SHORT FORM PITCH
The Innocent Girl is an African novel about terrorism, theology and rivalries between teenagers in The Gambia in a village call Sotokoi. The duo both migrated to The Gambia as a result of war and terrorism in their various countries of origin- and each is a royalty belonging to different religions; Cheikh Tijan- a Muslim genius born as an imbecile fell in love with Marry F Yagga— a beautiful Christian lass, whose looks can only be liken to that of the sun as it burns from her sparkling long blonde hair, eyes like a three-month-old pregnant cat.
Will their rivalry last? Who'll respond by deciding to secure his/her throne ? One must be converted to another’s religion to be able to rule. As the months died down a little, their enmity only grows into true love, with the death of Malick— a husband to Amie and the father of Cheick Tijan.
Will Mary love an imbecile or convert to Islam for the sake of love? Following her bitter encounter with him, the duo later got married and formed allied forces which defeated a third party terrorist group. There in the ensuing battle of terrorism, Mary lost her precious life having ended terrorism in Africa, and the world at large, only to give the ghost out for eternity. Peace restored in Sotokoi, democracy flourish in streams in Africa-- as Mary’s legacy is left to be told to generations yet unborn.
INTRODUCTION
The Innocent Girl tells the story of a genius born an imbecile, his name Cheikh Tijan, in a family of Gambian descent. His parents, Malick and Amie both are so honored for their orderliness in the village of Sotokoi.
They each lived their lives so honored and religious that in the entire village of Sotokoi, only a child who was an imbecile, knew that Malick is a genius and man of God.
And when he heard about a mutiny in the village; he ran to stop the crowd from witnessing the disgrace of their leader. Ironically, the imbecile stood in the midst of the crowd and declared to them that Malick is a genius of God and must not be disgraced in public.
After everyone having known the truth for the first time, Malick prayed two-rakaats in public-and took a quick exit inside the forest; and was never seen again.
Three weeks later, on a faithful Friday night, Amie gave birth to a son born an imbecile-named Cheikh Tijan. As the years weave themselves into years, the months grew tall and taller, one fine day, Cheikh Tijan at the age of 7, gathered all the children in the village of Sotokoi and divided them into groups.
" It is Ramadan again, as usual, we must remain steadfast in our worship and prayers, and we must give alms to the poor and the needy", said Cheikh Tijan.
The children scattered in respect to his command, except one child-, her name Mary. She declared that she will not comply with such a foolish command.
Mary is another gifted child, her looks, like an angel; tall, fair, slim and beautiful— she is just the combination of beauty, and sweet plus delicious.
She ruled all the Christian jinns and human beings in the village of Sotokoi. Mary F Yanga is at the empathy of the story, but her storyline is intermingled with moments from each of her family’s life as a Christian and heir to the throne of Israel, she raises the dust of frivolity and carrying her army with her- tearing the skies and casted darkness all over the world.
She has been so much spoken about for her miracles and bravery, setting examples and fortified with spiritual powers. But Cheikh Tijan doesn’t easily react to decisions like that without secondly and thirdly giving them the chance to re-think on matters.
PART ONE: THE UNEXPECTED BIRTH OF A GENIUS
A translucent gossip and a luminous joy brought along the news of childbirth, long chit chatted in gossips that AMIE is a barren woman; whose marriage to MALICK, has only caused him doom and decadence. In MALICK, boredom and apathy never sought refuge; he is very humble to a fault and in him lays modesty and content.
MALICK was amongst the most pious Muslims the world has ever born. His friends sometimes tease at him for praying before the actual time.
It got to an extent that he was said to be the clock to Muslims in their congregation, anytime he was absent; they'd know that it was time to pray any of the Five Daily prayers made compulsory on Mankind.
Unlike his wife, AMIE— in whose forehead is clearly written the inscription;
‘’Laa-illaha-illallah’’ (There is no god but Allah).
He loves AMIE to the depth of his heart and cared for her as one. As the World Trade Center was demolished , the grey air whistled with darkened sky masking the village of Sotokoi into a scary prediction of unexpected rain of global financial crisis. AMIE suddenly felt the complaining of her womb being seasoned enough to undergo the pain of labor she must taste painfully. Her husband in whose imagination thought it’s untimely and risky to let her be alone—had to burn his fingers at the kitchen- hoping pessimistically to see another miscarried.
He talks to himself while preparing lunch for his beloved and only wife. Caring AMIE who was so amazed that her lovely husband got inside the kitchen for the first time, amazingly stood at the door watching her husband mixing the food with full bulks of onions and tomato-fruits.
She laughed the jaw of her teeth out hilariously, and stopped him from doing the attempt. MALICK looked at her with the corner of his eyes-and busted into a romantic laughter of joy and seduction.
‘This is not how its done my love’, said Amie.
‘’Do you think you can cook more than me? Please, save yourself from sweating and rest let me cook a very delicious lunch for you," uttered Malick.
Love is beautiful when two people are into it together with the same taste and expectation.
'You know I want our first child to be born happy and healthy. But sweetheart, at least, let me help you. Did you put some salt in it?’, Amie asked in a less politely manner.
‘Yes I did’, murmured MALICK- sighing with love in his eyes and biting all his nails out of affection for Amie.
'In thirty minutes time, lunch will be served to you, darling', MALICK responded .
Amie suddenly felt some pain in her abdomen. Could this be another bad omen
(miscarriage) for her? She's had 7 miscarriages in the past seven years.
‘But honey, it’s almost two o’clock now. They’ve called the Azhan. Why not go and pray? I'll be fine,’ Amie said while trying to hide away her pain.
'Oh! You are right. Let’s perform ablution and pray, and later we can eat lunch', declared MALICK.
The duo held each other’s hand with connectivity of lovely emotional cables of joy and affection, and then left the kitchen for prayers.
Having eaten lunch and prayed, as African tradition rest in the hands of the elders— the moment of traditional hey days sometimes provoke MALICK to embark on a prompt visit to olding-day places. He enjoys chatting with friends whilst preaching them about the oneness of Allah and His powers.
It’s always enjoying and relaxing under the old Soto tree in Sotokoi Daru, where the elders usually meet to preach each other and discuss on the future of the generations yet unborn.
As the elders were seated and fixed their God-fearing sights on the pages of the Holy Qur’an given to them by Malick, to interpret a verse in Surah Al-Mulk; Saffiatou Sani Moumouni, the daughter of late ALH. MUSA MOUMOUNI— got her long blonde hair neatly combed, wore a very short dress, shining in her pure blackness of African beauty, and smelling like a rose flower innocently abandoned in a bottle of angelic bar and restaurant-- adding to the heavy perfume she wears, including the way and manner she was walking mercilessly and shaking her God given skinny balloons attached to her back,- obviously stroke temptation into the nostrils of the elders and gave them a three- week old freshly common-cold.
DAWDA who could not hold himself anymore, had to exclaimed a word when Saffie's manners couldn’t be left unspoken as she pass by.
' Saffiatou! Did your mother see you when you were going out? In fact, where are you going by this time of the day?' Said Dawda.
‘Sorry for not greeting you, my elders’, replied SAFIATOU.
‘I am heading to a friend’s compound nearby’, she uttered and sighing to herself.
'Oh kids of nowadays! Is this not— ehh—I mean; look at your back, SAFFIATOU— I was told that when we approach the end of the world, women will be walking nakedly in the streets. And this has already started; I've never seen such a seductive dress like this since I was born. Go back to your mother and tell her to answer to the elders of Sotokoi immediately, and make sure you undress this disgrace you are wearing. Am I understood?
‘’Oh yes father!’’, replied SAFFIATOU.
'If your father was alive, you will not have the courage, and not even the madness to walk nakedly in the street', said MALICK sarcastically.
Saffiatou walked away in tears and faded from the distance. 'You are quite right. I wonder the kind of generation we will have in years to come. Why are the religious leaders not preaching people on this, but rather rallying behind politicians?' Added Dawda.
Silence controlled their conscience towards Saffie for few minutes before one of them said what he saw in a dream last night.
'MALICK, I must tell you what I dreamt about yesterday. I envisioned your wife gave birth to a star, said Amadou Bah.
'I also did exactly', said OUSTAS TOURAY. Before Malick could respond to them; one of them added:
‘I also had the same dream’ seconded by Pa- Tijan and Abdullah in toto .
'But how comes you all had the same dream?' MALICK responded.
JANKO SOLO, the eldest man in the village of Sotokoi was asked to ask the oracle using his bead and quoting verses from the Holy Qur’an. Few minutes later, he sniveled bitterly- hugging MALICK and declared that the child long awaited in prayers has finally arrived. But sadly, MALICK, the father will not witness his naming ceremony.
Another silence was broken under the Soto tree for nearly three minutes, before MALICK could summon his holy courage and uttered that every soul that taste life must taste death. He then ordered that if dies, let them take good care of his son and place him on the path of ‘Idhidina-siratal-mustaquiim’ ( on the straight Path). He gave his holy Qur’anic book to JANKO SOLO the eldest man, and pleaded that let him give it to his son and educate him as well.
Suddenly, SAFFIATOU with her mother SATOU, approached them with a very large crowd, raising the dust to its height with the aim of disgracing MALICK in public.
The vexation and utterly shame SAFFIATOU brought to her mother’s ears, could not left the villagers from assembling under the old Soto tree to witness her encounter with MALICK.
In the entire village of Sotokoi, only a child who was considered an imbecile knew that MALICK is a genius and a man of Allah, and when he actually heard about the mutiny; he ran hurriedly to the place to stop the crowd from witnessing the disgrace and argument.
Ironically, the imbecile stood in the midst of the crowd and declared to them that MALICK is a genius of God and must not be disgraced in public.
' Oh my beloved people, do not argue with him, I beg you in the name of God', said the imbecile.
After everyone knowing the truth for the first time that MALICK was a saint, he felt ashamed and prayed two-rakaats in public, took a quick exit inside the forest and was never seen again.
Three weeks later, on a faithful Friday night, Amie gave birth to a son born an imbecile. The elders agreed that the following week Friday shall be the naming ceremony of the child. That very night, AMIE placed her baby on the bed and was in the kitchen boiling some herbs; she saw a lion sitting on her bed with her son. She was frightened and couldn’t shout. The lion told her to take good care of her son.
'I am the king of the jungle and a day will come, your son will rule both the jungle and the land', the lion gave his wish and left. AMIE sat in her bedroom in amazement; she offered prayers to Allah to protect her child from the evils. The following day also, the world’s most beautiful woman my eyes have ever seen dressed in white-gown, her hair like coal and her eyes flashing thunder and lightning of smiles, got into AMIE’S bedroom at late night.
AMIE wanted to shout out for help, but the lady told her not to. She told AMIE that God created both Men and Jinns purposely to worship Him, and amongst them are some who believe and others who don’t.
‘I am a believer and I have come to represent the king of the Jinns and to give our blessings to your son, she gave AMIE a holy Qur’an and voiced out that it must be given to CHEIKH TIJAN, her son at the age of seven.
On the day of the naming ceremony of the child, the elders unanimously named him CHEIKH TIJAN ( meaning the scholar).
Years got seasoned into reasons and CHEIKH TIJAN became quite different from normal children in their childhood. He is always taken away from his mother every Friday by the jinns. One fine day, when he was strapped on his mother’s back inside the forest of Sotokoi; his mother saw a very big snake on her way from fetching some firewood.
AMIE shouted out for help and threw the bundle of wood she was carrying on her head. When CHEIKH TIJAN couldn’t bear seeing his mother in fear, and as young as he was at the age of three--he managed to unstrapped himself from his mother’s back, walked up to the snake - held its tail at once , and leave it. Suddenly, the snake bow down to him and uttered the word ‘Laa-Illaha-Illallah’ (There is no god but Allah).
( to be continued ).
Note: I've already written this book but am re-writing it. Looking forward to receiving your comments on areas to improve. See you here next week Friday!
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