Tarihin Marubuci Abdullahi Mukhtar Yaron Malam

Description

English Translation

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR: ABDULLAHI MUKHTAR "YARON MALAM" The Prolific Book Author Written by: Mansur Usman Sufi (King of War Authors) Phone: 08137237071 Copyright © Mansur Usman Sufi

"I am the Bajakade of Abubakar Imam," says Yaron Malam. Ever since the legendary author whom the Hausa world today reveres as the 'father of authors' answered the call of his Creator, literary analysts have dedicated themselves to deep research to discover who would inherit the deceased’s pen, continuing to spark the environment and his unique narrative style of imparting stories suitable for the Hausa people and their culture. This is especially significant given the immense value his books hold today for students, as they are integrated into school curricula and serve as foundational reading materials for most Hausa communities.

Although this is a daunting struggle—one requiring a brave hero equipped with a box of mystical tricks, or a fierce warrior ready to dive into fierce battles, clash, and make sacrifices akin to the Bermuda Triangle and Jewish trickery, as it is certainly not a task for women, let alone Princess Assadatu, Bajakadiya, or Mayakiya making roaring starts—Abdullahi Mukhtar, nicknamed Yaron Malam, donned his armor and cinched his waist to accept this mantle of Imam, as he explained to our correspondent Maje El-Hajeej Hotoro.

(This interview was conducted with him in January 2007.)

We will start by hearing about your background. My name is Abdullahi Mukhtar Yaron Malam. I was born in 1976 in the Fagge neighborhood, located within the Fagge Local Government Area of Kano. I completed my primary education at Fagge Special from 1984 to 1988, and finished my primary schooling at Gama Sabuwa following our relocation there. Afterward, I couldn't immediately continue my formal education; I was taken to a Qur'anic school (makarantar allo) in the town of Hadejia. I didn't stay long before I was brought back due to an illness, whereupon I resumed Qur'anic studies. Later, I enrolled in the Aliyu Bin Abu Thalib Arabic Language School, which was subsequently renamed Umar Bin Khattab located in Gyadi-Gyadi here in Kano, attending from 1994 to 1999. Simultaneously, I continued attending advanced evening Islamic study circles (karatun azure). I then joined the Rasulul Akram Arabic Language School, and upon completion, I went to Irshadul Umma Islamic College in Shahuci, known as Aliya, from 2001 to 2004. Currently, I am at Bayero University, studying mass communication while concurrently dabbling in business.

In which year did you start writing, and what caught your interest to enter the field? Truthfully, I can say that I grew up with a passion for writing. Even while in primary school, I would take paper and copy stories like Baba da Inna and Iliya dan Mai Karfi from my school textbooks. Moreover, I was an avid reader of Arabic and Hausa storybooks, such as Magana Jari Ce, Yawon Duniyar Haji Baba, Labaran Da da na Yanzu, and others. Even during my time at the Qur'anic school, my fellow Almajiri peers would gather around me while I narrated stories from books I had read. I published my first book in 1999; it was a religious text titled Hukunce-hukuncen Azumi da Addu'o'in Watan Ramadan (Rulings of Fasting and Prayers of Ramadan). Next was Hukunce-hukuncen Jinin Haila (Rulings on Menses), though I didn't release it until after I published Kissoshin Ahlul Baiti. Following that, I released Bajakade and Sirrin Aure da Ma'aurata, which became the books that established my name in the literary world.

How many books have you written so far? To date, I have successfully written numerous books, such as Bajakade, Mayakiya, Bakin Gumurzu, Gimbiya Assadatu, Artabu, Fafatawa, Gumu, Tsiburin Bamuda, Sadauki mai Akwatin Siddabaru, Tunga, Shahada, Bajakadiya, 'Yar Mai Ganye, Yakau Dan Mayakiya, Yahudu Badda Musulmi, alongside many religious works.

What style do you use in your writing? My writing styles encompass heroism, humor, romance, and wise sayings. The central theme is strengthening Islamic faith, establishing justice, and improving social relations between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Most books of this nature are translations from other books. Are yours translations or original creations? The truth is, I originate my stories myself. Usually, whenever someone takes a book and translates it, others point out the source. But no one can point to my books and say where I translated them from. However, I do extensive reading, as I mentioned, to sharpen the innate talent God gave me—because while natural gift is vital, knowledge, research, and asking about ambiguous matters are the food of intellect. Furthermore, transferring knowledge from one language to another is not a crime, provided it is done legitimately without plagiarism.

What do you have to say regarding the remarks of Dr. Malumfashi and Professor Abdallah stating that you may succeed the late Abubakar Imam in the field of writing? This is not surprising when considering his style, humor, social philosophy, and wise sayings. He often built his stories around historical epochs and occasionally injected romance. Considering my writing style, that is precisely the path I follow. I have received tremendous encouragement regarding this style of mine; Professor Abdallah often calls me the "new Abubakar Imam." In fact, he sat me down and told me about the strategies the late Imam used in his writing. Additionally, Malam B.K. Zariya, a contemporary of the late Imam, personally called me, sat me down, and shared the history of Abubakar Imam's life, even referring to me as the late Imam.

Was there ever a gift from your readers that you will never forget? There is a woman in Bauchi who once gifted me a Holy Qur'an—truly, I will never forget that gift. Furthermore, well-wishers from various places constantly pray for me, which is also a massive gift I will never forget.

Under what conditions do you prefer to write? I can write under any condition, but I find the most comfort writing after the Subh (dawn) prayer. However, I have recently adopted a routine of writing by the waterfront, deep inside forests with trees and greenery, or on the outskirts of town—just like Abubakar Imam did.

As a businessman, how do you balance writing and business simultaneously? Writing does not prevent a writer from executing daily pursuits. For instance, consider the late Imam, who was both a school teacher and a writer at the same time. Later, he became a newspaper editor, which was a massive task at the time due to scarce resources. Similarly, today you will find writers engaged in various other professions—including soldiers, police officers, civil servants, and corporate workers—and this never stops them from writing.

Speaking of business, it reminds one of the complaints raised by some writers regarding business owners failing to disburse their funds promptly after their books are sold. Indeed, this has long been a grievance we've cried out about, but now, praise be to God, matters are beginning to improve. You will find that we writers ourselves praise certain merchants who make commendable efforts to pay funds promptly. As for those where delays occur, they have pledged to resolve the issue. Furthermore, the booksellers' association and merchants are working tirelessly to resolve this problem. Let us exercise a bit more patience; soon, everything will be history, God willing.

Recently, the Kano State Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) led a delegation of Hausa writers on a trip to the Niger Republic. Being one of the leaders of this association, what challenges and successes did you experience during this trip? The purpose of this trip was visitation and an exchange symposium between Nigerian writers and those of that country, as well as conducting research on their social environment and culture to broaden the experience of our local writers. The only challenge we encountered was our vehicle breaking down, which forced us to use our allowances to charter another vehicle to take us across. However, we achieved tremendous successes, especially in knowledge sharing, visiting important historical sites, and they honored us greatly with security and lodging provisions. We benefited immensely, expanding our intellects, for wise people say that travel is the key to knowledge.

List of Books by the Author:

• YAKAU DAN MAYAKIYA
• SIHIRTACCIYA
• YAHUDU BADDA MUSULMI
• YAHUDU TUBA BABU
• BAJAKADE
• BAJAKADIYA

Summary

This biographical interview profiles Abdullahi Mukhtar, widely known by his pen name "Yaron Malam" and titled the "Sarkin Marubutan Yaƙi" (King of War Authors). Born in 1976 in Fagge, Kano, Mukhtar combined traditional Qur'anic education with formal arabic and technical schooling, alongside tertiary studies in mass communication at Bayero University. Influenced by classic literature and early Hausa storytelling titans like Abubakar Imam, he transitioned from a childhood reader and narrator into a prolific author. Publishing his first religious and literary works in the late 1990s, he built an acclaimed bibliography of action, heroic, and ideological novels—such as Bajakade, Mayakiya, and Tsiburin Bamuda—earning critical acclaim and comparisons to Abubakar Imam from literary scholars like Professor Abdallah and Dr. Malumfashi.

Description

The text is structured as an intimate, firsthand interview conducted by Mansur Usman Sufi in January 2007. It delves deeply into Abdullahi Mukhtar’s literary philosophy, distinguishing his original creative process from mere translation work. It also captures the broader socio-literary ecosystem of Northern Nigeria, highlighting structural challenges between authors and publishers, leadership roles within regional writers' associations (such as ANA Kano), and international cultural exchanges like the literary delegation to the Niger Republic.

Analytics

Comments

This biographical interview provides a rich, unfiltered look into the mind of a transitional figure in Hausa literature. By preserving Mukhtar’s own voice regarding his creative inspirations, writing environment (writing near water or in forests like Abubakar Imam), and labor advocacy regarding publishing houses, the text functions as an invaluable historical archive of the Hausa publishing renaissance of the 2000s.

Conclusions

Abdullahi Mukhtar "Yaron Malam" occupies a revered space in contemporary Hausa literature. By successfully bridging traditional Islamic scholarship with gripping narrative fiction, he earned high praise as a spiritual and stylistic successor to Abubakar Imam. His commitment to original storytelling, institutional literary leadership, and cultural preservation cements his legacy as a pillar of modern Northern Nigerian authorship.

Keywords

Abdullahi Mukhtar Yaron Malam, Sarkin Marubutan Yaƙi, Hausa literature, Bajakade, Abubakar Imam, Kano authors, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Hausa war novels, Mansur Usman Sufi, Bayero University Kano.