From compelling novels that delve into familial dynamics to poignant short story collections that capture the essence of everyday life, this curated book recommendation provides a glimpse into the multifaceted lives that shape the northern part of Nigeria.
Our recommendations contribute to a broader narrative, shedding light on the personal, historical, political, and socio-cultural issues that define this captivating region. These literary works also serve as windows into the complexities and nuances of life in this dynamic part of the country, offering readers an understanding of its people and challenges.
For our recommendations, read on.
CITY OF MEMORIES
Author: RICHARD ALI
Genre: FICTION
Richard Ali’s debut novel, City of Memories, follows Faruk Ibrahim, his father, his lover and her mother as they negotiate peculiar Nigerian traumas. Towering above them is the story of Ummi al-Qassim, a princess of Bolewa, and the feud, madness and death that attend her first love affairs. All four are bracketed by the modern city of Jos in central Nigeria, where political supremacy and perverse parental love become motives for ethno-religious crisis designed to destroy the Nigerian state.
THE STILLBORN
AUTHOR: ZAYNAB ALKALI
GENRE: FICTION
Regarded as a landmark in Nigerian literature, this book holds special significance. Zaynab Alkali is the first female novelist with a Muslim northern background. Her debut novel, The Stillborn, published in 1984, narrates the journey of Li, a thirteen-year-old girl with aspirations to break free from the monotony of her small village life and seek a new beginning in the bustling city. However, her plans take an abrupt turn when the demise of her father compels her to shoulder the responsibilities of her household. The novel revolves around Li’s experiences and her endeavors to assert her independence in the face of traditional family values, the prospect of marriage, and the allure of the city with its myriad offerings.
MEASURING TIME
AUTHOR: HELON HABILA
GENRE: FICTION
Mamo and LaMamo are twin brothers living in a small village in northern Nigeria, where their domineering father controls their lives. With high hopes, the twins attempt to flee from home, but only LaMamo escapes successfully and is able to live their dream of becoming a soldier who meets beautiful women. Mamo, the sickly, awkward twin, is doomed to remain in the village with his father. Gradually he comes out of his father’s shadow and gains local fame as a historian who embarks on the ambitious project of writing a ‘true’ history of his people. But when the rains fail and famine rages, religious zealots incite the people to violence—and LaMamo returns to fight the enemy at home. Measuring Time is a heart-wrenching story about the history of Nigeria, portrayed through the eyes of a single family.
SEASON OF CRIMSON BLOSSOMS
AUTHOR: ABUBAKAR ADAM IBRAHIM
GENRE: FICTION
In Abubakar Adam Ibrahim’s debut novel, an affair between 55-year-old widow Binta Zubairu and 25-year-old weed dealer, Reza, was bound to provoke condemnation in conservative northern Nigeria. Brought together in unusual circumstances, Binta and Reza faced a need they could only satisfy in each other. Binta—previously reconciled with God—now yearns for intimacy after the sexual repression of her marriage, the pain of losing her first son and the privations of widowhood. Meanwhile, Reza’s heart lies empty and waiting to be filled due to the absence of a mother. The situation comes to a head when Binta’s wealthy son confronts Reza, with disastrous consequences. This story of love and longing—set against undercurrents of political violence—unfurls gently, revealing layers of emotion that defy age, class and religion.
OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN AND OTHER STORIES
AUTHOR: CECILIA KATO
GENRE: FICTION
This collection of short stories captures the diversity of lives and experiences in northern Nigeria. ‘Other People’s Children’ and ‘Homeless’, two stories in this book, is about the helplessness of isolated communities that are ill-prepared to battle the insurgency in northern Nigeria. Stories such as ‘Habiba’s Triumph’ explores the phenomenon of forced marriages, even in literate families. ‘Broken Lives’ exposes the pain of broken relationships on college campuses. ‘The People’s Court’ is a reflection of people’s rush to Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, in search of greener pastures.
HABIBA
AUTHOR: RAZINAT T. MOHAMMED
GENRE: FICTION
Saleh’s love and respect for his mother, Hamsatu, is not only detrimental to his own life but also to that of his family. Hamsatu makes all the decisions in his life. At the age of thirteen, Habiba finds herself in a situation where her grandmother, Hamsatu, introduces Zubairu, a contemporary of her deceased husband, as a potential suitor. Although Saleh wishes to send all his children to school, a rainstorm renders him hopeless as his mother takes ill and eventually dies.
Following Hamsatu’s demise, Saleh’s financial downfall forces him to borrow money from the elderly Zubairu under the condition that failure to repay the loan would mean marrying Habiba to Zubairu. Habiba, caught in a difficult situation, not only bears the consequences of her father’s mistakes but also assumes responsibility for his abandoned wife and children by staying married to Zubairu, who offers assistance on the condition that she complies with his demands. Razinat Mohammed book explores the socio-cultural challenges faced by impoverished families in northern Nigeria, illustrating how parents are compelled to sacrifice their children’s educational aspirations for early marriages. Throughout the narrative, Mohammed captures the inner conflict of young Habiba, torn between conflicting emotions towards the adults who have caused her pain and her desire to seek retribution for her lost youth and ambitions.
STERILE SKY
AUTHOR: EMMANUEL E. SULE
GENRE: FICTION
As the gifted young Murtala comes of age in Kano, violent riots and his family’s own woes threaten to erase all he holds dear. Stalked by monsters real and imagined, desperate to preserve a sense of self and the future, Murtala hunts for answers in the wreckage of the city—and gives us a unique insight into modern life in northern Nigeria.