I was interviewed by Ismail Bala Garba, a poet and lecturer in the Department of English and European Languages, Bayero University, Kano, on the role I played in spawning literary columns in Nigerian newspapers, with focus on poetry. Ismail was working on an academic paper. He sent similar questionnaire to other "literary journalists." The interview was conducted via email, as follows:
A) What motivated you to start a poetry column?
ANSWER: Mind you, I was the one who created the poetry (or literary) pages in the following newspapers: Sunday Tide; The Reporter; Hotline; New Nigerian; Weekly Trust; Leadership; The Companion, and Public Agenda. Except The Reporter, all the others are still kicking, mostly under the titles I personally created (The Write Stuff, Bookshelf, Bookarts, Books).
Back to your question: I am a bookworm. My interests span a wide array of fields in literature. Poetry happens to be one of them. I have been involved with poetry from my secondary school days when I read the works of great poets from Chaucer to Okara; from Browning to Soyinka, etc. I also read a lot of Hausa poetry. Consequently I experimented with writing poems myself, and I think I have done well. hen when I became a journalist I discovered the power of giving people chance to express themselves in any way they can. Poetry is one of those ways. I realised that many of our people have poetic intuitions, but the lack of space to communicate their poems was hampering their creativity. I have learned, through the efforts of Al-Bishak (who edited a poetry column in the Sunday New Nigerian, to which I contributed every week when I was in secondary school in the early '80s), that the responsibility of providing such space for our numerous poets lay heavily on me. I had the opportunity, being an editor with clout in all the newspapers where I worked/contributed (Sunday Tide, The Reporter, Hotline, New Nigerian, Weekly Trust, Leadership, Public Agenda). So I created poetry columns (beginning from the Sunday Tide in Port Harcourt in 1990) essentially to give creative minds the chance to express themselves, to try to become Wordsworth. I was motivated by the works of those ancient and contemporary bards that I read with the view to trying to continue with the tradition of poetry-creation, especially on this side of the world.
B) Do you have any idea about the volume of poems you receive from readers?
ANSWER: It depends on the popularity or influence or circulation of the medium through which I communicate. When I was editing the Weekly Trust's literary pages I received my largest volume of contributions. Probably forty poems a week, out of which five to six could be published. (Don't forget, poetry is usually given a small corner in the pages - we call it Poet's Corner, unlike prose, which is given most of the space). But after Trust, i.e. when I went to Leadership and later Public Agenda, the traffic has reduced due to the limited circulation of these newspapers. Other factors are at play, too, because I am sure even the readers's poetry contributions to Weekly Trust are no longer as copious as they used to be. The economic downturn in the country, which has changed the poet's mood for the worse, could be one of the reasons.
C) What is the nature of audience reaction to the poems and the column?
ANSWER: Reaction has been positive. That's why we keep the light one. And you see people telling their friends, "My poems have just been published in the Weekly Trust!" Then you receive more contributions. The beauty of it all is that many of these contributors eventually become published in book form, thus launching themselves to stardom as authors.
D) Do you foresee the development of newspaper poetry? What is its future? Do you think poetry in newspaper is different?
ANSWER: Poetry in newspaper is not different from any other. The audience is bigger than those who buy books due to the poor reading culture in Nigeria. The future is really uncertain. Unless the reading culture is improved, "newspaper poetry" will remain in a cocoon, unable to grow. As I said, the poetry corners in, say, Citizen magazine and Weekly Trust used to be hugely popular. But Citizen died, and contributions to Trust declined. That means the genre is not improving as fast as it should. Recently I launched a 'Poet of the Week' corner in the Public Agenda (the type I created in the Weekly Trust years back). I received only two contributions in a month. The column was rested (till further notice). In short, the future is bleak for newspaper poetry in this country. I think one reason is that no one, apart from us the so-called literary journalists, is coordinating the genre. And we are doing it as part of our routine career. Or hobby. Or whatever.
Thursday, 7 June 2007
Hausa fiction directory
Bibliography of Hausa Popular Fiction 1987 - 2002, by Graham Furniss, Malami Buba and William Burgess; published by Rudiger Koppe Verlag, Koln, 2004; 179 pp.
By Ibrahim Sheme
Just a few years ago, the buzz in Hausa literati was the exciting debate over the usefulness or otherwise of the novellas that inundated the bookstalls in most of northern Nigeria, as regards moral reawakening. A group of critics, on top of whom was Malam Ibrahim Malumfashi of the Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, argued that the Hausa novellas, which Malumfashi contemptuously dubbed the Kano Market Literature – after the infamous Onitsha Market Literature of the 1950s-1970s – had no value whatsoever to the call to morals. They said the books were substandard, a heap of needless romance fiction, and written by low educated youths. In one controversial submission, Malumfashi called for the burning down of all of those books in order to rid the society of their "filth."
On the other hand, another group, consisting of people like Dr. Abdalla Uba Adamu and Malam Yusuf M. Adamu of the Bayero University, as well as Ibrahim Sheme, countered with the argument that the novellas, which came in the range of forty to eighty pages, served the purpose of upholding or promoting literacy, providing entertainment in a dour economic environment, spawning youth associations and was an economic activity for the authors, booksellers and, later, filmmakers. Besides, contrary to the claim of the antagonists, it wasn’t only romance the books dealt with.
While the debate lasted on the pages of newspapers and in seminar halls, Hausa academics simply looked the other way and avoided the study of the novellas like plague – much to the disappointment of most cultural activists who had wished that, as an epoch in the language’s historical progression, the book production ‘industry’ should have been documented for future generations. It could have been the dearth or lack of funds assailing the universities and tertiary colleges, sheer naïveté or just plain stupidity that disallowed such study by the academics. Only lecturers whose calling wasn’t Hausa language or literature – such as Adamu, Abdalla – and journalists such as yours sincerely, who indulge in the promotion of that literary epoch as a useful milestone in Hausa popular culture.
Outside Nigeria, interest in these books began to manifest most prominently at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Prof. Graham Furniss led a group to closely monitor the activities taking place in contemporary Hausa fiction. With their environment conducive for study, including research grants and other incentives, they began to document the genre, buying the books from Nigeria, categorising and stocking them. The result was the book, Bibliography of Hausa Popular Literature 1987 – 2002.
Perhaps needless to say, the book is as relevant to documenting a stage within Hausa writing as the novellas were to capturing the images of life of the Hausa people within a certain span of their evolution. For, the books have captured modes of life, even if skewed heavily towards the romantic side, in the society. Furniss et al.’s book is the pioneer and, to-date, the most authoritative documentation of that writing industry.
The book is essentially what it claims to be – a bibliography. It contains a listing of most – if not all – the books published from 1987 to 2002. There are 731 titles in all. Not only titles are listed, but also the authors’ names, the publisher and year of publication (where available). The list is then regurgitated to make other lists for easy comprehension. One list is the translation of each of the book’s titles into English; e.g. "A Co-wife is not a Problem," from the book Kishiya Ba Laifi Ba Ce. An alphabetical list of the titles, with their authors, is also provided. This is followed by a list of the authors, also in alphabetical order, accompanied with the titles of their books. This could tell you who the most prolific authors were at the time.
There are two very impressive sections in the book. First is the one where the full-colour photographs of the covers of all the listed books are printed (p. 143 - p. 179). Each tells a story from that literary era–from the illustrations to the typeface and even the colours used to present the book. The second is the introductory chapter, where Furniss give background information on the events and issues that led to the emergence of the contemporary stage of Hausa prose fiction writing. One notable reason was the collapse of the Nigerian economy in the 1980s, which led to the break-up of the known publishing firms like the Zaria-based, government-owned Northern Nigerian Publishing Company, giving way to the frantic self-publishing initiatives of young school leavers. The chapter notes – as the lists proved – that women were very much active in the contemporary writing activities. This in itself is a point missed by the antagonists, that it exemplifies a step ahead in the orientation of the Hausa woman who was hitherto shackled by cultural mores and denied avenues for self-expression.
The book touches on the contribution of writers clubs to the availability of the books, the themes of the books, readers, production of the books, and transition to the ongoing video film production, which is so widespread. The chapter is a summary of the background, the characteristics and the impact of the so-called Kano Market Literature.
The cover is simple, with green text over a white background. The first lapse one would notice is that unlike studies of similar weight, this one does not have a blurb. This is carrying simplicity of design too far, as a blurb would tell a potential reader or buyer what the book is all about. And inside the text, the translations of the book titles are not entirely apt. Many were haphazardly done and even misleading. Examples: Ganin Kwam! as "Bloody-minded!" (instead of "Over-inquisitiveness!"); Idan Ungulu Ta Biya Bukata as "If the Vulture is Happy" (instead of "If a Vulture Satisfies One’s Need"); Budurwar Zuciya as "Young Love" (instead of "Young at Heart"), etc.
Nonetheless, the book is important to the study of Hausa literature and language and is a contribution to the small corpus of studies on Hausa popular culture. Researchers, students and the general reader interested in this area of study would do well to obtain copies in order to keep as reference material.
There is also need to conduct further inquiries into this era with the view to identifying other ethos omitted by this introductory, though watershed, book. What were the other literary activities taking place in Hausa land during the period under study? Who were the authors themselves? What followed the year 2002, the end of the period covered by the book? Have the contemporary writing practices continued or were they replaced? What is the impact of those chapbooks and, by implication, criticism on them, on the society?
There is certainly more ground to be covered. Furniss et al. have opened up the gate for further study. It is up to others (and Furniss et al.) to carry on from where this book stopped.
By Ibrahim Sheme
Just a few years ago, the buzz in Hausa literati was the exciting debate over the usefulness or otherwise of the novellas that inundated the bookstalls in most of northern Nigeria, as regards moral reawakening. A group of critics, on top of whom was Malam Ibrahim Malumfashi of the Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, argued that the Hausa novellas, which Malumfashi contemptuously dubbed the Kano Market Literature – after the infamous Onitsha Market Literature of the 1950s-1970s – had no value whatsoever to the call to morals. They said the books were substandard, a heap of needless romance fiction, and written by low educated youths. In one controversial submission, Malumfashi called for the burning down of all of those books in order to rid the society of their "filth."
On the other hand, another group, consisting of people like Dr. Abdalla Uba Adamu and Malam Yusuf M. Adamu of the Bayero University, as well as Ibrahim Sheme, countered with the argument that the novellas, which came in the range of forty to eighty pages, served the purpose of upholding or promoting literacy, providing entertainment in a dour economic environment, spawning youth associations and was an economic activity for the authors, booksellers and, later, filmmakers. Besides, contrary to the claim of the antagonists, it wasn’t only romance the books dealt with.
While the debate lasted on the pages of newspapers and in seminar halls, Hausa academics simply looked the other way and avoided the study of the novellas like plague – much to the disappointment of most cultural activists who had wished that, as an epoch in the language’s historical progression, the book production ‘industry’ should have been documented for future generations. It could have been the dearth or lack of funds assailing the universities and tertiary colleges, sheer naïveté or just plain stupidity that disallowed such study by the academics. Only lecturers whose calling wasn’t Hausa language or literature – such as Adamu, Abdalla – and journalists such as yours sincerely, who indulge in the promotion of that literary epoch as a useful milestone in Hausa popular culture.
Outside Nigeria, interest in these books began to manifest most prominently at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Prof. Graham Furniss led a group to closely monitor the activities taking place in contemporary Hausa fiction. With their environment conducive for study, including research grants and other incentives, they began to document the genre, buying the books from Nigeria, categorising and stocking them. The result was the book, Bibliography of Hausa Popular Literature 1987 – 2002.
Perhaps needless to say, the book is as relevant to documenting a stage within Hausa writing as the novellas were to capturing the images of life of the Hausa people within a certain span of their evolution. For, the books have captured modes of life, even if skewed heavily towards the romantic side, in the society. Furniss et al.’s book is the pioneer and, to-date, the most authoritative documentation of that writing industry.
The book is essentially what it claims to be – a bibliography. It contains a listing of most – if not all – the books published from 1987 to 2002. There are 731 titles in all. Not only titles are listed, but also the authors’ names, the publisher and year of publication (where available). The list is then regurgitated to make other lists for easy comprehension. One list is the translation of each of the book’s titles into English; e.g. "A Co-wife is not a Problem," from the book Kishiya Ba Laifi Ba Ce. An alphabetical list of the titles, with their authors, is also provided. This is followed by a list of the authors, also in alphabetical order, accompanied with the titles of their books. This could tell you who the most prolific authors were at the time.
There are two very impressive sections in the book. First is the one where the full-colour photographs of the covers of all the listed books are printed (p. 143 - p. 179). Each tells a story from that literary era–from the illustrations to the typeface and even the colours used to present the book. The second is the introductory chapter, where Furniss give background information on the events and issues that led to the emergence of the contemporary stage of Hausa prose fiction writing. One notable reason was the collapse of the Nigerian economy in the 1980s, which led to the break-up of the known publishing firms like the Zaria-based, government-owned Northern Nigerian Publishing Company, giving way to the frantic self-publishing initiatives of young school leavers. The chapter notes – as the lists proved – that women were very much active in the contemporary writing activities. This in itself is a point missed by the antagonists, that it exemplifies a step ahead in the orientation of the Hausa woman who was hitherto shackled by cultural mores and denied avenues for self-expression.
The book touches on the contribution of writers clubs to the availability of the books, the themes of the books, readers, production of the books, and transition to the ongoing video film production, which is so widespread. The chapter is a summary of the background, the characteristics and the impact of the so-called Kano Market Literature.
The cover is simple, with green text over a white background. The first lapse one would notice is that unlike studies of similar weight, this one does not have a blurb. This is carrying simplicity of design too far, as a blurb would tell a potential reader or buyer what the book is all about. And inside the text, the translations of the book titles are not entirely apt. Many were haphazardly done and even misleading. Examples: Ganin Kwam! as "Bloody-minded!" (instead of "Over-inquisitiveness!"); Idan Ungulu Ta Biya Bukata as "If the Vulture is Happy" (instead of "If a Vulture Satisfies One’s Need"); Budurwar Zuciya as "Young Love" (instead of "Young at Heart"), etc.
Nonetheless, the book is important to the study of Hausa literature and language and is a contribution to the small corpus of studies on Hausa popular culture. Researchers, students and the general reader interested in this area of study would do well to obtain copies in order to keep as reference material.
There is also need to conduct further inquiries into this era with the view to identifying other ethos omitted by this introductory, though watershed, book. What were the other literary activities taking place in Hausa land during the period under study? Who were the authors themselves? What followed the year 2002, the end of the period covered by the book? Have the contemporary writing practices continued or were they replaced? What is the impact of those chapbooks and, by implication, criticism on them, on the society?
There is certainly more ground to be covered. Furniss et al. have opened up the gate for further study. It is up to others (and Furniss et al.) to carry on from where this book stopped.
Saturday, 19 May 2007
Bikin kona littattafai - Amsar Abdalla
Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu
Sashen Horon Malaman Kimiyya da Fasaha
Jami’ar Bayero, Kano
Hira da Maje el-Hajeej na Hausa Leadership wacce za ta fito a wannan satin (19 Mayu 2007).
1. Shin a matsayin ka na Furofesa ko bikin kona littafan Hausa da gwamnati ta yi ya dace?
Ba a matsayina na furofesa zan yi magana ba – domin za ka samu furofesoshi da dama wadanda wanna abin ya zauna mu su daidai. Zan yi magana ne a matsayina na almajiri mai neman ilimi. Gaskiya a nawa ra’ayin wannan bai dace ba, domin babu cikakken bayani game da laifin da littattafan da a ka kona a ka ce sun yi. Da zai yi kyau, kafin a kona, a yi wani sharhi a kan kowanne littafi domin nuni ga ire-iren abubuwan da hukuma ta haramta kuma wadanda suka fito a cikin wadannan littattafan. Ta haka za a tabbatar da cewa sun aikata wani laifi. Yin haka shi ne adalci.
Amma ko da sun aikata laifi, konawar ba shi ne mafita ba – domin konawar zai jawowa gwamnati wata matsala inda za a funskance ta a kan maras son ci gaban al’uma. Sannan kuma za a iya kwatanta wanna da ire-iren abubuwan da gwamnatin Taliban ta yi a Maris 2001 na dandake gumakan Buddha, wadanda sun fi shekaru dubu a kasar, har ma duniya ta dauke su a matsayin jarin al’adun al’ummatn duniya. Manazarta sun yi kuka da lamarin da nuni da cewa duk da wadannan gumakan na kafirci ne, wanda kuma ya sabawa gwamnatin Taliban ta wancan lokacin, amma adanasu na da humimmanci wajen tattara tarihin dan Adam da nuni da yadda rayuwarsa ta gabata, wannan ma kadai zai hana a sake yunkurin bauta musu domin da ganinsu ka ga sakakkun abubuwa wadanda ba su cancanti a bauta musu ba.
Amma duk da cewa ban goyi bayan konawar littattafan kagaggun da aka yi ba, dole mu yi la’akari da cewa gwamnati na da hakkin kula da rayuwar jama’a ta yadda ya dace da jama’ar. Saboda haka in bera na da sata, daddawa na da wari.
2. A matsayin ka manazarci ko irin wannan bikin kona littattafai ya na faruwa a wasu sassan duniya?
Bikin kona littattafai ba abu ne sabo a duniya ba. Tarihi ya nuna cewa hukumomi da dama a lokuta dabam-dabam sun shugabanci bikin kona littattafai saboda dalilai guda uku. Na farko tunanin cewa abin da aka rubuta ya sabawa akidar al’ummar da aka rubuta a cikinta. Na biyu sabawa addinin da hukuma ta yarda da shi – ko da marubucin ba ya cikin addinin hukumar. Na uku siyasa tana sa hukuma ta jagoranci kona littattafai domin ganin an karya alkadarin ‘yan adawa da gwamnatin da ke kan gado.
Abin da ya sa ake kare fasihai (marubuta, mawaka, da kuma masu zane ko fim) daga bikin kona ayyukan fasaha shi ne wata rana ba rubutun za a kona ba – fasihan za a kona. An taba yin haka a China a karkashin masarautar Qin (shekaru 212 kafin bayyanar Annabi Isa (AS) wacce Qin Shi Huang ke shugabanta, inda shugaban lokacin ya ga kona littattafan bai isa ba, sai ya hada da kona masu rubutun littattafan; har ma da masu karatun – duk sai da ya sa a ka kona su, kimanin mutane 450.
Haka ma sojojin Rumawa suka bi wannan salon kona littattafan da ke Laburaren Alexandari a jihar Alexandria da ke Masar (Egypt) shekaru 300 kafin bayyanar Annabi Isa (AS). A wannan lokacin a duk fadin duniya babu wata laburaren da ta fi wannan girma, yawan littattafai da kuma manazarta. Kar fa a manta duk tarin littattaan da hannu aka rubuta su, domin lokacin babu injin buga littafi.
Da Hitilar ya zama shugaban Jamus kuma ya kafa akidar Nazism, shi ma ya shugabanci kona littattan da Yahudawa suka rubuta, a rukunayen shekarun 1930 da 1940. Misali, ranar 10 ga Mayu 1933 kusan littattafai 20,000 a ka saka daliban suka kona a Berlin.
Babu inda ba a kona littattafai ba – daga kasar Amurka, inda ake ganin sun fi kowa walawa, zuwa kasashen da dama ana ganin kamar a takure su ke. A Ingila a shekar 1525 an kona littafin Injila wanda William Tyndale ya rubuta. Sannan a 1633 an kona Histiro-Mastix, littafin Willian Prynne wanda ya kalubalanci sarauniyar Ingila. Shi kansa marubucin, an kama shi, a ka yi masa dukan tsiya, aka yanke kunnuwansa, sannan a ka kulle shi a gidan yari. A Amurka a 1650 an kona littafin Willianm Pynchon, mai suna The Meritorious Price of Our Redemption saboda ana ganin ya yi sabo. Jaridar farko a Amurka, Public Occurences, haramta fitowarta a ka yi a 1650.
Kada kuma a dauka wai jahiliyyar ilimi ce ta kawo wannan. A dai Amurka din, a jihar New Mexico, a 2001 an kona kagaggun labaran Harry Potter, labarin wani yaro mai yin shihiri.
A Masar, a Janairu na 1991 hukumar kasar ta jagoranci kona duk littattafan Abu-Nuwas al-Hasan ben Hani al-Hakami ( wanda ya rayu daga 750 zuwa 810 miladiyya), wadanda ake ganin kamar sun shafi batsar luwadi da kuma sharholiyar shan giya.
Saboda haka akwai misalai ratata inda a ka kona littattafai saboda rashin yarda da marubuci – daga kasashen da ake ganin sun ci gaba, zuwa kasashen da ke tasowa. Ba abu ne sabo ba; ba kuma abu ne da za a ce wai gwamnatin Shari’a ce ta kawo shi ba – da ma yana can.
3. Shin a irin karatun wadannan littattafai da ka ke yi, ko kana ganin sun cancanci gwamnatin ta kona su?
Kamar yadda na ce, ba mu san sunayen littattafan da a ka kona ba, da kuma hujjar da a kabi domin tantance wadanda za a kona. Tabbas a kwai littattafan da suke dauke da abubuwan batsa marassa kyau. Wadannan sun hada da, misali, Shu’uma (Maje el-Hajeej), Maza Sai Sannu (Binta A. Wali), Guguwar So (Mukhtar Isa Adamu), Halacci (Sadiya Baba Yusuf), Maza Sai Sannu (Binta A. Wali), Mugun aboki (Dan Barno), Shan Koko (Jamila Abdulkadir) da sauransu. Kona su ba shi zai sa a daina irin wannan rubutun ba, domin konawar ba ta shiga zuciyar mutane ta inda za a fahimci dalilin konarwar saboda dalilai uku.
Na farko dai wanda ya sayi littafin shi ya yi asara – ba marubuci ba, ba kuma dan kasuwa mai sayar da littafin ba. In da gaske a ke so a yi, da sai a je wajen dillalan littattafan a kasuwa, domin su ne suke bugawa, a tattara a kona a can. Amma ka ga ai ba haka a ka yi ba – makaranta aka je, aka sami dalibai wadanda suka sayi littattafan da kudinsu, ba da kudin hukuma ba, aka ce su fito a kona su. Ba ayi komai ba a nan, domin dama sun gama karanta littattafan – watakila ma sun rasa yadda za su yi da su; wadansu ma ba dole ne a ce littattafan da ake bukata a kona suka fito da su ba, sa iya fitar da littafin karatun da ba sa so (misali, Lissafi), su kawo a kona. A nan waye ya yi asara? Kuma wacce nasara a ka ci?
Na biyu, in da so a ke a yi konar ta yadda za a isar da sako, da sai a tattara marubuta waje daya – misali laburaren Murtala Muhammad – sannan a ce kowa ya kawo littafin da ya rubuta, sannan a tara a banka musu wuta. Idan an yi haka, sai a ga mai zai faru? To amma ba a bi wadannan hanyoyin ba.
Na uku, dole a tambayi marubuta ire-iren wadannan littattafan – menene manufar rubuta su? Kada a manta, kamar yadda wani marubuci ya taba fada, ‘yancin ka na ka yi kutufo da hannunka a iska ya tsaya daidai inda hanci na ya fara. Saboda haka idan marubuci na da ‘yancin rubuta abin da ya ga dama, dole ya nauyaya da sakamakon abin ya rubuta da kuma abin da zai haifar.
4. Kowacce hanya ce mafi dacewa da gwamnati ya kamata ta yi amfani da ita, domin daidaita sahun marubuta?
Nunawa su kansu marubutan muhimmancin jagorancin jama’a wajen rubutu. Idan marubuci zai dauki cewa yana da ‘yancin ya yi duk irin rubutun da ya ga dama, to dole ya auna sakamakon rubutun da zai yi. Yi wa fasihi takunkumi ko katanga ba shi ne mafita ba – domin da takunkumin da katangar duk ba sa aiki. Hasali ma dai dada lalata lamarin su ke yi, domin da zarar an ce an haramta wani abu, to tabbas za ka ga dangin shaidan na rububin abin. Kungiyar Marubuta ta Kasa, reshen Kano, ANA ta taba haramta wani littafi wai shi [ufana kusan shekaru shida da suka wuce. Kafin ka ce kwabo, kudin littafin ya tashi daga naira talatin zuwa naira dari, kuma aka dinga tururuwa neman sa. Dan-da-nan ya bace a kasuwa saboda rububi. To haka ma wadannan littafan da aka kona. Tabbas da mutane sun san sunayensu, to da marubutan sun zama miliniyoyi saboda rububin littattafan za a dinga yi. Abin la’akari a nan shi ne, inda duniya na raye, to [an Adam na tare da Iblis. In kuwa haka ne, to ire-iren wadannan abubuwa za ci gaba da addabar jama’ar har busa kaho.
Saboda haka dole marubuta su yi la’akari da hakkin jama’a a kansu – wannan shi ne katangar da su za su iya yi da kansu, amma ba katangar hukuma ba. Sanin hanyar da za a yi wannan shi ne yadda hukumar A Daidaita Sahu za ta bi domin maganta lamarin. Af, ji nake ita dai wannan hukumar mai kona littattafai, ita ce ta gayyaci marubutan a 2005, ta ba su kwangilar rubutu irin wanda hukumar ke so? Sai yanzu ne kuma za su ce wadannan mutanen lalatattu ne? Ashe ka ga da sake kenan.
Sashen Horon Malaman Kimiyya da Fasaha
Jami’ar Bayero, Kano
Hira da Maje el-Hajeej na Hausa Leadership wacce za ta fito a wannan satin (19 Mayu 2007).
1. Shin a matsayin ka na Furofesa ko bikin kona littafan Hausa da gwamnati ta yi ya dace?
Ba a matsayina na furofesa zan yi magana ba – domin za ka samu furofesoshi da dama wadanda wanna abin ya zauna mu su daidai. Zan yi magana ne a matsayina na almajiri mai neman ilimi. Gaskiya a nawa ra’ayin wannan bai dace ba, domin babu cikakken bayani game da laifin da littattafan da a ka kona a ka ce sun yi. Da zai yi kyau, kafin a kona, a yi wani sharhi a kan kowanne littafi domin nuni ga ire-iren abubuwan da hukuma ta haramta kuma wadanda suka fito a cikin wadannan littattafan. Ta haka za a tabbatar da cewa sun aikata wani laifi. Yin haka shi ne adalci.
Amma ko da sun aikata laifi, konawar ba shi ne mafita ba – domin konawar zai jawowa gwamnati wata matsala inda za a funskance ta a kan maras son ci gaban al’uma. Sannan kuma za a iya kwatanta wanna da ire-iren abubuwan da gwamnatin Taliban ta yi a Maris 2001 na dandake gumakan Buddha, wadanda sun fi shekaru dubu a kasar, har ma duniya ta dauke su a matsayin jarin al’adun al’ummatn duniya. Manazarta sun yi kuka da lamarin da nuni da cewa duk da wadannan gumakan na kafirci ne, wanda kuma ya sabawa gwamnatin Taliban ta wancan lokacin, amma adanasu na da humimmanci wajen tattara tarihin dan Adam da nuni da yadda rayuwarsa ta gabata, wannan ma kadai zai hana a sake yunkurin bauta musu domin da ganinsu ka ga sakakkun abubuwa wadanda ba su cancanti a bauta musu ba.
Amma duk da cewa ban goyi bayan konawar littattafan kagaggun da aka yi ba, dole mu yi la’akari da cewa gwamnati na da hakkin kula da rayuwar jama’a ta yadda ya dace da jama’ar. Saboda haka in bera na da sata, daddawa na da wari.
2. A matsayin ka manazarci ko irin wannan bikin kona littattafai ya na faruwa a wasu sassan duniya?
Bikin kona littattafai ba abu ne sabo a duniya ba. Tarihi ya nuna cewa hukumomi da dama a lokuta dabam-dabam sun shugabanci bikin kona littattafai saboda dalilai guda uku. Na farko tunanin cewa abin da aka rubuta ya sabawa akidar al’ummar da aka rubuta a cikinta. Na biyu sabawa addinin da hukuma ta yarda da shi – ko da marubucin ba ya cikin addinin hukumar. Na uku siyasa tana sa hukuma ta jagoranci kona littattafai domin ganin an karya alkadarin ‘yan adawa da gwamnatin da ke kan gado.
Abin da ya sa ake kare fasihai (marubuta, mawaka, da kuma masu zane ko fim) daga bikin kona ayyukan fasaha shi ne wata rana ba rubutun za a kona ba – fasihan za a kona. An taba yin haka a China a karkashin masarautar Qin (shekaru 212 kafin bayyanar Annabi Isa (AS) wacce Qin Shi Huang ke shugabanta, inda shugaban lokacin ya ga kona littattafan bai isa ba, sai ya hada da kona masu rubutun littattafan; har ma da masu karatun – duk sai da ya sa a ka kona su, kimanin mutane 450.
Haka ma sojojin Rumawa suka bi wannan salon kona littattafan da ke Laburaren Alexandari a jihar Alexandria da ke Masar (Egypt) shekaru 300 kafin bayyanar Annabi Isa (AS). A wannan lokacin a duk fadin duniya babu wata laburaren da ta fi wannan girma, yawan littattafai da kuma manazarta. Kar fa a manta duk tarin littattaan da hannu aka rubuta su, domin lokacin babu injin buga littafi.
Da Hitilar ya zama shugaban Jamus kuma ya kafa akidar Nazism, shi ma ya shugabanci kona littattan da Yahudawa suka rubuta, a rukunayen shekarun 1930 da 1940. Misali, ranar 10 ga Mayu 1933 kusan littattafai 20,000 a ka saka daliban suka kona a Berlin.
Babu inda ba a kona littattafai ba – daga kasar Amurka, inda ake ganin sun fi kowa walawa, zuwa kasashen da dama ana ganin kamar a takure su ke. A Ingila a shekar 1525 an kona littafin Injila wanda William Tyndale ya rubuta. Sannan a 1633 an kona Histiro-Mastix, littafin Willian Prynne wanda ya kalubalanci sarauniyar Ingila. Shi kansa marubucin, an kama shi, a ka yi masa dukan tsiya, aka yanke kunnuwansa, sannan a ka kulle shi a gidan yari. A Amurka a 1650 an kona littafin Willianm Pynchon, mai suna The Meritorious Price of Our Redemption saboda ana ganin ya yi sabo. Jaridar farko a Amurka, Public Occurences, haramta fitowarta a ka yi a 1650.
Kada kuma a dauka wai jahiliyyar ilimi ce ta kawo wannan. A dai Amurka din, a jihar New Mexico, a 2001 an kona kagaggun labaran Harry Potter, labarin wani yaro mai yin shihiri.
A Masar, a Janairu na 1991 hukumar kasar ta jagoranci kona duk littattafan Abu-Nuwas al-Hasan ben Hani al-Hakami ( wanda ya rayu daga 750 zuwa 810 miladiyya), wadanda ake ganin kamar sun shafi batsar luwadi da kuma sharholiyar shan giya.
Saboda haka akwai misalai ratata inda a ka kona littattafai saboda rashin yarda da marubuci – daga kasashen da ake ganin sun ci gaba, zuwa kasashen da ke tasowa. Ba abu ne sabo ba; ba kuma abu ne da za a ce wai gwamnatin Shari’a ce ta kawo shi ba – da ma yana can.
3. Shin a irin karatun wadannan littattafai da ka ke yi, ko kana ganin sun cancanci gwamnatin ta kona su?
Kamar yadda na ce, ba mu san sunayen littattafan da a ka kona ba, da kuma hujjar da a kabi domin tantance wadanda za a kona. Tabbas a kwai littattafan da suke dauke da abubuwan batsa marassa kyau. Wadannan sun hada da, misali, Shu’uma (Maje el-Hajeej), Maza Sai Sannu (Binta A. Wali), Guguwar So (Mukhtar Isa Adamu), Halacci (Sadiya Baba Yusuf), Maza Sai Sannu (Binta A. Wali), Mugun aboki (Dan Barno), Shan Koko (Jamila Abdulkadir) da sauransu. Kona su ba shi zai sa a daina irin wannan rubutun ba, domin konawar ba ta shiga zuciyar mutane ta inda za a fahimci dalilin konarwar saboda dalilai uku.
Na farko dai wanda ya sayi littafin shi ya yi asara – ba marubuci ba, ba kuma dan kasuwa mai sayar da littafin ba. In da gaske a ke so a yi, da sai a je wajen dillalan littattafan a kasuwa, domin su ne suke bugawa, a tattara a kona a can. Amma ka ga ai ba haka a ka yi ba – makaranta aka je, aka sami dalibai wadanda suka sayi littattafan da kudinsu, ba da kudin hukuma ba, aka ce su fito a kona su. Ba ayi komai ba a nan, domin dama sun gama karanta littattafan – watakila ma sun rasa yadda za su yi da su; wadansu ma ba dole ne a ce littattafan da ake bukata a kona suka fito da su ba, sa iya fitar da littafin karatun da ba sa so (misali, Lissafi), su kawo a kona. A nan waye ya yi asara? Kuma wacce nasara a ka ci?
Na biyu, in da so a ke a yi konar ta yadda za a isar da sako, da sai a tattara marubuta waje daya – misali laburaren Murtala Muhammad – sannan a ce kowa ya kawo littafin da ya rubuta, sannan a tara a banka musu wuta. Idan an yi haka, sai a ga mai zai faru? To amma ba a bi wadannan hanyoyin ba.
Na uku, dole a tambayi marubuta ire-iren wadannan littattafan – menene manufar rubuta su? Kada a manta, kamar yadda wani marubuci ya taba fada, ‘yancin ka na ka yi kutufo da hannunka a iska ya tsaya daidai inda hanci na ya fara. Saboda haka idan marubuci na da ‘yancin rubuta abin da ya ga dama, dole ya nauyaya da sakamakon abin ya rubuta da kuma abin da zai haifar.
4. Kowacce hanya ce mafi dacewa da gwamnati ya kamata ta yi amfani da ita, domin daidaita sahun marubuta?
Nunawa su kansu marubutan muhimmancin jagorancin jama’a wajen rubutu. Idan marubuci zai dauki cewa yana da ‘yancin ya yi duk irin rubutun da ya ga dama, to dole ya auna sakamakon rubutun da zai yi. Yi wa fasihi takunkumi ko katanga ba shi ne mafita ba – domin da takunkumin da katangar duk ba sa aiki. Hasali ma dai dada lalata lamarin su ke yi, domin da zarar an ce an haramta wani abu, to tabbas za ka ga dangin shaidan na rububin abin. Kungiyar Marubuta ta Kasa, reshen Kano, ANA ta taba haramta wani littafi wai shi [ufana kusan shekaru shida da suka wuce. Kafin ka ce kwabo, kudin littafin ya tashi daga naira talatin zuwa naira dari, kuma aka dinga tururuwa neman sa. Dan-da-nan ya bace a kasuwa saboda rububi. To haka ma wadannan littafan da aka kona. Tabbas da mutane sun san sunayensu, to da marubutan sun zama miliniyoyi saboda rububin littattafan za a dinga yi. Abin la’akari a nan shi ne, inda duniya na raye, to [an Adam na tare da Iblis. In kuwa haka ne, to ire-iren wadannan abubuwa za ci gaba da addabar jama’ar har busa kaho.
Saboda haka dole marubuta su yi la’akari da hakkin jama’a a kansu – wannan shi ne katangar da su za su iya yi da kansu, amma ba katangar hukuma ba. Sanin hanyar da za a yi wannan shi ne yadda hukumar A Daidaita Sahu za ta bi domin maganta lamarin. Af, ji nake ita dai wannan hukumar mai kona littattafai, ita ce ta gayyaci marubutan a 2005, ta ba su kwangilar rubutu irin wanda hukumar ke so? Sai yanzu ne kuma za su ce wadannan mutanen lalatattu ne? Ashe ka ga da sake kenan.
Bikin kona littattafai a Kano
Kamar mako biyu da suka gabata na je sayen jaridu a bakin Post Office na Kano, sai na ga babban labarin jaridar SUNDAY TRIUMPH ta ranar ya na cewa Gwamnatin Jihar Kano ta yi bikin k'ona littattafan Hausa a wata makarantar sakandare ta 'yanmata. Na sayi jaridar saboda wannan labarin, a matsayi na na marubuci.
Hukumar A Daidaita Sahu ta Jihar Kano, wadda ke aikin tsaftace halayyar al'umma, ita ce ta shirya bikin kona littattafan. Kuma Gwamnan Kano da Sarkin Kano duk sun halarta.
Washegari, mun tattauna al'amarin da Dr Yusuf Adamu, wanda ya ce ya aika da sakon rashin amincewa da wannan matakin ga shugaban A Daidaita Sahu din, wato Malam Bala Muhammad. Daga bisani, mun kuma tattauna al'amarin da wasu marubutan, wadanda suka hada da Maje El-Hajeej Hotoro.
Ita hukumar ta ce ta kona littattafan ne saboda a ganin ta su na gurbata tarbiyyar yara, musamman 'yan makaranta, domin akwai batsa a cikin su. Kada a manta, hukumar ta taba shirya taron marubutan Hausa na zamani da ke Kano, a otal din Tiga, aka yi musu jawabai kan al'amarin adabi. Tare da hadin gwiwar Kungiyar Marubuta ta Nijeriya (ANA) reshen Jihar Kano, aka yi taron. An kuma biya marubutan ladar rubuta wasu kananan littattafai a bisa ruhin adabin da A Daidaita Sahu ta ke son a rika rubutawa. Tuni aka buga littattafan, aka raba su.
Shin kona littattafan ya dace? Me hakan zai haifar a nan gaba? Shin ya kamata marubuta su goyi bayan kona littattafai ko kuma su nuna rashin amincewa?
Hukumar A Daidaita Sahu ta Jihar Kano, wadda ke aikin tsaftace halayyar al'umma, ita ce ta shirya bikin kona littattafan. Kuma Gwamnan Kano da Sarkin Kano duk sun halarta.
Washegari, mun tattauna al'amarin da Dr Yusuf Adamu, wanda ya ce ya aika da sakon rashin amincewa da wannan matakin ga shugaban A Daidaita Sahu din, wato Malam Bala Muhammad. Daga bisani, mun kuma tattauna al'amarin da wasu marubutan, wadanda suka hada da Maje El-Hajeej Hotoro.
Ita hukumar ta ce ta kona littattafan ne saboda a ganin ta su na gurbata tarbiyyar yara, musamman 'yan makaranta, domin akwai batsa a cikin su. Kada a manta, hukumar ta taba shirya taron marubutan Hausa na zamani da ke Kano, a otal din Tiga, aka yi musu jawabai kan al'amarin adabi. Tare da hadin gwiwar Kungiyar Marubuta ta Nijeriya (ANA) reshen Jihar Kano, aka yi taron. An kuma biya marubutan ladar rubuta wasu kananan littattafai a bisa ruhin adabin da A Daidaita Sahu ta ke son a rika rubutawa. Tuni aka buga littattafan, aka raba su.
Shin kona littattafan ya dace? Me hakan zai haifar a nan gaba? Shin ya kamata marubuta su goyi bayan kona littattafai ko kuma su nuna rashin amincewa?
Saturday, 12 May 2007
Sashen Hausa na rediyon Faransa
Mahamane Salisu Elh Hamissou, dan jarida mazaunin birnin Yamai na kasar Nijar, ya ba mu labarin cewa a ranar Talata mai zuwa, 15 ga Mayu 2007, da misalin karfe 7: 30 agogon Nijeria da Nijar (bai fadi ba ko na dare ko na safe) sashen Hausa na rediyon kasar Faransa (Radio France International) zai fara watso shirye-shiryen sa kai-tsaye daga birnin Ikko na tarayyar Nijeria. Shi Salisu ya na daya daga cikin ma'aikatan da aka dauka su yi aiki a wannan sabon sashe.
A gaskiya na yi murnar jin wannan albishir da aka yi mana. A gani na, bude sashen Hausa a RFI ya k'ara nuna mana muhimmancin wannan harshe a fagen watsa labarai a duniya. Alhamdu lillahi. Allah ya ba su sa'a amin.
To amma ina da tambayoyi:
1. Salisu ya ce karfe 7:30 ne za a fara shirin, amma bai ce na SAFE ba ne
ko na DARE.
2. Bai fad'i a wace mita da kuma wane zango (wato SW ko MW ko FM)
za a kama rediyon ba.
Ina ba da shawara ga shugabannin gidan rediyon da su saka
talla a kafafen watsa labarai da ke akwai don su sanar da jama'a
labarin kafa wannan sashe na Hausa. Ina nufin kafafe na Hausa kamar
Gaskiya Ta Fi Kwabo, Aminiya, Leadership Hausa, Rediyon Nijeriya
Kaduna, Nagarta Radio, Freedom Radio, da sauran su.
Bayan haka, yaya na ji wai a Legas su ke, maimakon Paris? Wani sabon
salo ne? Anya ba su gudun kada wata rana jami'an tsaron Nijeriya su
kai musu ziyara idan su ka watsa wani labari da jami'an ba su so? Ka san fa daya daga cikin dalilan 'yancin da BBC Hausa da VOA Hausa su ka samu shi ne saboda sun yi wa jami'an Nijeriya nisa! Hattara!
A gaskiya na yi murnar jin wannan albishir da aka yi mana. A gani na, bude sashen Hausa a RFI ya k'ara nuna mana muhimmancin wannan harshe a fagen watsa labarai a duniya. Alhamdu lillahi. Allah ya ba su sa'a amin.
To amma ina da tambayoyi:
1. Salisu ya ce karfe 7:30 ne za a fara shirin, amma bai ce na SAFE ba ne
ko na DARE.
2. Bai fad'i a wace mita da kuma wane zango (wato SW ko MW ko FM)
za a kama rediyon ba.
Ina ba da shawara ga shugabannin gidan rediyon da su saka
talla a kafafen watsa labarai da ke akwai don su sanar da jama'a
labarin kafa wannan sashe na Hausa. Ina nufin kafafe na Hausa kamar
Gaskiya Ta Fi Kwabo, Aminiya, Leadership Hausa, Rediyon Nijeriya
Kaduna, Nagarta Radio, Freedom Radio, da sauran su.
Bayan haka, yaya na ji wai a Legas su ke, maimakon Paris? Wani sabon
salo ne? Anya ba su gudun kada wata rana jami'an tsaron Nijeriya su
kai musu ziyara idan su ka watsa wani labari da jami'an ba su so? Ka san fa daya daga cikin dalilan 'yancin da BBC Hausa da VOA Hausa su ka samu shi ne saboda sun yi wa jami'an Nijeriya nisa! Hattara!
Mun zama shugabanni a shirin fim
Abin mamaki ba ya karewa. A yau da rana an zabe ni a matsayin Sakatare-Janar na Kungiyar Masu Shirya Finafinai ta Jihar Kaduna (Kaduna State Film Producers Association). Jiya Abdullahi Maikano Usman ya aiko mani da 'text message' ya sanar da ni cewa za a yi zaben a Ma'aikatar Al'adun Gargajiya ta Jihar Kaduna a nan garin Kaduna, kuma ya ce ya kamata in je. Da ma ni memba ne a kungiyar (saboda finafinai na, wato 'Gagarabadau', 'Daren Farko,' 'Kash!' da kuma 'Artabu').
Da zuwa na, sai aka bukaci masu takarar zama Sakatare su janye. Ana ganin cewa babu wanda ya cancanci wannan mukami a wurin, sai ni! Ni kuma ga ni da tsoron a ba ni mukami a kungiyar, domin na san matsalolin harkar fim na Hausa sarai, musamman ma a Kaduna. Mutane da yawa su ka taru su ka ce lallai ne sai in fito takara. Hasali ma dai an rufe karbar 'yan takara tun tuni (kwanaki masu yawa) amma aka canza dokar saboda ni. To, ganin cewa mutane sun nuna mani goyon baya, sai na amince. Na ci zaben babu hamayya. Mutum 15 su ka zabe ni daga cikin mutum 15 da su ka jefa kuri'ar! Ba a yi wani 'PDP' ba a wurin.
Shugaban kungiyar a yanzu shi ne Yusuf Mohammed (mai 'Al-Yusuffas Film Production').
Na gode Allah da ya ba ni wannan dama ta yi wa masu shirya fim aiki a Jihar Kaduna. To amma akwai jan aiki a gaban mu. Harkar fim ta durkushe. Mutane masu kallon fim sun dawo daga rakiyar 'yan fim, su na ganin cewa duk finafinan shirme ake yi yanzu. Su kan su 'yan fim din, ba su damu da samo mafita ba; sai gaba su ke yi a tsakanin su.
Na dade ina kallon kai na a matsayin marubuci kuma dan jarida kawai, amma ba d'an fim ba duk da yake na shirya finafinai. To yanzu ni dan fim ne kenan? Bari za mu gani!
Ina so in ga cewa na kawo shawara ga 'yan kwamitin mu na shugabanni a kafa Hukumar Tace Finafinai a Jihar Kaduna (Kaduna State Film Censorship Board), irin ta Kano da Sakkwato. Za mu hada gwiwa da Gwamnatin Jihar Kaduna a karkashin sabon Gwamna, wato Alhaji Namadi Sambo, don ganin an kafa hukumar. Wannan zai taimaka wajen bunkasa harkar a nan jihar. Ba sai mutum ya je Kano ya yi kwana da kwanaki ba domin a tace masa fim. Ina ganin cewa idan har mu ka cimma wannan burin, to ai mun yi aiki ma.
Haka kuma ya dace mu tinkari batun yanayin finafinan, wato jigon su, da kyan aiki, da tsarin su, da sauran su dai. Akwai kuma batun dabi'ar 'yan fim, wadda mutanen gari ke kuka da ita, musamman idan an buga munanan labarai game da su a mujallun industiri. Shi ma kalubale ne babba.
A gani na, shugabannin da aka zaba masu kishin harkar ne, kuma 'ya'yan kungiyar su na girmama su. Idan mu ka yi amfani da wannan damar ta samun shugabanci, mu ka kama wasu daga cikin manyan matsalolin mu ka magance su, to alhamdu lillahi, kwalliya ta biya kudin sabulu.
Allah ya ba mu sa'a, amin.
Da zuwa na, sai aka bukaci masu takarar zama Sakatare su janye. Ana ganin cewa babu wanda ya cancanci wannan mukami a wurin, sai ni! Ni kuma ga ni da tsoron a ba ni mukami a kungiyar, domin na san matsalolin harkar fim na Hausa sarai, musamman ma a Kaduna. Mutane da yawa su ka taru su ka ce lallai ne sai in fito takara. Hasali ma dai an rufe karbar 'yan takara tun tuni (kwanaki masu yawa) amma aka canza dokar saboda ni. To, ganin cewa mutane sun nuna mani goyon baya, sai na amince. Na ci zaben babu hamayya. Mutum 15 su ka zabe ni daga cikin mutum 15 da su ka jefa kuri'ar! Ba a yi wani 'PDP' ba a wurin.
Shugaban kungiyar a yanzu shi ne Yusuf Mohammed (mai 'Al-Yusuffas Film Production').
Na gode Allah da ya ba ni wannan dama ta yi wa masu shirya fim aiki a Jihar Kaduna. To amma akwai jan aiki a gaban mu. Harkar fim ta durkushe. Mutane masu kallon fim sun dawo daga rakiyar 'yan fim, su na ganin cewa duk finafinan shirme ake yi yanzu. Su kan su 'yan fim din, ba su damu da samo mafita ba; sai gaba su ke yi a tsakanin su.
Na dade ina kallon kai na a matsayin marubuci kuma dan jarida kawai, amma ba d'an fim ba duk da yake na shirya finafinai. To yanzu ni dan fim ne kenan? Bari za mu gani!
Ina so in ga cewa na kawo shawara ga 'yan kwamitin mu na shugabanni a kafa Hukumar Tace Finafinai a Jihar Kaduna (Kaduna State Film Censorship Board), irin ta Kano da Sakkwato. Za mu hada gwiwa da Gwamnatin Jihar Kaduna a karkashin sabon Gwamna, wato Alhaji Namadi Sambo, don ganin an kafa hukumar. Wannan zai taimaka wajen bunkasa harkar a nan jihar. Ba sai mutum ya je Kano ya yi kwana da kwanaki ba domin a tace masa fim. Ina ganin cewa idan har mu ka cimma wannan burin, to ai mun yi aiki ma.
Haka kuma ya dace mu tinkari batun yanayin finafinan, wato jigon su, da kyan aiki, da tsarin su, da sauran su dai. Akwai kuma batun dabi'ar 'yan fim, wadda mutanen gari ke kuka da ita, musamman idan an buga munanan labarai game da su a mujallun industiri. Shi ma kalubale ne babba.
A gani na, shugabannin da aka zaba masu kishin harkar ne, kuma 'ya'yan kungiyar su na girmama su. Idan mu ka yi amfani da wannan damar ta samun shugabanci, mu ka kama wasu daga cikin manyan matsalolin mu ka magance su, to alhamdu lillahi, kwalliya ta biya kudin sabulu.
Allah ya ba mu sa'a, amin.
Thursday, 3 May 2007
At home with Labo Yari
The day before yesterday I paid a visit to Labo Yari, one of the best (though uncelebrated) minds of Nigerian/African literature, at his home in Katsina. I scarcely visit Katsina without going to see Malam Labo, who is enjoying his retirement from government service.
For those who didn't know Labo Yari, here's a quick introduction: He is the author of several novels and short stories, including "Climate of Corruption," which was the first novel in English language to be published in the whole of northern Nigeria (in 1978, which shows you just how late we were in coming to creative writing in English), 'Man of the Moment' (1992, a novel), and ' A House in the Dark' (short stories), all of which were published by Fourth Dimension Publishing Company Ltd., Enugu. As an everlasting admirer of Yari, I funded the publication of his latest literary work, 'A Day Without Cockcrow & Other Stories' (Informart Publishers, Kaduna, 1999).
Yari is among the first generation of Nigerian writers. He was one of the founders and is among the life patrons of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA (the others are Chinua Achebe, T.M. Aluko and, I think, Mabel Segun). In terms of creativity and contribution to Nigerian literature in English, he is easily in the league of the Achebes, Alukos, Ekwensis, Soyinkas and Elechi Amadis. But, sadly, he is not very known like his peers because he is relatively reclusive and away from centres of mass media like Kaduna and Lagos where journalists would have been celebrating him adequately. Personally, I blame ANA Excos from inception till date for not engaging icons such as Yari. When I was on the Exco of ANA, I made sure to take Yari to the Abuja convention of the association several years ago, where he attended his second convention (the first being in 1982, I think, when ANA was founded).
Yari does not shy away from publicity, he just happens to be too far from the centre of media, and literary editors are lazy and given to arm-chair journalism. I happen to be the first person to have interviewed Yari, way back (I think) in 1996 when I was the Arts Editor of the 'New Nigerian' newspapers. Yari told me he granted his second (yet-to-be-published) interview to Sumaila Umaisha, the present Arts Editor of 'New Nigerian,' about a month ago. I am looking forward to it!
A friend escorted me to the house of the great man of letters, whom I always enjoy visiting. The friend had told me that Yari had been asking after me, saying any time I came to Katsina I should please see him - as if I wouldn't.
We spent about two hours chatting, mostly about the state of Nigerian literature, his own writing, contemporary Hausa music, and Nigerian politics. He exhibited an incredible insight into all of these things, and more. We began by his informing us that someone is doing a PhD on his literary works.
Earlier, over the phone, he and I had been discussing about what he considered "piracy" by the Michigan State University Press, who have re-published his novel, "Climate of Corruption," without his permission or that of Fourth Dimension. I had been maintaining the position that probably Michigan (http://msupress.msu.edu/bookTemplate.php?bookID=2330) had struck a deal with Fourth Dimension which he didn't know about. I was of course considering the "Nigerian factor," more so with the knowledge that the Enugu-based company is owned by his friend. During this visit to Katsina, Yari told me he had finally contacted Fourth Dimension and they had told him they didn't know about the Michigan thing. The question, he says, is that does a reputable organisation such as Michigan just pick an African author's work and publish it without his/her permission. And what would the author, who is chained in his village by poverty and other incapacities, do about? Is there any organisation to which the author could complain? We mentioned the Nigerian Copyright Commission, and Yari simply laughed.
I challenged Yari over his relative inaction since the publication of "A Day Without Cockcrow," and he replied that he has just finished working on a hefty new biography of Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko, the powerful Emir of Katsina installed by British colonialists when they conquered Katsina and removed the then Dallazawa emir. Dikko was the chief warrior of the ancient emirate when the British came, and he struck a deal with them. The only biography of Dikko's was authored in the last century by Walin Katsina, Alhaji Muhammadu Bello Kagara, and isconsidered an establishment whitewash. The biography by Yari has already been printed, and a lot of people are awaiting its release. It promises to be very controversial, judging from some of the content the author divulged to me. On my mention of the word 'controversial' he quickly denied that it would be so, saying the whole book is based on factual information such as Colonial Reports. Still, I am certain it is going to ruffle many feathers in Katsina and elsewhere, for it challenges many perceptions about the sarauta (traditional rulership) system.
Labo Yari has not travelled for writers' meetings for long. He says he is not sure whether he will attend the World Book Day events being organised in Calabar, to be held between April 23 - 30. I guess this is due to the fact that he was simply invited on phone.
I am still reeling from the insight of Yari on Hausa music. We were discussing the vogue of Hausa music when I mentioned that the trend today was rap music in Hausa. I referred to the long article Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu is going to publish in the May 2007 edition of Fim magazine, which is late in coming, where the university don traces the history of Hausa hip hop and rap, linking it to divas such as Barmani Choge who Abdalla says was the first Hausa rapper. Yari insists that rap music is nothing but "gambara" music! Remember Audu Gambara d'an Mamman? To fa! Prof Abdalla may need to ponder over this, ko?
Yari recalled that during his days in the Native Authority service in the 60s - 70s (NB: he was in Information Dept.), many American researchers had visited Hausa land and picked models of Hausa music. They must have gotten rap from Hausa land or another African society, he said. He said rap music did not originate from America, but from Africa.
All this means we may have to rethink our position about The Fatback Band and others like Sugarhill Band, which are regarded as the originators of hip hop and rap in the U.S.
His views about politics? Extremely uncomplimentary.
Whatever we may think about Labo Yari's position, we cannot detract from the fact that he is a keen repository of Hausa culture. His books, most of which have remained unappreciated, are proof of that. Go and read them.
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