Book Title: Yar ‘Fari
Author: A’aisha Abdulkareem
Publisher: Kraft Books
Year of Pub: 2020
Pages: 140
Reviewer: Dr. Omolola A. Ladele
Without equivocation, Nana Asma’u Dan Fodiyo and Queen Amina of Zazzau have bequeathed to their contemporary daughters and granddaughters what is, unarguably, an exciting and vibrant tradition of aesthetic compositions. Sani Abba Aliyu affirms that of all the literatures emerging from the region, women from northern Nigeria dominate the story-telling genre; because it is a form viewed as feminine (150). Northern Nigerian women writers are, broadly speaking, splintered in two significant categories. On the one hand, is the burgeoning group of educated writers of English language expression which include: Zaynab Alkali, Hauwa Ali, Bilqisu Abubakar, and, more recently— Eugenia Abu, Razinat T. Muhammed, Phebe Veronica Jatau, Asabe Kabir and now A’Aisha Abdulkareem. On the other hand, are the writers of the Litattafan Soyayya, tradition—these writers are minimally educated (or not at all) and mostly write in indigenous languages (mainly Hausa language). Blazing the trail in this ‘pulp’ category are: Hafsat Abdulwaheed, Balaraba Ramat Yakubu, and Bilkisu Funtuwa among several others. Also known as Kano market literature of the order of the Onitsha market literary tradition, Soyayya, according to Novian Whitsitt, reflects the rapid social change confronting Hausa society and positions itself as a voice offering new perspective on gender relations (137). Importantly, however, these two groups are simultaneously developing alongside each other, constantly pushing against known thematic and aesthetic boundaries.
The recent addition of A’Aisha Abdulkareem’s voice to the dynamic space of literature by women writers of northern Nigeria is, indeed, notable. The Ibadan based Kraft Publishers through its Kraftgriots’ series is, strategically positioned to offer fresh creative writers the opportunity of presenting to the reading Nigerian public a variety of new writings. Kraftgriots carries the voices of a wide range of writers of different hues, including: Niyi Osundare in The State Visit (2002), Bosede Funke Afolayan in Look Back in Gratitude (2013). In its fiction repository, Kraftgriots is creating the space for a wide corpus of writings by women and these include: Razinat T. Mohammed in Habiba (2013), Asabe Kabir Usman in Destinies of Life (2014), Diekara Oloruntoba-Oju in When Lemons Grow on Orange Trees (2016), Lola Akande in What it Takes (2016) and Where are You From? (2018) and recently, Kike Ojo in Fire in the Wind (2020).
A’Aisha seems to be following closely in the footsteps of Zaynab Alkali and Asabe Kabir Usman who are both university lecturers and creative writers, too. Particularly remarkable about A ’Aisha’s debut novel, Yar’Fari (2020), is that in its form and thematization, it appears to bestride the two significant traditions of women writers of northern Nigeria previously outlined above. While the novel takes on the romance style of the pulp literature of the Soyayya tradition, Teni’s life story is serious enough to be considered alongside the strong ones of the sisterhood – ‘Li’ in Alkali’s The Stillborn and Ama Ata Aidoo’s eponymous protagonist, Anowa, in her play by that name. In a powerful manner, A’Aisha pitches her voice with that of Teni and this enables her protagonist to contest, assiduously, for the future of her dreams.
In a telephone conversation with the novelist, A’Aisha reveals to me her keen interest in the ‘woman question’ especially within the heteronormative patriarchal context of northern Nigeria. Inhibitive cultural norms often complicated by the many restrictions of Islamic laws and traditions as well as the usually low educational exposure jeopardizes the realties and expectations of female children in northern Nigeria. These resonate with several other socio-economic thematisations peculiar to the region, such as wide-spread poverty and early/child marriages leading to failed marriages and debilitating medical conditions (obstetric fistula) resulting in rejection and stigmatization of the girls and young women. A’Aisha’s novel has come to further push the frontiers of this literary range; calling attention to the yar ‘fari tradition of the Ubare among the Fulani people.
Precisely, because the child that literarily opens the womb in typical Fulani cultural tradition signals a ‘loss of innocence’ and, therefore not to be openly associated with the first born child as soon as it is weaned, is surrogated to close relatives or even distant neighbours who may or may not be benevolent to such a child. Severed at the age of two from her biological parents, this is the fate of Teni, A’Aisha’s protagonist in her novel, Yar Fari. Life does not remain as simple as the cultural practice of yar ‘fari hopes it would be for all in a dynamic culture. Indeed, it creates the central conflictual tensions between self-perception/individuality and socio-cultural expectations as well as those between modernity and age-old cultural practices. Teni is thus literarily torn between tradition and her deep personal aspiration for a better life through education. And the author inscribes education as an argentic tool in this novel. At age thirteen, marriage to Abu is considered by tradition and her grandparents, the best option for Teni; a choice, which threatens to darken her horizon. Young as she is, Teni dare’s to be different and she is propelled by sheer zeal to take her destiny in her own hands, as made clear by the author:
To every young girl in Kwane, getting a good husband was the ultimate. This was what the society managed to instill in them, making them believe that marriage was the ultimate success in their lives and the fulfillment of their womanhood, subsequently followed by childbirth. The life circle of the girl-child is characterized by all these. Education had never had a room in this house of fulfillment. So, while every girl in Kwane village admired Teni, she thought differently that her idea of a fulfilled life was not in a marriage where she had no choice and say, but in a future where she could be a personality who had gone to study, speak the white man’s language and do the strange things they do…. (Yar Fari 18)
As it happens in the novel, Kabiru, Teni’s father, relocates to the city in search of the proverbial greener pastures while Teni remains with her maternal grandparents in the remote village of Kwane, pasturing cattle. But, the precocious protagonist has life ambitions beyond mere kiwo, kaya gara or lefe. This sets in motion the conflicting divergence between tradition and personal aspirations that circumscribe Teni’s life’s journey. Not having the luxury of growing up as playful, carefree and happy child, Teni is portrayed as a respectful, humble eight-year-old; seemingly burdened by multiple house chores. The author points to Teni’s lack of freedom quite early in her half sprint, half walk to answer grandfather’s call (7).
Although the novel, is in need of editorial emendations for some of its infelicitous errors of grammar, the plot is fast paced through fourteen chapters. The language of the novel is conversationalist; making it attractive to young readers. Unfolding in three clearly delineated settings, the plot follows the three-part structure of a typical romance. The story is initiated in the rustic rural setting of Kwame where the author captures the growing up years of Teni, her escapades with her friends – Uwa and Leema, and her personal, bitter struggles fighting early marriage as well as her eventual capitulation. The story moves to the city, where Kabiru gains some education, becomes a successful entrepreneur and lives a now prosperous life with his wives and several children without Teni. Strategically structured into the central chapters of the novel, the city is simultaneously transformative as well as transitory for both Kabiru and Teni. With Abu’s tragic death in the city university, Teni is able to negotiate her educational aspirations into reality. Here, Teni begins the processes of gaining her long sought for education. Here, she also integrates into and reconciles with her immediate family – finding love and acceptance with Husseina, her mother, Ameena (stepmother) and younger siblings. The distant United Kingdom is the metropole where Teni attains her high educational aspirations as a medical practitioner and finds love again in Imran. It is the place where the conflicts are resolved and the sweet ‘happy ever after’ ending is accomplished.
Works Cited
Aliyu, Sani Abba. ‘Hausa Women as Oral Storytellers in northern Nigeria’ in Stephanie Newell. Ed. Writing African Women: Gender, Popular Culture and Literature in West Africa. London: Zed Bks. 1997. 149-156. Print.
Whitsitt, Novian. “Islamic-Hausa Feminism Meets Northern Nigerian Romance: The Cautious Rebellion of Bilkisu Funtuwa” African Studies Review. Vol. 46: (1) April 2003. 137-153. Cambridge UP. Accessed 15th July 2020.
SHORT BIO
Dr. Omolola A. Ladele is a lecturer at the Department of English, Lagos State University, Ojo
Email: Omolola.ladele@lasu.edu.ng
