Fatima Bala was born in Kaduna, she is a lecturer and a poet with a captivating voice in contemporary literature. She infuses her work with the richness of her cultural heritage, shedding light on diverse perspectives often overlooked. Through her writing, Fatima advocates for proper representation of relatable characters, weaving narratives that resonate with depth and authenticity. When she’s not writing, you can find her indulging in her love for photography, travelling, or playing board games. With her unique blend of passion and insight, Fatima Bala is poised to make an indelible mark on the literary landscape.
Her book, Broken – Not a Halal Love Story (published by Masobe) will be available in Nigeria in July 2024.
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Haneefah: Welcome to LITVO Journal. Thank you for granting me this interview. Broken – Not a Halal Love Story is one of the best books I have read so far in 2024. The title is what got my attention in the first place. What is the story behind the title?
Fatima: Thank you, Haneefah, I am happy you enjoyed reading Broken – Not a Halal Love Story. I think you will agree that the title is an accurate description of the crux of the story and I just wanted readers to have an honest idea of the book.
Haneefah: Different writers have different processes of writing that work for them. How did you come up with the idea of the story and what was the writing process like for you?
Fatima: Different pieces of the story came to me at different times, but the truth is I just wanted to write a story that I, as a reader would enjoy reading. You know the Toni Morrison quote, ‘If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” I wanted a non-cliche representation of Arewa’s characters and I worked towards writing that.
Haneefah: What purpose do you envision your book, Broken – Not a Halal Love Story to serve?
Fatima: As a reminder about the things we take lightly, a cautionary tale about the things we don’t talk about, and a realistic representation of people like us and our parents.
Haneefah: Faiza appears to be a metaphor for flaws and self-reflection. It is true that there is no human without flaws but then to what extent do you think one can truly control his or her thirst for things like lust and love?
Fatima: No one is perfect, but to control moral vices, and I am not just talking about lust, but greed, envy, pride, etc are all dependent on how much inner work the individual is willing to do.
Haneefah: The Islamic process of investigating the groom’s character and family background is a culture that dates back to generations before ours. While Faiza’s father was investigating Ahmad, it was stated that his investigations are always right. Is this as a result of the fact that some people believe that conservative Muslims are hardly flawed?
Fatima: It’s interesting that you see it that way, and yes, that could be part of the reason why. I think for Fa’iza, it ties directly to how most of us put our parents on pedestals, and rightly so. In her case, the thought of the outcome of the investigation being wrong did not even cross her mind.
Haneefah: Faiza usually starts to avoid Ahmad each time something happens between them that is considered a sin. I was discussing her ‘avoiding attitude’ with a friend. My friend however added that it is how most Nigerian girls behave. Should we consider Faiza’s ‘avoiding attitude’ as a representation of the Nigerian Girls’ Attitude ‘, a childish attitude, both or do you have another justification for her attitude and why?
Fatima: In their characterization, I wrote Ahmad as someone with a secure attachment style and Fa’iza as someone with an anxious-avoidant attachment style. As a writer, it’s my job to ensure that these attachment styles show in the different ways they tackle obstacles, so naturally, Fa’iza would always avoid difficult conversations and mask her feelings. I don’t think it’s a childish attitude or necessarily a Nigerian girls’ attitude. I think it’s a personality trait that cuts across cultures and genders- not the best personality trait, but a relatable one.
Haneefah: People usually mistake emotional intelligence and emotional manipulation with each other. My friend and I are still having an argument on whether the character Ahmad is emotionally manipulative or emotionally intelligent. How do you identify and differentiate the two?
Fatima: I would like to know the final verdict on that argument, the easiest way to differentiate between the two is how the people in question make you feel. Honesty without kindness is brutality – a clear lack of emotional intelligence, but kindness without honesty is manipulation.
Haneefah: Faiza’s therapy sessions have offered us an insight into her thoughts and feelings. Her accusations of Ahmad being somewhat manipulative seems to be a tactic to transfer blame from herself. The psychology of human behavior is such that we all want to be perceived as good people and this inevitably leads to consistent blame-shifting. Is being or appearing perfect worth it after all?
Fatima: Perfection is a myth; it is not a concept I believe in. Constantly working towards being a better human being than I was yesterday, that is my path. You are right about Fa’iza transferring blame during therapy because victimhood made her feel better instead of owning up to her mistakes, something most people do when they are dealing with pain.
Haneefah: The cliche story of influential men using their positions to coerce young girls into succumbing to their wiles is a story as old as time. The hypocrisy of using religion as a tool to cover up immorality was reflected in Ahmad’s uncle’s character. How do you think this menace can be curbed?
Fatima: We have a long way to go in curbing the menace, we have to create safe spaces for women to speak their truth, undo the culture of shame that surrounds sexual assault, and empower more women financially through education and/or entrepreneurship, and that is just the starting point.
Haneefah: Do you think writers necessarily have to conform to morality? Why?
Fatima: I think that’s dependent on the writer, the subject matter and the intended audience. Most times, sensitive topics are watered down due to fear of censorship and on the other hand we have writers who push boundaries with every new piece they publish. Personally, I try to find a balance between my artistic expression and our societal expectations, and that’s why a character like Justice Mohammed serves as a litmus against which morality is measured in Broken – Not a Halal Story.
Haneefah: Do you believe in the power of therapists? Because there are certain times that people say things like, “These therapists, they are also humans.In as much as they are professionals, they are humans so why should I trust them to help me?”
Fatima: I am a huge advocate for licensed therapy, I always tell people to seek therapy. I think in Nigeria, we have the luxury of finding ourselves in close female friendships or close-knit families that allow us to talk our hearts out, and discuss our problems, and that in itself is a form of therapy. Not regulated, but helpful sometimes. So, we just have to bridge the gap between regulated and non-regulated therapy by showcasing the merits and sharing success stories.
Haneefah: “Those people – masu kudin Arewa – were often men, who had more money than their wives and children could spend.” This statement from your book, in one among the interpretations suggests feminism. What does feminism mean to you? Do you believe that there is anything like toxic feminism considering that there are many strands?
Fatima: Feminism is the reason I can occupy spaces previously reserved for only men, my growth in my chosen career isn’t limited by my gender. The conversation around toxic feminism and what that even means goes hand in hand with toxic masculinity and how it endangers women and men alike.
Haneefah: Considering how Ahmad is protective of the women around him and even the less privileged, can we consider him a feminist? Why?
Fatima: I can’t see a scenario where Ahmad would be against the economic or social equality of a person simply because of their gender. Whether that makes him a feminist or an ally is really up to the reader’s interpretation of his actions.
Haneefah: “Fate definitely had favorites, and Sakina is high up on that list; she was truly blessed.” This statement by Faiza makes me wonder; Have you ever tried to picture existence without fate? How unfair can fate be?
Fatima: Have I tried to picture existence without fate? As a Muslim who believes in destiny – faith, and fate are intertwined for me. I think at that moment Fa’iza felt like Sakina had everything she ever wanted.
Haneefah: I love the way you switched between first-person and third-person narrative styles. Why did you decide to use first person narrative style for Faiza and not Ahmad?
Fatima: Thank you. To be honest, when I started writing Ahmad, I was worried that I wouldn’t get his voice right and it was very important to me that I did, but as I kept working on the draft, I liked the degree of separation that the third-person narrative style offered especially because he was re-telling events we already knew about.
Haneefah: Broken – Not a Halal Love Story reminds me of Naima Robert’s She Wore Red Trainers. Have you read any of Naima Robert’s books? Does she inspire you? Who are the writers that inspire you?
Fatima: Naima Roberts is a phenomenal writer, and I love her work. I am inspired by so many writers, Chimamanda Adichie, Hafsat Abdulwahab, Lola Shoneyin, Balaraba Ramat Yakubu, and many more.
Haneefah: What book are you working on now? Tell us a bit about it.
Fatima: I’ll be honest with you. I haven’t worked on any of my drafts since last year and I don’t even feel bad about it. When the inspiration strikes, I usually cannot think of anything else but typing away at my computer, so it’s good having this me-time to focus on other things I enjoy doing.
Thank you so much for this interview.
Haneefah: It is an honour.
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Haneefah Abdulrahman is a writer, interviewer, spoken poetry artiste and podcaster from Nigeria whose work has appeared in Nigerian Review, Wisprout Project, Arts MuseFair, and elsewhere. She is a 2021 fellow of Ebedi International Writers Residency, a Pioneer fellow of Imodoye Writers’ Residency, and she was a Columnist at DailyTrust Newspaper. She is the Author of Shades of Becoming. She is the 2021 Winner of The Arewa Rising Literary Star. Born in Kaduna, Haneefah is an indigene of Kogi State. She is a student of English Literature at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Haneefah is the founder of FitzNArtz. She is the Chairperson of the Kaduna Branch, Hill-Top Creative Arts Foundation, the 2021/ 2022 Chairperson of the Creative Writers Club, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria – Nigeria, the Editor-in-Chief of Literature Voices (LITVO) and the Editorial Assistant of the Moveee Magazine.
