Dije is just a regular girl living in a small village in Mani, Katsina. Her life is very simple and quiet. She spends her days helping her mother, Inna, with chores around the house. One morning, Inna calls out to her because it is almost time to cook, and they need some things from the market. Dije is busy looking for her hijab. It is an old white one that has faded over time, but that is what she has. She finally finds it and starts heading out. Her mother warns her to be fast because her father, Baffa, will soon be home, and he expects his food to be ready. You can tell right away that Baffa is the kind of father who doesn't play when it comes to his house rules.
As Dije walks down the road, she is just minding her own business. But then, she hears someone calling her name from behind. It is Habu. As soon as she realizes it is him, a big smile grows on her face. Habu is that guy in the village who clearly has a crush on her. He calls her "Manya mata," which is like saying she is a very important or special woman. They start talking, and it is all very sweet and innocent. They laugh and joke as they walk. Habu even insists on walking her all the way to where she is going to buy the food items. This is the kind of sweet village romance that makes you smile while reading. If you love stories that show how life is in the village, you should check out more on Taskar Novels.
While they are walking, Habu decides to pay for everything Dije needs to buy. She tries to say no, but he insists. When she gets back home, she is still in a very good mood. She is smiling and even forgets to say the normal "Assalamu Alaikum" when she enters the house. Her mother, Inna, notices this immediately. You know how mothers are, they can see right through you. Inna asks her why she is smiling like that and where she got the money since she didn't use the one Inna gave her. Dije tries to act like nothing happened, but she eventually tells the truth. One part of the book says — "I believe you Dije, but you must keep your dignity. You know even a small thing is enough for people in this village to start spreading rumors." (translated from Hausa). This shows how careful girls have to be in a place where everyone is watching them. It also shows that Baffa is very strict and would not be happy if he knew Dije was standing around talking to a boy.
Inna is worried because she knows that people in the village love to talk. She knows that if anyone sees Dije and Habu together, it will become a big story. But Dije tells her mother not to worry. She says she will never do anything to bring shame to the family. They both know that Baffa is the boss of the house and his word is final. This part of the story reminds me of the drama in UMARNIN SAURAYI where the rules of the house are very important. Dije goes back to her work, but you can tell her mind is still on Habu and the nice time they had. You can find many more best Hausa novels that talk about this kind of village life.
Then, the story shifts completely and takes us to Lagos. The atmosphere here is totally different from the village. In Lagos, we meet Ammar. He is a very successful man, and he is always busy with his work. We see him sitting with his laptop, looking very tired and stressed. He has so many papers to go through, and he is trying to finish everything before a big meeting the next day. This is where we see the other side of the title Hafsat Hafsy baby chose for this book. Ammar’s wife, Feena, is a very modern woman. She is pregnant, and she wants all of Ammar’s attention. She doesn't care that he is working; she just wants him to focus on her and the baby.
Feena comes into the room wearing very expensive and tight clothes. She puts her hand on Ammar's shoulder and starts complaining. She tells him that he needs to rest and spend time with her. Ammar is trying to be a good husband, but he is also trying to be a good businessman. He tells her he has been working on these papers for three days. But Feena knows how to get what she wants. She starts acting all sweet and tells him that their baby needs his warmth. It is a very tense moment because you can see Ammar is torn between his responsibilities and his wife's demands. This kind of relationship drama is something you see a lot in books like TATTALIN SO or MABARACIYAH.
Ammar finally gives in and closes his laptop. He follows Feena to the bedroom, but things don't go smoothly. When he tries to get close to her and show her love, she suddenly changes. She pushes him away and starts acting very cold. She tells him she is not in the mood and that she is tired of him always wanting the same thing. Ammar is shocked. He is her husband, and he feels he has rights, but Feena is not having it. She even says something very harsh about not wanting to be treated like a "jaka" or a slave. This is a big fight, and it shows how much tension there is in their marriage. Ammar ends up going to the bathroom to pour cold water on his head just to calm down. He is frustrated and confused by how his wife behaves.
Even though Feena was mean to him, Ammar still finds it hard to stay angry at her. He goes back to the living room and finds her watching a movie. She tells him she is hungry and wants him to go to a restaurant to get her some food. Instead of staying mad, he asks her if she wants to go with him. She says yes, but she dresses in a way that would make many people talk. She puts on tight clothes and a very small scarf that doesn't really cover anything. They drive to a restaurant, and this is where the real drama happens. While they are sitting and eating, a random girl walks up to their table. This girl is very bold. She starts flirting with Ammar right in front of Feena! She calls him "handsome guy" and asks for his phone number.
Feena does not just sit there and watch. She is a very jealous woman. Before the girl can even finish what she is saying, Feena jumps up and attacks her. It is a total mess! She is hitting the girl and screaming at her. Ammar has to jump in and pull Feena away before she does something really bad. He is so embarrassed because people are watching them. He quickly pays the bill and takes Feena to the car. The whole ride home is silent. Feena is boiling with anger, even though Ammar didn't do anything wrong. As soon as they get into the house, she runs to her room and locks the door. Ammar is left standing there, wondering how his life got so complicated. You can download Hausa novels like this to see how people handle such crazy jealousy.
Ammar stands at the door and tries to beg her to open up. He tells her that he didn't even talk to that girl. But Feena is too angry to listen. In the book, she shouts through the door — "Go back to the restaurant and pick up your girlfriend, she will listen to you." (translated from Hausa). This part really shows how hard it is for Ammar. He tries so hard to please Feena, but she is always finding a reason to be mad or to make him feel bad. It makes you wonder about the title of the book again. Is she a wife or is he a slave to her emotions? This kind of deep drama about marriage is also found in MUTUWAR AURE and AAMINAT Bazawara. It is really interesting to see how the author compares the simple life of Dije with the complicated, messy life of Ammar and Feena.
The story keeps moving between these two worlds. On one hand, you have the sweet, shy love in the village where everything is about respect and tradition. On the other hand, you have the loud, angry, and jealous love in the city. You really feel for the characters. You want Dije to be happy with Habu, but you are scared of what Baffa will do. You also want Ammar to find some peace in his house, but Feena makes it so difficult. If you want to read the full story and find out what happens to Dije and if Ammar can ever fix his marriage, you should definitely check out Hausa novels online. This book is a real page-turner and it covers so many emotions. You can find this novel and many others like ROYAL POLITICS on Taskar Novels. It is the best place to get all your favorite stories and keep up with the latest drama.
