Imagine being in a kitchen that feels like an oven. That is exactly where we find Nana at the start of this story. It is around 5:40 in the evening in Dutse, Jigawa State. If you have ever been to Dutse, you know how the heat can be, especially with all those big rocks around the city. Nana is standing over two big pots, sweating and trying her best to make a perfect meal for her husband, Sardauna. She is making Gurasa, and the steam from the pots is hitting her face like crazy. She is so focused on making sure the soup has just the right amount of seasoning because she knows Sardauna does not like too much Maggi. This woman really loves her man. Even in that heat, she picks up her phone just to look at their wedding picture. She actually says out loud, "I love you my husband, I cherish you, may God take care of you for me." It is the kind of love that makes you want to download Hausa novels just to see if it lasts.
The author, Sayyid Writer Legend, does a great job of showing us how hard Nana works. While she is trying to flip the Gurasa, she accidentally grabs the hot pan with her bare hands. You can almost feel the pain when she cries out. Her fingers are burning, and tears fill her eyes, but she does not stop. She just wipes her eyes and keeps going. She wants everything to be perfect before he gets back to their big house in Takur Site. This neighborhood is where the big people stay in Dutse. It is quiet, clean, and full of beautiful houses with trees. It is the kind of place where you do not hear kids screaming or loud music. It is just peaceful. If you like reading about these kinds of settings, you should check out ALI GADANGA because it also has that vibe of big men and their complicated lives.
When Sardauna finally pulls up in his car, Nana is watching him from the window. She admires everything about him, even the way he walks. As soon as he steps inside, the air changes. You can tell she respects him a lot, maybe even a little too much. She greets him like she is about to kneel down. He is not very soft with her, though. His voice is a bit harsh. When she takes his bag and starts to head to the room, he stops her and says, "My lady, what about the shoes?" (translated from the Hausa part where he says Ranki ya dade takalmin fa). It is a small moment, but it tells you a lot about their relationship. She quickly goes back, kneels down, and pulls off his shoes and socks for him. She is like a servant and a wife all at once. It reminds me of the drama in A GIDANMU TAKE where family roles get really intense.
After she gets his hot bath ready, she goes to the kitchen to bring out the food. She has prepared a whole feast. There is the Gurasa, a rich soup, and even some pepper soup made with lamb meat. She also made a special ginger and lemon drink for him. She sets everything on the dining table so beautifully. While he is eating, she runs to the bathroom to quickly wash up and change into a nice Abaya. She wants to look good for him when they sit together. You can find more stories with this kind of domestic tension on Taskar Novels. It is that feeling of a wife doing everything right, but you just wonder if the husband appreciates it.
When Nana comes back to the parlor, she sees Sardauna sitting on the couch, busy with his phone. She thinks he has finished his meal, so she goes to the dining table to eat the leftovers. She is hungry because she has been working in that hot kitchen all evening. But when she opens the food warmers, her heart drops. The three pieces of Gurasa are gone. The soup bowl is empty. Even the pepper soup with the lamb meat is completely finished. There is nothing left for her. This is a very strange moment. Usually, a husband leaves something for his wife, or they eat together. But Sardauna ate every single bite. She even asks herself, "Did he take the rest to the kitchen?" because she cannot believe he would eat it all and leave her with nothing. If you enjoy stories where things start to get mysterious in a marriage, you will definitely like KOWA YA RAINA TSAYUWAR WATA - 1999 Littafi na 2.
This book is titled Sartse, which means a splinter or a thorn that gets stuck in your skin. It is a perfect name because you can feel that something is starting to prick this marriage. Nana is so submissive and loving, but you start to wonder if Sardauna is hiding something or if he is just a very selfish person. Why would a man see his wife working so hard and then eat all the food without checking if she has had any? It makes you feel so bad for her. She is standing there in her nice clothes, smelling like expensive perfume, but her stomach is empty. You can find many Hausa novels online that talk about these kinds of problems, but the way Sayyid Writer Legend writes this one feels very real. It is not just about big drama; it is about the small things that hurt.
As the story goes on, you see more of Nana's life. Her parents did a lot to make sure she had a good home. They filled her house with expensive furniture and everything a woman could need. Her husband is also rich, but money does not seem to buy happiness here. There is a lot of hidden pain. It is like the story MATAR MUTUM where the wife has to deal with things people on the outside do not see. Nana is trying to be the perfect wife, but the "splinter" is already there, and it is going deep. You start to ask yourself if Sardauna really loves her the way she loves him, or if she is just a part of his house decorations.
The way Nana describes her feelings is so simple but deep. She does not use big words; she just tells us how it is. She is a woman who finds joy in the little things, like the way her house looks or the way her husband's perfume smells. But when that joy is met with coldness, it is hard to watch. This novel is one of the best Hausa novels for anyone who likes emotional stories that happen behind closed doors. You will find yourself wanting to jump into the book and tell Nana to stand up for herself, but at the same time, you understand her culture and why she is so patient. It is a tough balance.
If you have ever been in a situation where you felt like you were giving 100% and getting nothing back, this book will speak to you. It is about the sacrifices women make and the secrets men keep. The drama keeps building up, and you just know that something big is going to happen. It reminds me of the tension in K'ADDARAR SO where fate plays a big role in love. Or even AUREN KWANGILA where marriage is not always what it seems on the surface. Nana's journey is just beginning, and the "Sartse" is going to cause a lot of trouble before it is pulled out.
I really think you should read this if you want a story that feels like it is happening to someone you know. It is not just a fairy tale. It is a story about a real woman in a real city, dealing with a real husband who might not be who he says he is. The details about Dutse and the lifestyle in Takur Site make it feel very authentic. You can tell the author knows the area well. It is these small details that make a story stick in your mind long after you finish reading it. It makes the whole experience much more interesting than just a basic love story.
You can get SARTSE and many other amazing books on Taskar Novels. They have a huge collection of everything from romance to thrillers. If you want to see how Nana handles her empty plate and her complicated marriage, go there and look for it. It is definitely a book that will make you think about your own relationships and how much you give versus how much you take. Don't miss out on this one, it is a great read for a quiet afternoon.
