The Development of Concepts of ‘Author’ and ‘Authorship’ in Hausa Culture

Abstract

Hausa literature is one of the well-studied African literatures. This paper explores Hausa creative writing, focusing both on the figure of author , marubuci, and the changes the concept of ‘author’ has undergone, motivated by social perceptions and demands. Modern mass media call attention in different ways to writers and their creative writing. Therefore, interviews with authors may provide valuable information, that has before now remained unexplored by the researchers, as well as some unique insights into the world of Hausa creating writing. Interviews constitute a particular genre in media industry contributing social communication and discussion. They also serve as a reliable source for understanding writer’s self-perception, and the perception of creative writing and authorship in the context of social and literary change. This paper explores interviews with several prominent Hausa language authors; among them are Shu’aibu Makarfi, Bilkisu Funtuwa, Binta Salma Mohammed, Hafsatu Ahmad Abdulwaheed, Ismail Bala Garba, Rahma A. Majid, and Bashir Abubakar Umar. The study seeks to prove that the nature of interaction between a writer’s self-perception and social expectations/ social perceptions for both creative writing and marubuci is a significant factor, that defines the development of Hausa literary movement. Moreover, that the development of Hausa literature in Northern Nigeria has been determined mostly by the self-perception of the authors, who aimed to improve literary tradition, and thus introduced new experimental trends, attitudes and forms into the literature. The study concludes that the contribution of modern Northern Nigerian writers to shaping the future development of Nigerian literature will definitely grow. This paper explores the substance of Hausa social phenomenon marubuci , ‘writer’, as well as Hausa perceptions and evaluations of authors and writing. The attitude to literary work, and to people engaged in the field, can be regarded as a significant part of Hausa literary movement. Modern mass media call attention in different ways to writers and their writing. In this regard, such extensive body of evidence as interviews may provide unique insights into Hausa creative writing, that has before now remained unexplored. Interviews constitute a particular genre in media industry contributing social communication and discussion. Moreover, they serve as a reliable source for understanding writer’s self-perception and social perceptions, evaluations and demands in the context of social and literary change. The proposed survey explores the largely unexamined source — interviews with authors. It focuses on the ways of interaction between a writer’s self-perception and social expectations/ social perceptions for both creative writing, and marubuci mainly based on interviews with prominent Hausa writers such as Shu’aibu Makarfi, Bilkisu Funtuwa, and Rahma A. Majid. We argue that the nature of this interaction should be regarded as a significant factor, that defines the development of Hausa literary movement. I could put into the heads of girls ideas — through entertainment and enlightenment… I have considered prose as the best medium of reaching out to women and men with my messages. Prose is the ideal way of teaching through entertainment [4].