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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol.7, No.7

Publication Date: July 25, 2020

DOI:10.14738/assrj.77.8474.

Ibrahim, B. (2020). Women Writers and the Images of Women Representation in the Post-Colonial Literature. Case Study of Zuwaira Isa

Jos and Her Struggles. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(7) 52-57.

Women Writers and the Images of Women Representation in the

Post-Colonial Literature. Case Study of Zuwaira Isa Jos and Her

Struggles

Dr Balbasatu Ibrahim

PhD. (Mrs.), Umaru Ali Polytechnic,

Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria,

ABSTARCT

Women in Northern Nigeria although seemed and portrayed by many as

naïve and back ward educationally, economically and politically, are

blessed with talents and determination . These qualities make them able

to struggle and overcome most of the cultural inhibitions; of gender

discriminations and religious misconceptions that hinder them from

participating in decision making and accessing other basic necessities

for human development. They manage to break the silence and raise

their voices through oral and written literature, where they lament and

admonish the society against some cultural practices that are usually

targeted at women folks. In this paper one of such women writers;

Zuwaira Isa Jos, and her works are discussed. Index Terms: Reformist

movement (The Nineteen Century Islamic Revolution lead by Sheik

Othman Bin Foduye in Northern Nigeria 1908 that lead to the

establishment of the Sokoto Caliphate), Unguwar kurmi (a suburb area

in Kano Metropolis), Kabo Air (Famous Air Line airlifting the Nigerian

Pilgrims in the 80s.

INTRODUCTION

In Northern Nigeria women’s development is neglected right from traditional setting into the post- colonial era. This could be seen in the early 19th century Hausa land now Northern Nigeria) when

the reformist movement tried tackling the issue explaining that women were left in ignorance and

were being used and dumped like old kitchen utensils. The colonial master’s system of Education in

the region was also focused more on educating male children of the elites and neglecting that of

women folks for over a period of 26 years.

But in spite of this gap the very few females that were opportuned to be educated most of the times

at primary level only, managed to push their way to the top where their voices could be heard

through ora and written literaturel. Such women are the likes of Hafsat Abduwahid, Balaraba Ramat,

Bilkisu Funtua, Zuwaira Isa etc. who managed to catch up with their male counterparts and even

beat them in their own games. This is demonstrated in 1978 writing competition organized by

Northern Nigeria Publishing Company (NNPC) where Mrs Hafsat Ahmad Abdulwaheed participated

and win, her book So Aljannar Duniya was published in 1980 together with the other male Novelists

that competed. Zuwaira Isa Jos was another prolific writer whose works tells the tales of women’s

struggle in Northern Nigeria during the postcolonial Era.

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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.7, Issue 7, July-2020

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF ZUWAIRA ISA

Zuwaira Isa Jos as she is popularly known is a prolific writer of Hausa poems, drama and prose

fiction. She was born and live in the Northern Nigeria from 1967 to date. Her father is Alahji Isa

Danlami Mai Kekuna and as was the tradition of Hausa/Fulani people of Northern Nigeria she

started attending Malam Yusuf Dabo Quranic School at Unguwar Kurmi in Bauchi metropolis at the

tender age of three. By the age of six years she was enrolled into the Bauchi Elementary School later

called Baba Na Sidi Primary school from 1974 to 1980. In those days it was the Sarakuna (traditional

leaders who gave the names of children under their rule for enrolment regardless of the consent of

the parents because majority of the parents ware against western education, they consider it un- Islamic and refused to send their children to formal schools.

Although Zuwaira was enrolled and allowed to complete primary school, she was denied her

ambition to transit to secondary school and she was married off at the age of 13 years. After her

marriage, because of her passion for education she convinced her husband who allowed her to join

the Higher Islamic College (HIS) in Bauchi. Later when her husband was transferred to Jos she

joined Center for Islamic Studies Jos, were she obtained both Junior and Senior secondary school

certificates. She then joined COE Kano where she obtained National Certificate of Education (NCE).

All of these happened amidst challenges from left, right and center because the society believed that

a woman’s place is best in the kitchen and frowned at any attempt to change that.

HER SOURCES OF INSPIRATION

Zuwaira was inspired to become a prolific writer by so many factors. She was born to be a writer

because according to her, she has passion to compose poems since when she was a little girl and

with the support of her grandmother whom she used to sing to and got words of encouragements,

she nurtured her emotions and talent. Her passion for education made her to read many Hausa

fiction novels which also inspired her to write prose fictions. Her courage and determination to

demonstrate to the society that women too can make it (gender sensitivity), also inspired her as she

demonstrated in 2005 when she participated in a poem competition Gani- Ga-Ka (Face to face) in

favor of General Abacha’s continuous rule for the second term, organized by the Department of

Hausa ABU Zaria and emerged as the winner.

According to Zuwaira ever since she was a small girl she always thought that women were being

discriminated against and wanted to do something about it. It was this thought that drove her to

pursue her education and also became a writer so that she could voice out her feelings and also

encourage other women. Many of her works were centered on female’s empowerment, marriage

life and the challenges they faced within the society.

HER LITERARY WORKS

Poetry

Zuwaira has demonstrated her literary talents right from her childhood when she finished her

primary school and was denied the chance to transit to Secondary school, she was very sad and

decided to voice her predicament through a poem lamenting and condemning the Hausa tradition

of early marriage, in which she says:

“Saboda irin al’adun nan namu na Arewa, (“Because of our traditions in Northern

Nigeria.)

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Ibrahim, B. (2020). Women Writers and the Images of Women Representation in the Post-Colonial Literature. Case Study of Zuwaira Isa Jos and Her Struggles.

Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(7) 52-57.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.77.8474 54

Karatu ga diya maccen nan kun san bai dorewa” You know a girl child education could

not survive.”)

Her other poems includes, She also composed a song Wakar Jirgin Kabo (Song of Kabo Air) out of

admiration for the then famous Airline in Northern Nigeria name Kabo Air which they used to

advertised their services over the Radio.

Zuwaira was always very passionate on anything that would be of benefit to women. So she worked

her way through and established a partnership with Ministry for Women Affairs of Yobe state where

she wrote several poems to enlighten women and the general public on the importance of women

/girl child education, gender equity and economic empowerment for women. These poems were

published in 2003 as a book titled (Wakokin Yobe) with women related theme like:

1. Wakar Ma’aikatar Mata (Song of Women Affairs)

2. Wakar Mu yi Hazaka Mata( Song of Let’s Brace up Women)

3. Wakar Matan Nigeria (Song of Nigerian Women)

4. ‘Wakar Matan Yobe “ (Song of Women of Yobe)

5. Wakar Ilmi Ga Mata unpublished (Song on the Importance of Education to Women)

In all the above mentioned songs the author was illustrating the images of women in the society in

terms of how they were being regarded for instance in one the poems “Mu yi Hazaka Mata” (Lets

Brace up Women) she said “women were treated merely like bungles that could be used and sold”.

In another one “Wakar Matan Nigeria” (The Song of Nigerian Women). She called on women to be

up and doing by engaging in entrepreneur activities that will assist them to improve their means of

livelihoods and earn their rightful place in the society. In all the poems Zuwaira show cased the

importance of education for women as she would mention the benefits not for the women only but

also for the husbands, children and the lager society. In the song on Girl Child Education she made

the following points.

“Gargadi ga diya mace, (Admonition to the girl child)

Neman ilmi ga diya mace, (Seeking for Knowledge for the girl child)

Tankar alumashen mace, (Is like educating the whole society)

Ashe kuma dole mu yakice, (so it is a most)

Mu bido Ilmi baki daya” (For all to seek for knowledge)

“Jahilci ne tushen tsiya, (Illiteracy is the root cause of poverty)

Ga mata lalacin Tsiya, (To females is laziness)

Tsegume a gidaje ta iya, (Gossip around is all she could do)

Loko-loko duk ta biya, (All round the neighborhood she goes)

Don bata da aikin moriya” (Because she has nothing good to do)

“Mazammu ku taimaka mana, (Our husbands you should assist us),

Wahalun yayan mu ku yi mana, (Taking care of the children)

“In mun ilmin morarku ne, (Our education is for your benefits)

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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.7, Issue 7, July-2020

Diyanku sukan amfana ne” (Your children will benefit too)

Zuwaira has always been pro- government and used to write songs in favor of government’s policies

and plans especially on education, gender and environmental protection. For Instance when the

Universal Basic Education program was launched in 1999 to encourage free and compulsory Basic

Education for all Nigerian children. Zuwaira composed a song “Wakar Ilmin UBE,” (The song of UBE

of 60 stanzas to enlighten the general public on the importance of the program, how it works and

the need to support government to realize this goal. She also brought out the challenges that hinder

Universal Primary Education (UPE) program launched in 1974 such as lack of planning, in adequate

facilities in classrooms, insufficient trained teachers, poor ruminations for teachers that resulted in

the erosion in the provision of quality education. She also mentioned the way forward for the

Universal Basic Education to succeed, saying:

She also wrote the following songs in respect to government policies.

1. “ Wakar Kare Muhalli ta hanyar dasa itatuwa”, (Environmental protection through tree

planting)

2. “Zaman lafiyar kasa” ( Song for National unity)

She also wrote several songs on the activities and achievements of the then governor of Yobe State.

Prose Fiction

Zuwaira’s reading habits also inspired her to write Prose - Fictions, which were mostly on issues

that were of concern to her and which she wants to draw the attention of the society to. Some of the

novels she wrote in Hausa language included:

1. Kara da kiyashi (1993) meaning ( Straw with Ants)

2. Wahala Siradin Masoya (1994) (Love Story)

3. Santsin Soyayya (1995) ( Dangers of love)

4. Alallalaba Auren Zamani (1996) (Be Careful! Marriage of Now A Days)

5. Y’ay’a Mata (1999) (Female Children)

6. Laifin Wanene (2006) ( Who is to be Blamed)

7. Auren Masoya (2006) (Marriage of Love)

Almost all the themes of her books are related to family life e.g Issues of love, rampant divorces,

polygamy and gender discrimination. For instances: Northern Nigeria is known to have rampant

divorce cases and in most cases the fault is from the males but the society punished the female

divorcee by apportioning the blame on her, castigating her and sometimes preventing her from

marrying another decent husband again.

Zuwaira wrote a 3 series novel on this issue portraying different types of challenges that lead to

women breaking away from a marriage, in which she pointed out both the male side and the female

side for the society to learn from the Novel, titled Alallaba Auren Zamani ( Be Careful! Marriage of

Now a Days) 1, 2, and 3” In her prelude for the book she wrote.

“I will not fry and forget onions, neither will I beat donkey and leave his load. The

rampant divorce in our towns is most of times blamed on females, while in actual sense

it is the men that are to be blamed. Because they are the ones responsible for poor

relationships with their wives which lead to divorce......”