الجهيض

by Zaynab Alkali, صبري محمد حسن (Translator)

This novel is centred around the experiences of women in contemporary Nigeria. It follows the adolescent plans and dreams of Li as she struggles for independence against the traditional values of her family home, marriage and the lure of the city and all it can offer.

Genres: Africa, Nigeria, African Literature

258 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Her Islamic family came from a village in Borno State, Nigeria, but moved to a Christian village in Gongola State, where she was brought up. She graduated from Bayero University, Kano, with a BA in 1973, obtaining an MA in African Literature in English in 1979. The first woman novelist from Northern Nigeria, she is Senior Lecturer in English at the University of Maiduguri, Borno State.

(from Daughters of Africa, edited by Margaret Busby)

Reviews

[Sawsan · Rating 3 out of 5]

رغم ان الانسان سيظل يحلم.. والأحلام دائما جميلة ومبهجة.. لكنها قد لا تتحقق
رواية مكتوبة بأسلوب بسيط تحكي مسار حياة فتاة صغيرة من الطفولة إلى الشباب
ومن خلالها عرض لأحوال المرأة في مراحل عمرية مختلفة في المجتمع النيجيري
صورة للحياة اليومية في القرية حيث تسيطر العادات والتقاليد وأحيانا الخرافات
القيود والموروثات الثقافية والاجتماعية التي تحكم فكر وتصرفات المجتمع
الشخصيات النسائية في الرواية تمر بتجارب مختلفة تجهض أحلامهم وتوقعاتهم في الحياة
واضح اهتمام الكاتبة بأهمية الوعي بالواقع والمحاولات الجدية ولو فردية لتغييره
زينب الكالي روائية نيجيرية, أستاذة الأدب الأفريقي والكتابة الإبداعية في جامعة ولاية ناساراوا
تهتم في كتاباتها بالمرأة ومحاولة دعمها تعليميا واقتصاديا ونفسيا

[Nnedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been hearing about this novel for years. Finally I got my hands on a copy. The print was tiny and I didn't think I'd read it because of that. However, once I started reading it, I was immediately sucked in. I read most of it during several airplane flights (normally, I can't read at all on planes, so this was that good). It was a real page-turner. But this was not because of break-neck pacing or anything. The story was just really rich and the characters deeply interesting. This is a novel about the effects of modernization and Western ideas on Nigerian women (some effects were good, some where not so good). It reminded me of Buchi Emecheta's Joys of Motherhood, but this novel ended with more hope (which I appreciated). It's the first such novel I've read by a Northern Nigerian woman. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good story and to anyone who wants a taste of a part of Nigeria and so on, haha.

[Zanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I enjoyed most about this was its vivacious, smart protagonist, Li, who is prepared to seek fulfilment in defiance of those who want to intimidate her into submission. While I had never heard of this book, and was only able to find an old second hand copy from the wonderful Drumbeats series, it seems that it is considered a feminist classic in Nigeria and more widely in Africa, so it must resonate strongly with those closer to the material.

Small but perfectly formed, with engaging characters and relationships = )

[Yakut Akbay · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a coming-of-age novel depicting physical and spiritual growth of a Nigerian woman who learns to survive in the face of harsh conditions and traditions within which she lives and has to come to terms with.

[Soph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every man in this book is devoid of moral character. The women rely on each other and on their own resilience to carve out fulfilling lives for themselves - this book seems to encourage women to dream, refuse to be bound by social norms, and to be bold with the only life they have. I think Li’s decisions can be frustrating, but she is almost entirely led by her own heart and dreams, and that’s admirable. This story is fairly specific to Nigeria and to this time-period, but I saw similar themes to other cultural stories I’ve read (village vs city life, modernisation, the importance of family).

[نورة . · Rating 5 out of 5]

آهه يا لاى وسول..
احببت الرواية جدًا رغم اني لم اعجب بالكاتبة لكنها اعجبتني جدًا ، احبب شخصية لأى واعتقد ان مهما عظم الشخص سوا من استقرار ذاتي او تحقيق هدف فهو يحتاج إلى الحب، إلى شخص يستقيم معه ويقف جنبًا إلى جنب، رغم تحقيق هدف لاى وصراعها في الحياة والخذلان والخيانة التي احست بِه تجاه هابو رغم هذا كله لم تنسى الأيام معه .. رغم هذه كله (ستسلمه المِقْود وتمشي معه جنبًا إلى جنب إلى اين يتعلم المشي)

[Freeman Adeshina]

I read this amazing and inspiring novel when was in year one in higher institution. This truly opened my mind and expand my scope of knowledge.
It's necessary for parents to read this especially the mothers.

[Marina · Rating 5 out of 5]

If i was to sum this book up , i'd use this quote from the story "it is well to dream, child(...) Everybody does, and as long as we live, we shall continue to dream. But it is also important to remember that like babies dreams are conceived but not all dreams are born alive. Some are aborted. Others are stillborn."

[Rossy]

I have read this book before but I need the summary for better understanding,the book is very very interesting o

[Reet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely for its depiction of village life in mid-twentieth century rural Nigeria, Alkali's tale is a book about a strong young woman who, despite the patriarchal village culture that holds back and oppresses women, is determined to live her life by her own rules.
Li is one of many children who lives in her father's compound in a village in Nigeria. He has a couple of wives, but he is of frail health following an accident at a prayer meeting several years ago, as our story opens. He has trouble controlling her brother Sule, because he is willful and goaded on by his grandma. He also has trouble with Grandma, who is his stepmother, who swears at him, and who he suspects is a witch. "But deep down in his heart, he knew grandma wasn't the only reason for his son's abnormal behavior. Other things helped to confuse his sense of moral values. Mainly the Quest for modern living coupled with a foreign culture, a thing that was sweeping the whole community like wildfire." p.25

Li is 13 when the story opens, and already attracting the eyes of boys. Habu is one of those boys. She likes Habu, too. Soon, he contrives meetings with her, and one day at the market..."He moved closer to her and quickly slipped a 10 shilling note between the folds of her wrapper. He had left before she realized what he had done. Li moved and the note fell out to the great amusement of the traders.
'That is a fortune, is it not?' said one of them. 'Today's market is meant for you,' said another.
'But ten shillings, what a big leak that Must have made in his pocket, and come to think of the pocket...' he guffawed and the rest followed suit.
'That is enough,' an elderly man cut them short. 'Without doubt, you are her father's age-mate. Are you envious that the sun has set for you?' Gradually the laughter died down amidst many protests." p. 31

Habu wins Li's hand, his family pays the bride-price, and Habu goes to the city to get a job to be able to make a home for the couple, so he leaves Li behind in her father's compound to wait for him. But it has been four years, and Li is still in the village. "Mechanically she began washing pots and calabashes, her mind divorced from her fingers. She was dreaming of a paradise called the city. A place where she would have an easy life, free from slimy calabashes and evil-smelling goats. She looked down at her coarse hands and feet. One of these days she would be a different woman, with painted nails and silky shiny hair.
She was going to be a successful grade 1 teacher and Habu a famous medical doctor, like the white man in the village mission hospital. The image of a big European house full of houseboys and maids Rose before her. Li smiled to herself. The bushy stream, the thorny Hillside and the dusty Market would soon be forgotten, in the past." p.55

Four Years later, Habu sends for her. But Habu is not the same boy she married. He is sullen and stays away most of the time from their apartment. Moreover, he is no doctor, but a salesman. Li's only friend is their landlady who keeps an eye out for the pregnant Li when she can. Li is furious, and exasperated with this life that is no life, and wants to return to the village. Her landlady consoles her, telling Li the story of her own wedded life. " '... I stayed. I was married to him. It was where Allah wanted me to be. I stayed, Li, not for a year or two, but for 30 years. I may have suffered but in those years I learnt a valuable lesson that patience, as our people always say, does not sour no matter how long you keep it, and a patient person could cook a rock and drink the soup.' " p.73

Li has at times had dreams that foretell the future. In one dream, she sees herself as an old woman, on the day of her great-granddaughter's wedding. She feels sad, because her life fell short of the dreams she had as a girl. In the dream, her great-granddaughter reassures her: " 'No, great-grandmother! It isn't true. You are a success, remember? You gave your life for the welfare of the people.' 'It is Well to dream, child,' she went on as if she hadn't heard the girl. 'Everybody does, and as long as we live, we shall continue to dream. But it is also important to remember that like babies dreams are conceived but not all dreams are born alive. Some are aborted. Others are stillborn.' " p.104

This book may remind the reader of the dreams of their youth, and how life seems to get in the way of those dreams. Moreover, it will once again reinforce the truth of the saying: "You can never go home again."

[Masha M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this earlier this year, and it's my second Zaynab Alkali book. It follows the life of Li, a 13 years old girl and the challenges she faces in life.

It discusses the struggles girls face growing up, the way the society condemns them whenever they say their minds. Li has a lot of dreams and terribly wishes to see it come to pass, but that isn't possible. Not in her little village. Every after marrying her sweetheart Habu, things still don't go as per her dreams. The person she knew, her husband, is now a different being. Going back home will be like accepting defeat. Her village people will be sure to tell her to keep being patient. She does but there are times that even patience is not enough.

I love the setting of the novel, a small village in Northern Nigeria. It is a light hearted read, which discusses a lot of issues including feminism, love, chauvinism, loss, family. The main character Li, is definitely a true icon - smart, self willed even in those days where it was considered a crime for a woman, dedicated in pursuing her dreams, kind hearted and strong. Reading about her family dynamic from the beginning brought tears to my eyes. Her brother's disappearance, her sister's sadness and the overall feeling of being not able to pursue her dreams.

I adore this book so much that it's one of my best reads this year. If you like books that roll around family dynamics, heartache, drama, then this book is for you.

[Monica Orok · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Stillborn” by Zaynab Alkali was one of my favorite books during my secondary school days. I was deeply moved by how vividly the village scenes were portrayed—so rich, authentic, and relatable. The author brought the rural life to light with such depth that I could almost hear the sounds, smell the food, and feel the rhythm of the community.

What made it even more memorable for me was the powerful contrast between village life and the city. The transition from the simplicity of the rural setting to the complexity and harsh realities of urban life was striking. I admired how Alkali captured the emotional and societal challenges that came with this shift—especially for women like Li, who had to navigate dreams, disappointments, and societal pressure.

The story felt so real, and even today, I still reflect on the themes of change, identity, and resilience that the book so beautifully explored. “The Stillborn” isn’t just a story—it’s an experience that stays with you.”

[Karey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book now feels a bit dated with 30 years having elapsed since it was written. Takes me back to an era where inside stories from experiences of African women, in particular, was quite a new thing. It also seemed to concertina in time - over half of the book is taken up with her experiences as a child/teenager growing up in the village over a period of one or two years, and then 20 years is crammed into last third. Despite that an enjoyable read and a feisty main character with a positive ending for a change!

This quote comes towards the end of the book, "it is well to dream, child(...) Everybody does, and as long as we live, we shall continue to dream. But it is also important to remember that like babies dreams are conceived but not all dreams are born alive. Some are aborted. Others are stillborn."

[Alhanouf · Rating 3 out of 5]

لم يكن الكتاب كما توقعت
الكاتبة قامت بوضع حال المرأة في نيجيريا في روايتها
وتسرد حكاية لاي وفاكو وآوا
آوا ولاي أختان وفاكو هي صديقة لاي
كل منهن عانت في حياتها لكونها امرأة
الكاتبة وصفت الواقع بحذافيره
واقع يتكرر على كثير من النسوة
هناك أشياء كثيرة لم تعجبني مثل طريقة السرد وأيضا الحوارات فأحيانا تعتقد أن شخصا آخر قال هذا الحوار لكن يكون نفس الشخص بالسطر العلوي وتكرر الوضع معي
أيضا لم تعجبني كيف أن لاي قد اختارت الرجوع لنفس الشخص الذي تجاهلها طيلة خمس سنوات واغتصبها ثم تركها ترحل ولم يُبد أي بادرة عاطفية تجاهها!!!
سأتجاهل لو لم تصبح معلمة مؤهلة لكنها أصبحت مؤهلة ومستقلة فكيف تسمح لنفسها بالرجوع له!!!

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read and reread this classic many times, but each time, something jumps out at me.
When women are empowered, we are stronger (not just economically but emotionally), we are better able to make good choices, and we pour back into our community.
Who became the man of the compound? Li. Even when the first son shirked his responsibility and refused to come home out of what I can only call pride, Awa and Li held the family together and buried their elders, ushered the family into the modern era, cared for the children and bore the next generation.
Women are the real community builders and we hold legacy close. Maybe because we have always had to fight to belong.

[Abderrahmane Sidi Moctar · Rating 4 out of 5]

اقتنيت هذه الرواية بتخفيض من معرض القاهرة الدولي للكتاب في آخر أيامه، فقط كي أثقل موازيني الكتبية من هذا الحدث الهام، ولا أخفيكم أني أيضا كنت شغوفا بقراءة شيء مختلف عن بلاد لا أعرف عنها الكثير كنيجيريا.

الآن، بعد إتمام الرواية أدركت أنّها كانت من أفضل ما اقتنيت، أخذتني زينب القاضي في رحلة إلى غابات افريقيا الساحرة وعاداتها الغريبة، أرتني قوة المرأة وضعفها، ملائكيتها وشيطنتها في بيئة بريئة تحاول المدنية أن تستعمرها.. رواية مختلفة.

شوقتني لأقرأ أكثر لزينب ولكن سأحاول أن أقرأ بلغة غير العربية في المرة القادمة لأن الترجمة التي قرأت كان سيئة جدا، وربما أفسدت أحداثا لافتة في الرواية.

[Ebere · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book about 30 years ago, early in secondary school.
I was too young to understand most of the book, and a lot of the adult nuances went over my teenage head.
But I never forgot the novel.
As an adult, I searched for the book on eBay and bought it again to read it again with the experience and wisdom of someone who has experienced heartbreak and directly observed the tribulations of a close Nigerian female friend.
This novel seems so simple, but it is profoundly deep.

[ABUBAKAR FAHAD · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a coming of age novel depicting physical and spiritual growth of a Nigerian woman who learns to survive in the face of harsh conditions and traditions within which she lives and has to come to terms with.

[Kaltum Ahmed · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an amazing novel which was written by Zaynab Alkali, it follow a 13 year old girl and the things she has face in life.I like the setting of the book,which was a small village in Northern Nigeria

[Christiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very nice book

[سحابي السلفي]

ya sanyin idanu na, wlsh Ina muradin karanta wanna littafin.

[Yazdad Muktar · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is one of the best I have seen

[Nwankwo Honest · Rating 1 out of 5]

1

[Emmanuel]

Allow me read the book

[Umar Muhammad]

Very Good

[Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice nobel

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book

[Zaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5)

[Muhammad Abdullahi]

i want the book

[Abubakar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll write the review,soon