Buzuh Book 2 Completed

Description

Act I: The Threat of Exile

Had he known things would turn out this way, nothing would have stopped him from taking Nana and his son and leaving the country altogether. But he was only thinking of the state the Sultan would fall into.

Consumed by bitterness and frustration, he returned to find the Sultan, stepping up before him in deep distress. "Why would you do such a thing? If I were in her position, would you want this done to me? Look at this situation as a father, not as a Sultan. Royal law is not divine law. Why would your council members manipulate you into doing this? There is no justification needed to prove that Asma'u is my wife; Mahmoudu and others witnessed our marriage contract. Even Mahmoudu you said should be locked up because he committed a wrong. Nana and I are married, and you all see my son—why separate a mother from her child and deport her back to Nigeria, haba Abie?"

"Hammad, you stand before me and speak to me this way because of a woman? We must respect and honor the traditions of this royal house so we can manage to bury the grave mistake you committed, if only to salvage your dignity."

Hammad shook his head. "Sultan, Asma'u is not just 'a woman.' I will not bury my sins for the sake of tradition and go to the Hereafter with nothing to tell Allah. I will take my wife and leave this country entirely. I leave the throne and traditions to you. Even if I live without them, nothing will happen to me. Forgive me."

The Sultan struck him across the face with a hard slap, grabbing his tunic and glaring into his eyes. "Have you started taking something, Hammad? You dare tell me you're abandoning the throne for some outsider and leaving the country?"

With a subdued body, Hammad replied, "She is not an outsider; she is my wife, and there is a child between us. Right now, in this entire world besides you, I don't think anyone could do for me what she has done. The truth you don't want to hear, Abie, is that I am wrestling with a dark jinn that tears me apart. Nana can see him, and she alone understands the state I go through. Abie, Asma'u is not just a woman; she is a waliyya (pious saint) among women. When I was paralyzed and when you discovered Mahmoudu and the others were taken away, she had no helper except Allah, yet she never grew tired of me. Asma'u even washed my filth with her bare hands. With her body, her health, her time, and her heart, she lived with me in care and compassion. If I let her vulnerability be exploited because I am 'untouchable' while she is harmed, I will not be doing justice to myself. The bond between us is not merely physical; it carries spiritual weight, as well as the deep bond of father and child. This is something only the two of us truly understand. Abie, you cannot separate me from Asma'u. And if you do separate us, you will have to go and search for her yourselves!" He finished speaking, stepping backward out of the room.

The Sultan pressed his temples, which were throbbing with a dull ache, and sat down. He dismissed Hammad's words as desperate, irrational delusions meant to find a way to stay with Nana. Yet, even he felt it was unjust to rip the child away from her and banish her.

Act II: Asal's Rage and the Metamorphosis

Asal was frantic. She had just received word that Hammad had been seen holding hands with another woman as they entered the Sultan's quarters. She didn't know who to turn to for the truth.

Amidst her panic, Tafawa called her. She answered with a trembling voice.

"Asal," he said, "which maid in your house brought food when Asad and the others came?" She momentarily forgot what a "maid" referred to until he barked at her, snapping her to attention. "It's a maid in this house. They told me Imam Hammad was seen holding hands with some woman entering the Sultan's quarters. Do you have any idea who she is?"

Tafawa hissed, "What does that matter? I'm asking you a question, and you're talking about something else."

"Abbu, please tell me if you know anything. You told me he said he has a child—I'm terrified."

Tafawa asked, "Asal, do you mean you actually care about Hammad?"

Weeping, she cried, "Abbu, he is my husband! Even if I don't love him, I have to look out for my own future!"

Before she could close her mouth, Hammad violently slammed open the door.

Startled, she dropped her phone and whirled around to stare at him. She rushed toward him, shouting, "Hammad, what woman were you seen entering with today, even holding her hand as you went into the Sultan's quarters? Is what I was told true?"

He didn't even glance her way; he headed straight for his bed and collapsed onto it.

Furious, she marched over to him. "Get up and explain this to me! Who is this woman you were seen with? And is it true you have a child or not? Now, with your dignity and reputation, you choose to disgrace yourself by sleeping with some random woman just so she could bear you a child? By Allah, Hammad, you won't get away with this! I swear by the essence of Allah, whoever that woman is, I will have her killed—and killed for nothing—because throughout Agadez and its surroundings, every influential family backs me. Get up and explain yourself!"

He gripped her throat. His body began to tremble violently. Before her eyes, he completely transformed, looking like some terrifying beast. His skin turned as red as a tomato. The blacks of his eyes vanished, leaving only glaring whites, and every vein across his body bulged. He fell off the bed, thrashing and rolling on the floor as if liquid fire were burning beneath his skin.

Act III: The Council's Secret and Nana's Sanctuary

(Author's Note / Promotional Intermission: Readers are reminded that the story Buzu is competing on the YouTube channel of "Limamin Tsakar Gida", where likes on the first ten parts count toward judging. Support is requested.)

The anxiety gripping the Sultan and his confidants skyrocketed. They were completely baffled by Imam Hammad's condition from every angle. Meanwhile, little Muhsin was throwing tantrums, refusing all food, and crying nonstop because he missed home and wasn't used to his surroundings.

Anxious, the Sultan stared at Hammad, who lay stiff as a log, and turned to Matawalle. "Matawalle, don't you think we should take him to a hospital? I think the time for all this hiding and secrecy is coming to an end, and our secret is about to be exposed. Yet, I am terrified of people finding out our current state."

Matawalle replied, "This isn't a hospital matter. Have you forgotten he acted this way when he was brought back from Nigeria? It wasn't until we flew to France that he stopped this behavior and his sanity returned."

"That's true," the Sultan worriedly countered, "but this time, it's multiplied compared to what he did before. He won't eat or drink."

Matawalle said, "That's what frightens me too, but we must find traditional healers who can examine him—and strictly those who will keep their mouths shut, otherwise we have a massive problem."

The Sultan clutched his head, staring at Hammad as if about to burst into tears.

Asal walked into the room with a greeting, looking at them respectfully. They all returned the greeting.

Anxiously, she asked, "Abie, didn't he wake up today either?"

The Sultan nodded grimly. "He didn't wake up, Asal."

Peering cautiously from a distance, she asked, "Is he just sleeping?"

Matawalle gestured, "Come closer and see him for yourself."

She shook her head. "No way, he choked me nearly to death last time. I can see him fine from right here."

What unsettled the Sultan most of all was the terrifying, unnatural heat radiating from Hammad's body—it didn't feel human at all.

Act IV: Zahradeen's Inquiry and Nene's Defiance

That evening, the Sultan was pacing in his room, desperate for a way out. He knew that if news of Hammad's mysterious affliction leaked, they would be ruined.

Word came of Imam Zahradeen's arrival, and the Sultan granted him entry. After exchanging greetings, Zahradeen asked, "Abie, did you send Imam Hammad somewhere? He assigned me a task, but when I went to his residence, Princess Asal said he wasn't around, and as far as I know, I wasn't aware he went on a trip."

The Sultan replied, "That's right, he is under restriction from going anywhere."

Zahradeen said, "I know. I just wanted to see him to deliver a message regarding the task he gave me."

The Sultan looked at him. "What task?"

Zahradeen lowered his head in silence.

The Sultan said, "Very well, I understand. But for now, I'm sorry, you won't be able to see him; he is restricted."

Zahradeen paused before saying, "Very well, thank you, Your Highness," and left the suite. He knew the restriction was only meant to be a travel ban, not total isolation where even seeing him was impossible, yet suddenly all access was cut off.

Act V: Nene's Call

Nana sat staring blankly at a bowl of food. Nene poked her and said, "Eat your food! You've left it sitting out in the open."

Nana sighed. "Nene, when am I going to go and get my child back? Staying in this town doesn't suit me; all my thoughts are back home."

Nene replied, "Nana, I know what I'm doing. I don't want you walking into these people's trap so they can chew the sugarcane and spit out the chaff. They are intensely selfish people, far beyond what you imagine, so please be patient."

Before Nene could finish, her phone began to ring. She picked it up and answered.

"Peace be upon this time, Ummana," Mahmoudu's voice came through.

"And upon you," she replied.

"Umma, please, is Nana with you? If you took her, please tell me where you've taken her. Before Imam Hammad realizes she's gone, I swear I don't know what I'll tell him."

Nene snapped, "If he realizes, what's left between them? Didn't you all snatch her child? We are just waiting for her divorce paper so I can ship her straight back to her family in Nigeria."

Mahmoudu pleaded, "Ummana, this is a matter involving Nana, the Imam, and his family. As if he anticipated this, he had me connect with Imam Zahradeen to have you isolated in that house, yet suddenly you took her and left, and now I can't find you. For God's sake, please tell me where you are."

"Watch your tone with me! I won't tell you. You people have no connection to Nana. Tell your master to send my daughter's divorce papers so I can return her to her parents to seek forgiveness," she snapped, cutting the call.

Nana asked, "Nene, what if he divorces me and they still don't give me Muhsin back?"

"Were you even born with Muhsin?" Nene retorted.

With eyes full of tears, Nana whispered, "I just want my child back before he divorces me."

Nene shook her head. "Nana, you are undergoing a trial. This child will make you ruin everything and fail to win your freedom."

Nana scowled. "But Nene, how was Mahmoudu released? I heard they were going to punish him and blame him for our marriage, yet they just let him go?"

Nene chuckled darkly, "Who cares? Let them kill him for all I care."

Nana widened her eyes. "Nene, don't you even love your own son?"

"Well, Nana, even if I love him, am I supposed to carry him on my head?"

"Can a person ever stop loving their child?" Nana asked, bewildered.

Nene simply smiled, stood up, and left Nana full of doubts.

Act VI: Tragedy Strikes Doctor Sharif

For three full days, there was no sign of Doctor Sharif's daughter Hafsa, while his wife lay hospitalized in critical condition. His panic bordered on madness. His wife's condition deteriorated daily as she kept asking where Hafsa was, though he lied that she was home sick.

He ran frantically between police stations and radio houses, putting out missing-person announcements, feeling as though he wanted to scream his lungs out. On top of it, he suffered relentless, horrifying nightmares about Shukura, making him terrified to even sleep.

Rushing into the hospital, he found a disaster: his wife had been given an accidental insulin overdose by a blunder, causing her blood sugar to crash so severely she went into shock. Alongside his medical colleagues, he fought desperately to save her life.

In the midst of this turmoil, the police called him, and he rushed down with the desperate hope that Hafsa had been found. Instead, the police took him to view an unidentified girl brought in for medical assessment—and led him straight to the morgue. Blinded by hope that it was his Hafsa, he suspected nothing.

Two bodies were brought out. One had been found in an abandoned building, her abdomen slit open and body parts harvested in a distant neighborhood, dressed in the exact school uniform he had described to the police.

Like a broken man rather than a pillar of strength, he let out a harrowing, primal scream and collapsed unconscious upon seeing his daughter in such a horrific state.

Act VII: Sagir and Yusra's Hope

As for Sagir, he hadn't given up hope. He prayed constantly, feeling deep down that his Yusra would return. Coincidentally, her expected week of childbirth had arrived. Gathering his courage, he went to visit Yusra, whose condition had also been unstable.

Upon arriving, he found her feeling slightly better, to the point where they could converse rationally.

She asked, "Is your wife still not found?"

"Still not, Yusra. But are you praying for her safe return?"

She replied, "I am. I pray Allah brings her back. Besides, she is due to give birth this very week—she's actually started having mild labor contractions."

He asked, "How did you know?"

"I had a dream about her. She's locked in a dark room, and she told me she's miserable there. Isn't it pitiful?"

With tears in his eyes, he asked, "You saw all this in a dream?"

"Yes, she was crying a lot."

"Alright, that's enough," he said softly. "Keep praying for her; let me head home. But when are you coming back with me? I'm struggling with loneliness."

She smiled, "If you ask Auntie today, I'll come along with you."

He nodded. "Alright then, that sounds fine."

As for Shukura, she lay trapped on the cold floor—sitting was agonizing, lying down was painful, and every time she moved, the advanced pregnancy pressed heavily against her ribs. Combined with severe back and leg pains, she suspected real labor had begun. Yet, in her dreams, she kept seeing Nana repeatedly urging her to pray incessantly without wavering. Though she was already praying, she intensified her efforts.

Act VIII: Tafawa's Pressure and Nana's Herbal Bath

By the fifth day of Hammad's catatonic state, the Sultan was thoroughly terrified, especially by his continued refusal to eat.

Tafawa confronted the Sultan, demanding that the council be reconvened so Hammad could explain his claims about having a child in front of everyone.

Matawalle countered, "I thought this matter was already settled?"

"Settled? How? You stopped me from speaking at the council. He made a claim, and he must come out and defend it! He said he has a child—where is the child? And who is the mother? If it was just idle talk, then it proves he suffers from the mental instability I warned you about!"

Matawalle snapped, "Imam Hammad is not mad. Watch your tongue when speaking of him. Even without blood ties, he is a leader."

"Yes, Hammad is my son's husband and a leader, but I cannot stand by and watch wrong go unaddressed while you sweep his mental illness under the rug. Illness is nothing to be ashamed of; it must be addressed so he can seek treatment!"

Calmly, the Sultan maintained, "Imam Hammad is not crazy. I don't know why you are stigmatizing him with this."

Tafawa stared him down. "If not, what is the truth about this child he claimed to have?"

"We are investigating the matter. Whatever the case, you will hear later."

Tafawa sneer-smiled. "Very well. I also want to speak with him regarding my daughter, Asal."

The Sultan looked at him with quiet disgust, knowing Tafawa was digging deep purely to corner Hammad.

"You will see him in due time," the Sultan said.

This response only convinced Tafawa further that Asal's worries were justified. If you think you're clever, Jalaludeen, I know tricks of my own, he thought.

Act IX: Nene's Brew and Mahmoudu's Confession

Ever since Nana returned from Hammad's residence, her body felt uneasy, as though some dark event was unfolding. She attributed it to homesickness and her anxiety over Muhsin, but deep down, her intuition told her this distress originated deep within her soul. Still, she forced herself to endure it and focused on praying for her son's return.

That morning, Nana stepped out to find Nene boiling three separate pots on different stoves, mixing roots and barks into brewing herbal concoctions.

Nana remarked, "Umman Muhsin, whose medicine are we brewing today?"

Nene smiled. "I won't mind you; complain all you want. The upper grindstone beats the lower one—both you and I know how this goes!"

Nana laughed. "I swear I didn't order any medicine!"

"Ah, just remember, young girl!"

"Well, I only did it for Sayyid..."

Nene cut her off, pulling out her ringing phone. "Ah, someone's calling. Be quiet!" She frowned, answering Mahmoudu's call.

After exchanging greetings, she demanded, "What is this massive sum of money you transferred into my account?"

Mahmoudu replied, "Please don't be angry, it's not yours—it's for the upkeep of the Imam's Princess."

"Did you people give us upkeep when she was roaming around begging for help? When she was wandering the streets while you abandoned her?"

Mahmoudu pleaded, "Please forgive me, I couldn't tell him directly. Even now, I haven't seen him since the day he went with her. He hasn't left his house, he doesn't attend council meetings, he doesn't even step outside. Though I know travel restrictions were placed on him, his lockdown has been heavily intensified. Please, forgive us; we will come visit in person to apologize. For God's sake, help us calm her down because she refuses to listen to him at all, and I swear his mind is in absolute turmoil. Plus, he has a host of enemies inside the palace waiting to pounce. Please, Umma, you know how royal households operate..."

"Leave me alone with your sweet talk! Even if someone is about to slaughter a person, you'll still defend them!"

Mahmoudu laughed. "He's your son, you know he wouldn't do such a thing. We beg for your forgiveness, Your Highness. I've been running back and forth trying to see him, knowing the state he's in. Please extend our apologies to the Imam's Princess."

"I want nothing to do with it. If you come, you'll disgrace yourselves," she said, cutting the call.

She looked at Nana. "Before you bathe, ladle out some of this medicine, take your bath, and rinse with it. Then drink this cup and have breakfast."

Nana asked, "What is this one for, Nene?"

"For bodily purification and spiritual protection," Nene brushed her off with a stern look, shutting down any further questioning. Reluctantly, Nana complied.

Act X: The Root of the Madness

That evening, Mahmoudu managed to reach the Sultan in his relaxation area. Because of his access linked to Hammad, gaining entry wasn't difficult. Finding the Sultan alone made it easier to speak freely.

"Good evening, Sultan," Mahmoudu greeted respectfully.

"Good evening, Mahmoudu. How are you?"

"Alhamdulillah. I am here to request a favor, Sultan."

"I'm listening."

"Please, grant me permission to see Imam Hammad."

The Sultan sighed. "Hammad is unwell. Come with me and see for yourself."

Following the Sultan deep into Hammad's wing, they reached a locked room which the Sultan unlocked.

Looking at Hammad, who was writhing and choking like a sacrificial ram, the Sultan asked in distress, "Mahmoudu, tell me honestly: has Hammad ever gone mad like this? Did he ever exhibit this in Nigeria? Right now, if you approach him, he might strangle you. He hasn't eaten for days, just like this."

Mahmoudu looked horrified. "He fell ill with various things, but I've never seen him like this. I strongly suspect there is only one person who knows his triggers inside and out—someone who knows the unraveling thread of this illness."

"Who is that? Mahmoudu, we don't want our secret exposed!"

"If our secret were going to be exposed, she would have exposed it long ago. We need to bring Muhsin's mother here."

Puzzled, the Sultan asked, "I don't understand what you mean."

Mahmoudu spoke respectfully, "His wife—the one he lived with in Nigeria. Even I witnessed extraordinary phenomena between them after their marriage." He gestured toward Hammad, who was still convulsing and gagging.

The Sultan asked anxiously, "Has he been like this ever since then?"

The Sultan nodded. "He hasn't even touched water again. My mind is in complete turmoil, especially with Tafawa breathing down my neck over him. Come outside with me and explain everything clearly so I can understand."

Sitting down with Mahmoudu outside, the Sultan listened as Mahmoudu took a breath and began: "If I recall correctly, right after we returned from the opening of the Imam's restaurant in Maradi, you informed him about traveling to Damagaran to represent you at the royal summit in Zinder. I will never forget how heated the arguments over that trip were. During that period, he frequently told me that he felt a deep aversion to living in this country, feeling as though he were trapped inside an ongoing disaster..."

(BUZU BOOK 1 CONTINUED / BY AYSHACOOL)

Summary

In this intense continuation of Buzu Book 1, the political and psychological pressure surrounding Imam Hammad reaches a breaking point. When the Sultan attempts to enforce royal traditions by exiling Nana (Asma'u) and taking her child away, Hammad rebels fiercely, declaring his deep spiritual bond with her and threatening to abandon the throne and country entirely.

Concurrently, Asal discovers rumors of Hammad's secret wife and child, triggering a furious confrontation that pushes Hammad into a violent, supernatural physical collapse where his body convulses under burning agony. Meanwhile, outside the palace walls, tragedy strikes Doctor Sharif as his missing daughter Hafsa is found brutally murdered, while Shukura approaches labor in confinement. The book closes with Mahmoudu dropping a bombshell on the Sultan, revealing that the only person who holds the key to curing Hammad's mysterious psychiatric collapses is none other than Nana herself.

Description

• Genre: Hausa Royal Drama / Psychological Mystery / Supernatural Thriller
• Setting: Agadez Palace, Traditional Households, and Local Hospitals
• Core Conflict: The collision between rigid royal traditions, dark supernatural afflictions, and the unyielding bond between Imam Hammad and Nana.
• Key Turning Point: Hammad's violent physical breakdown after Asal's confrontation, and Mahmoudu advising the Sultan that Nana is essential to saving Hammad's life.

Analytics

• Escalation of Stakes: The narrative successfully blends micro-level personal tragedies (Doctor Sharif's devastating loss of Hafsa) with macro-level political crises (Tafawa's relentless pursuit of Hammad's disqualification).
• Character Psychological Profiles: Hammad's illness is reframed not merely as clinical madness, but as a deeply spiritual, somatic reaction tied to his separation from Nana, emphasizing her role as his spiritual anchor (waliyya).
• Structural Tension: The dual plotlines—the high-society palace maneuvering versus the gritty, tragic street-level realities (Shukura's captivity and Hafsa's murder)—create a rich, multi-layered dramatic pacing.

Comments

• Emotional Intensity: AyshaCool masterfully heightens emotional distress, portraying visceral scenes like Hammad's physical transformation and Doctor Sharif's collapse at the morgue with raw, gripping impact.
• Pacing: The chapters move briskly, balancing political intrigue with supernatural mystery and personal grief, keeping readers deeply invested in the unraveling secrets of the royal house.

Conclusions

• The Inevitability of Truth: The Sultan's attempts to bury scandal and enforce traditional exile are failing. Hammad's absolute refusal to submit proves that the royal house can no longer suppress the truth about his condition.
• Nana's Pivotal Role: Mahmoudu's confession confirms that Nana is not an outsider to be discarded, but the essential keystone required to heal Hammad, setting up high expectations for the next phase of the saga.

Keywords

• Imam Hammad
• Nana (Asma'u)
• Sultan Jalaludeen
• Tafawa Maleeka
• Mahmoudu
• Doctor Sharif
• Agadez
• Royal Secrets
• Hausa Fiction
• AyshaCool

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