BATULU: The turmoil of love

Unlike a lot of other Hausa books, this one stood out for its good print. It brought out the author’s ability as a historian to capture the then political situations in the city he set his book. This is commendable as it not only reminded one of the political wrangling between the PRP and the […]

Unlike a lot of other Hausa books, this one stood out for its good print. It brought out the author’s ability as a historian to capture the then political situations in the city he set his book. This is commendable as it not only reminded one of the political wrangling between the PRP and the NPN as it were then. It also gives readers insight as it informs and confirms things they study in history books. The Maitasine riots, “Tsinannu 9” (the nine progressive local government chairmen). And reminiscent of his days of student unionism, the writer brings the events to life as he relates to the reader how these events affected his characters in his world in the university and the society at large. His command of the Hausa language allowed him to play with words and proverbs and to describe people and events perfectly. He was able to showcase a lot of the Hausa/Fulani culture like Amadu’s mother’s attitude of kunya, kara or pulako (courtesy) towards her first child. The author’s use of humor to describe certain situations is quite refreshing as one follows the thick of the plot. His effort at identifying Arabic words which have now become a part of the Hausa vocabulary in italics must be commended.
The book is quite a compelling read with an interesting story line. Batulu portrays the romance between Amadu and Batulu, the main character from whom the book got its name. But beyond the intriguing story of  these two characters, one glimpses into many facets of life and learns a lot about the human nature and its complexities, just as Amadu found out despite being with Batulu for long, he never really knew her.
Everyone loves romance, and for that reason the whole school community became apt viewers and admirers as the relationship blossomed. In the easy flow of their conversations as they joked and teased each other, one can tell they enjoyed a good rapport, a key ingredient to a good relationship. Theirs was one of those great romances on campus that almost everyone knew about so much that when things went wrong, people felt they even had a right to apportion blame. 
With a good teacher’s note, it is my belief that Batulu could do well as a recommended text for Hausa students in secondary schools. It’s a well written book even if some words may be difficult or alien to this generation of students. I believe it would help in preserving the Hausa language and could help students of Hausa descend upgrade the mother tongue they seem to be neglecting. If introduced at secondary schools, Batulu could also give them an insight into what life can be, as they prepare for life in the tertiary institution, where there is exposure to the opposite sex, where they explore and test their newly found freedom. It’s here they experience changes in their life, an awareness about themselves and others and find that the human being is multifaceted, but that it’s their honour and prestige to be known with just one face and on one stand that is true and firm. In particular, Batulu prepares them for turmoil of love life as it informs them that it could be as stormy as Amadu and Batulu’s and to also realize not every love story has a happy ending.
Batulu would have been just another love story, but as it unrolls, it brings out so many lessons of life, friendship, love, envy, deception, selfishness and betrayal as it shows that people can turn out to be not who they seem or pretend to be. We find that little things trigger best friends to tell on and expose one another. The story shows the complexity of the human being, in this case Batulu, as the Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde trait known to every human becomes evident and her wisdom as she wisely in every form whether as Jekyll or as Hyde used the situation she finds herself to suit her as she is perfectly termed ‘hawainiya’ the chameleon.
It’s a story that shows the follies of youth, as Amadu is maneuvered and played off on, yet he kept on trusting and forgiving the numerous sins of Batulu even as severally the truth threatened to expose itself. He believed all her made up excuses.  In youthful exuberance, he trusted her completely without a doubt, not even bothering to think twice over Malam Bello’s (who was their lecturer) reluctance to marry such a beautiful girl with a good background. A classic case of abinda babba ya hango yaro ko ya hau tsauni bazai hango ba.
In the story, we learn of the intrigues and many guises of deceit as we see how men deceive young girls in the undesirable elements like Malam Bello and how mischievous girls also play men back. The naivety of Amadu lends credence to the thought that a man however old he is, becomes a child once a woman decides to use her wiles on him. Amadu fell into the web of Batulu’s deceit. A very intelligent character academically and politically was outwitted in another aspect of life. She was his weakness, his blind side.
As you get more engrossed in the story, you find out how Batulu left ‘su Amadu in gurguzancinsu (Marxism) in poverty and chose to go jari hujja (capitalism) with Ilyasu. It seems her belief in their ideals was just to get close to guys she admired. I guess it’s the hatsabibanci (stubbornness) in these guys that pulled her to them in the first place, as one finds out from what her sister and friends divulged about her. From the several things she could tell about her family, one gleaned her as a hatsabibiyar yarinya (stubborn) who had the ability to carefully camouflage who she really was.  She came across as someone who didn’t like or was ashamed of her family, at one time even denying her mother.  This speaks a lot of the upbringing she had. In whole, she came across as someone who is negligent of her religious teachings and guidance so unlike a Malam’s daughter. If Amadu was just a bit more observant after their very first outing when she changed and came out without a scarf, this should have sent the first warning signals. Stories she told of her sisters should have told him ita ba wurin zuwa bace!, a Muslim core northern girl!, a Malam’s daughter?!
The author brought out her calculating nature as she came to tell Amadu her so-called intimate and family secrets,because she knew any person you relate such secrets to, naturally believes you trust him and he has a special place in your life. With Amadu, Batulu used this card more than once and he fell gullibly. As one reads on, one cannot help but ask, was Amadu so naïve in love?, so young at heart that he didn’t notice any trait of kwadai (materialism) in her? You pity him when you realize that he underrated Batulu’s intelligence and if he hadn’t been so foolishly in love, beyond that façade perhaps he would have glimpsed the real Batulu or at least noticed when she lost her core values or the values that brought them together.
Batulu eventually finds she missed the love she threw away, but could not leave her new life, but amazingly Amadu finds it in his heart to still want to listen to her which is definitely a surprise for the reader who would annoyingly wonder why? Despite all the lies she had told him and the incidence with the abortion pills, surprisingly he still wasn’t put off, not even her mourning of Malam Bello’s death and the statement that had he not died, they would have carried on where they left off. This makes the reader to probe what really was the depth of their relationship? If it were an illicit intimate relationship, one would have thought that was the answer to Amadu’s leniency. 
Could a virile young man have a platonic relationship with a beautiful girl throwing herself at him? It’s an engaging story that keeps you turning pages. But as a narrative that strives to keep up with events in history, one finds the use of cellular phones rather awkward not only because they didn’t exist then, but because had it been available then, it could well have been the tool to at least sow some suspicion in Amadu’s mind. 
Despite all the turmoil one finds, Batulu the love story is a refreshing change from the other novels and love stories where we only read of the anguish of a female broken heart. Here, Amadu’s feelings and anguish over his loss of Batulu were described in details ‘dan kam ya rafsa kukansa’ (he cried his heart out), and being a letter writer as we saw in his letters to the university management and to Malam Bello with Batulu, ‘aiki ya samu mai yinsa’, the writer in him wrote her a letter five pages full displaying his anger, reminding her of their love, how he had stood by her, cautioning her against throwing the ideals they believed in and before ending, astonishingly one finds Amadu still hoping Batulu would come back. Here lies the evidence of Amadu’s pure and undying love for Batulu, for in the 22nd chapter of the 25-chapter book, after he had heard all the truths and untruths, he was still pleading and even telling her he will be waiting.
In Amadu’s love for Batulu is a lesson that however you may love and want something, if it hasn’t been destined to be yours, you’ll never get it. And that no matter how one risks falling into a trap, if it is not one’s portion, God would save him. Words, Amadu’s family consoled with him when he eventually confirmed Batulu had married another. But another lesson to also take into consideration would be found in the proverb ta yaro kyau take bata karko. Had Amadu intimated elders at home about Batulu’s excuses for not letting him kai mata toshi, they would have seen through her or would have done some underground checks to find out if her story was really true. This is the essence of tambaya (seeking for permission) as required in the Hausa culture, which would have saved Amadu time, tears and agony.
 The mystery that was Batulu could only be solved by Batulu herself as one cannot fathom what she gained from (taking him for a ride) kiwon ragon layya that she did to Amadu. What did she gain by pretending to love him, being with him at all times,  dutifully cooking his food daily like a wife would, except if in her weird mind she felt all these things would vindicate her action of jilting him later. How she lived her life pretending, living with guilt and fear, knowing she could be caught any day.  She must have heaved a big sigh of relief when she finally finished school and left. By leaving Amadu, Batulu only reiterated men’s belief that every woman can be had with just the right price. In his friend Tanko’s words, they are like goods and anyone worthy or unworthy of them can take his pick once he can meet the bargain price. Greed is essentially what pushes such women. 
 It was perhaps a good omen that Batulu left Amadu. She was too cunning; and if only he could see he would have known it was good riddance. Just as his friend Mujaddadi would have thought, for he had always believed Batulu was cursed, because all the guys who befriended her have met one calamity or another. Her secondary school mates, Salisu, M. Bello and Tanko, only Amadu born to Ulamas escaped, ko dan rubutu da duai (because of prayers). With this point the author cleverly brought an aspect of the Hausa culture of superstitious beliefs just as in the final chapter his friends Ali and Lawal helped in defining another aspect of Hausa life of visiting Malams for prayers or charlatans for their needs.
In the end, it is left for one to judge, was Amadu a hero for his patience, pity and enduring love, or a fool who found out the hard way that tsintattar mage bata mage. Batulu was just a Butulu (an ingrate).
Hajiyyaye can be reached at  [email protected]