Hafsat Abdulwaheed
Hafsat Abdulwaheed Ahmed | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 5, 1952 Kano City, Kano State, Nigeria |
| Occupation(s) | Author, poet, women's rights advocate |
| Years active | 1960s–present |
| Known for | First female Hausa novelist from Northern Nigeria |
| Notable work | So Aljannar Duniya, Yardubu Mai Tambotsai, Nasiha ga Ma'aura, Namijin Maza Tauraron Annabawa, Ancient Dance |
Hafsat Abdulwaheed Ahmed (born May 5, 1952) is a distinguished Nigerian author, poet, and advocate for women's rights. She holds the distinction of being the first female Hausa novelist from Northern Nigeria. Hafsat originates from the Kofar Mata district in Kano City, Kano State, Nigeria.
Early life
Hafsat was born in 1952 and primarily composes her works in the Hausa language. Her writing journey began during her primary education. She attended Shahuci Primary School followed by Provincial Girls School—currently known as Shekara Girls Secondary School—in Kano State. In 1966, she married Muhammed Ahmed Abdulwaheed. By the early 1970s, she had made history as the first Hausa woman to publish a novel. In the 2000s, she aspired to run for governor in Zamfara State. Throughout her career, she has written over thirty books, with five officially published. Her eldest daughter is Kadaria Ahmed, a professional journalist.
Writing career
Hafsat Abdulwaheed’s literary activities commenced in primary school, where she crafted folktales and received accolades, including recognition from the British Council. In 1970, she submitted So Aljannar Duniya ("Love is Paradise on Earth"), a novel written while she was in primary five, to a contest held by the Northern Nigerian Publishing Company (NNPC). Motivated by her older sister’s experiences with intercultural marriage difficulties, Hafsat revised and refined the manuscript before entering it.
This novel, her most acclaimed work, secured second place and is regarded as foundational to contemporary Hausa romantic literature, known as Littattafan Soyayya or "Love Books," also referred to as "Kano Market Literature." Scholars Abdallah Uba Adamu and Graham Furniss have remarked that it "really set the world alight to [Hausa] love-story writing."
Additional published titles include Yardubu Mai Tambotsai ("Yardubu the Possessed" - fiction), Nasiha ga Ma'aura (a non-fiction advisory for married couples), Namijin Maza Tauraron Annabawa (a biography of Muhammad), along with her debut English poetry anthology titled Ancient Dance.
Politics
Abdulwaheed has been involved with Baobab, an organization dedicated to advancing women's rights in Nigeria. Following Nigeria’s transition to democracy in 1999, Baobab observed that no women were appointed to the cabinet of Zamfara State, where Hafsat resided. When the state governor claimed that no woman in Zamfara possessed sufficient education for such roles, she publicly disputed this assertion by highlighting the qualifications of her own daughters.
Intent on pursuing the governorship herself, Hafsat encountered considerable resistance. Prevailing Northern cultural traditions discouraged female participation in political leadership. Her candidacy was denounced by Muslim clerics, and her political party declined to endorse her campaign. Ultimately, following counsel from her father, she withdrew from the race despite having prepared campaign materials.