F.O.R.S.A.K.E.N review: Abdulsalam Saba’s Exploration of Silence and Missed Chances

There is something quietly unsettling about the stories we never tell. They remain with us, growing louder in memory than they ever could have in speech. Abdulsalam Saba’s debut novella, F.O.R.S.A.K.E.N: A Story of Inikpi, is built around this silence. It is a story about longing, hesitation, and the emotional cost of leaving the heart unheard.

At first glance, the title suggests a narrative of abandonment. Yet, I found the novella to be less about being forsaken by another person than about the consequences of emotional restraint. It asks a simple but profound question: what becomes of love when it survives only in silence?

Set across Makurdi, Bauchi, and Kaduna, the novella follows its narrator, Saba, from childhood into adulthood. The story unfolds chronologically, allowing readers to witness how a seemingly innocent childhood affection gradually evolves into an attachment that refuses to loosen its grip. Inikpi is not merely a love interest; she becomes a symbol of memory, hope, and the life the narrator continuously imagines but never fully reaches.

One of the novella’s greatest strengths lies in its emotional sincerity. Saba does not attempt to overwhelm the reader with elaborate twists or ornate language. Instead, he relies on simple, accessible prose that allows emotion to carry the narrative. In doing so, he captures an experience that many readers–especially young adults–will recognise; loving deeply while lacking the courage, confidence, or timing to give those feelings a voice.

What makes F.O.R.S.A.K.E.N compelling is not necessarily what happens, but what remains unresolved. The emotional tension is sustained by hesitation rather than action, making the reader quietly root for a different outcome even while sensing that life rarely bends to our expectations. By the time the story reaches its conclusion, the title has acquired a deeper emotional resonance. “Forsaken” becomes not merely a description of loss but an acknowledgment that some opportunities disappear simply because they were never seized.

Beyond its romance, the novella subtly reflects on memory, emotional vulnerability, and the burden of regret. It reminds us that timing is often as decisive as love itself, and that silence, though sometimes comforting, can become one of life’s greatest sources of heartbreak.

As a debut, F.O.R.S.A.K.E.N: A Story of Inikpi introduces Abdulsalam Saba as a writer with an eye for emotional realism and a willingness to explore the quieter corners of the human heart. While the narrative occasionally leaves room for greater depth in character development and pacing, its honesty ultimately becomes its greatest strength.

This is not a story driven by spectacle. It is driven by feeling. And perhaps that is why it lingers. Long after the final page, one is left reflecting not only on Saba and Inikpi, but also on the conversations never had, the chances never taken, and the many ways people become strangers to the lives they once imagined.