaiming, “What kind of trial is this today? Where are your parents? How can anyone neglect a child in a disaster like this?”

He pushed her away and told her to leave. Limping from an injury to her leg, the girl stumbled into an alley. Suddenly, another young boy came running in panic, accidentally crashing into her and knocking her to the ground. Gunfire erupted above them; thankfully, the bullet missed the girl, but the sheer terror caused her to faint on the spot.

Overcome with pity, the man emerged from his hiding spot, scooped up the unconscious child, and ran as fast as he could to his parked commercial transport truck. He placed her gently in the front cab. In the back of the truck, four other frightened children were crying.

“Where are your parents?” he asked them.

The eldest child replied, “We came here to hide.”

The others remained silent, covered in dust and dried blood, weeping softly. Shaking his head solemnly, the driver stepped into the vehicle.

Arrival at Mangalu Village

The driver, Malam Lado, drove fast toward his home village of Mangalu, located in the Bunkure Local Government Area—a journey that took roughly an hour and a half. Upon arriving at the motor park, he opened the cab to attend to the children. He helped the four children out, but when he turned to grab the little girl from the front seat, she was nowhere to be found.

He searched frantically all around the truck, but she had completely disappeared. Bewildered, Malam Lado muttered to himself, “Could she have been a spirit? Or did she just climb down?”

Just then, Sarkin Kasuwa (the Market Head) ran up to him in distress. “Malam Lado! What is this I’m hearing about a bomb exploding in town? Is it true?”

“Indeed, it is true, Sarkin Kasuwa!” Lado replied. “It was horrifying. I was loading goods for the market when the bomb went off. Many people died. I barely escaped, and I even picked up a poor young girl who was crying for her parents. But strangely, after driving all the way here, I went to get her out of the front seat and she was gone!”

“Glory be to Allah, may He keep protecting us,” Sarkin Kasuwa prayed.

Malam Lado handed the four children over to Sarkin Kasuwa, along with one thousand naira, requesting that they be taken to the Bunkure police station to reunite them with their families. Sarkin Kasuwa instructed a man named Dahiru to feed the children while he and Lado searched for the missing toddler. Unable to find her, they returned to collect the children who had now eaten. Malam Lado loaded the kids back in, and Sarkin Kasuwa joined them in the truck.

As they pulled onto the main road, Sarkin Kasuwa suddenly caught sight of a child by the roadside. She was holding a half-eaten piece of bread, crying softly.

“Isn’t that her over there?” Sarkin Kasuwa asked.

“Yes, that’s her!” Lado confirmed.

They stopped the vehicle immediately and rushed over. Her body was burning with a high fever as they gently lifted her. They proceeded to the police station to register the missing children, taking down their details and photographs. Because Sarkin Kasuwa lived nearby, the children were temporarily placed in his care while the police issued announcements. Malam Lado then departed, asking Sarkin Kasuwa to keep him updated.

Chapter 2: Domestic Tensions and a New Name

Malam Lado’s Return Home

Later that evening, an exhausted Malam Lado returned home to find his senior wife, Gwamma, plucking moringa leaves in the courtyard.

“Malam, you stayed out very late today,” she noted, looking up.

Lado fetched water from the clay pot, took a long drink, and sat down on the woven mat beside Gwamma. “We narrowly escaped death today,” he said, before explaining the tragedy in town.

Gwamma gasped, holding her chest. “Ah! You really had a narrow escape! I heard rumors that things weren’t good in the city, but I didn’t realize it had reached this close. May Allah protect us.”

Lado looked around the compound. “Where is Jummai?”

Gwamma sneered. “You know her—always wandering around the neighborhood the moment you step out of the house!”

Malam Lado simply smiled, long accustomed to Gwamma’s habit of criticizing her co-wife, Jummai. Just then, Jummai entered the compound with a gentle greeting and a smile.

“Welcome back, Malam,” Jummai said respectfully, kneeling down. “I went to grandmother’s house to check on her because she wasn’t feeling well.”

“No problem, Jummai. I know you had a good reason,” Lado replied warmly.

Gwamma scoffed loudly. “Hmph! Look at how lenient you are with Jummai, Malam! She goes out without your permission, and you don’t even scold her. She’s clearly the favorite wife!”

Ignoring the drama, Jummai fetched Lado’s dinner and water, as it was her turn to cook that day. He ate hungrily.

One Week Later: A New Daughter

A week passed. Malam Lado sat in the entryway listening to his radio, having avoided town trips due to security measures and fear following the bombing. Sarkin Kasuwa arrived to visit him. Lado’s ten-year-old son, Mudi, brought out water for the guest.

“Malam Lado, by Allah’s grace, the parents of two of the children were found at the hospital,” Sarkin Kasuwa shared. “The relatives of the other two children have also claimed them. But as for that little girl, not a single soul has come forward to claim her.”

Malam Lado’s heart sank with pity. “Subhanallah… so what will happen now?”

“The police suggested we care for her while they continue searching,” Sarkin Kasuwa explained. “However, I have to travel to the eastern region the day after tomorrow.”

“Bring her to my home,” Lado offered immediately. “We will care for her and see what Allah decrees.”

Giving Her a Name

The following morning around 11:00 AM, Sarkin Kasuwa brought the little girl over. Malam Lado accepted her with gratitude and led her inside.

Inside the compound, Gwamma was blowing on the firewood stove while Jummai sifted flour. Both wives turned to look at the child in Lado’s arms.

“Malam, whose child is that?” Gwamma asked.

“I have brought home a daughter,” Lado smiled, proceeding to tell them the full story.

Jummai wept out of compassion for the lost toddler, while Gwamma questioned, “So you’re going to keep her?”

“What else can I do? Allah brought us together,” Lado said. Turning to Jummai, he said, “Here, take this child and look after her until her parents are found.”

Jummai received the little girl joyfully. She had been unable to conceive since losing her daughter, Hansai, years prior.

“What is your name?” Jummai asked gently. The little girl couldn’t speak, only moving her lips faintly.

“Jummai, give her a temporary name so we can call her something until her family is found,” Lado suggested.

“I will call her Hansai, after my late daughter,” Jummai said softly.

Gwamma sneered loudly. “Look at you, Jummai! Foolish as ever. You’re making grand plans over a stray child!”

“Gwamma, stop looking for trouble,” Lado interrupted. “I gave the child to Jummai, so it doesn’t concern you.”

Gwamma slapped her thigh angrily. “I’ve always known you prefer Jummai over me! What am I supposed to do with a stray cat of a child anyway? And you, Jummai, don’t you dare direct your talks at me!”

Story Comparison & Character Overview

Character	Location	Role / Description
The Toddler (Hansai)	Bunkure / Mangalu	A ~3-year-old girl separated from her family during a bomb blast; temporarily named Hansai by Jummai.
Malam Lado	Mangalu Village	A compassionate commercial truck driver who rescues the lost toddler.
Jummai	Mangalu Village	Malam Lado’s second wife; loving, kind-hearted, and takes in the girl as her own.
Gwamma	Mangalu Village	Malam Lado’s senior wife; jealous, harsh, and resentful toward Jummai and the child.
Sarkin Kasuwa	Mangalu / Bunkure	The Market Head who assists in coordinating with the police for the lost children.
Mudi	Mangalu Village	Malam Lado’s 10-year-old son.

Key Plot Highlights

1. Tragedy in Bunkure: A horrific bomb blast and surrounding gunfire destabilize Bunkure, causing mass casualties and separating children from their parents.

2. Narrow Escape: Malam Lado rescues a traumatized 3-year-old girl and four other children amidst the chaos.

3. A New Home: While the other children are reunited with relatives through the police, the toddler remains unclaimed and is given a home by Lado and his childless wife, Jummai.

4. Co-Wife Friction: Jummai names the girl “Hansai” after her late daughter, sparking immediate jealousy and bitterness from Lado’s senior wife, Gwamma.