Lyrico-Poetic Testimonies of Nigerian Artistes on Bukar Usman
The renascence of African culture is supposed to be as all-encompassing as it is dynamic. Its banner was borne aloft during the years of nationalist struggles by the then political titans. Alongside the assertion of the negritude writers whose poetry was described by Leopold Sedar Senghor as a means of revitalising and re-invigorating the African heritage, his Nigerian counterpart, Nnamdi Azikiwe, was who sensitised the public with the idea of re-nascent Africa.
An example, and a highly significant one for that matter, is the multi-faceted, monumental scholarly output of Dr. Bukar Usman in the promotion, propagation and preservation of Nigerian folklore, especially in the field of orature. Scholars have written – and will continue to write – about the phenomenal field and literary works of Dr. Bukar Usman who is, in fact, the President of the Nigerian Folklore Society (NFS) at this point in time. They have written about his transnational support to literary development through the Dr. Bukar Usman Foundation. His social vision as a public affairs analyst, expressed in books and the media have also received commendation from observers. But there is yet another fascinating side to the life of this individual role model. Even as an elite within a patrician bracket, Bukar is also grassrooted in his socialisation bearing evidence by the works of the five oral poets featured in this book, Songs for Bukar Usman by Khalid Imam.
Reading the book, Songs for Bukar Usman, one cannot but appreciate the manner in which Dr. Usman’s goodwill permeates the entire spectrum of the society in terms of relevance and veneration as a real man of the people.
The book proves copiously that the subject’s creative and critical labour are not only seminal, but are also acknowledged among the grassroots folk. And this is borne out by the lyrico-poetic testimonies of the five oral artistes from the northern part of Nigeria whose panegyric works extol in heroic staves the virtues of the subject that makes him worthy of celebration. These singers (who essentially are oral poets) are Umar Idris (Dan Kwairon Biu); Sulaiman A. Tijjani (self-styled Professor of Poetry); Aminu Ladan Abubakar (a.k.a ALA); Maryam A. Baba (a.k.a. Sangandale), the only female among them, and Bashir Yahuza Malumfashi.
As praise-singers, they do not compromise their art with any kind of pretension or vainglorification. Apraise-singer is a praise-singer. A jester is a jester.