Akinde was a beautiful maiden who lived in a small village in the northern part of Nigeria. Her beauty shone so bright, one would say that even the sun envied her. All the young men wrestled and fought for her attention but she didn’t give them the chance. Young and old women envied her and some even accused her of being an aljanu (a spiritual being). She had no friends and so had no company whenever she went to the stream to fetch water
Her parents adored her for they considered her a blessing from God. She was so respectful and so made it difficult for anyone to find faults in her. She would cook and carry out all the house chores without complain. Akinde was not only outwardly beautiful but also an amazing singer and dancer. Every time there was an occasion, she was usually the first to be invited among the singers and dancers.
She was only interested in looking after her parents and siblings and as such paid no attention to suitors coming for her hand in marriage. Men, both young and old even warriors came from far and wide bearing all sorts of gifts but none could win her affection. This worried her parents especially her mum.
Then one sunny day, on her way to the stream, to fetch water, she had this feeling someone was following her but she ignored it and sang all the way to complete her mission. On her way back, under a mango tree stood a tall and handsome looking fellow. At first she was scared and almost dropped her pot but he beckoned on her not to be afraid. It was then she realized she hadn’t seen a ghost but a real human being.
Ande was a tall slender figure with a handsome face and well chiseled cheekbones. His eyes could be likened to the stars because it radiated so much in the sun that one could mistake him for a god. He was tall, not too tall and had a muscular physique you could tell he took great caution to keep fit. Another thing that caught her attention was the fact that he dressed differently and even spoke differently. When he tried talking to her, she ignored him because she had to rush home to complete her chores. On her way, all she could think of was this man whom she found quite strange. Thoughts of him filled her head all through that day and she couldn’t believe it for she had never for once had any such thoughts about anyone in her lifetime.
To her surprise, the next day the same young man was in her fathers compound along with his mother and uncle since he had lost his dad two weeks after he was born. She was stunned and all sorts of thoughts ran through her mind. She wondered what they were up to until her father told her that they were suitors and wanted her hand in marriage. She wanted to say no but she couldn’t for he had swept her off her feet right from the first time she set her gaze upon him and beheld his charming smile.
Things happened so fast and they were wed within a fortnight. They moved to the city were they lived for years in bliss. However, she couldn’t bear a child. They tried everything medically possible yet met a dead end each time. On one of their frequent visits to the village, Ande’s aged Aunt, on her sick bed, decided that all her daughters-in-law should prepare her a meal and whoever made the best, she would be reincarnated and come back as that person’s daughter. Everyone did all they could, to make the best meal, so that they’ll have the chance to give birth to her again because she was said to be very beautiful and wise even at her grey old age.
Iyataetistin (mother of white stone) as she was fondly called tasted their meals and spat each time but when she got to Akinde’s plate of soup, her face lit up with a smile and she nodded her head in pleasure while she devoured the contents of the plate. After she had finished eating, she asked Akinde to stretch forth her right her so that she could bless her. She spat into it and muttered some words. She told them that she would come back as Akinde’s daughter and that she would bring her tremendous luck.
Not long after Iya passed away, Akinde took in and months later, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She was named Iya because she bore so much resemblance with the late Iyataetitsin. Her parents loved her and showered her with so much gifts. Just as promised the child brought so much luck to her parents. Their businesses flourished and they became the richest family to come out their state. Years later, her father passed on, only a few days to her seventeenth birthday. Before his demise he wrote a will and stated that whoever married his daughter, that person will share in her inheritance.
Soon Iya became a woman herself but she just wasn’t lucky with relationships. All the men that came for her couldn’t hide their true intentions. She could see it clearly that they all wanted her because of the clause in her late father’s will. One fateful day in her usual frustration, she came up with an idea to disguise herself as a pauper. She went to a small village of farmers where nobody knew her. There would work on farms for menial sums. It wasn’t easy at first. Then one sunny day in the fields where she worked, she stumbled upon Musa. He was so friendly to her and even offered to help her finish her portion when he noticed how far behind she was on the job. Soon they became close friends and later got into a serious relationship.
For the first time in her life, Iya felt what true love was like. He he was so humble, so gentle and difficult to anger. He loved her dearly but was frustrated by the fact that she dodged all questions relating to lineage. After about two years of courtship, she told Musa she needed to make a quick trip because she got word that her dear mother had been sick and needed her attention at home. He offered to go along with her but she declined saying it she’d be back as soon as possible because she didn’t want to stay away from him for too long.
After about a week, to Musa’s greatest surprise he saw a convoy of five cars comprising of two Mercedes Benz G-Wagon and three Toyota Land Cruiser jeeps. People ran after them as this was new and amusing to the people because, it seldom happened in that part. He was more shocked when he discovered that they headed for his father’s compound. He stood still, frozen, with his mouth agape when the occupants of the vehicles alighted. When Iya stepped down from one of the Mercedes Benz cars, he couldn’t believe his eyes because it all seemed like a movie to him.
While in his bamboozled state, he noticed someone grab him. It was then he realized she was his own Iya. She told him of how she had planned everything and about her previous encounters with men. At this point words failed him but after Iya’s mother waded in and explained everything, he was able to understand her plight. From there, they agreed that a date should be fixed for a wedding.
Soon after they were married and moved into one of the mansions Iya’s late father left for her. The family lawyer came, read the will again and
made Musa of part of the family’s wealth.
Out of luck a person can come into unexpected wealth by way of inheritance
What a nice way to make a story unfold :) It was quite unexpected but it's beautiful :)
Young and old women envied her and some even accused her of being an aljanu (a spiritual being). She had no friends and so had no company whenever she went to the stream to fetch water
So sad for a beautiful lady.
The result of envy can be quite damaging. Beauty is a gift but some people will just hate you for being beautiful. Thank you for reading my story.
Greetings, @rimamty. Sometimes beauty and richness can become a drawback to finding selfless love. Thank you so much for telling this story, with traces of folk legend and for posting it on @theinkwell.
We look forward to seeing your interactions in support of the writings of fellow writers.