So, I just finished reading this story called Karfin Iko by Pheemarrh, and man, the drama in this one is something else. It starts off by showing us two totally different worlds. First, we meet Safina, but everyone at home calls her Baby. She’s that typical rich kid who has everything she wants. You can just picture her sitting at this big, fancy dining table, picking at her breakfast like she doesn't even want it. She’s busy checking the clock every second and huffing and puffing because she’s waiting for someone. She’s so annoyed that she keeps making this "mtcheew" sound. Her mom is right there trying to calm her down, asking her what’s wrong, and Safina just goes off. She’s complaining about this guy named Habib who is supposed to pick her up. She calls him a "poor man's son" and says he’s just full of himself for no reason. One part of the book says — "Momy look at the time, it's 2 minutes to eight, but this disrespectful person still hasn't shown up, I don't know who he thinks he is." (translated from Hausa). You can tell right away that Safina is used to getting her way and she looks down on people she thinks are below her.
Then we see Habib when he finally shows up. And let me tell you, the guy is a soldier! He walks in wearing his uniform and he looks really sharp and handsome. Safina’s dad and mom actually really like him. When he says "Assalamu alaikum," even Safina has to stop and look at him because he has this cool, calm vibe and a nice voice. But because she’s so stubborn, she won't admit she likes what she sees. Instead, she just rolls her eyes and thinks he’s only acting like that because he knows he’s good-looking. She decides to be petty and goes back to her room to make him wait for almost an hour, even though she was already dressed and ready. She just wanted to show him who is boss. If you want to see how their relationship starts to spark, you should check out more Hausa novels online because the tension between a rich, spoiled girl and a serious soldier is always top-tier drama.
While Safina is living her best life in a house with seven expensive cars, the story takes us to a completely different place in Kano, specifically Kofar Nassarawa. This is where we meet Maryam, or Mero. Her life is the exact opposite of Safina’s. Maryam is going through it. Her father passed away, and her stepmother, who she calls Inna, is just something else. Inna is loud, mean, and only cares about money. She’s shouting at Maryam, telling her to stop acting like her mother and get ready. Maryam’s real mother is there too, crying and feeling helpless because Inna is basically forcing Maryam to go and do "aikatau" (housemaid work) in another city. It’s so sad because Maryam actually wanted to go to school and have a better life, but Inna doesn't care about "modern education" at all. She just wants the girl to bring home money so she can get married off later. It’s a really heavy scene that makes you realize how life can be so unfair to some people.
The way Pheemarrh describes the scene in Maryam's house really makes your heart ache. You can almost feel the dust in the air and see the old, torn curtains. Maryam is just crying, her eyes are all red because she’s been sobbing for so long. Her mother is just standing there, praying to God to help them. There’s this really touching moment where her mother says — "Ya Allah, you know the condition we are in... show the strength of your power over these servants of yours and protect Maryam wherever she goes." (translated from Hausa). This is where the title Karfin Iko comes in, because it’s all about the power of authority—whether it’s the power of the rich, the power of a mean stepmother, or the ultimate power of God. You can find many stories with this kind of deep emotion when you download Hausa novels from the right places.
So, Inna drags Maryam to this woman named Hajiya Ladi. Hajiya Ladi is like a middleman who finds girls to work as maids in big cities like Abuja. When they get to her house, you can see that Hajiya Ladi is just doing business. She tells Inna not to worry, that by the time Maryam comes back from Abuja, she’ll be looking healthy and fresh because she’ll be living in luxury. But we all know it’s not going to be that easy for a young girl all alone in a strange city. Inna gets a big bundle of money from Hajiya Ladi, and she’s so happy, she just stuffs it in her wrapper and leaves Maryam there. It’s like she just sold her own daughter. Maryam is left there with three other girls who are also going to Abuja. The other girls are eating and chatting like they don't have a care in the world, but Maryam can't even swallow a single bite of the rice and stew Hajiya Ladi gave her. She’s just thinking about her mom back home who probably hasn't eaten anything because of how sad she is.
Back to Safina’s side of the story, she finally comes down from her room after making everyone wait. She acts all emotional when she’s saying goodbye to her parents, even crying a little bit. She gets into the back seat of one of their fancy cars, and Habib sits in the front with the driver. They drive off, heading to wherever they are going. So now we have two girls on the move—Safina, the rich girl traveling in comfort with a handsome soldier protecting her, and Maryam, the poor girl being sent away to be a servant in a city where she knows nobody. You just know their paths are going to cross somehow, and that’s when the real story begins. The contrast is just so wild. One girl is complaining because her driver was a few minutes late, while the other girl is crying because her whole life is being taken away from her for a few bundles of cash. This book is definitely one of the best Hausa novels I've come across lately because it covers so many different feelings.
I really like how the author shows that even though Safina has everything, she’s not really happy or at peace—she’s always looking for something to be angry about. And even though Maryam has nothing, she has a good heart and loves her mother so much. You start wondering what will happen when Safina meets someone who won't just bow down to her because of her dad's money. And you also wonder if Maryam will find someone who will treat her with kindness in Abuja, or if she’s just going to be treated like an object. The drama is just starting to cook, and I couldn't stop reading once I got into it. If you love stories that talk about real life, money, power, and how people treat each other, you really need to check this one out. It’s the kind of book that makes you think about how we treat the people around us, especially those who work for us.
The writing is very simple and easy to follow, which is why I liked it so much. It doesn't use too many big words, just straight to the point drama. You can really feel the difference between the fancy life in Safina's house and the struggle in Maryam's small room. Pheemarrh did a great job of making us care about Maryam right away, while also making us want to see Safina get a reality check. I’m telling you, the way these two stories are going to collide is going to be epic. You can find this novel and many other amazing ones if you visit Taskar Novels. They have a whole collection of these kinds of stories that keep you up at night wanting to know what happens next. Trust me, if you’re a fan of good Hausa stories, you won’t regret reading Karfin Iko. Go get your copy or read it online on Taskar Novels now!
