Sarkin Katsina and Hausa social protest

In the last couple of days, the Sarkin Katsina, Abdulmuminu Kabir Usman, made headlines, courtesy of his comments during a visit by the All Progressives Congress (APC) delegates to his palace. The delegates, including the party’s campaign chairman, were, to say the least, surprised, if not embarrassed by what the sarki told them, as well as the ‘silent’ cheer of the ordinary people in and around the palace. The common rhyme is: “He told the truth.” It was both a social commentary and protest.

Social commentary is a discourse that analyses, criticises or even challenges social dispositions; be they cultural, social, political or economic. Its aim is to provoke thought and discourse, expose injustice and instigate and initiate change. Social protest, on the other hand, is an expression of the demand for change through dissent or opposition, especially against government policies, economic conditions or social structures.

This contribution is to remind the Hausa that social commentary and protest are nothing new. In fact, they have a very long tradition and history, only that the Hausa have largely abandoned their tradition and Nigerians are no more interested in history nor value tradition and history; otherwise, Sarkin Katsina’s comments would not have been that surprising.

Hausa land has had a strong tradition of both social commentary and protest from the grassroots level to the highest level. In Hausa land, a social protest or commentary is usually associated with, firstly, the learned scholars or the ulama, whose medium is usually itinerant preaching or poetry.

Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio, the founder of the Sokoto Empire, was an excellent example. Secondly, itinerant musicians and stand-up comedians (‘yan kama) who perform in markets on market days and festive occasions. Finally, the rarest case is that of the ones holding official titles. Nothing illustrates this better than the stories of Bak’in Wake, the two Katsina scholars, Wali D’an Marina and Wali D’an Masani, and Sarkin Katsina Gozo.

Around the first half of the 19th century, a lowly Katsina slave known as Bak’in Wake made history by getting rid of a tyrant Katsina prince who was set to become the ruler of the kingdom. The prince was fond of piggybacking on royal slaves and riding them like he would a horse, complete with saddle, stirrup and reins. When the prince persisted in his behaviour and Bak’in Wake realised that he may one day ascend the throne, he decided to do something about it. Thus, when it was his turn to be the prince’s ride, he held tightly unto the prince and fell into the local beef-spit fire and perished therein, taking the prince with him.

Bak’in Wake had made a very powerful social statement. The current media understanding and usage portray him as a terrorist and his name is associated with suicide bombers. This is manifestly wrong. Bak’in Wake was a social protestor par excellence and one who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Another incident saga that illustrates Katsina’s position on social commentary in Hausa land is the case of the two learned men of Katsina – Wali D’an Marina and Wali D’an Masani. The two were revered rival mallams who contended when the beginning of the month of Ramadan on a particular year would be. This was determined via new moon sighting. Although on the surface, the date is calculated from the date of the first sighting of the previous month, the belief is that the “chosen get to know the beginning and the ending dates of fasting month by special dispensation.”

Wali D’an Marina and Wali D’an Masani proposed different days for the sighting of the moon. When Wali D’an Marina realised that the moon was unlikely to be sighted at the end of the day, he carved a moon shape from a piece of calabash, and invoking the name of God, threw it up and it stood in the sky for everyone to see. When Wali D’an Masani realised what happened, he raised his hands to the sky and beseeched God: “If this moon is yours, then it is all right, but if not, let it come down immediately.” History has it that it fell immediately.

At the highest level is the case of Sakin Katsina Gozo (c.1795—1801). He was recorded as having vehement anti socio-political dispensation towards Katsina elites and the syncretist attitudes they paraded as Islamic. He was recorded as rejecting the rituals surrounding his ascent to the throne. Gozo was a different kind of sarki and every commoner knew that. In fact, his epithet is Gozo, son of Rahmata, have faith in God! (Gozo dan Rahmata ka san Allah!).

Many of the king-lists refer to him as “the beloved of God, Gozo” (Son Allah Gozo’). Sarkin Katsina Gozo even made an attempt to visit Shehu Usman Dan Fodio three years before Shehu’s successful jihad.

We can safely assume that he would have been the first Hausa king to recognise the Shehu. It is not surprising therefore to learn that Sarkin Katsina Gozo was assassinated and was succeeded by someone who was “amenable” to the establishment.

The details of Gozo’s character can be found in the late Yusuf Bala Usman’s 1978 book, The Transformation of Katsina (1400—1883): The Emergence and Overthrow of the Sarauta System and the Establishment of the Emirate.

In Hausa land, the idea of social protest or commentary is not restricted to Katsina. Even though all the three examples illustrated above are from there, it permeates traditional Hausa society and social protestors and commentators are found throughout Hausa land. For example, in Kano, Sarkin Kano Alwali (1781-1807), who was a contemporary of Sarkin Katsina Gozo, also lost his throne for anti-establishment beliefs and sympathies.

Another example from Kano is the well known story of Mallam Natsugune (the Squatting Mallam). This was a learned person who had a council seat in the Kano fada (king’s court) but never “sat down”, rather, he used to squat; hence the name. Needless to say that he never accepted favours from the sarki. He was fiercely honest and truthful and the only person in the court who could, when necessary, tell the Sarkin Kano the truth to his face.

The most famous social protestor and commentator in recent Kano history was Muhammadu Zangina Na- Gindin-Waya, better known as Mai-Gingiro, a street troubadour with a social mission. He was the colonial-era resistance satirist who used oral poetry to rile against colonial insensitive taxation, social injustice and the high-handedness of the political class. Mai-Gingiro performed singly with no chorus or refrain, in markets and street corners to the cheering of the ordinary people, thus essentially differing from the main stream official court musicians.

In view of the foregoing, what Sarkin Katsina, Abdulmuminu Kabir Usman did is not out of place. In fact, if we recall the time he was appointed in 2008, his first few acts and outings marked him as different. We noted with a little bit of trepidation how he mellowed over the years, but this latest outing has shown that the sarki has not changed. One can ignore the truth but can never eradicate it. Allah ya ja zamanin Sarkin Katsina Abdulmuminu Kabir Usman! Allah ya ja zamanin majin gozo!

Dr Dodo is an Abuja-based architect.