At 12, Balaraba Ramat Yakubu was pulled out of school and married to a man in his 40s. A year and eight months later, she was sent back to her father’s house for being too young—a rejection that reshaped her future.

With her mother’s support, she resumed her education and found her voice in writing. In 1987, she became one of the first women to publish a Hausa-language novel. Her 1990 work, Wa Zai Auri Jahila? (Who Would Marry an Ignorant Woman?), drew from her experiences, championing girls’ education and exposing the harms of child marriage. Writing in Hausa ensured her message reached the women who needed it most.

A founding member of the Raina Kama literary association, she helped shape Hausa fiction. She later established Kallabi Writers, a women-only literary club, mentoring emerging authors.

Yakubu’s impact extended to the Kannywood film industry, with numerous scriptwriting and production credits that brought Hausa narratives to the screen.