Imagine the biggest day of your life. For Aliyu Muhammad Jadda, popularly known as Tafida, today is that day. He is about to be sworn in as the Governor of Borno State. Everyone is celebrating, but inside a hospital room, a different kind of drama is unfolding. His wife, Hadiyyah, has just given birth to twins. You would think this is the happiest moment for any couple, right? But the tension in that room is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Hadiyyah is looking at the nurse, her heart heavy, and she asks a very simple question. One part of the book says — "Is the girl the older one or the boy?" (translated from Hausa). When the nurse tells her the girl came first, Hadiyyah starts praying. But she isn’t praying for a long life of luxury as the Governor's wife. She is praying for the strength to fight the man standing right in front of her. She wants to bring Tafida down to his knees.
Tafida walks into the room with a big smile. He is thinking about his new power and his new children. He calls her "Inuwar," a sweet name, but she cuts him off immediately. She calls him a "mess." She is done with the marriage. It’s crazy because, in just three hours, he will be the most powerful man in the state. He tells her she is the First Lady now and that nobody can take her children away from her. But Hadiyyah has a plan that no one saw coming. She is tired of the way he treated her in the past. If you like stories where women finally stand up for themselves after being pushed to the wall, you should download Hausa novels like this one to see how it ends. The way Mai Dambu wrote this scene makes you feel Hadiyyah's pain and her anger at the same time. She isn't impressed by his new title or the money. She just wants out.
The history between these two is very sad. Tafida didn't marry her because he loved her. It was one of those forced situations. He used to tell her straight to her face that she was ugly, short, and uneducated. He even told her she was from a "small tribe" called Babur. He treated her like someone who was only there to serve his needs. There is a very painful part where she reminds him of his own words. She says — "You said you would treat me like your shoes... you would kick me away whenever you wanted." (translated from Hausa). Can you imagine your husband saying that to you? Now that he is Governor, he wants her to stay so he can look like a good family man. But Hadiyyah is not playing that game. She has already signed the papers. She tells him their deal is over. She has given him the children he wanted, and now she is taking her freedom back.
Hadiyyah gets up, even though she just gave birth. She goes to the bathroom, cleans herself up, and puts on her abaya. She is leaving the hospital without her babies. This part is so emotional because you can see she is hurting, but she feels like she has no choice. She tells Tafida to be a fair father and take care of the kids since she has finished her part of the bargain. Tafida is shocked. He tries to use his parents, Abba and Inna, to make her stay. He even tries to beg her, telling her he grew up without a mother and doesn't want his kids to go through the same thing. But Hadiyyah reminds him that her own mother told her she would one day have to fight for her rights. This kind of deep family drama reminds me of another great book called TSANTSAR BUTULCI where trust is broken in the worst way.
As she walks out of the hospital, Tafida follows her, grabbing her hand. He is desperate now. He is losing his wife on the day he is gaining a kingdom. But Hadiyyah is cold as ice. She tells him — "Tafida, I swear if you don't leave me alone, I will slap you!" (translated from Hausa). That was the final blow. He had to let her go. She gets into the car and tells the driver, Mudansir, to take her home. Even the driver is confused. He tries to tell her that leaving the babies with Tafida is a bad idea, but her mind is made up. She is going back to her father's house in Bolari Market. She knows people will judge her. They will say she is heartless for leaving her newborns. But in her mind, she is saving herself from a man who never respected her. You can find many best Hausa novels that talk about these kinds of social issues on the main site.
When she gets to her family house, everyone is surprised. Her mother, Mama, is in the middle of making kunu when Hadiyyah walks in. When she tells them she gave birth and left the babies at the hospital, Mama is almost speechless. She asks her if she has started taking drugs or something because it sounds so crazy. Her brother, Kawu Gwani, is also there, and he can't believe his ears. The house is full of confusion. Mama tries to be supportive, but you can see she is worried. She makes Hadiyyah some hot water with herbs and gives her food. But the big question remains: how can a mother leave her children? This story is very similar to the themes in CINIKIN RAI where people have to make very difficult sacrifices for their own survival.
Hadiyyah is trying to be strong, but inside she is crying. She knows the world will call her a bad mother. But she also knows that staying with Tafida would have killed her spirit. She wants him to feel the pain of losing someone important. She wants him to value women. She thinks that by leaving the kids with him, he will finally understand the importance of a mother. It is a very risky move. If you are looking for Hausa novels online, you will see that Mai Dambu is very good at writing these kinds of complicated female characters. They are not perfect, but they are real. They make mistakes and they feel a lot of pain. This book makes you wonder if she will ever go back for those babies or if Tafida will change his ways now that he is the Governor.
The story gets even more intense as the news of the Governor's new twins starts to spread. People are happy for him, but they don't know the First Lady has run away. The drama in the palace and the drama in the small house in Bolari are two different worlds. It makes you think about books like ABUN CIKIN KWAI or KOMAI NISAN DARE where secrets eventually come out no matter how hard you hide them. Tafida is now a powerful man, but he is powerless at home. He has all the soldiers and the money, but he can't make his wife love him or come back to him. It’s a very deep lesson about how we treat people when we have nothing, because they might not be there when we finally have everything.
If you enjoy reading about marriage problems, politics, and strong-willed women, then YAR MACE is definitely for you. It is not your typical love story where everything is perfect. It is messy and emotional. Just like in MIJIN KWAILA and ZURI'ARMU, the family dynamics are very complicated. You will find yourself arguing with the characters and shouting at the pages. Will Tafida use his power to force her back? Or will he finally learn how to be a good man? You have to read the whole thing to find out. The writing is simple but it hits you right in the heart. You can read more stories like this and explore a whole world of drama on Taskar Novels. They have so many books that will keep you up all night. Go check it out and start reading today!
