Air force Secondary School,
P.M.B. 32162,
Ikeja,
Lagos.
16th May, 2002.
Dear Mother,

I am writing with a mixture of sadness and joy. I am happy because I received your letter after a long break in communication and sad because of your decision to disallow my sister, Meimuna to marry Nasiru, her choice simply because he belongs to a different ethnic group from ours.
The main aim of writing you this letter is to tell you to reconsider your decision about not allowing Meimuna to marry the man of her choice. Firstly, I would like to tell you that I have met Nasiru. Although it was Meimuna who introduced him to like me, he appeared calm reserved and composed. He was very jovial and he told us a lot of jokes. I would sincerely like to tell you, Mum, that I like him very much. Whenever we were at home, he was always taking us to one place or the other. I think he is a good man amiable in character, well-reserved and kind. He socialises with other people very well despite the fact that he comes from the Southern part of the country.
Secondly, apart from the fact that I like him, he is also a Muslim and he is very religious. You once told us that If we are to marry anybody, the most important criterion should be that such person must be a pious muslim. Nasiru is a very religious man who knows how to take care of a woman and I can tell you that Meimuna is a very lucky lady to have a man like Nasiru.
Thirdly, Nasiru is from a very good family. The problem here is that you simply don't want Meimuna to marry Nasiru because he is a Yoruba man. Mum, you are being tribalistic and your tribalism is not helping anybody at all. His parents are very nice, understanding, caring and well-to-do. The way they welcome Meimuna whenever she visits them is always very cordial. It is as if Meimuna is their long lost daughter.
Moreover, Meimuna is threatening to elope with Nasiru, if you refuse to give her your blessing. Don't you want to be there when your daughter is getting married? Do you want your daughter to get married without your blessing? Don't you also believe that Meimuna is old enough to know what she wants and how to get it? Mum, I implore that you should please reconsider your decision and allow Meimuna to get married to Nasiru, because at the end of the day, everybody will be miserable and sad if you refuse to oblige her request.
Finally, if you allow them to get married, you will be bringing two different tribes together, all for a better Nigeria. This is what we need in Nigeria today. We should even encourage more inter-ethnic marriages so as to achieve unity and harmony in the country. Mum, I think you should start on this path by allowing Meimuna, your daughter to marry Nasiru, a Yoruba man.
Send my regards to the whole family and also to my friends. I'm wishing them all the best.
Yours sincerely,
Hadiza