So, I just finished reading this story called Mummunar Dabi'a by Asma Baffa, and man, it is something else. It starts way over in England with this very beautiful white woman named Halley. She is sitting there looking really stressed out, with her head in her hands, crying. She has these two twin boys playing near her. These kids are so cute, but you can tell they are mixed race because their skin isn't quite white like their mom's, but it’s not dark like a typical African person either. They have this really nice hair and look like little angels, but Halley is just done with everything. She’s staring at them like they are a burden she can't carry anymore. She even says she’s tired of them and wishes she could just take them to an orphanage because they won't let her live her life. She used to go to clubs all the time, and that is actually where she met their father, Ali. But now, she feels trapped.
Then the doorbell rings and it’s Ali. He’s a handsome Nigerian man, and as soon as she sees him, she doesn't even say hello properly. She just tells him she’s tired and wants a divorce. There is a part in the book where she says to him in her English way, "Ali, here are your children, I am tired, divorce me the way you Muslims do." It was so cold. Ali has been putting up with her bad attitude for a long time, especially since the kids were born, so he doesn't even argue. He just signs the papers right there and then. He picks up one twin in his left arm and the other in his right and walks out. Can you imagine that? Just leaving like that. Ali is actually a very successful man now, but he didn't start that way. He grew up as an orphan in a small village in Jigawa. He moved to Kano to try and make a living, starting out by selling juice in plastic bowls to school kids. He worked so hard, went to university, got a government job, and eventually started his own business which made him super rich. If you want to read more about how people rise from nothing, you should check out some best Hausa novels online.
Ali has two other wives back in Nigeria. His first wife is Asmau. She is a very good woman, but the sad part is she hasn't been able to have any children. Even though they went to many hospitals, they told her she might never give birth. But Asmau has a heart of gold. She didn't get bitter. Then there is the second wife, Nadia. Nadia has three kids—two boys named Adnan and Ibrahim, and a girl named Amal. Unlike Asmau, Nadia is very competitive and kind of mean. When Ali finally comes back to his big mansion in a fancy area of Kano with the twins, the drama really starts. He arrives with a whole convoy of cars and security, and he goes straight to Asmau’s part of the house. Asmau is sitting there looking classy in her expensive clothes, watching a movie. When she sees the twins, she is so happy. She treats them like they are her own flesh and blood, which is so sweet to see. You can find many stories with this kind of family drama when you download Hausa novels for your phone.
But here is where things get really weird and kind of scary. One of the twins, Sahil, is a normal, healthy boy. But the other one, Sohail, is very different. People start calling it a "bad habit" or a strange nature, which is what the title Mummunar Dabi'a means. Sohail does things that don't make sense. Sometimes he looks big like his brother, and then the next day, he looks smaller, like he’s shrinking. His skin even changes color sometimes, getting very bright and then dimming. Asmau noticed this almost immediately. One part of the book says that when she was looking at him, she said, "This one is like NEPA light, blinking on and off." (translated from Hausa). It’s like he isn't fully a human being, or there is something supernatural going on. Ali even starts to think the boy might be a "child of the water" or something like that because of how he acts around water.
The way Sohail eats is also very creepy. If you give him food, he won't just eat it. He plays with it and draws a zero "0" on the ground with it. And he won't drink milk from a cup like a normal kid. He will wait until he finds a hole in the ground or a place with dirt and flowers, pour the milk there, and then lick it up from the ground. Asmau followed him one day and saw him doing this, and it really freaked her out. She tried to give him a bath and take care of him, but he would always disappear and find the messiest, wettest place to hide. One time, she was looking for him everywhere and finally found him inside a big bowl of fermented corn water in the kitchen, just chilling there like it was a swimming pool. It's these kinds of details that make Hausa novels online so interesting to read because they mix everyday life with things that are hard to explain.
While Asmau is trying her best to love and protect these boys, Nadia is in her own corner plotting. She hates the twins because she thinks they will take away the inheritance from her own children. Since Asmau doesn't have kids, Nadia thought her children would get everything when Ali dies. Now that these two boys are here, especially since they are the sons of a white woman, she is losing her mind with jealousy. Her oldest son, Adnan, is just like her. He is a bully and he hates the twins. He won't even talk to them and he tells his siblings to stay away from them. He treats them like they are trash. It’s really sad because Sahil and Sohail are just innocent kids, even if Sohail is acting strange. The tension in the house is so thick you can almost feel it through the pages.
Ali is really worried about Sohail. He takes him to different local doctors and religious teachers to see if they can help. He thinks maybe a spirit or a jinn is bothering the boy. But everyone he talks to says the same thing—it’s not a jinn. They say he is a human, but his behavior is just... wrong. As the boys grow older and start school, the problems only get bigger. Sohail starts drooling all the time, and he’s constantly making a mess. He’s much smaller than Sahil now, even though they are twins. It’s like he’s stuck in a different world. Asmau is the only one who really stands by him, even when he’s being difficult. She has so much patience, but you can tell she is exhausted. This book really shows how much a mother's love (even an adoptive one) can handle. If you love stories about family struggles and mysteries, you can find more on Taskar Novels.
I don't want to spoil too much, but the way Asma Baffa describes the jealousy between the wives and the mystery of Sohail’s condition is really something you have to read for yourself. You will feel so bad for Sohail because he can't help the way he is, and you will get so angry at Nadia and Adnan for being so mean. The story moves from the busy streets of Kano to the quiet moments inside Ali's big house, and every page makes you wonder what is going to happen next. Is Sohail ever going to be normal? Or is there a dark secret behind why he acts the way he does? The drama is just getting started, and I couldn't stop reading it once I began. It’s a real emotional rollercoaster that keeps you guessing about the truth behind this family's secrets.
If you want to read the full story of Mummunar Dabi'a and see how Ali deals with his wives and his mysterious son, you should definitely check it out. You can find this novel and many other amazing stories like it on Taskar Novels. They have a huge collection of the latest books, and it’s the best place to go if you want to keep up with your favorite authors. Just head over to Taskar Novels to get started!
