Having twice opportunities to research on Dr. Mamman Shata biography (both in 1992 when I was assigned by an organization in Kano, the Young Writers Club (YWC) to write his biography, and in 1995/98 when a partnership of co-authoring was formed between I and my three (3) other  colleagues that advanced into writing another Shata book) made me to occasionally lay hand in Ibrahim Nahabu’s biography, for, the two duos were both from the same province, were close associates and respected each other and both made history. 

Nahabu was regarded as one of the, if not the best performing kukuma music artist in West African continent. He was a true contemporary and an ally to Ahmadu Doka mai kukuma.

He was a native of ‘Yantaba ward in the ancient Katsina city, and was born in around 1928. Apart from Nahabu, his mother had two other issues, Abdullahi Danbarno, his senior brother, and their junior sister, Abun Naborno. Abdullahi Danbarno too was a performer but was not as popular as Nahabu. 

While a child, Ibrahim Nahabu was taken to Niger Republic to a brother where he stayed with him for a while as was a tradition in Northern provinces. It was from there that Nahabu learnt kukuma music from the said person, and, on return to Katsina he was already vast. 

His kukuma music took him to a level that made him to be exposed in the Nigerian music scene during even before the establishment of government of the northern region in 1952. His popularity in the music catapulted him to a position that he was introduced to Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto during the first republic era (1948-1966) when he sang to some prominent personalities in his cabinet, including he, Sardauna. 

Nasiru Dan Sir Kashim,

Nasiru Dan Sardauna/

And in another version (1966):

                                              Mai saje, dan mai saje, 

                                          Sir Amadu ya bar Duniya/

                                         Sir Amadu ya bar Duniya,

                                     shi da Tafawa Balewa Abubakar/

Again, one of the most remembered poems was: 

Dibgau mai Sudani, Aliyu Mustafa/

In ka ji tambari sai sarki, zancen Aliyu ne, Lamido

Modibbo yai iyaka da ruwa, gatan Aliyu ne, Modibbo/

Ko a lokacin Modibbo, ikon gidanku ne, Ali/

That was when Ibrahim Nahabu was closely related to the late Lamidon Adamawa in Kaduna when the later worked in Premier’s office in around 1952/54 before he became the traditional leader of Yola emirate in 1954. Aside, Nahabu was opportuned to meet and sang many of Sardauna’s men. 

Outlandishmentally, in 1966, after the Premier of northern region was assassinated, Ibrahim Nahabu tried crossing to Cameroun to meet the then president of that country, Alhaji Ahmadu Ahidjo but was halted, deterred from reaching there by security operatives because movements were restricted. Then, in Kano, in that same year, he met Mamman Shata Katsina and told him of the abortive move. 

Alhaji Mamman Shata said to Ibrahim Nahabu: 

‘Now that Sardauna was assassinated,

Nigeria and other neighbouring

 states are not at peace,

and movements were restricted,

 except if it is highly official,

‘you better wait and let us see what

 happens in the next coming months’.

Nahabu promptly agreed without hesitation. Then, in that time, Mamman Shata Katsina was catering for his needs, including feeding and payment of rented rooms in an hotel in the city of Kano. But, after a couple of months, when the atmosphere was replenished and the road to northeast was cleared, Nahabu disappeared for Cameroun without waiting to take order or advice from Mamman Shata Katsina, neither he took a permission from his parents at Katsina.

Back to Katsina, his relatives looked for him everywhere within the region but could not found him. After three (3) of no any news of Nahabu’s whereabouts, his immediate junior sister, Abun Naborno decided that let her move out to search for him.  Very often, the information about him that was reaching them was, he was in Cameroun. Abu went to Yola and met him not. She continued further. The road and terrain between Adamawa province and Cameroun was terribly bad, in ramshackle conditions, with no tar even. The terrain was highly aggressive and unaccessible. But she managed to cross over to meet her brother. 

Abu had, before she started the journey a minor surgery of which she underwent a theatre. Then, the journey to Cameroun made the surgery done on her to uncover, open. She was forcefully admitted to a nearby hospital in Garwa, a border community. While she was undergoing another surgery, officials took her statement and the reason of her coming to Cameroun. Then, they sent a message about her information to Younde, where Nahabu was living, which signalled him to come over quickly. Nahabu and some of his friends came immediately and met her in the private hospital.She was happy that she met her brother alive.  After some days she was discharged. It was also probable that it was because of the journey looking for her brother that she also lived in Gabon and Central African Republic. Abu was close associate to late Umar Bango, the Gabon’s number one citizen. There, he settled for over 15 years, up to around 1981 but was occasionally visiting Nigeria. 

At Cameroun he performed famous poems for the late president and other associates. Ahidjo made him great then. He remarried there, got siblings, got a house and other things needed for living. He was flamboyantly living in lavish condition. His poems helped and assisted a lot in the upliftment of Ahidjo’s carrier and political advances to govern Cameroun.  The song:

‘To mu je tamsirin Amadu Baban Kamaru/

‘Jigawa ka ke, tarin Allah, Amadu Baban Kamaru/

was very heightened and fetched him enough confidence and success to emerge as the best performing artist in that region. That also gave him a rare opportunity to cross over to other neighbouring states within the Central Africa to perform, like the Central African Republic (CAR), Gabon, etc. There were rich populations of Hausa speaking communities there. Another set of poems that zoomed him to greater heights then were those of emir of Gembu in Mambilla, Alhaji Mohammed Mansir. 

In 1976 after Nigerian Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Mohammed was killed in an abortive coup,  he composed Murtala Ramat Muhammed to show concern on the heart-felt incidence. The song further elevated him to another position and made him well rejuvenated and famous in the rest of the African states. He sang along other prominent soldiers holding higher positions in the Nigerian army, and who participated in the civil war of 1966/1970. 

On returning to Nigeria when Ahmadou Ahidjo descended his mantle of leadership to Paul Biya in 1982, Ibrahim Nahabu continued his kukuma music across northern Nigerian states and had many of his followers returning back to him, especially the late President, Federal Court of Appeal, Justice Mamman Nasir, up to around 1989/90 when he hanged the boot. But in 1992 when Mamman Nasir was turburned the district head of Malumfashi district, he saw Nahabu was missing among the musicians who were there to perform for him. He immediately sent for him to appear.

Nahabu died in 2003, living behind male issues, among them the senior ones now settle at Cameroun and one of them is now a kukuma musician too, stepping into his father’s shoes. 

Aliyu I. Kankara,

wrote from Katsina city,

07030797630/Ialiyu260@gmail.com

Culled from Katsina City News Magazine