From the moment you approach the corner of the house, you start hearing the rhythmic pounding from the pestle and mortar, accompanied by the women's jubilant ululations typical of the lively madaka festivities. Some even whistle and laugh heartily, adding more vigor to the pounding of maize or millet for tuwo.
I entered the house to witness the bustling activity firsthand. There were around ten women, divided into groups, each group pounding in at least four mortars. Nearby, under the shade of a baobab tree, some older women sat chatting and selling condiments, while another woman tended to two paint buckets by her side. Next to her was a woman stirring something that looked like pasta in a large pot, sweating profusely from the heat of the fire she worked near. In another corner, children played gleefully in the sand.
Anyone unfamiliar with BABBAN GIDA in the town of Dilau might swear a wedding or naming ceremony was taking place. But this gathering was simply the residents of the house, with no men or older boys present. Some men had gone to the city in search of work, while a few were sitting in the village councils. The children were either running errands or engrossed in their own activities.
Explaining the relationships among the residents of this house might be challenging, as it includes children, grandchildren, and in-laws, all interconnected.
Malam Buhari also resides in this house and is a part of this extended family. He has three wives and ten children. His first wife, Yalwa, often called Baba Yalwa, has five children: three sons and two daughters. The sons, being the eldest, are all married, and their wives live in the house as well. His second wife, Dahara, has only one surviving daughter, Ummukulsoom. Dahara had several other children, but they all passed away shortly after birth. Unfortunately, Dahara herself died while giving birth, when Ummukulsoom was just three years old. His youngest wife, Asabe, has four children: three daughters and one son, who is the youngest of all.
