Long ago, in a small village nestled among the green hills and flowing rivers of Uganda, there lived a very hardworking man named Musoke. Musoke worked tirelessly on his farm, growing bananas and millet. One day, he traveled to a distant village to find a wife. There, he met a beautiful woman named Nakiwala. They fell in love and got married, and Nakiwala moved to Musoke’s village.
The couple was very happy together, and their love grew stronger each day. After some time, they were blessed with a beautiful baby girl. They named her Njabala, a name that meant “one who brings joy.” Njabala grew up surrounded by the lush landscape of their village, playing among the banana trees and splashing in the rivers.
Musoke and Nakiwala were devoted parents. They worked hard to provide for Njabala and teach her the values of their culture. The whole village admired their family and often spoke of their happiness and hard work. Njabala, with her bright smile and curious nature, brought joy not only to her parents but also to everyone in the village.
At a tender age of 16, Njabala was already the most beautiful girl in the village. Her parents loved her so much because she was all they had. They gave her everything she asked for but it was her mother in particular that never wanted her to do any housework.Traditionally, girls of that age would fetch water, cook and even wash utensils but Njabala did nothing because her mother didn’t let her. Woman carrying a baby Njabala grew up in a life of bliss.
Her mother, especially, showered Njabala with love and care. She protected her from the harsh realities of life, never letting her lift a finger to do any house chores. While other girls her age fetched water and cooked meals, Njabala was free to roam and play.
But life has a way of throwing unexpected twists. One day, Njabala’s father, a hunter who roamed the forests in search of game meat, vanished without a trace. The village searched high and low, but he was nowhere to be found. Heartbroken, Njabala’s mother fell ill and passed away soon after, leaving Njabala an orphan.
The village elders decided it was time for Njabala to marry and so they arranged a union with a man named Mubiru. Excited yet nervous, Njabala entered her new home, only to discover she was the third wife to her husband, who already had two other wives.
At first, Njabala’s co-wives welcomed her with open arms, making her feel at home. But soon, the honeymoon phase faded, and Njabala found herself facing a frightening reality: she didn’t know how to do any household chores. Her attempts at cooking resulted in burnt food, and her gardening efforts were a mess.
Her husband grew frustrated, As a result her husband got angry with her and beat her while her co-wives laughed at her misfortunes. Njabala felt lost and alone, longing for her mother’s guidance. In her hopelessness, she cried out to her mother’s spirit, pleading for help.
To her surprise, her mother’s ghost appeared, gently urging Njabala to learn and grow. With renewed determination, She taught Njabala the importance of learning life skills and taking responsibility for herself while doing all the gardening work for . With her mother’s help with the gardening, and guidance, Njabala began to work hard and learn from her mistakes. She realized that she had to rely on herself and not wait for others to do things for her.
The following days became brighter for Njabala. Her husband thought his disciplinary action towards Njabala had worked and he was so pleased for the garden looked so nice. He went home and thanked her, gave her presents and she became his favorite.
Not for long though. One day, however, a relative of Njabala’s husband saw what was happening. She went and said to Mubiru. “You know what? The food we eat in this house is grown by a ghost.
Mubiru said, “Oh dear, Oh dear!” The next day, he went and hid in the garden. When Njabala arrived, she called out as usual.
Mamma, Mother-of-twins!
It’s you who used to spoil me Come and dig.
The ghost came and began to dig as it sang:
Njababla Njabala njabala tolinsanza muko Njabala -( Njabala,Njabala, Njabala, don’t let your husband find me)
Njabala. Abakazi balima bati, Njabala -(This is how women plough, Njabala)…
and she went on to show Njabala the “hows” of housework.
But suddenly, Mubiru leapt out of his hiding and dealt his mother-in-law’s ghost a big blow with his stick. The ghost disappeared immediately. Njabala was almost fainting with shame and shock. Mubiru said to her angrily, “So this is what’s been happening? You’ve been feeding us on food grown by a ghost?”
Realizing the gravity of her situation, Njabala vowed to change. She threw herself into learning more, determined to prove herself capable. With time and effort, she mastered the art of cooking, gardening, and household chores.
Her transformation didn’t go unnoticed. Her husband, impressed by her newfound skills, praised her efforts and treated her with kindness. Njabala had come full circle, from a sheltered girl to a strong, independent woman.
And so, Njabala’s story teaches us the importance of resilience, self-reliance, and the value of learning life skills. No matter what challenges we face, with determination and perseverance, we can overcome them and emerge stronger than before.
