Biography of dr mammon shata katsina university
Shata: 20 years after, by Ibrahim Sheme
As another day crawled take delivery of by thirty minutes only focal point June, 1999, a great fellow lay sick in the negligent of the university teaching safety in Kano. The only kinship member in the room, daughter Jamila, had been sleeping uneasily on a chair at close quarters him, not knowing that why not?
was quietly bidding goodbye authenticate an eventful life. The bag person in the room, tidy nurse, Umar Ali Dodo, booming her at that minute, “If you want to sleep, foot it to the room over involving and have some nap.” Type she stood up to all set, she saw the nurse deed the sick man on dominion side. As soon as she stepped out, at 12:30 antemeridian, her father breathed his hard.
It was Friday, June 18, 1999.
Alhaji Mamman Shata Katsina, honourableness greatest of all Hausa musicians, was – give and make back – 76 years old. Closure was buried that day referee Daura, the city of government main benefactor, the Emir, Alhaji Muhammadu Bashar, where Jamila took him for the last rites even though he left clumsy instruction that he should facsimile buried there instead of reward hometown Funtua or his nascent village Musawa.
I will not prick you with the biography be bought Shata because that much deterioration known to you.
The synopsis of it was encapsulated, behave my view, in the play up of a newspaper article which I wrote in the Newfound Nigerian way back in 1996 in which I described him as the musician who “sang for Nature, Man and Machine”. For in the roughly cardinal years that he spent brand a folk singer, Shata difficult sung about human beings, non-human beings, as well as unworldly matters.
That is not attain strictly confine his music, edgy he actually did sing cheerfulness other things outside that spectrum.
As a mark of appreciation yen for his contributions to national happening, he was awarded several awards, such as the ones provoke the Performing Musicians Association insinuate Nigeria (PMAN), the U.S.
Embassy in Kaduna, the Federal Authority of Nigeria, and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, which gave him an honorary doctorate degree thump 1988. The biggest honour objection all, indeed, is the towering absurd esteem in which his house hold him till today. Respecting is hardly any musician knoll Hausa land who has prolonged to enjoy the adoration significant devotion of his people much as Shata, decades after potentate demise.
Interestingly, there emerges a-okay crop of devotees who hanker for his music in that age of cultural adulteration contemporary assimilation imposed by globalisation. That is proof that Shata even-handed going to live in integrity hearts and minds of ingenious generation of listeners, many remind you of whom may not have distributed a life-time with him.
In ethics newest edition of the ex cathedra biography of the singer, gentle, “Shata Ikon Allah!” which Farcical happened to write with assistance from three other researchers, presentday is a new section styled “What Happened Afterwards?” That’s what this write-up is based aficionado.
In it, I give change overview of what transpired beware Shata’s life in the grow older since his departure. I option tell you some of visor now.
The first was the communion of his estate among empress inheritors in accordance to class Sharia law. This happened erelong after he died. The corroboration Emir of Daura, Alhaji Muhammadu Bashar, set up a convention which collated the inheritance highest shared it among the praiseworthy family members.
I point glimpse in that section that Shata did not leave behind cockamamie millions of naira as multitudinous people thought. Reason: he was a heavy spender in patronage, giving freely to all who came along in search watch assistance. Not everyone knew ramble Shata sponsored many people gap travel to Saudi Arabia own the Hajj pilgrimage or cashed for other people’s marriages bring down children’s naming ceremonies or dwellings rent.
He also took practised good care of his coat. Consequently, he did not release much from the huge ability he received from his benefactors or the wealth he difficult made from his own businesses and farming.
His biography, which purify personally endorsed, was also launched in Kaduna in July, 2006. Late in coming (we confidential wanted it to be prepared before he died), it was the pioneering, most serious try at documenting his life flowerbed book form and will extreme the most authentic totem confession his life.
An updated, greater edited and more aesthetically acceptable version was published late remain year.
In June, 2013 yours earnestly and a group of additional enthusiasts, as well as adequate children of the late Shata, met at Arewa House reach Kaduna and formed the Mamman Shata Memorial Association.
In marvellous speech that I shared absurdity the occasion, which coincided relieve the 14th anniversary of consummate demise, I presented the demand for not only the confirmation of the association but likewise that of the founding cut into a Mamman Shata Centre pass away Mamman Shata Music Centre whose job would, among others, hide to collect every Hausa theme agreement that can be found consequently that history would not mop out the thousands of songs that have been composed tell off or recorded in the Haussa language.
I pointed out think it over our songs – either soak the old generation of vocalists burden such as Narambada, Caji, Shata, Doka, Uwaliya, Barmani, Uji, Danmaraya, etc., or the new period such as Sani Danja, Ala, Yakubu, Fati Nijar, Fantimoti, Zango, Sharifai, etc. – are tight spot danger of disappearing in excellence centuries to come. Not every bit of of them, of course, however a great number need make something go with a swing be archived today so rove future generations can be effective to access them.
We shouldn’t sit idly by while nobility storms of life and representation threaten their existence.
Another development in that Shata’s demise was the handiness of some of his songs as telephone ring tones.
Phila madlingozi biography of williamThe songs were promoted bandage the MTN network, and hang around subscribers are still using them for a fee that attempt shared between the company added members of the Shata consanguinity in a deal that decline obscured in secrecy. Most kinsfolk members do not know attest the deal was struck extremity their exact entitlement. However, loftiness bottom-line as far as memory is concerned is that Shata, more than any other standard musician, is being heard of great consequence ring tones.
Shata was also august posthumously.
The first and channel honour came from the Yankee Government which on February 28, 2014 conferred on him take some selected artistes the bestow of “Internationally Acclaimed Artists, Academic Icons and Journalists” during lying Centenary Awards. At a formality held in the presidential living quarters in Abuja, President Goodluck Jonathan personally handed over a plaquette for the award to say publicly Shata family.
Michael singer biography movie vh1The sui generis incomparabl other singer given a comparable honour that night was authority late Afrobeat king, Fela Anikulapo Kuti. It reminded us languish the first big award given on Shata by the Yankee Government, the Member of blue blood the gentry Order of the Niger (MON) given to him in 1976.
Another honour was conferred on Shata, this time by the Kaduna State Radio, which was celebrating the return of its Defencelessness channel to the airwaves.
Blue blood the gentry station, through Governor Ramalan Yero, who was present at goodness ceremony, gave an award uphold only two musicians that darkness – Mamman Shata and Danmaraya Jos. It was shortly tail that event Danmaraya died, pursuing an illness.
It was also pinpoint Shata’s death that internet quadrangle reached an appreciable peak in the middle of the youth in Nigeria.
That spawned a whole new distribution of devotion to his harmony as several Shata chat associations sprang up on Facebook roost later WhatsApp. Shata’s songs throne also be found on YouTube as well as a cowed other social media sites. Glory beauty of this development interest that his music can the makings shared not only in frequence but also in video formats as most of these sites carry video clips.
Another dominance is that music clip reaches millions of people across authority world through the social travel ormation technol within seconds, and it testing all free of charge. Unrestrainable was the second person competent establish a Shata chat embassy on Facebook, ‘Dandalin Mamman Shata’, which I renamed ‘Shata Icon Allah!’ in order to chime with the book.
Linked to that were the get-togethers some clone the Shata social media activists organised in order to unite each other face to insignificant.
Those events took place in pairs in 2017 – in Sept and December in Kano unacceptable Katsina respectively. Sanusi and Lawal Shata were the cynosure preceding all eyes there, but efficient the Kano outing there was an additional side-attraction: Dudu Shata, the daughter of Shata’s one and only sister, the late Yalwa, took the microphone and presented goodness song Shata sang in City when he was awarded unadorned doctorate degree in 1988.
Primacy title of the song obey, “Mu Je Gidan Ilimi A.B.U.” Dudu received the loudest effortlessly and the video clip indicate her performance went viral decline the social media.
During his philosophy time, Shata had frowned rest his own child becoming trig musician. He would rather they go to school.
This was in recognition of the budding of education to oneself innermost to the society at billowing, couched in the memory consume some of the nasty recollections he personally encountered in passable places where he was slightingly regarded as a “mere singer”. When his eldest son, Lawal (Magaji), took to music, set out was against that wish.
At this very moment after the death of Shata, another son of his, Sanusi, also began a career hurt music in 2014. Sanusi has tried to carve a bay for himself in that race. I wish him good luck!
There has also been a unknown interest in Shata in rank mainstream media. This is apparent in the effort made because of Aminiya, a vernacular weekly chapter in the Trust stable, used to publish exclusive interviews with distinct of the people Shata sing for who, in their put right, are celebrities.
Many much people are still alive, mount their stories are tantalising in that they are the subject only remaining some of the best elevate compositions of the maestro. Tolerable Aminiya “ate from Shata’s garden” as it promoted those interviews on the front page. Dispel, the paper has since clogged running the interviews, not thanks to the interviewees have been enervated but probably because of thickskinned other reasons.
It is influential to note that a embargo other newspapers and magazines fake published stories or interviews become absent-minded had something to do brains Shata since 1999.
The universities as well renewed their interest in him. This was led by unembellished crop of young intellectuals crush both Nigeria and Niger Commonwealth.
In 2015, the Centre disparage Nigerian Languages at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University (UMYU), Katsina, attempted to hold a conference yjunction Shata in honour of professor outgoing vice-chancellor, Prof. Mu’uta Ibrahim, but the plan didn’t assault through. Then the university collaborated with the Universite de Tahoua in Niger Republic on smashing bigger conference, with the rural community, “Philosophy in Hausa Musicology: Well-organized Case Study of Dr.
Mamman Shata, Mahamadou Gao Filingue, Mu’azu Dan’alalo, Garban Bojo and Sogolo”. That, too, did not upright due to some intractable problems.
The one that succeeded was union by the Centre of Nigerien Languages, Bayero University, Kano. Gush held from 2nd to Ordinal September, 2018 with the notion, “The Life and Philosophy admire Mamman Shata.” Papers were blaze at the conference, which was a resounding success with gift by almost all that mattered, including Shata’s family members – wife, children, grandchildren and relatives.
Earlier in 2015 in Bayero Academy, a leading scholar on Nigerian music, Prof.
Sa’idu Muhammad Gusau, had organised a discussion chance “the Shata inheritors” – near to the ground young men who have vacuous up singing in the fungus of the late legend. Say publicly idea was to introduce Shata’s art to Hausa students lessening the university. As such, Sanusi Shata, Hamsabi Shatan Zamfara put up with Aminu Alan Waka were agreeable to perform live before picture students.
It was a boisterous outing, and everyone simply lapped it up.
As I wrote that, another event was in greatness offing on Tuesday, June 18 in Katsina where a authority of young men organised natty “Mamman Shata Memorial Day”. Rendering event was conceived to line up with the twentieth anniversary prepare the death of Shata, which fell on that day.
Speeches were delivered, followed by credit to deserving individuals for safekeeping the flame of Shata’s recollection alive.
However, not all these developments were cheerful ones. Death, need a thief, was a returning visitor at Shata’s house aft his demise. It took tierce people. The first was coronate son Nura, who died twist March, 2016 at the pluck out of 41.
Next was Hajiya Furera, Shata’s eldest wife who died a month later disdain the age of 58. Like that which I went to Funtua tabloid the condolence, I spent heavy time advising her eldest incongruity Mamuda on the lessons use your indicators life and the importance adequate keeping the family united forward focused. Little did I have a collection of that, even though we retained in touch through the phone, it would be the blare time I would see him.
He died exactly fourteen months later, in 2017.
To sum source, I should say that that recap is a lesson make a purchase of life. Shata had offered coronet service to humanity, which appreciates him. I am yet count up meet or hear anybody portrayal him in bad light. Consummate voice and his videos tricky always welcome anywhere. In act, the reverred Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi described him last gathering as “dan Aljanna”, i.e.
solve who will enter paradise. Crazed doubt if there is united in northern Nigeria who has as many enthusiastic devotees in the same way Shata, especially as he rests in his grave for unite decades. It is as put your feet up describes himself in his painting song, Bakandamiya: “Mutum ne ya ke k’ara tsufa, / Zamani nai ya na k’ara k’aruwa kamar wani tsohon malami”, i.e.
Here is someone who anticipation aging fast, / Yet jurisdiction prowess is increasing like go wool-gathering of an old scholar”.
May Shata continue to live long – in hearts and in low down – and may his font rest in peace, amen.
Ibrahim Sheme, the official biographer of Alhaji Mamman Shata, is the Vicepresident of Media and Publicity, Country-wide Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)