MATAR SHIGE Jarabawa Kafin Aure | Read Full Hausa Novel Online

by SADIYA ABDUL

Novel Blurb

MATAR SHIGE (Ba Ta Daraja)

By Sadiya Abdul (Maizafafa)

What happens when a woman who has never taken love seriously suddenly finds herself consumed by an attraction she cannot explain, even when another man is already preparing to make her his wife? What begins as a harmless fascination can become a dangerous obsession when desire takes precedence over responsibility, and the pursuit of one person threatens to destroy the carefully arranged future waiting elsewhere. In MATAR SHIGE (Ba Ta Daraja), Sadiya Abdul presents an emotionally charged Hausa romantic and family drama about attraction, difficult choices, personal recklessness, and the unexpected consequences of allowing the heart to lead without considering where its desires might end.

At the centre of this compelling story is Zinatu, a beautiful young woman whose confidence, stubbornness, and independent-minded attitude have made her a constant source of concern within her family. At just twenty years old, she is already known for her outspoken nature and refusal to accept instructions easily. She has completed her secondary education but abandoned her Islamic studies, despite her father's repeated attempts to encourage her to continue learning and become more disciplined. Her father believes that further education and exposure to different people could influence her behaviour in ways he fears, particularly because Zinatu has never been particularly receptive to advice. Unfortunately, his protective intentions have done little to make her more responsible.

Zinatu is not an ordinary young woman who quietly accepts the expectations placed upon her. She enjoys going out, maintaining friendships, and doing things according to her own wishes. Her circle of friends consists largely of young men, something that has attracted criticism and gossip from people around her. While some consider her behaviour inappropriate, others have formed their own negative opinions about her character. Zinatu, however, rarely allows public opinion to determine how she lives. She has developed a habit of responding to criticism with arguments, stubbornness, or complete disregard for whoever is speaking.

Her relationship with her father's new wife, Mama Saude, makes her home life even more complicated. Following the separation of her parents, her father remarried, bringing Mama Saude into a household where Zinatu already struggles with her own emotions and sense of belonging. Their relationship is far from peaceful. They frequently exchange unpleasant remarks, misunderstand one another, and turn ordinary domestic situations into unnecessary arguments. Zinatu believes that Mama Saude does not genuinely like her, while Mama Saude appears equally frustrated by the young woman's attitude. Even the simplest matters, including food, household responsibilities, and personal belongings, can become reasons for disagreement.

Yet Zinatu is not entirely blind to her own shortcomings. She acknowledges that her behaviour has contributed to some of the difficulties within the family and that her father has endured considerable embarrassment because of her actions. His repeated attempts to correct her are motivated by his desire to see her settle down, establish a respectable life, and avoid bringing further criticism upon the family. Whenever he speaks to her about her conduct, she occasionally feels guilty, but that guilt rarely lasts long enough to produce lasting change.

Her relationship with her biological mother, Ummi, offers a different kind of emotional connection. Zinatu finds comfort in her mother's presence and appreciates the attention she receives whenever she visits. Ummi is concerned about her daughter's future, particularly as her wedding approaches, and she tries to encourage her to become more responsible. However, Zinatu has a complicated relationship with advice. She welcomes affection and support but often struggles to accept correction, especially when it comes from people who challenge her decisions.

It is against this background of family tension, approaching marriage, and personal restlessness that Zinatu encounters a man who unexpectedly changes the direction of her attention.

His name is Salim.

Their first meeting is brief, almost accidental, but its effect on Zinatu is immediate. While travelling in a commercial tricycle, she notices a black car parked near a laundry establishment. When its owner finally steps out, her attention becomes completely absorbed by him. Salim's appearance, confidence, carefully styled hair, and overall elegance leave an impression she cannot easily dismiss. She finds herself admiring him with an intensity that surprises even her.

The man is not simply another handsome stranger passing through her day. Something about him captures her imagination, and she becomes determined to discover who he is.

Through the tricycle driver, Zinatu learns that the stranger is known as Salim and owns several businesses, including the laundry establishment where she first sees him and a restaurant called 7:30. He is also associated with a company in Sharada, where he works alongside his father. The driver mentions that Salim has an unpleasant reputation, is not particularly friendly, and has been seen smoking openly. These details introduce a contrast between the attractive appearance that has fascinated Zinatu and the less appealing habits associated with the man.

Rather than allowing these warnings to discourage her, Zinatu becomes even more curious.

She wants his telephone number, more information about his life, and an opportunity to meet him again. Her curiosity gradually becomes an increasingly persistent preoccupation. She starts thinking about him during ordinary activities, remembers his appearance repeatedly, and finds herself unable to concentrate on other things. The fascination becomes so strong that she begins looking for excuses to return to the places where he might appear.

What makes this development particularly complicated is that Zinatu is not a woman without romantic commitments. She is already engaged to Habib, a man who has invested considerable time, affection, and effort in preparing for their marriage.

Habib is her paternal cousin, and his feelings for her have existed since they were younger. Unlike Zinatu, who has never been particularly enthusiastic about romantic relationships, Habib has remained devoted to her. He has patiently worked to gain her acceptance, enduring her conditions and accommodating many of her demands. His affection is sincere, and he is genuinely excited about the prospect of building a life with her.

He is also a medical doctor working at Nasarawa Hospital, and his position gives him the means to provide for Zinatu. He regularly gives her money for personal expenses, offers advice, and tries to ensure that she does not feel neglected. His intentions are clear: he wants to marry the woman he loves and give her a comfortable home.

However, Zinatu's acceptance of the marriage does not necessarily reflect the depth of affection Habib hopes to receive.

She admits that she does not love him in the way he loves her. She appreciates his persistence, feels a degree of family affection towards him, and finds him acceptable, but her enthusiasm for the marriage remains uncertain. At times, she treats his declarations of love with playful indifference, even when he is clearly expressing how much he longs for their future together.

Habib's devotion is also reflected in the sacrifices he makes to accommodate her preferences. When he becomes uncomfortable with her close friendships with Anas and Hamza, he attempts to discourage their continued association. Zinatu strongly objects, making it clear that she will not accept anyone interfering with her friendships. Her reaction is so firm that Habib eventually apologises and agrees to respect her wishes.

This incident reveals an important aspect of their relationship. Habib is willing to compromise because he fears losing her, while Zinatu expects her independence to remain untouched even after marriage. Their differing attitudes raise questions about the kind of understanding that will exist between them once they become husband and wife.

As preparations for their wedding continue, Zinatu's attention becomes increasingly divided.

The discovery of Salim's telephone number gives her a new opportunity to pursue the man who has occupied her thoughts. She calls repeatedly, sometimes without receiving an answer. When Salim eventually responds, his attitude is far from welcoming. He is irritated by the repeated calls and demands to know who is contacting him. Zinatu eventually introduces herself and admits that she noticed him at the laundry and found him attractive.

His reaction is immediate and humiliating. Before she can properly explain herself, he ends the call.

For someone accustomed to speaking her mind and expecting others to accommodate her personality, this rejection is particularly difficult. Yet instead of accepting his lack of interest, Zinatu continues trying to establish communication. She sends him an apologetic message, follows it with another greeting, and eventually purchases a new SIM card after suspecting that he has blocked her previous number.

Her persistence illustrates how quickly an innocent attraction can become an emotional preoccupation. Salim has not encouraged her attention, promised her anything, or given her reason to believe that he wants a relationship. Nevertheless, Zinatu continues searching for opportunities to approach him.

When she finally gets him on the telephone again, she invents an excuse about wanting to purchase goods from his father's company. The explanation is little more than a desperate attempt to secure an opportunity to meet him. Salim, however, insists that she provide details about the proposed purchase before agreeing to see her. Trapped by the lie she has created, Zinatu struggles to answer basic questions about the company and the products she supposedly wants to buy.

Her determination eventually leads to an appointment, but she makes another mistake by failing to establish the company's exact location. She spends hours searching through the industrial area of Sharada, visiting different businesses and asking questions, only to discover that she has wasted the appointment time.

Her disappointment is made worse when she returns home exhausted and encounters another domestic disagreement involving Hauwa, Mama Saude's daughter. Finding Hauwa wearing her clothes without permission, Zinatu loses her temper, and the situation develops into a physical confrontation. Although Mama Saude later attempts to explain that Hauwa only borrowed the outfit because she wanted to impress her boyfriend's family, the incident adds another layer of frustration to Zinatu's already unsettled day.

These episodes reveal the impulsive nature of Zinatu's decisions. She is capable of determination and resourcefulness when pursuing something she wants, but she often acts without thinking through the consequences. Her emotions can quickly influence her judgement, turning relatively ordinary situations into unnecessary complications.

Her interest in Salim, however, continues to grow.

Determined to learn more about him, she returns to the laundry establishment and approaches one of the employees. She offers money in exchange for information about Salim's personal and professional life. Through this conversation, she discovers his full name, Muhammad Ibrahim Muhammad, and learns more about his businesses, family, and habits.

She also learns about his younger sister, Baby, who appears to share a close relationship with him. Salim's family seems financially established, and his father's company, ALBARKA LTD, is an important part of their business interests. The employee describes Salim as a person who may appear unfriendly but is not necessarily as unpleasant as people assume. He is selective about the people he allows into his personal space and dislikes being treated disrespectfully.

Most importantly, Zinatu learns that Salim has a serious habit involving substance use.

This information unsettles her. She finds it difficult to reconcile the handsome, sophisticated man she admires with the reports of his behaviour. Nevertheless, her attraction remains stronger than her reservations. She obtains photographs of him and the telephone number of his driver, making it easier to keep track of the man who has become the centre of her thoughts.

Meanwhile, Salim's own life is not as straightforward as Zinatu imagines.

Behind his confident appearance and business interests are personal difficulties that the early chapters gradually begin to reveal. His father, Abba, is concerned about his habits and believes that marriage could help him become more settled and responsible. Salim assures his father that he has already stopped the behaviour causing concern, although his father's response suggests that he remains unconvinced.

There is also an emotional issue that appears to weigh heavily on Salim.

His younger sister, Baby, is particularly protective of him. She becomes distressed when discussing a woman she believes has caused him considerable pain. Her words suggest that Salim has experienced a difficult emotional attachment, one that has affected him more deeply than he allows others to see. Baby strongly disapproves of the woman and believes that Salim should stop allowing himself to suffer over someone who does not deserve his attention.

Her emotional reaction, together with Salim's reluctance to discuss the matter, introduces an important layer of mystery into the narrative. Who is the woman Baby despises so intensely? What happened between her and Salim? And how much of his present behaviour is connected to the experiences he has not openly discussed?

These unanswered questions make Salim a more complicated character than the man Zinatu initially admires from a distance.

While Zinatu is becoming increasingly absorbed in discovering his private world, the preparations for her marriage to Habib are moving forward. The engagement is formalised through the presentation of six suitcases and two large bags of wedding gifts, an arrangement that receives considerable appreciation from the families. A wedding date is subsequently fixed for six weeks later.

For everyone around Zinatu, the occasion represents the beginning of a new chapter. Habib is excited, her father is preparing to fulfil his responsibilities, and Ummi is concerned with ensuring that her daughter has everything necessary for her new home.

For Zinatu, however, the approaching wedding brings a mixture of emotions she cannot properly explain.

The reality of becoming Habib's wife is beginning to settle in. She understands that the preparations are no longer merely discussions about a possible marriage. The gifts have arrived, the date has been established, and her family is making practical arrangements for the future. Yet her mind continues returning to Salim.

She even attempts to contact him during moments when she should be concentrating on her wedding preparations. Her unanswered calls and messages leave her disappointed, but she cannot seem to detach herself from the fascination.

Her emotional conflict becomes particularly evident when she visits Salim at ALBARKA LTD. This time, she manages to gain access to his office. She arrives with no genuine business proposal, and Salim quickly recognises that her earlier explanation was an excuse.

He demands to know why she has been following him.

For once, Zinatu finds herself struggling to maintain the confidence that normally defines her personality. Sitting opposite him, she becomes painfully aware of her own nervousness. His direct questions leave her with nowhere to hide, and the excuses she has relied upon are no longer convincing.

Eventually, she admits the truth. She tells him that she finds him attractive and would like to establish a relationship with him, even if it is only friendship.

Salim refuses.

His response is firm, and he makes it clear that he does not want her attention. His reaction becomes even more uncomfortable when he begins taking a substance mixture in front of her, an action that reinforces the concerns surrounding his habits. He also makes a remark suggesting that Zinatu's behaviour reminds him of another woman.

The comparison is significant because it connects her unexpected appearance in his life to the unresolved emotional issue already hinted at through Baby's conversation.

Rather than welcoming Zinatu's interest, Salim orders her to leave his office and instructs his staff not to allow her back.

The rejection leaves her in tears.

It is a painful moment for a young woman who has invested so much effort in obtaining an opportunity to speak with someone who has shown little willingness to know her. Yet even this humiliation does not immediately resolve the emotional confusion that has been developing inside her.

Her situation becomes more complicated when she encounters her maternal uncle, Kawu Ummaru, as she leaves the company. Unable to explain the real reason for her visit, she claims that she has come to look for employment. Her uncle is surprised, particularly because he knows that her wedding preparations are already underway.

This unexpected encounter further demonstrates how difficult it is becoming for Zinatu to keep her actions separate from the expectations of her family.

Rather than returning home immediately, she visits 7:30 Restaurant, one of Salim's businesses. There, she approaches the manager and asks for a job. At first, the manager explains that the establishment already has enough employees. Zinatu, however, insists that she is willing to perform even the most basic duties.

Eventually, he offers her employment under conditions that introduce a new and troubling dimension to the story.

The restaurant has different sections, including an area frequented by wealthy customers. Her responsibilities will involve serving customers, providing company through conversation, and attending to certain requests that go beyond ordinary restaurant service. The manager explains that some customers offer additional money for companionship and that the position requires her to maintain an attractive appearance. She will also be expected to work night shifts.

Zinatu accepts the offer without fully considering the implications.

To her, the job represents more than an opportunity to earn money. It is another possible route into Salim's world. Since he owns the restaurant and reportedly visits it regularly, she hopes that working there might provide the opportunity she has been unable to obtain through telephone calls and personal visits.

Her excitement is evident in the preparations she makes before her first shift. She purchases new cosmetics and perfumes, takes care with her appearance, and arranges her schedule around the night duty. She even has distinctive initials written in henna on her hands, reflecting the identity and image she wants to present.

At home, however, she has to conceal the true purpose of her evening outings. When Mama Saude questions her elaborate appearance, Zinatu claims that she is going to a dinner gathering with a friend. The explanation allows her to leave without immediately inviting further arguments, but it also introduces another secret into an already complicated situation.

The restaurant staff begin explaining the nature of her work and tell her more about Salim's visits. She learns that he is the owner, although he does not always appear, and that his habits make him a difficult person for some employees to attend to.

For Zinatu, this information creates both excitement and apprehension. She has finally placed herself in an environment connected to the man she has been trying so desperately to approach. But she is entering that environment under circumstances she may not fully understand.

This is where the emotional and moral tensions surrounding MATAR SHIGE become particularly compelling. Zinatu is no longer simply a young woman admiring a handsome stranger. Her decisions are beginning to affect her engagement, her relationship with her family, her personal reputation, and the direction of her everyday life.

The novel explores the difference between attraction and genuine affection, particularly through the contrast between Habib's patient devotion and Zinatu's immediate fascination with Salim. Habib represents a relationship built on persistence, familiarity, and an established commitment. Salim, by comparison, is an unfamiliar and emotionally guarded man whose attention Zinatu has not been able to earn.

Yet Zinatu's behaviour suggests that the excitement of pursuing someone who remains out of reach has become more important to her than the security of the relationship already available to her.

Family relationships also play an important role in the story. The tension between Zinatu and Mama Saude illustrates how unresolved resentment can turn an ordinary household into a place of constant conflict. Her father's concern highlights the difficult position of a parent trying to guide a stubborn child without completely losing their connection. Ummi's affection and advice provide another perspective on the responsibilities Zinatu is approaching as marriage draws closer.

Through Baby, the story also introduces the emotional consequences of loving someone who may be carrying wounds from the past. Her concern for Salim suggests that personal struggles are not always visible through wealth, appearance, or social status. Even people who seem confident and successful may be dealing with private disappointments that influence their decisions and relationships.

At its heart, MATAR SHIGE (Ba Ta Daraja) is a story about the consequences of choices made without sufficient reflection. It invites readers to consider how easily fascination can become obsession, how dishonesty can create problems that are increasingly difficult to manage, and how the pursuit of personal satisfaction can place other people's feelings at risk.

Zinatu's character is particularly interesting because she is neither presented as an entirely innocent victim of circumstances nor as someone who fully understands the consequences of her behaviour. She is young, impulsive, outspoken, and often difficult to correct. She makes decisions based on what she wants at a particular moment, sometimes ignoring the responsibilities and relationships that should influence her judgement. Her imperfections make her an important centre of the narrative, while the situations surrounding her create opportunities for emotional conflict and personal reflection.

Sadiya Abdul's storytelling brings together romance, family tension, emotional uncertainty, and questions of personal responsibility within a recognisable Hausa social setting. The story's atmosphere is shaped by the contrast between traditional family expectations and the individual desires of a young woman determined to make her own decisions. Its characters represent different approaches to love, loyalty, discipline, and the difficult process of understanding another person's emotional needs.

For readers who enjoy Hausa novels featuring complicated romantic relationships, stubborn heroines, family disagreements, and unexpected emotional entanglements, this story offers an intriguing reading experience. It is particularly relevant to those searching for Hausa romantic novels, modern Hausa family dramas, and engaging littattafan Hausa that examine the consequences of love and personal decisions.

The title MATAR SHIGE, accompanied by the subtitle Ba Ta Daraja, carries an intriguing suggestion of judgement, reputation, and the way society assigns value to women. As the narrative develops, readers are encouraged to look beyond appearances and consider the circumstances, decisions, and relationships that shape the lives of its characters.

One of the story's most interesting questions is whether Zinatu understands what she is risking in her determination to get closer to Salim. She already has a fiancé who has demonstrated his commitment, a family preparing for her marriage, and a future that appears to be taking shape. Yet she continues to pursue a man who has openly rejected her. Meanwhile, Salim's own emotional history remains unclear, and the warning signs surrounding his private habits cannot simply be ignored.

Will Zinatu eventually recognise the difference between being attracted to someone and truly understanding them? Can Habib's patience withstand the uncertainty surrounding their relationship? What lies behind Salim's emotional withdrawal, and why does Baby appear so distressed whenever his past is mentioned? Most importantly, what consequences might follow when Zinatu's private decisions begin to collide with the commitments she has already made?

These questions give MATAR SHIGE its emotional appeal without removing the mystery surrounding the characters' lives.

For anyone looking to read a captivating Hausa novel with romance, family drama, emotional conflict, and complicated relationships, MATAR SHIGE (Ba Ta Daraja) by Sadiya Abdul is a story worth discovering. It offers an opportunity to explore the fragile boundary between desire and responsibility, the dangers of acting on impulse, and the unexpected difficulties that can arise when the heart refuses to listen to reason.

Some attractions begin with a single glance, but the consequences of following them can reach far beyond what the heart ever imagined.