ADVERTISEMENT
The Sun Nigeria
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun
No Result
View All Result
The Sun Nigeria
No Result
View All Result
Home Arts

Serenading an avatar

8th January 2021
in Arts, Literary Review
0
Serenading an avatar
0
SHARES
285
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Henry Akubuiro 

Songs for Bukar Usman, Khalid Imam, Whetstone, Kano, 2020, pp. 253

“Bukar Usman remains what he is: a legend,” says Jahman Anikulapo, a major promoter of Nigerian arts and culture, in reaction to his latest offerings. Reading Songs for Bukar Usman, a new collection of panegyric poems, compiled and translated by the Kano based poet and teacher, Khalid Imam, one can see the transition of Dr. Bukar Usman from a legend to an avatar —that incarnate divine teacher. If you think that’s a fluke, this book  takes you to an epiphany.

Twenty-five songs make up this collection: sixteen composed by Umar Idris (Dan Kwairon), four by Sulaiman Tijjani, two by Aminu Ladan Abubakar, and one each by Maryam Abdul Karim Baba, Bashir Yahuza Malumfashi and Khalid Imam. As against the new culture of inventing hyperboles to celebrate the dead, the singers/poets in this book have chosen to celebrate Usman while still alive. In Songs for Bukar Usman, the singers lionise Usman as an accomplished bureaucrat, philanthropist, ideologue, public intellectual, writer, culture aficionado, a venerated son of Biu, a selfless man, etcetera.

Imam, in the “Introit”, sets the tone for enchanting panegyrics in the collection. Imam approximates  Usman as “a finger soaked in a calabash of honey” that everybody wants to lick. Thus: “Your honey of generosity/ offers great succour and relief/  from heartless penury for hundreds of dozens/deeply drowned in its flood” (p. 23). Imam salutes Usman’s patriotism, his deep affection for Hausa language and Arewa renaissance. He, also, in this poem, hails his pan-Nigerianism — “a detribalised river… crisscrossing countless communities” — and a dedicated man “beaming the indoor room of our common humanity/ with touch of his illuminating books” (p. 24).

Songs for Bukar Usman is a book in four parts, each dedicated to a common thematic concern, ranging from the personality of Bukar Usman and what he stands for, celebrating the Bukar Usman Foundation, as well as the land of his birth, Biu. The fourth part of the book contains notes on the contributors. 

Umar Idris’ “The Stalwart”, like most of the panegyrics in the collection, was originally composed in Hausa in 2013 and recorded on CD plate. In it, the Dan Kwairon Biu describes Usman as a famous man known across the country and abroad for his erudition. The chorus echoes Usman as an esteemed tutor, elder, and a lion-hearted. He is also a silk cotton tree that is the pride of every town. 

Umar Idris also celebrates the former Permanent Secretary, Presidency, as the fearless folk-hero with a light in his mission; a genius, a benevolent man, a scholar read at home and abroad, etcetera. As a doctor of literature, Idris commends Usman as the vanguard of Hausa literature and  a prolific author. The singer deploys personification, like “The stream who drowns the reckless swimmer”, to affirm his determination to succeed. 

What does the “Poetic Professor”, Sulaiman Tijani, say about Usman? In “The Philosophical Bukar Usman,” the performer praises the President of NFS (Nigerian Folklore Society) as a visionary philosopher, a patriot and nationalist, soft-hearted, well-mannered and influential man, needless to say, a man whose temper only rises when human right is trampled upon. He acknowledges that his “Bukar Usman Foundation has improved the situations of my people” (p. 45).

The intellectual prowess of Usman is further celebrated in “A Literary Giant”, a poem by Aminu Ladan Abubakar.  He sings:  “As down unfolds/ Daylight signals daybreak/The sun rises to send souls to hustle/ I’ve become  like a magnet/Drawn to a worthy giant” (p. 70).

Bashir Yahuza compares Usman to the mythical Biu avatar, Yamtarawala, in his poem “Yamtarawala”, urging Nigerians to arise and hail the great Nigerian nationalist of vision, “Bukar of mission, Yamtarawala of our time”. Through the Bukar Usman Foundation, the performers in this book say the old boy of King’s College, Lagos, has touched many lives. Umar Idris confirms that “…he did not establish it for his selfish needs” (p. 127), while Maryam Baba carols that it is “uniquely great, a foundation like no other in humanitarian support” (p. 132).

The third part of the book celebrates Biu’s greatness, its rich history, its youths and its giant king. It also appeals to the embattled Borno people to unite to save the state. Songs for Bukar Usman is a befitting offering for a  man of erudition and a cheerful giver. 

Click Here>>>>>>7 Natural Herbs to Finally End Premature Ejaculation and Weak Erection<<<<<<

Click Here>>>>>>Anti-kidnap and anti-theft device for tracking and listening<<<<<<

Tags: Dr. Bukar Usman from a legendSerenading an avatar
Rapheal

Rapheal

Related Posts

Lenrie Aina: How Botswana changed my life
Literary Review

Lenrie Aina: How Botswana changed my life

16th January 2021
Travails of childless women
Literary Review

Travails of childless women

16th January 2021
Facade: Bruce Onobrakpeya’s magic  enchants Eko Hotels
Arts

Facade: Bruce Onobrakpeya’s magic  enchants Eko Hotels

15th January 2021
Next Post
Olubunmi Amao: CBAAC is committed to promoting African culture and heritage

Olubunmi Amao: CBAAC is committed to promoting African culture and heritage

New road excites Makurdi residents

New road excites Makurdi residents

Tela: New maize variety

Tela: New maize variety

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Highlights

COVID-19 vaccines don’t contain microchip, altar DNA –PTF

Eviction threat to Kukah unacceptable –Soyinka

2023 elections: South West Agenda launches on Tuesday for Tinubu

Do everything possible to avoid second lockdown, PTF appeals to Nigerians

COVID-19: FG releases N10 billion for domestic vaccine production

NCDC approves 2 RDTs for COVID-19 testing

Trending

End protest now, Tinubu tells youths
National

Tinubu mourns Martins –Kuye

19th January 2021
0

Former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has expressed his deep condolences over the passing on Sunday...

CBN, NNPC to spend N1bn for feeding, accommodation  of evacuees –Onyeama

Eleventh hour fireworks over ambassadorial postings

19th January 2021

Turaki’s N714m fraud trial: I’m not aware of contract signed by perm sec –Witness

19th January 2021
Another US firm announces COVID-19 vaccine

COVID-19 vaccines don’t contain microchip, altar DNA –PTF

19th January 2021
Soyinka to FG: Address Obasanjo’s concerns

Eviction threat to Kukah unacceptable –Soyinka

19th January 2021
ADVERTISEMENT

Follow us on social media:

Categories

  • Abuja Metro
  • Arts
  • Broken Tongues
  • Business
  • Business Week
  • Cartoons
  • Citizen Joe
  • Columns
  • Cover
  • Culture
  • Duro Onabule
  • Editorial
  • Education Review
  • Effect
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Events
  • Features
  • Femi Adesina
  • Food & Drinks
  • Frank Talk
  • Funke Egbemode
  • Gallery
  • Global Square by Kenneth Okonkwo
  • Health
  • Insights
  • Kalu Leadership Series
  • Kunle Solaja
  • Kunle Solaja
  • Letters
  • Lifeline
  • Lifestyle
  • Literary Review
  • Marketing Matters
  • Muiz Banire
  • National
  • News
  • Offside Musings
  • Opinion
  • oriental news
  • Politics
  • Press Release
  • PressClips
  • Public Sphere
  • Ralph Egbu
  • Shola Oshunkeye
  • Sideview
  • South-west Magazine
  • Sponsored Post
  • Sporting Sun
  • Sports
  • Sun Girl
  • Tea Time
  • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
  • The Sun Awards Live
  • The Sun TV
  • Thoughts & Talks
  • Time Out
  • Today's cover
  • Tola Adeniyi
  • Travel
  • Travel & Tourism
  • Trending
  • TSWeekend
  • Turf Game
  • Uncategorized
  • Updates
  • Views from Abroad
  • Voices
  • World
  • World News
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Paper Ad Rate
  • Online Ad Rate
  • The Team
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

© 2019 The Sun Nigeria - Managed by Netsera.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun

© 2019 The Sun Nigeria - Managed by Netsera.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist