Summary

This excerpt from the Hausa novel "Ba Son Ta Nake Ba" (I Do Not Love Her) introduces the complex, accidental intertwining of two vastly different worlds through its main characters: Ummul-Khairi (Ummul) and Barrister Aliyu Ali Dikko.

• The Accidental Encounter: At the City Star Hotel in Kano, eighteen-year-old Ummul accidentally knocks over a stack of important documents belonging to Barrister Aliyu. As they both reach for the papers, their hands brush, sending a strange, inexplicable jolt through Ummul. In stark contrast, Aliyu quickly pulls his hand away, looking at her with disdain and judgment. Based on her tight-fitting clothes and appearance, he mentally dismisses her as a low-class prostitute. Flustered, Ummul apologizes with a trembling voice and flees.
• The Aftermath & Escape: Ummul runs back to her car where her older friend and roommate, Ameera (Ami), is waiting. Shaken and deeply affected by the encounter, Ummul insists they leave immediately, declaring she has met her "destiny" (referring to Aliyu). They drive to Hotoro and retreat to a room in a clandestine brothel/boarding house run by Anty Ladi. While Ami relaxes and smokes shisha, Ummul retreats into prayer, consumed by sudden, overwhelming feelings for a man who looked at her with utter contempt.
• Barrister Aliyu's Perspective: Meanwhile, Aliyu—exhausted from driving all the way from Abuja to Kano—settles into his hotel room. He receives an affectionate phone call from his doting wife, Basmah, whom he missed bringing along due to her work. Shortly after hanging up, he receives a sobering phone call from his respected mother, Ammi, who gently reprimands him for traveling to Kano without greeting his father or visiting his grandmother, Hajja.

• The Cliffhanger: Stricken with guilt over neglecting his family obligations, Aliyu hurriedly dresses in traditional attire to meet a colleague waiting for him downstairs. Just as he is about to leave, he discovers a strange black phone left behind in his room (belonging to Ummul) that is incessantly ringing with a call from "Sis Meerah." Driven by curiosity, he picks it up to answer.

  Description

"Ba Son Ta Nake Ba" is a gripping, emotional contemporary Hausa romance novel written by Autar Manya. The story explores themes of social class disparity, harsh judgments, unexpected love, repentance, and deep-seated emotional wounds. It juxtaposes the glamorous, professional life of a successful northern Nigerian lawyer against the dark, harsh realities of vulnerable young women caught in unfortunate life circumstances.

Analytics & Insights

• Title: Ba Son Ta Nake Ba (Tausayi Ne)
• Author: Autar Manya
• Setting: Kano State, Nigeria (specifically City Star Hotel and Hotoro)
• Main Characters:
  • Barrister Aliyu Ali Dikko: A wealthy, handsome, strict, and successful lawyer from Abuja with high standards and traditional values.
  • Ummul-Khairi (Ummul): An 18-year-old girl struggling with life circumstances who finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Aliyu.
  • Ameera (Ami): Ummul’s older friend and roommate.
  • Basmah: Aliyu’s loving wife.
  • Ammi: Aliyu’s morally grounded mother.
• Key Themes:
  • First Impressions vs. Reality: Aliyu judges Ummul strictly by her outward appearance at first glance, unaware of the emotional gravity she will hold in his life.
  • Family and Filial Duty: Highlighted through the interaction between Aliyu and his mother, emphasizing cultural and religious respect for parents.
  • Contrast of Worlds: The elite corporate hotel environment versus the hidden, gritty underbelly of informal settlements in Hotoro.