Wednesday 29 August 2007

Ashe Narambad'a Bai Mutu Ba!

Wani manazarcin adabin Hausa ya na nan ya duk'ufa kan tattara kammalallen tarihi da wak'ok'in d'aya daga cikin shahararrun makad'an Hausa, wato marigayi Ibrahim Narambad'a

Daga Ibrahim Sheme da Ashafa Murnai Barkiya

Duk wanda ya san abin da ake kira “wak'ar Hausa,” to ya san Makad'a Ibrahim Narambad'a. Hasali ma dai akwai muhawara k'wak'k'wara kan waye ya fi fasaha tsakanin Narambad'a da marigayi Alhaji Mamman Shata. Yayin da wasu ke cewa Shata ya fi Narambad'a yawan wak'ok'i ne kurum amma Narambad'a ya fi zalak'a da fasaha, wasu na cewa ai shi Shata ya kere Narambad'a, musamman da yake shi wak'ok'in sa kowa zai iya fahimtar su – Basakkwace da wanda ba Basakkwace ko Bazamfare ba.

A bara, wasu matasa sun k'addamar da kammalallen tarihin Shata, wanda hakan ya k'ara taimakawa wajen fahimtar ko waye mawak'in. Shi kuwa Narambad'a, yawancin wad'anda suka san shi, sanin shanu suka yi masa. Kuma yawancin Hausawa sukan kasa gane wasu kalamai na wak'ok'in sa, musamman wad'anda ba su fito daga tsohon yankin k'asar Sakkwato ba. Bugu da k'ari, in ban da tak'aitaccen tarihin sa da Farfesa Sa’idu Muhammad Gusau na Jami’ar Bayero ta Kano ya rubuta a littafin sa Makad'a Da Mawak'an Hausa, ba kowa ba ne zai ce maka ya san tarihin wannan fasihin mawak'in.

To, yanzu dai an taki sa’a, domin kuwa aiki ya yi nisa wajen tattara kammalallen tarihin Narambad'a. Kuma sai aikin ya fad'a a hannun d'an gida, wanda ya san kan al’amarin, wato Farfesa Aliyu Bunza.

Shi dai Farfesa Bunza, fitaccen manazarci ne a k'asar Hausa. Ya yi rubuce-rubuce kan adabi da kuma al’adun Hausawa, har ma da wasu wak'ok'i na baka da kuma rubutattu. A yanzu shi ne ke rubuta tarihin Makad'a Narambad'a.
Shin yaya wannan aiki nasa yake ciki? A ranar Lahadi da ta wuce, an yi hira da Farfesa Bunza, wanda babban malami ne a Jami’ar Usmanu D'anfodiyo da ke Sakkwato, a sashen Hausa na gidan rediyon BBC. Wakilan gidan rediyon sun zanta da shi lokacin da ya je London kwanan nan. Mu a an Leadershi Hausa mun kalato muku wasu muhimman bayanai daga cikin wannan zantawa tasu ta musamman kan aikin da yake yi na rubuta tarihi da wak'ok'in marigayi Alhaji Ibrahim Narambad'a.

Tun da farko sun sako wak'ar Narambad'a mai taken, “Masu gari mazan gabas tsayayye, Sarkin Rwahi ya wuce a ram mai.” Idan kun tuna, a wannan wak'ar ce makad'in ke cewa, “Ga wani d'an sarki da kunnuwa da hwad'i...”

An tambayi Malam Bunza ya fad'i wani abu kan wak'ar. Sai ya amsa, “Sarki ne aka wa wak'ai na Kuryar Dambo, ba Kurya ta Madaro ba. Ma’ana, kurya guda biyu muke da su a Zamfara: akwai wannan Kurya ta Madaro, akwai waccan Kuryar Dambo. To hakimin Kuryar Dambo ne ya ka wa wak'a. Kuma wannan cewa ‘Da takobi da garkuwa da yak'i,’ daga cikin k'a’idar nazarin wak'a, “lugude” muke kiran sa, luguden tarihi. Wani tarihi ne ya narke wurin, tarihin wani sarkin d'an tauri ne da aka yi a Kurya mai suna Mamman Ina, da ya kashe wani Bature. To shi ya sa ya ke cewa ‘Kurya akwai mazan hwad'a da arna.’

BBC: Abin da ya sa na yi maka wannan wak'a, a da a Zariya idan muka ji wannan wak'a akwai wani gari Kauru a kusa da Zariya, mun d'auka shi ake wa wak'ar da ya ke cewa Makauru. Ashe ba Kauru ba ne. Wai me ake cewa ne a wurin? Ka san wani d'an sark'e-sark'e ne.

BUNZA: Ai da yake cewa ya ke yi, “Ai Kurya ta Dambo ta Makauru an nan, / Zamfara babu makaye kama tai.”

BBC: Za mu so ka d'an ba mu tarihin Narambad'a, watak'ila mutanen zamani ba su san ko wanene ba.

BUNZA: Marigayi Narambad'a shahararren mawak'i ne a duniya. Kuma idan za a yi tarihin Ibrahim Narambad'a, bisa k'a’idar ilmi sai an wa mutane da yawa tambaya wad'anda suka gabace ni a cikin wannan fagen, kamar Farfesa Sa’idu Muhammad Gusau, ya yi bincike musamman a kan Narambad'a; Bello Sodangi ya yi bincike musamman a kan Narambad'a; Sama’ila Yawuri Mazawaje shi ma ya yi bincike musamman a kan Narambad'a.

To sunan Narambad'a na yanka Ibrahim. Sunan uban sa Maidangwale, shi kuma Maidangwale mutumin Nijar ne, cikakken d'an kokawa ne. Amma Narambad'a ya gaji kid'i wajen uwar sa. Don haka shi karen makad'a ne kenan. Uban sa bai yi kid'i ba. An haife shi a garin Tubali, ya yi karatu a nan, ya rayu a nan, ya tashi a matsayin ba d'an gadon wak'a ba. Ya iske kayan kotson kid'in kakan sa na wajen uwa a d'akin mahaifiyar sa. Mahaifin sa mutumin k'asar Filinge ne, ya zo a garin Tubali, ya auri uwar Narambad'a. Kuma ga shi shahararren d'an kokawa ne.

Sai Narambad'a ya d'auki kayan kid'in mahaifin sa ya fara kid'an noma. To, wata shekara a fadar Sarkin Gobir na Isa ya yi kid'in noman k'auyen su. Da jin yadda dad'in wak'a ya ke da zalak'a da k'warewa, suka ce ya fi k'arfin k'auye, sai aka mai da shi birni. Ya tashi daga mawak'in noma ya koma makad'in Gobir. Ka ji tarihin zuwan sa.

BBC: Wato wannan ne kenan ya sa ya koma makad'i na fad'a, na sarakuna.

BUNZA: Gaba d'aya saboda an ga hikimar ta hi k'arhin ta manomi, dole sai an maida shi fada. Don haka ya dawo ya ci gaba da yi wa Amadu Sarkin Gobir wak'a.

(BBC sun sako wak'ar “Ya ci maza ya kwan yana shiri, uban zakara, dodo na Ummaru”)

BBC: To Farfesa Bunza, me za ka ce dangane da wannan wak'a?

BUNZA: Wannan wak'a ta Sarkin Gobir ta na cikin manya-manyan wak'ok'in da ya yi masa. Kuma wannan wak'a ce wasu suke ganin gabanin Narambad'a ya yi Bakandamiyar wak'ar sa. Don a ciki har Narambad'a na cewa duk abin da zai fad'a ga Sarkin Gobir daidai ne, ba kure ba ne:

“Na aje k'arya ko ina kid'i,
Na bar k'arya ko ina kid'i,
Nai sittin, saba’in ni ka hwad'a,
Mai saba’in yai k'arya ana ta zund'e nai,
Ko yaran da ag garai duw wawwatse mashi su kai,
Ya na yawo shi d'ai baram-baram.”


Saboda haka a cikin wannan wak'ar ba mu zaton mu ji abin da ya sab'a wa gaskiya. Don haka ne mu ke ganin wannan wak'a ta Sarkin Gobir na cikin manyan wak'ok'in sa. Amma dab baya da yai Bakandamiya, sai ta shahe hasken ta.

(BBC sun sako wak'ar “Batun da akai na yau babu Sarki yau irin ka,/ Jikan Bello arna suna shakkak ka”)

BBC: Farfesa, ko wanda bai san Narambad'a ba, ya san mutum ne wanda Allah ya ba basira. To amma kuma kamar yadda kowa ya sani, akwai shahararrun mawak'a wad'anda su ma sun yi suna. Ko dai kamar Narambad'an ko kusa da shi. Me ya sa ka d'auki Narambad'a a matsayin wanda za ka yi bincike akai?

BUNZA: Akwai dalilai da yawa. Na farko shi ne, fitattun mawak'an Hausa da mu ke da su k'asar Hausa an fara bincike a kan su – ko bincike ne na jami’a, ko ma na gida ne, duk dai an yi. Shata an yi aiki a kan sa. Farfesa Sa’idu Muhammad Gusau ya yi bincike kan Salihu Jankid'i. To, na ke ganin a dukkanin k'asar Zamfara ba a yi mawak'in da ya kai Narambad'a ba. Kuma ba a k'asar sa kawai ya ke wak'a ba. Ma’ana, duk duniyar k'asar Hausa. Amma abin takaici, idan an zo neman wak'ok'i nai babu, sun wawwatse, ba a samun su.

Ba a san tarihin sa ba, ba a san ina ya hito ba, ba a san hikimar sa da zalak'ar sa ba. Sai na ga ya na da kyau a yi wani aiki da ak'alla zai fito da shi, zai fito da falsafar sa, zai fito da wak'ok'in sa, da wad'anda ya yi wa wak'ok'in, shi ma ya kasance wani taska daga cikin taskar adabin Hausa da za a aje.

BBC: Ban tari numfashin ka ba. Wasu kalmomi da Narambad'a ke amfani da su a cikin wak'ok'in sa, idan ba fassara wa mutum aka yi ba, ba a fahimtar abin da ya ke fad'i. Ina ganin wannan ma ya na da mahimmanci a yi irin wannan bayani da ka yi. To zuwa yanzu ka rubuta wak'ok'in sa guda nawa?

BUNZA: Sai dai in ce na samu wak'ok'i guda nawa? In na samo su sai in rubuta su…

BBC: Ban tari numfashin ka ba, rubutawar ka na rubuta duk abin da aka ce a cikin wak'a?

BUNZA: E, zan yi k'ok'ari duk abin da ya ce, zan yi k'ok'ari in rubuta kuma a irin lafazin da ya fad'a. Kamar Sarkin Rafi, ai Sarkin Rwahi ya ke cewa. Ni ma Rwahi zan rubuta.

BBC: Wak'ok'i nawa ka samu zuwa yanzu?

BUNZA: Wasu su kan ce ya yi wak'ok'i sun kai d'ari ko d'ari da wani abu, amma iyakar binciken da mu ka yi, kusan sama da shekaru ashirin da wani abu, gaskiya ni hamsin na samu, wad'anda na rubuta da kai na, na saurara, na tabbatar sun rubutu, na ajiye.

BBC: Wad'anda aka d'auke su da faifai kenan?

BUNZA: Ma’ana, shahararrun wak'ok'in da aka sani a kaset, ba dab bakin wani aka ji su aka rubuta ba.

BBC: Dangane da wak'ok'i ko mawak'an Hausa, kamar Alhaji Mamman Shata ana cewa ya na tsayawa nan take ya yi wak'a, don an sha gwada shi, ba tare da ya zauna ya shirya ta ba. Shin Narambad'a ya yake tsara wak'ok'in sa?

BUNZA: Wato ko wane irin mawak'i da irin fasaha da hikima da zalak'a da Allah ya hore masa. Allah ya hore masa wak'a, amma shi (Narambad'a) ba a nan take ya ke yin ta ba. Idan zai yi maka wak'a, zai je gida ya tsara ta; a yinin da zai yi wak'ar, ba zai yi huld'a da kowa ba. Haka wasu yaran sa su ka shaida mana. In ya k'are tsara ta, sai ya kira yaran sa, sai su rera. Wak'ar Narambad'a in zai yi ta, zuba wak'a ake zube-ban-k'warya.

BBC: Kamar yadda ya ce ta Alfazazi…

BUNZA: Cewa ya yi:

“Kullum ji ni kai azanci na hudo min,
Sai zuba wak'a ni kai kama da ta Alfazazi.”


BBC: Rubutawa ya ke yi?

BUNZA: Narambad'a ba ya rubuta wak'a, sai ya samu gindin wak'a ya fara. Da ya k'are abi nai cikin zuciya, sai ya kira yara nai ya ce, “To, ga amshin wak'a kaza,” su rik'a yi a sannu ana maimaitawa. Sai ya k'are sai aje a yi ta.

BBC: Wak'ar Alk'ali Abu fa? Shin wanene Alk'ali Abu d'in nan?

BUNZA: Alk'ali Abu asali mutumin K'auran Namoda ne, alk'alanci ya kai shi Moriki, kuma daga cikin ’ya’yan sa akwai wanda ke raye a Sokoto yanzu. Amma dai zuri’ar na can a K'aura. Ba Alk'ali Abubakar Mahmud Gumi ba ne kamar yadda mutane su ke zato. Ya yi masa wannan wak'a a kan irin adalcin sa, gogewar sa da sanin shari’a.

(BBC sun sako wak'ar “Alk'alin Alk'alai ta aiki nai da tsari…”)

BBC: To amma akwai inda yake cewa “Narambad'a ba ya zuwa lahira...,” kamar ya bugi k'irji…

BUNZA: Ya ce ko ya je dawowa ya kai. Ya na da hujja a wannan wurin. Sai an kamo kan wak'ar za a gane me ya sa ba zai je lahira ba! Ya ce:

“Hwad'awa ku bugan in buge ku
Mui ta fad'an mu gidan duniya,
Kun san ba a hwad'a lahira,
Kun san ku ka zuwa lahira,
Narambad'a ba ya zuwa lahira,
Ko ya je dawowa ya kai,
Gama kun san d'auke mai akai.”


Maganar sa ta tabbata: fadawa ke mutuwa; da bafade ya mutu, a fada an manta da shi. Da Sarki ya mutu, a fada an manta da shi, an yi wani. Amma idan zakaran mawak'a ya mutu, ba mutuwa ya yi ba. Har yanzu ga Narambad'a ba shi duniya, ana maganar sa, ana jin maganar sa. Ina fadawa su ke? Saboda haka duk wani mawak'i da ya san kan sa, ya yi luguden wak'ar, to bai mutu ba, ya na nan a raye!

BBC: To, Farfesa Aliyu Bunza, mun gode k'warai.

Musulmi ne abokin gabar Musulmi

A cikin wannan makon, labari ya bazu a Kano cewa wai an samu wani sabon bulufim kuma na wata 'yar fim din, wato bayan na Maryam Hiyana da ya bazu a gari. Wai wata wadda sunan ta ya fara da suna "M" ce ita ma ta yi majigin batsa.

To a gaskiya na yi cikakken bincike, na gano cewa sam, labarin ba gaskiya ba ne.

Abin da ya faru shi ne, wasu shakiyyai (ko wani shakiyyi) ne suka dauki wani bulufim na Amerika, suka saka a cikin wayar GSM, suka ba shi sunan ita wannan "M" din, suka kuma yad'a a garin Kano cewa wai ita ma ta yi bulufim. Inda za ka san cewa ana bin 'yan fim da sharri da gangan shi ne yadda su kan su Turawan da ke cikin wannan fim, ba ma bakar fata ba ne, a'a, jajaye ne suke yin lalatar, to amma don sharri sai aka ba fim din sunan "M" din.

Don haka don Allah mu daina saurin yad'a ji-ta-ji-ta. Sai ka ga mutum bai yi wani bincike ba, amma da jin cewa an yi kaza sai ya shiga yad'awa, wani har a intanet (watakila don kada a riga shi!). Don Allah mu daina yad'a ji-ta-ji-ta. Mu tuna, a yau Musulmi shi ne babban abokin gabar Musulmi; Musulmi ne ke daukar wuka ya dab`a wa cikin sa. Mun ga haka a al'amarin Hiyana.

Sunday 26 August 2007

GYARAN GANGAR ABZINAWA!

Na saurari jama'a a cikin 'yan kwanakin nan tun lokacin da hayaniyar Hiyana ta taso, kuma na karanta wasu ra'ayoyi a kan lamarin. Akwai mutane da na ga suna cewa wai ya kamata a dakatar da harkar shirya fim baki daya a kasar Hausa. A yanzu haka ma akwai masu cewa harkar finafinan ta mutu har abada!

Ni ra'ayi na ya bambanta. Ba na tsammanin za a daina yin fim saboda Hiyana. Ga dalilai na:

1. Fim al'amari ne na ci-gaban fasaha (technological development) da ya shigo kasar Hausa. Kamar ka ce a daina amfani da wayar GSM ne. Fim ya riga ya zo, ko mu ce ya ci gaba (domin kuwa tun tale-tale akwai shi). Ba zai dainu ba.

2. Fim sana'a ce. Ko tana da kyau ko ba ta da kyau, sai an yi shi. Ni a gani na, sana'a ce mai kyau idan za a gyara ta, ta yadda za ta tafi daidai da addinin mu da al'adun mu. To mu dauka ma ba ta da kyau din kamar yadda wasu ke cewa; shin an hana sata? An hana karuwanci? An hana zamba? An hana shan wiwi? Me ka hana?

3. Idan aka hana yin fim (wai wa ma zai hana? Gwamnati ko malamai ko mutanen gari?), to za a samu 'yan sunkuru su rika shirya "finafinai" wadanda suka fi wannan da ake yi yanzu muni. Wato za su yi ramuwa kan hana su harkar da aka yi. Su rika sayarwa ta bayan gida (underground).

4. Idan an hana yin fim a Kano, za a hana yi ne a Filato ko Bauchi da Kaduna da duk sauran jihohi? Za a hana a Legas da sauran jihohin Kudu? Ko kuwa idan an je Legas an yi fim din Hausa, sai a hana sayar da shi a ko'ina a Nijeriya? A lura, Gwamnatin Tarayya ba za ta hana yin fim din wani yare ba.

5. A gani na, Gwamnatin Jihar Kano din ma ba za ta hana yin fim ba domin 1. harkar fim ta rage wa gwamnatin matasa marasa aikin yi. Na biyu, sana'ar fim ta kasance hanyar samun dimbin kudaden shiga ga gwamnatin Jihar Kano ta hanyar kudaden harajin tace fim da sauran su. Na uku, sana'ar fim ta taimaka wa harkar kasuwanci a Kano. Akwai manyan 'yan kasuwa da aka samu ta hanyar sana'ar fim. Shin gwamnatin Kano za ta kashe harkar fim a daidai lokacin da sauran harkokin kasuwanci na Kano (misali, masana'antu) suke durkushewa?

Ga mafita.

Na sha gaya wa wasu mutane cewa shirin fim kamar d'aki ne -- idan ka zuba shara ciki, za ka tarar da shara a ciki; idan ka zuba tabarmi masu kyau a ciki, su za ka tarar. Don haka kamata ya yi a gyara sana'ar don ta tafi daidai da tarbiyya tagari. Dakatar da harkar zai kasance gyaran gangar Abzinawa.

Duk masu cewa a dakatar da fim -- daga 'yan boko zuwa malamai da sauran masu surutu -- suna yi ne saboda wani dalili na son rai nasu. Wasu don a ce sun ce. Wasu don su nuna su malamai ne. Wasu don su nuna cewa su 'yan gurguzu ne (radicals). Wasu don son a sani. Kai, wasu ma don sun jahilci abin ne. A tuna, tun kafin al'amarin Hiyana, akwai masu sukar harkar fim. Gyaran ne aka ki yi. Amma yanzu dama ta samu ta yin gyara, don haka sai a gyara. Akwai sana'o'i da ayyuka da suka fi fim muni, amma ba a dakatar da su ba, sai wannan?

Kuma su masu sukar 'yan fim da sana'ar fim, da me suka fi 'yan fim tarbiyya? Akwai manema mata da 'yan luwadi da mazambata da magulmata da matsafa da sauran mugga a cikin al'umma a cikin su da ske cewa wai a hana yin fim saboda "laifin" Hiyana. Wanzami ba ya son jarfa, ko?

Kai, gaskiyar masu iya magana da suka ce laifi tudu ne - ka taka naka, ka hango na wani.

Wednesday 22 August 2007

JARABA 1

JARABA wani sabon littafi ne da na ke rubutawa, ana bugawa a jaridar Leadership Hausa kowace Juma'a. Wannan shi ne kashi na farko, wanda zai fito jibi Juma'a a jaridar idan Allah ya kai mu. A sha karatu lafiya.

BABI NA DAYA

Tara ta gota. Lokacin da Tanimu ke karyawa, ya ji lokacin da tamburan gidan Rediyon Nijeriya na Kaduna su ka buga, kuma ya ji mai gabatarwa na cewa, “Yanzu }arfe tara. Ku na tare da Sashen Hausa na Rediyon Tarayya na Kaduna.” Daga nan sai aka sako ki]a a filin ‘Za~en Mai Gabatarwa.’ Kassu Zurmi ne aka sako ya na rera wa}ar Shayi [an Gidan Labbo. A duk lokacin da Tanimu ya ji wannan wa}a, ba abin da ya ke tunani sai dalilin da ya sa Shayi ya zama talasuru haka.
Bara ya yi jidalin bi]ar aure sai da yas samu,
Kai ta gidan maigidan su yah hwa]i,
Tsoho ya hwa]i ba abin ]iba
Kuma ba abin gado,
Su ko masu gari, dan}o ba ka hwa]uwa }asa banza.
To amma kuma daga baya sai ga shi Shayi ya nuna mana cewa ya san abin da yake yi. Ba wawa ba ne. Ba gaula ba ne. In ba haka ba, ya aka yi har ya “hwara sassaben gonas su”? Kuma ya aka yi bayan masu gari sun sayar da gonar, ya yi tawaye har aka mayar masa da gonar ala tilas? Anya Shayi talasuru ne? Tanimu ya tambayi kan sa a yayin da amon gangunan Kassu ya cika masa falo, ya na fitowa daga cikin wata ]ibgegiyar rikoda da ke kan dibaida.
Can sai ga Tsahare ta shigo. Ta na sanye da ba}ar abaya mai ratsin kore tare da wata }awanya a }asan ta mai ruwan gwal.
“Yanzu za ka tafi ne?” ta tambaye shi.
Tanimu ya tsotse yatsun sa, ya ture kwanon ]umamen nan gefe, sa’annan ya amsa, “{warai kuwa. Ban son Alhaji ya riga ni zuwa shago, ko da yake dai ya ce zai je ]aurin aure da safen nan. In ya riga ni, zai yi min fa]a. Kin dai san shi da fa]a – kamar sabon kuturu.”
Tsahare ta yi ‘yar dariya, ta ce, “Uh hm! Kada dai ka ciji yatsan da ke }osar da kai.” Ta je ta nemi wuri a kan kushin ta zauna da }yar. Ta na da tsohon ciki, wanda ya maida ita ta na harkokin yau da kullum a takure kamar mai ta~arya a cikin ciki. “In ka na ruwa, kada ka zagi kada.”
“Tsaharatu kenan! Wallahi shi ya sa na ke son hira da ke. Ba ki ganin laifin kowa,” inji shi.
“Ba haka ba ne, Tanimu. Kai da Alhaji dai ai ba a cewa komai. Duk wanda ya san ka, tare ya gan ku. Kuma wane abu na alheri ne bai yi maka ba? Kar ka manta, shi ne fa ya biya maka sadaki; kai, shi ne ma ya yi ma wannan auren.”
“Oho! Gori kuma za a yi mana? To, ko za a maida amaryar gidan shi ne, ni a bar ni haka nan?”
“Allah ya huci zuciyar ka. Ba nufi na kenan ba.”
Tanimu ya mi}e daga kan tabarma inda ya zauna ya yi kalaci. Sai ya tuna bai sha ruwa ba, don haka ya du}a ya ]auki goran roba, ya kwankwa]i ruwa.
Tsahare, hannayen ta a kan cinyoyin ta, ta na kallon ma}ogwaron sa, kamar ta na kallon ruwan ya na wucewa a kwararon sa tamkar wani }aton kogi.
“Wannan irin shan ruwa haka – sai ka ce wanda ya cinye giwa?” ta tsokane shi.
Ya aje goran, ya dube ta, ya ce, “Tsahare ai wannan malmalar da na cinye, ]aya ta ke da giwa. Zakaran ka, ra}umin ka. Kuma ga shi kin yi mani irin miyar da na ke so – kuka da man shanu da ]an yajin tattasai.”
“Miyar kuka Baha]ejiya! An gaishe ki mai sa maigida santi!” Tsahare ta yi dariya, ta mi}e.
Tanimu ya ]auki hular sa da ke kan kujera, ya sa. Shi da matar sa su ka fita daga ]akin, su ka doshi babur ]in sa da ya aje kusa da }ofar shiga gidan. Da ma a duk lokacin da zai tafi aiki, sai Tsahare ta raka shi inda mashin ]in sa ya ke.
Gidan nasu ya na }unshe da gidaje uku, kowannen su flat ne mai ]aki biyu da falo da ban]aki da madafa. A tsakar gidan akwai bedi inda matan gidan su kan taru su na yin hirar su da ‘yan aikace-aikace. Domin fa a gidan matan aure uku ne. [aya sunan ta Lami, matar wani ma’aikacin reluwe mai suna Abdullahi; ]ayar kuma Magajiya, matar Ustaz.
Da su ka isa, Tanimu ya dudduba mashin ]in, sannan ya buga shi ya tayar. Gidan ya cika da rugugin sa. Da ya hau mashin ]in, sai ya dubi Tsahare, ya ce, “Allah gama fuskokin mu da alheri!”
Ta kara hannu a jikin kunnen ta, ta ce, “Me ka ce? Wallahi ban ji ba!”
Ya ce, “Cewa na yi gamon katar!”
Sai ta sa hannu ta kama makullin mashin ]in, ta juya shi. Mashin ya mutu.
Ta ce, “Ai da sai ka bari sai mun gama magana sannan ka tafi. Ba na jin ka, saboda }arar mashin. Me ka ce?”
“Cewa na yi sai mun ha]u. Anya lafiya wannan kunnen naki? Ko ~ur~ushin kurunta ya soma shigowa ne?”
“Wallahi lafiya ta lau. Haba Tanimu, mashin ]in naka ne ya cika rugugi, abu kamar jirgin sama! Shi ya sa na ran nan na ce ka sayi Besfa, ta fi da]in sha’ani. Ka san ni abin da ke shero ni Besfa shi ne ‘yar gu]ar nan tata mai da]i idan an murza ta. Ni in da namiji ce, ba yadda za a yi in sayi mashin bayan ga Besfa. Da za ka sayi Besfa, zai dace. Ka ga idan ma mutane sun gan ka, sun san ba ]an aca~a ba ne.”
“Kin fara ko? Ke dai Tsahare ba ki rabuwa da tsokana.” Ya dubi rigar sa, wadda shu]iya ce mai kyakkwan aiki a wuyan ta. “Ya za a gan ni a haka a ce min ]an aca~a? Ai su ‘yan aca~a da ka gan su ka san su ne; abu za ki ga wani ma kamar ]an sama jannati! Wasu za su saka irin hular nan hana-salla da burgujejen wando irin wanda ake kira buhun mahaukata, da tsohuwar rigar sanyi ‘yar Rasha wadda kila ma mai ita ya da]e da she}awa barzahu. Wani ma sai ki ga har da ba}in gilashi ya }wamo, wai shi niga. Abin babu ko kyan gani.”
“Ni fa wannan shigar tasu ta na ]aya daga cikin abubuwan da ya sa ba na hawan express lokacin ina budurwa. Wani ]an express ]in ma sai ka ji ya na wari.”
“To me zai hana su yi wari tunda dai kullum su na cikin gumi, sun ]ibga kaya kamar gawa a makara? To yanzu da irin wa]annan ne za ki kwatanta ni, ni da ke cikin shigar mutunci? Ai yaro ko da ganin birni ya san ya fi garin su.”
“A cikin ‘yan express akwai masu shigar mutunci. Irin magidanta ]in nan masu shekaru da ]an kauri-kauri. Su ba sa yin irin shigar nigogin nan. Ni na fi son hawa mashin ]in su. Ga shi kuma ba su gudun fitar hankali irin na sauran ‘yan mutuwar. To wasu za su iya ]auka kai irin su ne.”
“Ke dai ki na tsokana ta kawai. Na san manufar ki – ke dai in canja zuwa Besfa. To ba komai Tsahare ta. In da rai da rabo, ko? Wata rana sai ki ga mutum a mota ma.”
“Haka ne. Allah ya ba mu sa’a.”
Su ka kalli juna. Tsahare ta yi masa murmushi, shi kuma ya ci gaba da kallon ta babu }iftawa har abin ya so ya ba ta kunya.
“Lafiya ka ke kallo na haka kamar maye? To, kurwa ta kur!”
Tanimu ya yi murmushi, ya ce, “Ai ni da maye ne, ke zan fara cinyewa – don kada in ta~a rabuwa da ke. Kin ga idan kin shiga cikin jinni na, ai shikenan kullum mu na tare kenan.”
“To ai kuma za ka daina gani na kenan.”
Tanimu ya ce, “Wai yau me za ki dafa mana ne – abincin dare?”
Ta ce, “Me ka ke so? Na san dai kai sarkin cin tuwo ne.”
“E, haka ne. Kin san Shata ya ce sai wawa sai mahaukaci ke raina mafari. Tuwo da hura kuwa su ne mafarin Bahaushe.”
“Ka na nufin dai a yi tuwon, ko?”
Ya girgiza kai, ya ce, “Rai dangin goro ne, ban iska ya ke so. Gara mu sauya abinci. Me zai hana ki yi mana faten tsaki, ki toya mashi man ja, kuma ki dama mana kunun tsamiya mai ]auke da kanumfari?”
Tsahare ta ce, “An gama! Ni ma ina marmarin kunu wallahi. Amma kuma kai ma ka taho mana da gasasshiyar kaza don mu kwantar da yawun marmari.”
“Da kyau, uwar ‘yan biyu! Ai da ma na san a rina, an saci zanin mahaukaciya! Na san sai kin ce a zo maki da nama.”
“{warai, ai ba laifi ba ne. Ka san mai ciki da kwa]ayi… Ka dai bi a hankali, kada wata rana in cinye ka kamar mayya!”
“Wa ma ya sani ko mayyar ce na auro? Wannan cin nama haka?”
“Ai mayu ba sa cin nama, malam, sai dai kurwa.”
“Way a gaya maki? Kul, kada mayen gaske ya ji ki! To, zan zo da kazar, ke kuma ki yi naki aikin. Kin ji ko, uwar ‘yan biyu?”
“To. Amma ka san na ce ka daina kira na haka, ko? Wa ke son ya haifi ‘yan biyu yanzu? [ayan ma ya ishe ni.”
“Ai Allah ke bayarwa. Kuma dai wannan ciki naki, in ba ‘yan biyu ba ne a cikin shi to menene? Abu kamar kin ha]iyi duro!”
Tsahare ta tum~una fuska, ta ce, “A’a, ba duro na ha]iya ba, mota ce tanka mai taya sha takwas!”
Fa]in haka ke da wuya sai duk suka bushe da dariya.
Da su ka gama, Tsahare ta dube shi, ta ce, “Tanimu, don Allah ka yi min wani al}awari.”
Ya gyara zama a kan mashin, ya tambaye ta cikin damuwa, “Al}awarin me?”
Ta ce, “Al}awarin za ka dawo da wuri domin mu ci abincin dare tare.”
Dariya ta kama shi, har ya na }walla. Ya na sharewa, ya ce, “Haba Tsaharatu! Ke ni fa har na ]auka wata babbar magana ce? Wannan ma har wani abin yi ma al}awari ne?”
Ta ce, “Ni dai ka yi min. Domin na san ka, kullum sai ka ce za ka dawo da wuri, amma ba na ganin ka sai tsakar dare. Abincin ma ba ka ci, said a safe a yi maka ]umame. Har ina tunanin ko wata ta sace maka zuciya ne.”
Ya ce, “Sam, ba haka ba ne. Ai na ce maki ba za ki ta~a samun kishiya daga gare ni ba. Haba, ni da na samu mace ]aya tangan da goma! To, in dai batun al}awari ne, na yi maki. Zan dawo da magariba. Ki shirya komai. Ai ba ki sani ba ma, sabon amarci za mu bu]e!”
Cikin farin ciki, ta ce, “Alhamdu lillahi. Ni kuma zan jira ka. Zan shirya komai kafin ka zo. Kuma wallahi ba zan ci abinci na ba sai ka zo mu ci tare, ka ji ko?”
Tanimu ya amsa, “Kalas! Na ji, na yarda.”
Ta ka]a kai, ta ce, “Sai ka yi }o}ari ka tafi, kada Alhaji ya ritsa da kai ka ce mashi ni ce na ri}e ka a gida!”
Daga nan su ka yi sallama. Tsahare ta je get ]in gidan, ta bu]e masa. Ya tada babur ]in sa, ya fice daga gidan tare da ]aga mata hannu. Bayan ya tafi, ta rufe get ]in, ta koma falon ta.

Za mu ci gaba a makon gobe insha Allah

Birnin Kano a zamanin iyayen kakannin mu

'Yartsana za ta sake shiga gari!


Littafi na, "'Yartsana," ya sake fitowa. Tun lokacin da ya fito a cikin 2003, ya ci kasuwa a 2004, ba a k'ara ganin shi ba. Ya k'are! Mutane sun sha tambaya ta cewa don Allah a sake buga shi, amma ina! na kasa saboda yanayin rayuwar kasar mu. To amma yanzu an buga shi, aka gama a makon jiya. Zai fito a ranar 1 ga watan Satumba. Ko yaya mutane za su kalle a yanzu bayan hayaniyar Hiyana? Oho! Ban damu ba.

Among the giants

This photograph was sent to me by Maryam Ali Ali, a poet/novelist friend who (like me)is a member of Association of Nigerian Authors. You could see her among some of the leading Nigerian intellectual giants - Prof. Emeka Anyaoku (former general secretary of the Commonwealth), on her right, and Prof. Wole Soyinka (Nobel prize winner). The photo was taken in Ibadan last year during the ANA collequiem in honour of Prof. Soyinka.

I wonder just what she was feeling at that material time. I'd feel like an ant among the poplars!


A DAIDAITA SAHU

HUKUMAR A DAIDAITA SAHU TA JIHAR KANO
Lamba 2, Sabo Bakinzuwo Road, P.M.B. 3313 Kano, Nijeriya. Web: www.adaidaitasahu.org


2 ga Sha’aban 1428
16 ga Agusta 2007
Zuwa ga Shugabannin Masu Shirin Fim Jihar Kano
Assalamu Alaikum.

BUD’AD’D’IYAR WASIKA ZUWA GA KUNGIYAR MASU SHIRYA FINAFINAI TA JIHAR KANO

Hukumar A Daidaita Sahu ta Jihar Kano ta na shawartar ku da ku dakatar da harkar finafinan Hausa kwata-kwata na ak’alla tsawon shekara guda, don a sami damar gudanar da ingantaccen gyara a harkar.

D’aukar matakin dakatar da harkar fim ita ce kad’ai mafita gare ku a wannan lokaci.

Mu na tunatar da ku cewa a can baya da aka sami wata matsala a harkar finafinai a Jihar Ikko, takwarar k’ungiyar ku ta Ikkon da kan ta ta dakatar da shirya finafinai har tsawon watanni shida kafin a samar da gyara a harkar.

Hukumar A Daidaita Sahu ta na k’ara shawartar ku da cewa jingine wannan harka ta fim baki d’aya shi ne kad’ai zai sa al’ummar Jihar Kano su gamsu, idan aka yi la’akari da fushin da jama’a ke ciki. Dakatar da ’yan wasa da yin sauran kwaskwarima da ku ka yi, ba za su wadatar ba.

Bayan haka, Hukumar A Daidaita Sahu ta na yin kira ga d’aukacin al’ummar Jihar Kano da a kai zuciya nesa, a k’ara hak’uri, a kuma k’ara addu’ar Allah Ya shirya.

Daga k’arshe, wannan hukuma ta na k’ara jan hankalin ku ’ya’yan {ungiyar Masu Shirya Finafinai ta Jihar Kano da ku lura da cewa wannan fa hannun-ka-mai-sanda ne. In kunne ya ji, jiki ya tsira.

Sa hannun:
Bala A. Muhammad
Darakta Janar
Hukumar A Daidaita Sahu

Hausa Film Turmoil

Editorial in the Leadership, Abuja, on Tuesday, August 21.

Early last week, a secret video recording showing a popular Hausa actress and her boyfriend having sex hit the northern part of this country like a typhoon. The 8-min. video clip was recorded in a Lagos hotel room by the duo, using the man’s cell phone camera. For most stakeholders in the Hausa movie industry, it was the wrong time for such a spectacle to appear. The industry had been repeatedly criticised in recent times for promoting immorality through the films and the activities of its largely young participants.

The recent scandal has embarrassed not only industry leaders but the society in general. But this could be the spur needed by anyone interested in correcting the ills of the industry to begin serious work. Though we are against an outright ban on the film trade, which employs thousands, we would recommend a suspension of the industry for twelve months during which the Kano State government and trade associations could find lasting solutions to the industry’s problems. Our teeming youths should be gainfully employed and our leisure time well served, but not at the expense of our good morals and cultural values. The ‘Hiyana affair,’ as the subsisting scandal is known, is a wake-up call on all parties concerned.

HIRA DA BOBO















* Gyaran waya ya ba abokin sa, shi
Kuma ya kwafi majigin daga ciki

* Bobo ya rantse sau 16 cikin guntuwar tattaunawa

* Ya na neman afuwar dukkan Musulmi


ALHAJI Usman Bobo, dan canjin nan da ya dauki majigin batsa tare da Maryam Usman Hiyana (ga hoton ta nan a sama), ya b'ace b'at tun daga lokacin da sirrin su ya tonu. A farkon faruwar lamarin, shugabannin ’yan fim na Kano sun kira shi sun nuna masa bacin ran su kan wannan abu. Majiyar mujallar Fim ta ce mutumin ya yi nadama a gare su, har ya na cewa wallahi shi ba kan sa ya ke ji ba, yarinyar ya ke ji. An ba mujallar lambobin wayar Usman, amma ya ki samuwa.

Kwatsam, a ranar Lahadi, 19 ga Agusta, sai ga labarin Bobo ya ~ullo a sashen Hausa na BBC, a shirin su na rana. Duk da yake akwai abubuwa da yawa da ba a tambayi mutumin ba, amma hirar ta kara haske kan wannan rikirkitaccen lamari. A hirar, Bobo ya bayyana cewa ya na zaman boyo ne a yanzu, kuma ya nuna tsantsar nadama, sa’annan ya yi kira ga jama’a da su yafe masa wannan ta~argaza da ya tafka. Ga yadda hirar ta kasance:

BBC: Ko me ya sa ka aikata wannan abin kunya?
BOBO: Wallahi tallahi ba na yi da gayya ba ne.

BBC: To kamar ya abin ya taso daga gare ka, kai?
BOBO: Wallahi abin nan sirri ne. Wani aboki na ne ya saci wayar nan... wani aboki na, wallahi tallahi, wayar nan na ba shi ya yi min gyaran ta. Ka na ji na ko? Kuma abin nan an yi shi sama da shekara daya, wajen shekara daya da wata tara kenan. Kuma wallahi tallahi na yi nadama. Kuma ina fatan don Allah don Annabi duniya ta yafe min abin da ya faru. Wallahi, domin duniya... saboda Allah da Annabi su yafe min. Abin nan ba wai na yi shi ba ne ko da gayya ko da wani abu, ka fahimta... ko da fariya. Wallahi sace wayar nan aka yi, wallahi tallahi, abin ya fita.

BBC: Kai ne dai ka yi abin a waya aka dauka. Me ya sa tun asali din, misali, ka dau abin a cikin waya ka yi shi, duk da ka san ba abu ne da ya dace ka dauka a waya ba, misali.
BOBO: Ai lokacin na ke gaya maka, tun a lokacin na riga na goge, wani ne ya sace abin.

BBC: To yanzu yaya ka ke ji game da wannan abu da ya taso haka?
BOBO: Bakin ciki, wallahi! Abin ya na damu na sosai, wallahi tallahi! Wallahi ba na iya shiga jama’a, ba na iya yin komai wallahi.

BBC: Yanzu ka na sane da cewa akwai wadanda ma su ke cewa lallai da kai da ita wannan yarinyar da ku ka yi wannan abu, kamata ya yi sai an hukunta ku saboda ba kan ku kawai ku ka yi wa ba, kun yi wa mutane, kun janyo wa al’umar Musulman arewacin Nijeriya da ma duk inda su ke wani abu na kaskanci.
BOBO: E, shi ne na ke rokon Musulman duniya. Ina nuna damuwa ta a kan laifin da na yi wa Musulunci da Musulmai. Shi ya sa na ke neman gafara ga Musulman duniya su yafe min saboda Allah da Annabi. Kuma ina fatan Allah Ubangiji ya yafe min, kuma ya shirye mu gaba daya.

BBC: Kamar zuwa yanzu ka san halin da ita yarinyar da ku ka dauki hoton ta ke ciki? Ka yi magana da ita zuwa yanzu?
BOBO: Wallahi tallahi ba mu yi magana ba, amma na san ta na cikin damuwa wallahi.

BBC: Daga lokacin da abin ya bazu zuwa yanzu, ka na ci gaba da harkokin sana’ar ka ko kuwa me ya ke faruwa?
BOBO: Wallahi tallahi ba ma wanda ya san inda na ke a halin yanzu, don na gudu, na bar ma garin gaba daya, wallahi.

BBC: Ka na nufin ba ma a cikin Legas din ka ke ba a yanzu?
BOBO: Wallahi ba a cikin Legas na ke ba.

Monday 13 August 2007

Nude Video Causes A Stir

The following story was published on p. 3 of today's Leadership newspaper:

Nude Video Causes A Stir Among Hausa Filmmakers
- 17 actors expelled

An eight-minute video clip recorded with a GSM handset ostensibly for personal viewing has caused an outcry in many states in the country, pitching Hausa actors against viewers whose sensibilities were hurt by the indecent exposure.

Kano State Filmmakers Association rose from a meeting last night with a firm commitment to purify the trade by expelling members of the association judged to be immoral.

Last night, the association expelled 17 of the most popular actors, saying they contributed to tarnishing the image of the actors. More would be shown the door, a source told Leadership.

The decision followed the outcry caused by the sudden appearance of the video clip which showed a popular actress in a steamy scene with her boyfriend known popularly as Bobo. Both were stark naked.

This was the first time such exposure involving Hausa-Fulani persons was witnessed in the country.

The clip has been circulating since last week among viewers eager to see the rumoured flick, which many called the first Hausa "blue film."

Condemnation has come in torrents on radio, television and in mosques from Muslim clerics and others that considered the action of both the actress and her boyfriend morally unacceptable and a big shame.

Bobo, a bureau de change operator in Lagos, was said to have recorded the scene last year and had done all he could to stop its circulation after it had slipped out of his control accidentally.

The actress has since gone into hiding.

The development came at an ackward situation for the filmmakers, who had come under severe criticism in recent times for the indecent behaviours of some of its members.

The filmmakers' umbrella association, headed by Alhaji Sa'idu Gwanja, said it was forced by the circumstance to take action last night, saying those expelled from the film industry were thought to be involved in immoral acts such as drunkenness and fornication.

Film stars expelled included Mahe Ibrahim, Ummi Ibrahim (Zee-Zee), Safiya Musa, Ummi Nuhu, Kubura Dhacko, Hannatu Umar, Auwalu Isa West, Farida Jalal, Hauwa Rafindadi and Fati Slow.

Others were Muhibbat Abdulsalam, Zahiyya Ibrahim, Maijidda Abbas, Ismuha, Sadiya Yarari, Hajiya Zainab and Shamsiyya Habib (Kansakali).

A committee has been set up by the association to receive appeals from any of the sacked actors and monitor developments on the matter. It is headed by Alhaji Ibrahim Mandawari, with Dr Ahmad Sarari as secretary.

Other members of the committee are Habibu Sani, Balaraba Ramat Yakubu, Jamilu Dakan-Daka, Hajara Usman, Auwalu Malam Dare, Yakubu Muhammad and Misbahu M. Ahmad.

Leadership was also told by a leading director that henceforth any person wishing to join the Hausa film industry must first provide a guarantor who would testify to the person's good character.

He said the latest action was expected to bring down the tension generated by the sex video making the rounds in people's handsets at the moment.

Sunday 12 August 2007

Hiyana - Tsiraici a fagen shirin fim

Wata zazzafar muhawara ta barke a kasar Hausa tun daga makon jiya. Wani guntun hoton bidiyo na minti takwas mai nuna tsiraicin wasu matasa biyu ya bayyana a makon da ya wuce. Mutanen biyu dai mace da namiji ne, kuma macen ba wata ba ce illa wata 'yar fim mai suna Maryam Usman, jarumar shirin 'Hiyana'. Ana yi mata lakabi da 'Maryam Hiyana'.

Kasancewar ta 'yar fim ya sa mutane da dama su na cewa lallai yanzu ta tabbata cewa 'yan fim 'yan iska ne. Na kalli "video clip" din da ido na, kuma na kad'u matuka da na gan shi, musamman da yake dukkan su Musulmi ne. An nuno yarinyar tsirara a ciki. Wani saurayin ta wai shi Bobo, wanda ke sana'ar canjin kudi a Legas, ya dauke ta hotunan bidiyo din da kyamarar wayar sa ta selula har na tsawon sama da minti takwas. An nuno ta kwance a kan gado, haihuwar uwar ta, daga nan kuma shi ma ta dauke shi da kyamarar - shi ma zigidir, alkalamin sa a mike; daga nan kuma shu'umin ya hau kan yarinyar, ya yi lalata da ita a lokacin da yake ci gaba da daukar hotunan bidiyo din. Har sai da ya kawo (a gafarce ni!), kuma ya yi wasa da maniyyin sa a kan cinyar ta.

A cikin "clip" din, Bobo da yarinyar su na magana, kuma ana ji radau.

Yanzu mutane cewa su ke yi wai an yi "bulu fim." To amma a gani na, za a iya cewa an yi "fim" ba a yi "fim" ba. Abin da ya sa na ce haka shi ne, wadannan matasa biyu ba su dauki wannan iskanci da nufin shirya fim ba. Shi fim, ai ya na da matakai da dalilai na shirya shi, da ma'aikata da sauran su, kuma a karshe manufar sa a kai kasuwa a sayar. Har ma sai an yi tallar sa a kafafen watsa labarai kafin a kai shi kasuwa. Su kuwa wannan yarinya da wannan mutum sun yi wannan abu ne domin shi mutumin ya rika kallo bayan sun rabu.

A lura, sun dauki wannan abu ne a cikin 2006, amma sai yanzu ya fito duniya ta sani. Can a kwanan baya Yakubu Lere, mawallafin mujallar Gidauniya, ya buga labari mai nuna cewa wata yarinya ta yi "bulu fim," har abin ya harzuka 'yan fim, su ka dakatar da sayar da mujallar a shagunan sayar da finafinai a Kano.

Akwai bayani na daban kan yadda wannan bidiyon tsiraicin ya fita daga hannun su har ya shiga hannun jama'a, amma wannan wani labarin ne na daban.

Babu shakka abin da suka aikata abin Allah-wadai ne, musamman a daidai lokacin da mutuncin 'yan fim ya ke tangal-tangal din zubewa. Don haka babu dalilin kare su a nan. Sun yi ba daidai ba. Wannan shi ne bidiyo na farko mai nuna tsiraicin Hausawa da ya shiga hannun jama'a miliyoyi (kuma ba a san inda abin zai tsaya ba!).

Ba a yi "blue film" ba domin wannan ba fim ba ne, "clip" ne kawai aka yi domin "private viewing". Ita kan ta yarinyar, da farko ba ta san ja'irin daukar ta ya ke yi da kyamarar wayar sa ba har sai da ya gaya mata, kuma ta bayyana mamaki tare da cewa ya daina. Amma da yake ya ba ta ta dauke shi (kuma tsautsayi ba ya da rana!), sai ta kyale shi har ya yi lalata da ita ya na dauka.

A sakamakon wannan abu, mutuncin 'yan fim ya kara zubewa. A ranar Juma'a da ta wuce, malamai sun yi hudubobi a kan wannan al'amari, kuma sun yi tsinuwa. Haka kuma an ci gaba da yin Allah-wadai da al'amarin a wurare da dama. Kafafen yad'a labarai su na ta babatu a kai.

Yarinya dai ta gudu ta boye (an ce wani saurayin ta da ya ce shi ya ji ya gani zai aure ta, shi ne ya boye ta - wai ma za su yi aure kafin azumi).

Duk wani dan fim ya kad'u. Shugabannin 'yan fim hankalin su ya tashi matuka. A yau din nan sun ba da sanarwar dakatar da shahararrun 'yan wasa sama da goma (maza da mata) wadanda ake zargi da aikata munanan ayyuka iri-iri, ciki har da zina da shaye-shaye. Sun yi haka ne don ganin sun tsaftace harkar daga bata-gari da ke shigowa su na yin abin da su ka ga dama, kuma don gudun fushin Gwamnatin Jihar Kano, wadda ake ganin za ta iya daukar tsauraran matakai kan harkar fim din baki dayan ta.

Amma jama'a mu yi tunani: ba fa 'yan fim kadai ba ne 'yan iska. Mutumin da ya yi ummulhaba'isin wannan aika-aika, BA DAN FIM BA NE, kuma BAHAUSHE ne, magidanci, mai sana'a, miloniya, dan kasuwa. DON HAKA, al'umar Hausawa (Musulmi) baki dayan ta ce ta ke bukatar gyara. Kuma dukkan mu kowa ya dubi kan sa, ya gyara rayuwar sa, domin babu shakka a cikin masu yin kumfar baki kan wannan abu akwai masu aikata zububban da su ka fi wannan da ake babatu a kan sa.

Allah ya shirye mu baki daya, amin.

The World Without Adamu Yusuf


By Ibrahim Sheme

As you read this, the crowd is still thick in Adamu Yusuf’s house. It is the 10th day of mourning over the sudden death of one of the most popular young men in northern Nigeria. Adamu, who is in this photograph with the tycoon Alhaji Ahmadu Chanchangi (one of his confidantes) worked for the BBC Hausa section for two decades in the 80s. He died on Thursday, 1st August, after an attack of asthma. Not since the death of Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi in 1992 has Kaduna witnessed such an outpouring of grief.

Men, women and children from all walks of life have been trooping to the house on Gwamna Road in order to offer their condolences. You could see on the faces of the high and mighty to the downtrodden talakawa the shadows of loss and grief. Many have shed tears, struggling to accept the finality of Adamu’s departure.

Alhaji Adamu had touched the lives of countless people one way or the other. Aside his reputation as a reporter for the BBC, he was known largely as a philanthropist, helper, adviser and comforter. He was not a big man in the mold of the typical big men in Nigeria, or so many people regarded him, and he was not a small man either. He belonged to two social classes – that of the haves and that of the have-nots, easily worming into either of them as if that was where he belonged perennially, depending on the occasion. He would dine with kings (Generals like Ibrahim Babangida, Aliyu Mohammed Gusau, Hamza Abdullahi; civilians like Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, Habu Fari, Laila Dogonyaro, Ahmadu Chanchangi) and the masses (like me).
Little surprise that his house was a beehive of activities, especially when he was in town. People would troop in irrespective of their social standing, upbringing, religious persuasion or tribe, on foot or in SUVs, in order to have an audience with him. Always accessible (you needn’t an usher or front office clerk to tell him about your arrival), he had an ear for each. If discussing with you required confidentiality, he would take you into the sitting room and give you enough time to pour out your heart.

Important people would go to him in search of advice or contact with other important people, and not-so-important people would visit him in order to ask for one favour or the other (e.g. employment, school admission, dowry, ram for the naming ceremony or food to eat). The oncoming Ramadan would further remind many people about his large-heartedness, for many relied on him for the millet they would use in preparing the gruel to break their fast with. And during Eid el Fitr they would miss his gifts of rams and clothing.

His simplicity and willingness to put a fine finger in every nice pie were astounding, as was his capacity to touch the lives of those that came into contact with him. In the years of our friendship, starting from 1993, I never saw Adamu turning away a visitor or refusing to offer a helping hand to anyone. His shoulder was ever-ready to carry the responsibilities thrust upon him by his Creator, the responsibility of caring for others.

Those who didn’t properly understand him used to wonder why he was doing what he was doing; some were even put off by his gregariousness. Recently he told me that someone had asked him to be hiding away from the riff-raff always coming to “disturb” him. The friend meant well, worried that favour-seekers were denying him a much-needed rest. Alhaji Adamu’s conclusion was that he couldn’t do that because God had given him the task of caring for people. “If I should keep away the way others have done, where would the people go?” he asked. Concurring, I drew his attention to the fact that there were many rich men who would want people to go to them, but they had not got the opportunity; they sat in their houses, lonely and lamenting their failure to open their doors to the needy. He laughed and remarked, “I like that.”

The deceased was a true patriot, always lamenting the backwardness of our people, blaming governments from the local to the federal levels for neglecting the citizenry. He chided those that failed to see the laudable programmes of the Babangida regime and the rich in our society who refused to help the poor in their communities. His view on politics was progressive, people-oriented and anti-capital. Not everyone knew his role in helping draft Obasanjo into the presidential race or the role he played – through intense media campaign and other subtle contacts – in frustrating the attempt by Obasanjo to secure a third term in office.

Adamu’s people-first approach to issues must have been responsible for the sustained attempt to drag him into the gubernatorial race in Kaduna State during the last election. When his posters flooded the town, printed and circulated by “unknown” well-wishers, he asked me, “Do you think these people pulling me into politics are sincere? I don’t want to be involved in the type of politics Nigerians play.”
I reckon that the amazement of those that would rather see him behaving “big and important” must have originated from their perception of what the average rich and influential Nigerian was: pompous, inaccessible, unhelpful and downright supercilious. A Nigerian of Adamu’s stature would rather “eat” alone, spurning anyone who comes for the crumbs. Adamu would not even throw crumbs at people but would always eat with them. We knew the kind of food he ate because his equally kind-hearted wife would always send it to him while he sat on the porch with visitors, and everyone would eat from the bowl with him. On every given evening, he would have cartons of fura supplied and would insist that you take your fill and even carry some away. Indeed, we are going to miss everything about him, including this side of his magnanimity.

He would travel long distances to attend wedding and or naming ceremonies, as well as commisserate with families and individuals over loss of dear ones, accidents or other forms of trouble. Caring for others, he would phone people to find out about their situation, especially those about whom he had a rumour or those that seemed to have ignored him for a long while. I happened to fall in the latter category, for I used to disappear from his view for months on end, only to reappear one day. Any time I saw Adamu phoning me after I had committed that offence against the tenets of zumunci, I would feel so guilty that I would hesitate before answering, while struggling to invent an excuse. He never took offence against his friends even if they were reported to have criticised him behind his back. No wonder he made up quickly with anyone that had broken up with him, to the extent that you would wonder whether he really knew the meaning of ego.

Adamu was a one-man Red Cross and Red Crescent combined, always in the service of the sick and the afflicted. He would sit up wondering what he could do to ameliorate the suffering of others. Years back when he realised the huge swarm of unemployed youths in Kaduna State, he established a vocational centre where youths would learn one trade or the other. And it worked. Originally a Nupe, he had grown up in Tudun Wada, Kaduna, one of the poor areas in the metropolis where violence had become a scourge perpetrated by idle youths determined to survive at all costs, so he knew the pangs and consequences of poverty and want. That’s why, when providence smiled on him, he refused to turn his back on poverty or the downtrodden.

The wealth that came through his hands passed in huge quantities to the people he met. He fed, clothed and sheltered the poor. He paid the fares for multitudes to perform the Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia every year. He bought vehicles – cars, motor cycles and bicycles – for countless others. Through him, many university and secondary school leavers found jobs, and the uneducated he gave money to start small businesses. He would preach continuously against indolence or dishonest acts. And for countless others who came into conflict with one another, he served as mediator, going to every extent to achieve peace and harmony.

He mediated untiringly between spouses, tribes, adherents of religions, business colleagues, etc. Last year he performed such a role for me when a business we started with some fellows foundered into rough straits. The mediation worked, against all odds. But the first time I ignored his advice – his fervent desire that I should not to go into business with another person – I sorely missed the chance of enjoying the fruits of his good counsel. Later, he told me, “You can’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Adamu, like many young men, lived many dreams. He was specifically interested in the promotion of journalism – his profession. He wanted journalists to become truly professional, eschewing the bad habits that invariably bring them to grief. On this, I recommend anyone to read the two-page interview he granted the Sunday New Nigerian’s Shittu Obassa, published in the paper’s issue of August 5, 2007. It was a collector’s item on the personality of Adamu Yusuf.

I don’t know why Nagarta Radio was set up in Kaduna by Gen. Aliyu Gusau beyond the rumoured ambition by the former National Security Adviser to run for president in the 2007 election, but I knew that Adamu played a pivotal role in its take-off. As a confidant of the owner, he was responsible for recruiting the very capable pioneer staff and shaping the editorial policy that contributed to the station’s instant success. Recently, I learnt, through him, that he was working hard to help Nagarta start a television station of the same name; always eager to help me forge ahead in my profession, and knowing about the collapse of a business venture I helped start, he wondered if I would like to work there. I told him no, the print media was my everlasting preference, for obvious reasons.

When Adamu left the BBC last year, the biggest dream he nursed up till his final days was setting up a radio station of his own. He asked me to suggest a name for it, saying he wasn’t comfortable with the names other people gave him. I took days to study the names of various FM radio stations across Africa and gave him a memo containing various names for him to pick. I learnt he had even acquired some of the equipment needed for the take-off of the station. Even though some would think he would not need it now, I believe that his people – the northerners – would. If so, Adamu would definitely need to see it established even in his absence.

From the foregoing, one could see why Alhaji Adamu was such a well-liked person and why his funeral was attended by thousands and thousands more trooped to his house. Indeed, the world of all that related with Adamu will never be the same again; it’s going to be a lot more unkind and harsh.

I will conclude with a call on the Kaduna State Government to implement programmes that would uplift the life of the young men and women in the state. That way the deceased’s beliefs – empowering the life of the youths – would not be in vain. And in order to help keep his memory alive, the government should rename Gwamna Road to Adamu Yusuf Road and upgrade his vocational centre to a model school for crafts, among other projects that could be initiated for the improvement of the life of young Nigerians, who will become the elders of tomorrow.

May Allah forgive Adamu Yusuf, reward him with paradise and give his family and friends the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss, amen.

Wednesday 1 August 2007

Sheme Appointed LEADERSHIP Editor

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Malam Ibrahim Sheme, editor of LEADERSHIP newspaper from November 2004 to January 2006 when it was still a weekly, resumes duty today as editor of the daily LEADERSHIP.

He takes over from Hajiya Aisha Yolah, who is getting ready to proceed to the United Kingdom on a British Chevening Scholarship.

Sheme himself was a Chevening scholar between 1993 and 1994, at the end of which he obtained a master’s degree in Journalism Studies from the University of Wales, Cardiff. An alumnus of the Bayero University, Kano, he received a B.A. in Mass Communication earlier: in 1989.

His journey through the media has been long but always fascinating. Once, he was the editor of the Kaduna-based Hotline. At the New Nigerian, Sheme rose from being features editor, arts editor and foreign news editor to deputy editor in 1997. Prior to his stopover at the New Nigerian, however, he had a stint with The Reporter and Nasiha, a vernacular newspaper on the stable of the Nationhouse Press, Kaduna, that also published The Reporter. Sheme was the deputy director of the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation between 1999 and 2001.

Author of a number of books, the new LEADERSHIP editor was the publisher/editor- in-chief of Fim, a monthly film magazine published in Hausa, and, lately, editor-in-chief of Public Agenda.

Sheme, 41, returned to LEADERSHIP last month to begin work as the chairman of the editorial board, a position he has now relinquished.
He is married and has children.