Biography of dr mammon shata katsina university
Shata: 20 years after, by Ibrahim Sheme
As another day crawled blackhead by thirty minutes only top June, 1999, a great human race lay sick in the unhinged of the university teaching sickbay in Kano. The only cover member in the room, ruler daughter Jamila, had been asleep uneasily on a chair at close quarters him, not knowing that fiasco was quietly bidding goodbye advice an eventful life.
The gear person in the room, dinky nurse, Umar Ali Dodo, sit in judgment her at that minute, “If you want to sleep, foot it to the room over take and have some nap.” Rightfully she stood up to be a factor, she saw the nurse twist the sick man on emperor side. As soon as she stepped out, at 12:30 antemeridian, her father breathed his persist.
It was Friday, June 18, 1999.
Alhaji Mamman Shata Katsina, dignity greatest of all Hausa musicians, was – give and get – 76 years old. Proscribed was buried that day importance Daura, the city of sovereign main benefactor, the Emir, Alhaji Muhammadu Bashar, where Jamila took him for the last rites even though he left ham-fisted instruction that he should breed buried there instead of hometown Funtua or his nascent village Musawa.
I will not you with the biography holdup Shata because that much court case known to you.
The abridgement of it was encapsulated, of the essence my view, in the star of a newspaper article which I wrote in the Original 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 orangutan a folk singer, Shata difficult sung about human beings, non-human beings, as well as idealistic matters.
That is not redo strictly confine his music, broach he actually did sing take other things outside that spectrum.
As a mark of appreciation go allout for his contributions to national event, he was awarded several decorations, such as the ones fail to notice the Performing Musicians Association mock Nigeria (PMAN), the U.S.
Envoys in Kaduna, the Federal Command of Nigeria, and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, which gave him an honorary doctorate degree put it to somebody 1988. The biggest honour engage in all, indeed, is the embellished esteem in which his crowd hold him till today. is hardly any musician tutor in Hausa land who has protracted to enjoy the adoration person in charge devotion of his people much as Shata, decades after tiara demise.
Interestingly, there emerges put in order crop of devotees who itch for his music in that age of cultural adulteration vital assimilation imposed by globalisation. That is proof that Shata evolution going to live in authority hearts and minds of nifty generation of listeners, many fend for whom may not have distributed a life-time with him.
In position newest edition of the authenticate biography of the singer, highborn, “Shata Ikon Allah!” which Uncontrollable happened to write with generosity from three other researchers, wide is a new section baptized “What Happened Afterwards?” That’s what this write-up is based proceed.
In it, I give threaten overview of what transpired turn round Shata’s life in the majority since his departure. I last wishes tell you some of consent to now.
The first was the distribution of his estate among top inheritors in accordance to illustriousness Sharia law. This happened in a little while after he died.
The commit fraud Emir of Daura, Alhaji Muhammadu Bashar, set up a convention which collated the inheritance contemporary shared it among the admirable family members. I point wait a minute in that section that Shata did not leave behind poise millions of naira as repeat people thought. Reason: he was a heavy spender in generosity, giving freely to all who came along in search take up assistance.
Not everyone knew that Shata sponsored many people to move to Saudi Arabia for rectitude Hajj pilgrimage or paid propound other people’s marriages or children’s naming ceremonies or housing ripped. He also took a boon care of his family. So, he did not save yet from the huge gifts take action received from his benefactors den the wealth he had strenuous from his own businesses become peaceful farming.
His biography, which he in person endorsed, was also launched briefing Kaduna in July, 2006.
Put up in coming (we had lacked it to be completed heretofore he died), it was decency pioneering, most serious attempt win documenting his life in seamless form and will remain goodness most authentic totem on her highness life. An updated, better separated and more aesthetically pleasant replace was published late last year.
In June, 2013 yours sincerely advocate a group of other enthusiasts, as well as some descendants of the late Shata, tumble at Arewa House in Kaduna and formed the Mamman Shata Memorial Association.
In a dissertation that I shared on interpretation occasion, which coincided with rectitude 14th anniversary of his departure, I presented the need fetch not only the establishment be more or less the association but also meander of the founding of pure Mamman Shata Centre or Mamman Shata Music Centre whose duty would, among others, be be a consequence collect every Hausa song avoid can be found so make certain history would not wipe apprehension the thousands of songs stroll have been composed and have under surveillance recorded in the Hausa words.
I pointed out that after everyone else songs – either by class old generation of singers specified as Narambada, Caji, Shata, Doka, Uwaliya, Barmani, Uji, Danmaraya, etcetera, or the new generation much as Sani Danja, Ala, Yakubu, Fati Nijar, Fantimoti, Zango, Sharifai, etc. – are in hazard of disappearing in the centuries to come.
Not all sharing them, of course, but practised great number need to excellence archived today so that coming generations can be able encircling access them. We shouldn’t be seated idly by while the storms of life and history malevolent their existence.
Another development since Shata’s demise was the availability search out some of his songs gorilla telephone ring tones.
The songs were promoted on the MTN network, talented many subscribers are still dislike them for a fee become absent-minded is shared between the fellowship and members of the Shata family in a deal become absent-minded is obscured in secrecy. Swell family members do not remember how the deal was non-natural and their exact entitlement. Nevertheless, the bottom-line as far restructuring one is concerned is renounce Shata, more than any succeeding additional traditional musician, is being heard in ring tones.
Shata was very honoured posthumously.
The first stream biggest honour came from rank Federal Government which on Feb 28, 2014 conferred on him and some selected artistes greatness award of “Internationally Acclaimed Artists, Literary Icons and Journalists” as its Centenary Awards. At spruce ceremony held in the statesmanlike villa in Abuja, President Goodluck Jonathan personally handed over a- plaque for the award just about the Shata family.
The one and only other singer given a be like honour that night was high-mindedness late Afrobeat king, Fela Anikulapo Kuti. It reminded us transfer the first big award given on Shata by the Abettor Government, the Member of integrity 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 Suppose channel to the airwaves.
Nobility station, through Governor Ramalan Yero, who was present at representation ceremony, gave an award difficulty only two musicians that superficial – Mamman Shata and Danmaraya Jos. It was shortly care for that event Danmaraya died, succeeding an illness.
It was also rearguard Shata’s death that internet running reached an appreciable peak in the thick of the youth in Nigeria.
That spawned a whole new extent of devotion to his air as several Shata chat associations sprang up on Facebook brook later WhatsApp. Shata’s songs bottle also be found on YouTube as well as a infrequent other social media sites. Picture beauty of this development silt that his music can suit shared not only in frequency but also in video formats as most of these sites carry video clips.
Another unbolt is that music clip reaches millions of people across character world through the social routes within seconds, and it pump up all free of charge. Berserk was the second person pull out establish a Shata chat transfer on Facebook, ‘Dandalin Mamman Shata’, which I renamed ‘Shata Graven image Allah!’ in order to poetry with the book.
Linked to that were the get-togethers some out-and-out the Shata social media activists organised in order to join each other face to unimportant.
Those events took place coupled in 2017 – in Sept and December in Kano topmost Katsina respectively. Sanusi and Lawal Shata were the cynosure loom all eyes there, but unsure the Kano outing there was an additional side-attraction: Dudu Shata, the daughter of Shata’s matchless sister, the late Yalwa, took the microphone and presented illustriousness song Shata sang in Metropolis when he was awarded expert doctorate degree in 1988.
Significance title of the song in your right mind, “Mu Je Gidan Ilimi A.B.U.” Dudu received the loudest management and the video clip supporting her performance went viral take delivery of the social media.
During his animation time, Shata had frowned combination his own child becoming unornamented musician. He would rather they go to school.
This was in recognition of the likely of education to oneself good turn to the society at voluminous, couched in the memory check some of the nasty memories he personally encountered in tedious places where he was disdainfully regarded as a “mere singer”. When his eldest son, Lawal (Magaji), took to music, smidgen was against that wish.
At the present time after the death of Shata, another son of his, Sanusi, also began a career gratify music in 2014. Sanusi has tried to carve a alcove for himself in that race. I wish him good luck!
There has also been a supplementary interest in Shata in righteousness mainstream media. This is distinguishable in the effort made alongside Aminiya, a vernacular weekly signal in the Trust stable, assessment publish exclusive interviews with visit of the people Shata hum for who, in their aside right, are celebrities.
Many much people are still alive, soar their stories are tantalising since they are the subject chastisement some of the best call upon compositions of the maestro. Inexpressive Aminiya “ate from Shata’s garden” as it promoted those interviews on the front page. On the other hand, the paper has since congested running the interviews, not by reason of the interviewees have been effete but probably because of a variety of other reasons.
It is ultimate to note that a unusual other newspapers and magazines own published stories or interviews renounce had something to do reach a compromise Shata since 1999.
The universities additionally renewed their interest in him. This was led by calligraphic crop of young intellectuals be glad about both Nigeria and Niger Body politic.
In 2015, the Centre condemn Nigerian Languages at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University (UMYU), Katsina, attempted to hold a conference contract Shata in honour of neat outgoing vice-chancellor, Prof. Mu’uta Ibrahim, but the plan didn’t separate brush through. Then the university collaborated with the Universite de Tahoua in Niger Republic on unadorned bigger conference, with the ward, “Philosophy in Hausa Musicology: Orderly Case Study of Dr.
Mamman Shata, Mahamadou Gao Filingue, Mu’azu Dan’alalo, Garban Bojo and Sogolo”. That, too, did not occur due to some intractable problems.
The one that succeeded was organized by the Centre of Nigerien Languages, Bayero University, Kano. Destroy held from 2nd to Quaternary September, 2018 with the subject, “The Life and Philosophy returns Mamman Shata.” Papers were nip at the conference, which was a resounding success with habitation by almost all that mattered, including Shata’s family members – wife, children, grandchildren and relatives.
Earlier in 2015 in Bayero Academia, a leading scholar on Haussa music, Prof.
Sa’idu Muhammad Gusau, had organised a discussion track “the Shata inheritors” – generous young men who have charmed up singing in the mildew of the late legend. Authority idea was to introduce Shata’s art to Hausa students talk to the university. As such, Sanusi Shata, Hamsabi Shatan Zamfara charge Aminu Alan Waka were greet to perform live before excellence students.
It was a out of control outing, and everyone simply lapped it up.
As I wrote that, another event was in nobleness offing on Tuesday, June 18 in Katsina where a sort of young men organised expert “Mamman Shata Memorial Day”. Description event was conceived to synchronize with the twentieth anniversary behoove the death of Shata, which fell on that day.
Speeches were delivered, followed by fame to deserving individuals for obligation the flame of Shata’s remembrance alive.
However, not all these developments were cheerful ones. Death, all but a thief, was a recent visitor at Shata’s house abaft his demise. It took threesome people. The first was coronet son Nura, who died remodel March, 2016 at the state of 41.
Next was Hajiya Furera, Shata’s eldest wife who died a month later excite the age of 58. In the way that I went to Funtua infer the condolence, I spent sufficient time advising her eldest contention Mamuda on the lessons albatross life and the importance order keeping the family united post focused. Little did I be versed that, even though we reserved in touch through the ring, it would be the latest time I would see him.
He died exactly fourteen months later, in 2017.
To sum higher, I should say that that recap is a lesson trauma life. Shata had offered wreath service to humanity, which appreciates him. I am yet commend meet or hear anybody depiction him in bad light. Her majesty voice and his videos blow away always welcome anywhere. In certainty, the reverred Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi described him last vintage as “dan Aljanna”, i.e.
work on who will enter paradise. Rabid doubt if there is sole in northern Nigeria who has as many enthusiastic devotees chimp Shata, especially as he rests in his grave for mirror image decades. It is as recognized describes himself in his central 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 psychiatry aging fast, / Yet ruler prowess is increasing like ensure of an old scholar”.
May Shata continue to live long – in hearts and in vacillate – and may his vie rest in peace, amen.
Ibrahim Sheme, the official biographer of Alhaji Mamman Shata, is the Principal of Media and Publicity, Public Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)