Why I sing for Buhari, ‘Yar Fulani reveals
Who’s ‘Yar Fulani?
I’m a complete Fulani lady. I came to Abuja two years ago. I’m a musician and I also do business. I opened a suya and shawarma joint and I also have a restaurant. I equally go to Dubai to buy both female and male clothes and sell here in Abuja.
What inspired you into music, and not just a businesswoman?
Music is a serious business and what I do too is good. It’s not every day that one sings, but my normal business is an everyday affair, which helps me a lot because I have a son. I sing because of the likeness I have for President Muhammadu Buhari. In fact, it’s because of him that I started singing.
Why do you think Buhari deserves your songs?
He deserves my songs because he’s a just and upright human being, who always fights for the common masses. He knows the people’s value, that’s why I felt I should sing and praise him. Most of my songs are for him, sometimes, I sing for governors and senators. I also sing at occasions and other events, but like I said most of my songs are for the President.
What message do the president’s songs convey?
The songs are not full of noise or insulting words, not at all. They’re basically about how he’s trying to transform Nigeria and our unity as a country. I believe we should be praying for the president because he’s our leader.
How many songs have you sang for the president so far?
Truly, I can’t remember some of them because the songs are too many. I started singing for him Thirty-year old Yusra Muhammad ‘Yar Fulani’ from Yola, Adamawa State, is a musician that sings mainly for President Muhammadu Buhari. Born on September 11, 1986, ’Yar Fulani combines singing with her suya and shawarma business in Abuja. In this interview, she explains what inspired her into singing for the president among other issues. right from the time he started contesting for president. But I can remember some, which are very dear to my heart. I have one titled ‘Najeriya da Dadi.’ I also sang ‘Sannu Baba Buhari,’ ‘Chapdi Lallai Yan Arewa,’ ‘Kira Nike ga Arewa,’ ‘Shekara Daya Tal Kai Maigirma,’ and there’s a new one for his second year in office ‘Shekara Biyu Tal Kai Maigirma.’
Does the president know you sing for him?
Yes he knows. I once met with him and I was happy that at least I met him in my life. I even completed my album on the president which I will launch very soon. I thought about the right place to launch it, and we decided to launch it in Daura, the hometown of the president.
Why don’t you sing for the president in Fulfude?
I sometime do, but because most of my listeners are not Fulfulde-speaking, I mostly sing for him in Hausa.
Nigerians are suffering as a result of drastic rise in the prices of many things. Why don’t your songs tell this message?
It’s true. There’s a song I did for the wife of the president, Hajiya Aisha Buhari. In that song, I called on her to look at the way prices of foodstuff have soared. But if you observe well, some people are the architects of their suffering. The problem we have is that as the president goes on with his good works, some businessmen would just jerk up the price of items for excess profits.
What are some of the challenges you face?
Well, I haven’t faced many challenges. But I remember during the campaigns, I went to Kaduna to sing for Governor Nasiru el-Rufai and I met some people at night. I observed that they were rivals, because it was from the same studio I left, but I can’t say exactly who they were. They came with their car, blocked me and forcefully brought me out of my car as a result of which I got fracture in my leg, but I went to Saudi Arabia and got it fixed. As a musician, we require larger vehicles that can take me and my staff to events; it’ll soon be time for campaign, and we can move freely to places for the campaign without hitches.