She gently opened her room’s door, filled with tranquility and a sense of peace, knowing she had interrupted her sleep in the middle of the night to seek the mercy and favor of her Creator, who had granted her life and well-being. Despite the stillness that accompanies her nighttime awakenings, she felt secure as Allah always dispelled her fears. Though their house was a large, expansive building surrounded by greenery and adjacent to the Gembulan River in Taraba State, which curved around the house like a "C," it was just the two of them living in this grand home.
Even though the distance between her room and her grandson Modibbo’s side of the house was quite significant, they always filled the house with the remembrance of Allah, which brought them complete peace and serenity.
She exhaled slowly, adjusted her wrapper, and tightened her grip on the small water pot she held. Closing her eyes gently before opening them again, she felt a soothing breeze caress her, filling her with tranquility, peace, and happiness. Turning westward, she observed the moon’s descent, signaling that night had fully fallen. The moon, in its eleventh night, indicated it was around two or one-thirty in the morning. Glancing eastward, she looked at the distant door of Modibbo’s suite, surrounded by lush flowers.
The architectural design of the house was unique, akin to special structures found in western countries. The large house boasted extensive grounds. Near the main gate was a spacious area capable of accommodating six cars without them touching each other. By the gate was a room with a small bathroom inside, along with a veranda indicating it was meant for the gatekeeper, though it was currently unoccupied.
Around the house, there were tall, majestic mango trees with dense dark green leaves, neatly lined along the fence, and underneath them were beautifully colored flowers in blue, red, and yellow. Between the courtyard and the inner part of the house was another wall with a small gate, also wide enough for cars to pass through. Inside this wall, date palm trees lined the surroundings, with mango and guava trees, and a cactus plant (Tsada) on the inside. To the left was a space where two cars could be parked comfortably. On the right side was a narrow path bordered by flowers leading to Modibbo’s part of the house. This part of the house was raised, though not a multi-story building, it had an elevated design. First, there was a spacious veranda with shiny tiles, with seven wide steps leading up to it. On both sides of the veranda were railings made of beautiful silver, with pots of flowers underneath.
Upon reaching the top of the veranda, if you looked back, you could see the Gembilan River stretching out, surrounded by riverside plants. Inside Modibbo’s part of the house was a large living room with elegant furniture, curtains, and lighting fixtures, all in white, with a touch of sky blue, making you feel as if you were floating in the sky. There was also a dining area, a kitchen, and a spacious corridor with a bedroom on each side. Near the living room entrance was another medium-sized bedroom.
The living room was filled with flowers, reflecting the owner’s love for serenity, calm, and fragrance. The windows were large, almost reaching the floor, allowing a view of the river from inside. Behind Modibbo’s section was a large, beautiful garden with fragrant flowers and a swimming pool with chairs in each corner, and a bed on either side. This design exuded a sense of purity and tranquility.
Connecting Modibbo’s part of the house to the inner part was a path surrounded by plants, leading to a single room where his grandmother, Innayi, lived, saying she had enough of worldly life. Next to her room was a traditional kitchen, and outside the house, she refused to have a bathroom inside, fearing the smooth tiles might cause her to slip. Modibbo had to respect her preference for everything traditional, even though he wanted to modernize it.
However, she agreed to his plan of surrounding the area with plants and laying down a soft Turkey carpet in her room, making everything appear like a royal chamber with an abundance of plants. Adjacent to her room, on the left side of Modibbo’s section, was a slightly elevated area covered with a traditional thatched roof. Inside were four beautiful chairs with a table in the middle, and a traditional Gembilan raised platform for lighting a fire to mitigate the cold they often experienced.
ALLAH had blessed Modibbo with abundant prosperity, and whatever he planted thrived. (This was Modibbo’s domain).
Innayi took a deep breath as she finished surveying the courtyard and the interior of the house, despite the absence of moonlight or starlight, due to the dense clouds covering the sky.
