From my very first day in JSS1 at Federal Government College Kano, I swore to everyone that I did not understand a single syllable of Hausa. It was my ultimate boarding school hack my Dad had shared with me before leaving for school.
For five solid years, I was a walking intelligence agency. Seniors would sit on my bed and openly plot how to steal my provisions in Hausa. I would just smile, nod, and secretly relocate my milk to the ceiling. Juniors would fetch my water, look me dead in the eye, and insult my head shape in Hausa. I would just pat their backs and say "Thank you, good boy."
By SS2, I had gathered enough secrets to destroy the entire hostel. I always felt like a supreme chess player.
Then came a Saturday afternoon. A notoriously wicked JSS2 boy named Aminu had woken up late and used my morning bathing water. As punishment, I made him kneel down by my corner after I sent him to soak garri for me.
He brought the bowl. The water was ice-cold, the sugar was perfect, and the groundnut was generous. I sat on my bed and happily drank half of it.
Aminu was kneeling nearby serving his punishment. His friend crawled over to him. Aminu leaned in and whispered to his friend in raw, unapologetic Kano Hausa: "Wannan senior din dabba ne kawai. Na goge kasan kwanon nan da soson toilet kafin na dama mishi garin nan." ("This senior is a complete animal. I scrubbed the bottom of his bowl with my toilet sponge before mixing that garri")
My heart completely stopped. The garri was already sitting comfortably in my stomach.
I had exactly two choices: I could drop my bowl, strangle Aminu in fluent Hausa, and immediately blow my five-year undercover operation. The whole school would know I was a spy. Or, I could maintain my cover, smile like a total fool, and accept that I had just digested Aminu's shiiiit๐คค.
I looked at Aminu. He gave me a very bright, innocent smile.
I smiled back, swallowed hard, and handed him the remaining half of the garri.
"Good boy," I said in English.
"Ka shanye" (Oya drink it)
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