‘Azizu’: And the killing of romance

Continued from last week

‘Apparently enchanted by the nature and wordings of the song, a Hausa showbiz expert and publisher of Mujallar Fim, Dr Ibrahim Sheme, undertook a research into the origin of the old love song. He traced it right down to a former producer with the old Broadcasting Corporation of Northern Nigeria, BCNN, Alhaji Yusuf Ladan and interviewed him.

In that exclusive interview, which was reproduced on our chat group, Alhaji Yusuf, who is now the Dan Iyan Zazzau and district head of Kabala, in Kaduna town, disclosed how he arranged everything about that song. And that concluded the destruction of every romantic notion I ever harboured about it.’ I explained, sadly.

‘I see, well to me it’s just the way all love songs are. So nothing is lost by the discovery that Habibu or Azizu never existed. All I’m interested in now is to find out how Alhaji Yusuf managed to produce such a monumental tribute to love.’ Tahir replied.

‘Ok, according to him, a famous Hausa singer named Uwani Zakirai was on a visit to Kaduna when he heard about it. He went to see her and asked whether she’d be willing to sing for him. She said that she would but warned that she could not read. Alhaji Yusuf told her that that was no problem and went ahead to pen ‘Azizu dan makaranta’. For several days afterwards, he went to her accommodation and read the wordings out to her until she memorised them. After she crammed everything Alhaji Yusuf now invited a local drummer, one Nababa mai kalangu and asked him to provide the background music for the track. The drummer requested to listen to Uwani Zakirai’s rendition of the song and immediately came up with a suitable drum beat.

Next, Alhaji Yusuf Ladan went inside Kaduna town and invited some singing young ladies to come and provide the background vocals. They spent hours at the BCNN studio recording and perfecting it. All this diligent work happened in the sixties. He guessed that this took place anywhere between 1960 and 1968, in the days of the BCNN.’ I concluded.

‘Wow, amazing. Who would have guessed that over five decades ago, a determined broadcaster could produce a musical wonder that has stood the test of time.’ Tahir marvelled.

‘Yes, it’s amazing how much time and effort was put into making this music but do not forget that this realisation also killed our romantic hero and destroyed every dream we had that romantic love was also celebrated, in this part of the Niger, for many decades.’ I countered.

‘I give up Bint. I guess it’s a waste of time arguing with an incurable romantic like you.’ He declared, rising from where he sat, opposite me on the settee.

‘Don’t I have the right to mourn what I thought was the best true-life love song I ever knew, since childhood?’ I asked, looking up at him, all lovey- dovey.

Concluded.