Quaco had also sold Kente cloth, the Cloth of Kings once worn only by Ghanaian royalty, and knockoff apparel, but Jean-Paul’s Kente cloth, excellently woven by his wife Isia, put him out of business. Quaco’s cheap prints could not compete with her hand-woven work. As he continued on his way, the Imam recalled Quaco’s involvement with the ‘Nigerian scam.’ He had been outraged when he had learned how Quaco used the computers at the library to send emails in search of victims who would believe he was a Nigerian military ruler seeking a connection to help deposit money in a United States bank. Quaco promised a generous reward in return for various fees connected with the transaction. The Imam called him to the Mosque and demanded that he repent and change his ways.

The Imam got to the Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market, located on 116th Street near the intersection with Malcolm X Boulevard. The market was identified by two multi-coloured minarets set atop green pillars that flanked the entrance corner. He was greeted by the spicy scent coming from the hundred and sixty open stalls. The vendors were dressed in their native attire and most were fluent in English, although others were more comfortable in a native tongue that could be Wolof, Igbo, Ewe, or Fulani.

As he made his way down the aisle towards Isia, he stopped to greet a craftsman from Côte d’Ivoire seated on a stool and selling bolts of Ndop fabric from Cameron and silvery Barkcloth made from fig trees in Uganda. In the next stall, he greeted a woman from Liberia who sold rare brown mud cloth from Mali and hand crafted teak sculptures, earrings, silver necklaces and cowry shells.

Isia sat upright and deftly wove wefts of coloured fabric through a rare vertical loom, imported from Ghana, to produce Kente cloth.

“Bonjour, Imam,” she said. “As-salamu alaikum.”

“Wa alaikum salam,” the Imam said. “Has there been any news of your husband?”

“Non,” she said. “I hear nothing from police. They worse than the police in Dakar.”

The Imam felt the frustration in her voice. “It is in the hands of Allah.”

“I believe Allah has chosen you to find him. C’est bon.”