Farida Ado, a Hausa author, has been christened Kano’s Jane Austen by TIME magazine in their Next Generation Leaders’ list.
Jane Austen was an English novelist in the 18th century whose works bothered on challenges faced by women.
Ado writes romance novels known as littattafan soyayya in Hausa.
The locally produced paperbacks are not expensive and are sold from tiny storefronts in Kano.
The 32-year-old told TIME that she tries to reflect societal realities in her stories.
Ado has written six books in the Hausa language featuring themes of forbidden romance, how to get along with the multiple step-siblings from your father’s several wives; how to deal with a new, younger wife in your home; how to maintain family harmony while striving for independence; and what to do (or not do) about a husband’s infidelity.
“Women turn to romance novels to figure out how to live their own lives,” she said.
“Every positive example [the reader] gets on how to solve her problems is a plus to society.”
Her books are not likely to be translated into English language anytime soon.
TIME’s 2018 list features 11 people from around the world, including pop stars The Weeknd and Ariana Grande.
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