Zaynab Alkali

Zaynab Alkali
Born1950 (age 75–76)[1]
Tura-Wazila, Borno state[2]
EducationBayero University Kano
Known forfirst woman novelist from Northern Nigeria
SpouseMohammed Nur Alkali
Childrensix

Zaynab Alkalipronunciationⓘ is a Nigerian novelist.[3] She is a poet and short story writer, recognized as the first female novelist in Northern Nigeria.[4][5]

Life and education

Alkali was born in Tura-Wazila in Borno State in 1950.[6] She graduated from Bayero University Kano with a BA in 1973 [7] and then obtained a doctorate in African Studies in the same university and became the principal of Shekara Girls' Boarding School. She went on to be a lecturer in English at two universities in Nigeria.[8]

She married the former vice-chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Mohammed Nur Alkali, and they had six children.[2]

She rose to be a dean in the faculty of arts at Nasarawa State University in Keffi, where she taught creative writing.[8]

She is regarded as the first woman novelist from Northern Nigeria.[1]

Works

  • The Stillborn, Lagos: Longman (Drumbeats), 1984, ISBN 978-0-582-78600-4[9]
  • The Virtuous Woman, Longman Nigeria, 1987, ISBN 978-978-139-589-5[10]
  • Cobwebs & Other Stories, Lagos: Malthouse Press, 1997, ISBN 978-978-0230296.
  • The Descendants, Tamaza, 2005, ISBN 978-978-2104-73-1
  • The Initiates, 2007, ISBN 978-978-029-767-1.

Career

She worked in the University of Maiduguri as a senior lecturer in the English department for twenty years. Later on she left the University of Maiduguri to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency in Abuja, where she worked for three years until she left to work at Nasarawa State University.[2]

The Stillborn, perhaps Zaynab Alkali's best-known work was published to critical acclaim in 1984.[11] This coming-of-age novel depicts the physical and spiritual journey of a Nigerian woman who learns to survive, in the face of harsh traditions.[12] The novel was quickly followed by The Virtuous Woman which was published by Longman, Nigeria in 1987.[13] Like many talented writers of prose, Zaynab Alkali decided to try her hands on short prose form. Cobwebs & Other Stories was published by the famous Malthouse Press in Lagos in 1997.[14] The Descendants was published by Spectrum Lagos 2005[15][16] and followed by The Initiates in 2007[17], and Invisible Borders 2016,[18][19] Zaynab Alkali's books have been translated into many languages such as German, French, Arabic and Spanish. To date, Zaynab Alkali has won over 40 awards.[20]

With literary success came professional development. Zaynab Alkali took up an appointment at the University of Maiduguri which she held for twenty-two years before joining the Civil Service as a deputy director at NPHCDA, Abuja in 2000.[21][22] Four years later, she moved to Nasarawa State University, Keffi, as a full professor of English.[23] She would later become dean of the faculty of arts, and dean of the School of Post-Graduate Studies.[23] Between 2005 and 2009 Zaynab Alkali served as deputy vice chancellor (Admin), briefly acting as a vice chancellor in 2006. Between 2015 and 2016, she occupied the post of director, gender studies.[23]

Zaynab Alkali was awarded the title of Icon of Hope (2000) by President Olusegun Obasanjo's government. She received the Nigerian Woman of Distinction Award ( 29 September 2010) on the occasion of Nigeria's Golden Jubilee, presented by President Goodluck Jonathan.[24] The Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, bestowed on her the Woman of Substance Merit Award,(2 October 2011). She was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the Nigeria Literary Canon by Nasir El-Rufai at the Kaduna Book and Arts Festival (KABAFEST) on September 5, 2018.[25]

Zaynab Alkali serves as the board chairman of; Zayba Educational Resources Development, Keffi, Capital Science Academy, Kuje-Abuja and the National Library of Nigeria (NLN) Abuja. She also serves as vice chairman, Planning and Implementation Committee of Midlands University. Chairman board of trustees, (NADI) NURALKALI Development Initiative. Grand matron - Halimafactor Community Initiative – 20 November 2019, and Grand matron of the Effective Reading Campaign in Nigeria, November, 2019.

Zaynab Alkali has authored the following books, The Stillborn, The Virtuous Woman, Cobwebs & Others, The Descendants, The Initiates and the most recently Invisible Borders,. Three of the six books have won prizes, The Stillborn- ANA prize for the Best novel of the year, The Virtuous Woman – Spectrum Award (1978–2002), Cobwebs & Other Stories – ANA Award.

Zaynab Alkali is the proprietor of Zyba Model Nursery and Primary School in Keffi. She also oversees the operations of Zyba Farms. In addition to her educational and business activities, Alkali has produced literary works that explore the complexities of everyday human experiences.

Zaynab Alkali currently lives in Keffi. She was married to the late Professor Nur Alkali; they had six children and several grandchildren. In 2019, she was named as ANA fellow.[26]

Edited

  • Zaynab Alkali, Al Imfeld (eds.), Vultures in the Air: Voices from Northern Nigeria, Ibadan-Kaduna-Lagos: Spectrum Books, 1995, ISBN 978-978-2462-60-2

Awards

Association of Nigerian Authors(ANA) Literary Prize, 1985[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Zainab Alkali, SIU.edu
  2. ^ a b c d Galleria, Nigeria. "Nigeria Personality Profile". Nigeria Galleria. Galleria Media Limited. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  3. ^ Kabir, Hajara Muhammad (2010). Northern women development. ISBN 978-978-906-469-4. OCLC 890820657.
  4. ^ Ijewere, Esther (2019-01-07). "MEET ZAYNAB ALKALI, THE FIRST WOMAN NOVELIST FROM NORTHERN NIGERIA". Women of Rubies. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
  5. ^ Ovuakporie, Emman (2024-12-02). "MEET first female novelist from Northern Nigeria, Zainab Alkali". TheNewsGuru. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
  6. ^ "ALKALI, Dr. Zaynab". Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation. 2016-11-09. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
  7. ^ Margaret Busby, Daughters of Africa, London: Cape, 1992, p. 782.
  8. ^ a b Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr.; Professor Emmanuel Akyeampong; Steven J. Niven (2 February 2012). Dictionary of African Biography. OUP USA. pp. 177–178. ISBN 978-0-19-538207-5.
  9. ^ Dearborn Financial Publishing, 1988; London: Longman, 1989; Addison-Wesley Publishers, 1990; Longman International Education. 1995
  10. ^ Alkali, Zaynab (1987). The virtuous woman. Ikeja, Nigeria: Longman Nigeria. ISBN 9789781395895. OCLC 610411707.
  11. ^ Ouarodima, Maina (2018-06-01). "Women and Patriarchy: A Reading of Zaynab Alkali's The Stillborn". American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences. 43 (1): 178–189. ISSN 2313-4402.
  12. ^ Giwa, Audee T.; Hamza, Sha'awanatu (2021-12-15). "Interrogating the Spectre of Child Marriage in the Selected Works of Zaynab Alkali and Abubakar Gimba". Ebonyi Journal of Language and Literary Studies. 4 (1).
  13. ^ Alkali, Zaynab (1987). The Virtuous Woman. Longman Nigeria. ISBN 978-978-139-589-5.
  14. ^ Alkali, Zaynab (1997). The Cobwebs & Other Stories. Malthouse Press. ISBN 978-978-023-029-6.
  15. ^ "Complete Analysis of The Descendants by Zainab Alkali". Oloyede.com.ng. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  16. ^ Alkali, Zaynab (2005). The descendants. Wusasa, Zaria [Nigeria]: Tamaza. ISBN 978-978-2104-73-1.
  17. ^ Alkali, Zaynab (2007). The initiates. Ibadan, Nigeria: Spectrum Books. ISBN 978-978-029-767-1.
  18. ^ Amos, Kobor (2018-01-07). "Alkali's tale of love and politics in Invisible Borders". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  19. ^ Nation, The (2017-06-17). "Zaynab Alkali For June Guest Writer Session". The Nation. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  20. ^ "Zaynab Alkali's daughter: 'I became a writerbecause of my mum' - Daily Trust". Daily Trust. 2017-07-08. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
  21. ^ "Zaynab Alkali: Contribution as Nigerian Novelist". Literature Analysis. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  22. ^ "19 Facts About Zaynab Alkali". FactSnippet. 2025-05-02. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  23. ^ a b c "Zaynab Alkali". Africa Boku Talent. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  24. ^ Oyedele, Damilola (2010-09-10). "Nigeria: First Lady Honours 50 Women". all.africa.com. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  25. ^ "IWD: Paying homage to pioneering matriarchs of Nigerian literature". TheArtHub. 2024-04-14. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  26. ^ "Association of Nigeria Authors Named Professors Zaynab Alkali, Remi Raji And JOJ Nwachukwu Agbada new ANA Fellows". Retrieved 2026-03-20.
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