Nigerians have recently started circulating the story of HAFSATU – Sardaauna’s wife, who decisively chose to die with him during the 1966 coup
This story has been dear to me since I saw it in my Play Sardaauna, written and directed by the venerated Prof Ahmed Yerima
She was said not to have any children and as such didn’t see life outside of the Sardaauna, which led her to speak those immortal words – take both of us or leave us alone
Of course, she was shot dead on the spot, and Nigeria forgot her
I stood still at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel hall in tears as the scene unfolded
Then I looked across the room at Sardaauna’s descendants, all 64 of them, who came for the show and saw them crying, and this broke me down totally
It was such a riveting story of love, loyalty, and faithfulness that she died first.
This December, I would be bringing HAFSATU to the Lagos stage as I have hived out her story and given it the stand-alone position it truly deserves
I didn’t stop at that; I got super brilliant Prof Rasheedah Liman( PICTURED) of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, to write, direct and tell us this riveting story from a woman’s eye
You will do well to come with your handkerchiefs, cos you will cry much more than I did.
Would you like to see this play?
Duke of Shomolu
Last modified: August 10, 2026
