NOVEL TRADITIONS IN CONTEMPORARY NORTHERN NIGERIA: A GENERIC PERSPECTIVES OF THE THREE NOVELISTS FROM THE REGION

Author: Dr. Danladi Abdu

ABSTRACT

This paper explored the current trends of literature in English from northern Nigeria, focusing on three acclaimed novelists, namely Abubakar Gimba, Zaynab Alkali and Aliyu Kamal. The aim of this research was to scrutinize the stylistic idiosyncrasies of three writers mainly in the way they converge and diverge in their thematic focus in exploring contemporary realities of northern Nigeria. The three writers are from three major states from northern Nigeria. Aliyu Kamal is from Kano state, Zaynab Alkali from Borno state while Abubakar Gimba from Nassarawa State. Questionnaires were administered to critics, literary scholars and literature students in various secondary schools and tertiary institutions from the three states where the novelists live with a view to seeking the critical perspectives of the three writers in the area they converge and diverge in their portrayal of contemporary issues in northern Nigeria. The questionnaires were distributed to the respondents, after formal introductions. The researcher collected the questionnaires at fixed time agreed by the respondents and their representatives in various schools of three states. Appendices of the questionnaires are attached at the last page of the paper the findings of the study revealed the three writers are deeply obsessed with depiction of theme marriage and education. The paper recommends among others, that the writers from northern Nigeria should be fully supported with enough funds to publish their novels in reputable publishing company for wider circulation.

Keywords: Novel Traditions, Contemporary, Northern Nigeria and Novelists

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