Danladi Haruna
Falsafar Bukar Usman, Khalid lmam, Whetstone Arts and Translation Services, 2019, pp. 266
One of the distinguishing qualities of Hausa panegyric poetry is not just its ability to unpretentiously praise the personality it celebrates, but also the capacity to succinctly address other multiple themes. Hausa praise songs often serve as either a mirror or a picture. As a mirror, it allows the reader to dissect the life of the person reverentially hagiographised and reflects the society he or she belongs or lives in quite a number of ways.
As a picture, this kind of poetry could aptly present the person’s distinct personal traits or lifetime philosophy, and so on. To boot, to say that poetry is often laced with lines or stanzas pregnant with myriads of meaning is a fact known to everyone familiar with poetry and how it works. It is in this light one could liken poetry to an onion having several layers capable of provoking different interpretations by readers.
Therefore, Khalid lmam’s second Hausa anthology of poetry, titled Falsafar Bukar Usman, which came 11 years after his first Hausa poetry anthology, Hawayen Alhini (2008), is a welcome development for a number of reasons.
In this refreshing anthology of twenty-three praise songs composed in honour of Dr Bukar Usman, his foundation and birthplace by four young talented Hausa poets, is a book addressing multiple themes, such as Dr Usman’s love for Hausa Literature, his literary activism and generosity, love for his birthplace, his selflessness as a retired civil servant, his patriotism as a statesman and law-abiding elder, etcetera.
The anthology is subdivided into four broad parts, and according to Khalid lmam, the editor, the poems were first transcribed from audio before they were compiled. Pictures of the CDs were inserted in the book.
More so, the anthology opens with preliminary pages, including a dedication (p.5), biodata of the editor: Khalid lmam (p. 9), biodata of Bukar Usman, the celebrant; notes on some activities of the Dr. Bukar Usman Foundation (p. 18). The introduction was penned by Professor Aminu Lawan Auta of the Department of Nigerian Languages, Bayero University, Kano (p. 33), preface written by Dr Halima Abdulkadir Dangambo also of the Department of Nigerian Languages, Bayero University, Kano (p. 35) and followed by note by the editor (p. 37).
Part One, subtitled “Songs for Dr Bukar Usman”, runs from pages 40 to 126 and consists of fourteen panegyric poems, which include, on page 40, “Jarumi” (Folk-Hero) by Umar Idris Ɗan Kwairon Biu, “Gwanin Kowa” (The Stalwart) by Umar Idris (Dan Kwairon Biu). On page 54, there is a song called “Daktan Adabi” (The Doctor of Literature) composed by Umar Idris (Dan Kwairon Biu), while on page 58 is “Falsafar Bukar Usman” (The Philosophy of Bukar Usman) and “Farfesa Ya Zo Ya Gaishe ka” (Professor Hails You) appears on page 66. “Garnakaki” Ode to Bukar Usman (p. 76), while “Ginshikin Adabi” (A Literary Giant), on page 84, was sung by Aminu Ladan Abubakar (Alan Waka), a multitalented poet. These and seven other poems made up the songs on this part.
To appreciate Dr Bukar Usman’s unmatched contributions to Hausa literature, in particular, Aminu Alan Waka sings Usman’s praises in this memorable lines: “Dr Bukar Biu,/ A giant literary companion/We sing your praise/ In the literary arena….”
Considering many developments Dr. Usman spearheaded in Biu, in “Mai Kishin Biu” (The Biu Patriot), by Umar Idris (Dan Kwairon Biu), he compares Dr. Bukar Usman with a reformer, as well as likens him to the first premier of northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello (Sardaunan Sokoto): “White men in the city are saying,/Hausas in the city are saying,/Yorubas in the city are saying,/Igbos in the city are saying/You’ve inherited the character of Ahmadu/Sardauna’s character likens yours/Travel eastwards today,/Everywhere, your patience and honesty are testified….”
Part Two of this anthology consists of only two poems: “Gidauniyar Ceto” (Foundation for Liberation), which runs from pages 132 to 137. The Lead echoes: “Usman: here is a respectable foundation/Bukar Usman it is a respectable foundation/Certainly, he did not found it for his selfish needs/And not for any political gain”; to which the Chorus sings: “Bukar Usman: here is a respectable foundation/Bukar Usman: here is a respectable foundation/Bukar Usman: it is a humanitarian foundation/Certainly he did not found it for his selfish needs/And not for any political gain….”
The concluding section, Part Four, includes detailed biodata of the four poets who contributed the songs anthologised: Aminu Ladan Abubakar (p. 220), Maryam A. Baba Sangandale (p. 222), Sulaiman A Tijjani Farfesan Waka (p. 224) and Umar Idris (Dan Kwairon Biu) on page 225. It provides a glossary of some key but difficult words to help the reader appreciate the contents, pages 227 to 254; while an index runs from pages 255 to 266.