Regardless of time and place, the tensions between tradition and modernity in epochs of social transformation have continuously revealed themselves in the social and cultural dynamics of courtship and marriage; hence, the social value of romance literature lies in its placing such a subject center stage. (139)
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Both male and female writers address issues of gender relations, but understandably women writers have shown themselves to be more committed to communicating female perspectives and concerns. Women writers and readers maintain that though male authors agree with the general sentiment of female empowerment, they frequently privilege the masculine emotional response and fail to explore the psychological reactions of women to the problematic institutions of forced marriage and polygamy. Often speaking from their own personal experiences, female writers imagine heroines who must navigate their way through conservative family politics in order to pursue their aspirations of marital choice or educational improvement. Other female protagonists encounter the emotional adversity inherent in co-wife relations. (141)
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Bilkisu Ahmed Funtuwa personifies the African feminist principle of multiple allegiances as she delicately balances her commitment to Hausa sisterhood with her Muslim identity. (143)
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The works of Funtuwa all concern themselves with female protagonists who make use of their education and their religious devotion to elevate themselves to extraordinary levels of career success. Female characters pursue careers as lawyers, government administrators, and doctors while simultaneously leading charmed lives as wives of wealthy businessmen. (144)
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