6-4-2025.

I have NEVER met him anywhere, publicly or privately, nor do any of us know one another from Adam. However, his music and (more importantly) baritone voice, attract me towards him, like a magnet does to iron filets.

The fact is that his baritone voice would make him a super star anytime in the electronic media (radio and television) world, or a public speaker, where such a voice is appreciated.

 But Aminu Ladan Abubakar, alias ‘ALAN WAKA’, chose to be a Hausa language musician, a field in which he has become a house hold name in the Hausa land, where his music is celebrated with a kind of reverence that is enjoyed by late musicians like Mamman Shata, Narambada,  Dankwairo and  Danmaraya Jos, among the exclusive group of revered Hausa musicians.

To boot, ALAN WAKA is also a cultural advocate from Kano State, in Northern Nigeria, whose use of classical Hausa language in his music gains him recognition and accolades in most places where the language is widely spoken.

I am a fan of Kanywood, but not fanatical to the extent that I would lap up everything about it without weighing the value it adds to the society. However, ALAN WAKA is not the first or only Kanywood star that I have written something positive about. I happen to be a follower of some of the materials that some Kanywood artists churn out to the society in the name of entertainment. Such characters include Hafsat Jega (8/19/2024),Dauda Kahutu, alias RARARA (29/7/24 & 24/7/2024), and Bello Galadanchi, alias Dan Bello (11/7/2024).

Even Nolywood is well represented by Investor Sabinus, on whom I penned an article, ‘The National Skit Comedian Of The Moment’, on 16th July 2024. This was not long after I wrote on Dan Bello.

The rendition he recently made to the current Sarkin Daura (Honourable, Dr.) Alhaji Umar Faruk, in his immutable baritone voice, made additional impression to me of ALAN WAKA’s immense talent in Hausa music.

Being an admirer of his baritone voice, I came to fully appreciate and pay particular attention to the song he sang in the early days of the administration of Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf, alias ‘Abba Gida-Gida’ of Kano State. in the song, he cautioned the Governor against the deliberate destruction of the public and private property (erected structures) that he was carrying out at various places, including the famous Kantin Kwari, among others. The structures were destroyed because they were allegedly built on government cites distributed ‘illegally’ by the immediate past administration in the state.

That is by way of explanation, which is necessary because, apart from the fact that Kano stare is not exactly Katsina state (my own), I am not a politician belonging to any political party, least of all the ruling party in the state, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), and the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

By the way, some may insist that the poor people are, and stay, poor because they are not business minded, while the rich people are, and remain, rich because of their business acumen. For me, what is more important over and above  gold and silver is the happiness of multitudes, including my own. As for gold and silver, although I am not exactly averse to them, I however, want them for spending to others and myself, NOT for spending to myself ALONE, or HOARDING, as is the life ambition of others.

Writing positive and favourable articles free of charge, without even the knowledge of the beneficiaries, is something that I always enjoy doing voluntarily.

To be sure, ALAN WAKA will not be the last Kanywood star I will write positively on, as I continue in the quest to cheer up Nigerians from our present mistakenly self caused predicament.

Most Nigerians need cheering up from the gloom that is deliberately created by many of their self serving religious, academic, traditional and, ESPECIALLY, political leaders. People like ALAN WAKA serve that purpose fittingly.

May God enable us to positively add value to the lives of others by way of reducing or easing their worries, hardships, problems or challenges in this world.

Malumfashi wrote from Katsina.