Remembering Dattijo – Malam Bala Abdullahi Funtua

On December 4, 2020, it would be five years since the passing away of Malam Bala Abdullahi Funtua, the translator of Gorge Orwell’s memorable novel Animal Farm (1945) which he popularized as Gandun-Dabbobi (1975) among the Hausa reading public, especially in the Northern part of Nigeria, where the book was a recommended reading text in Hausa literature classes in secondary schools in the 1980s.

Animal farm was authored by Gorge Orwell – whose real name is Eric Arthur Blair, born in June 25, 1903 in Motihan, Bengal, to a British Colonial Officer in India. He died on January 21, 1950. In his short life, Orwell managed to leave several works that would inspire and influence debate on both literary and socio-cultural issues for decades. Animal farm was a caricature, or to be more precise, a satire fable on the socio-economic and political conditions in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), from the period of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 to the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. The book tells the story of an Imaginary Animal Kingdom represented as a large farm where a group of animals organized and rebelled to overthrow the tyrannical rule of man (Nomau) leading into a ‘revolution’ and the establishment of a ‘new’ order, only to end up in yet another new brand of tyranny.

Forty five years since Malam Bala Abdullahi Funtua translated this famous novel, Nigeria seems also to have been reliving the situation that is portrayed in Gandun dabbobi. Perhaps since 1983, when the Second republic was terminated through military invention, Nigeria has been caught off in the Gandun Dabbobi-like situation. Leaders of the New Military Government then came up with great policies of nation building which they began to implement with zeal. But in a palace coup similar to the one that was staged against snowball (Dantulu in Gandun Dabbobi), a faction of the military junta hijacked the initiative, and since then the slide into the present confusion began in earnest.

From the government of Major General Muhammadu Buhari (1983-1985); to that of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (1985-1993); through the Interim National Government of Chief Earnest Shonekan (August – November, 1993); to that of General Sani Abacha (1993 – 1998) and General Abdulsalami Abubakar (1998-1999); the civilian government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (1999 – 2007); through that of Malam Umaru Musa Yar’adua (2007-2010); to that of Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (2010 – 2015); and to the present Government led by Muhammadu Buhari (2015-date), the country seems to have gone through the same vicious circle of challenges to nation building as did the fabled Gandun dabbobi.

During this period, both the military and civilian governments made nonsense of the rule of law as political parties were formed not on the basis of ideology or national interest, and elections or appointments into public offices became licenses. Occupants of such offices formed an alliance of small elite groups from all corners of the country which continually hold the country at ransom.

In 1975, when the translation was offered to the reading public, Nigeria was four years to the inauguration of the Second Republic after nine years of military rule. These years were generally regarded as years of relative economic prosperity for the nation, with the naira valued more than the US Dollars (N1= USD 0.616). This economic prosperity continued at least up to late 1982 after which the country plunged into the path of Gandun dabbobi situation, so similar in fact were the conditions of the Nigerian nation then to those of Gandun dabbobi, that in his forward to the book, Malam Aminu Kano noticed the creative though subtle caricature of the Nigerian situation in the translation.

A school teacher, educationists, public administrator, politician and philanthropist with a keen interest in literature and current affairs, Malam Bala Abdullahi Funtua was born in Funtua town in the then Katsina Province on October 25, 1939. Alongside his Islamic Education, he enrolled into Funtua Elementary School from 1947 to 1950, from where he proceeded to Katsina Middle School in 1951 where he remained till 1953. He was then admitted into the famous Katsina Teachers College from the periods 1954-1956 and 1959-1960 enabling him to obtain Grade III and II teacher certificate respectively.

From 1962-1965, Malam Bala attended the Advanced Teachers College Zaria where he obtained the National Certificate of Education in English and French. He later earned a B.A. (Hons) Degree in History at the Abdullahi Bayero College, then affiliate of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. In addition to his formal training, he attended courses in Katsina and Zaria on Guidance and Counseling in 1961 and 1972 respectively.

In a long career that spanned the period 1957-1976, Malam Bala dedicated his time and energy to the promotion of education at various levels. First, as a school teacher (Teacher In Charge) Junior Primary School Musawa 1957 -1958; Assistant Headmaster, Rimi Primary School 1961; Headmaster, Rimi Primary School 1961-1962; Teacher, Secondary School Funtua 1965; Assistant Inspector of Education In Charge of Borno Division (Inspecting Primary School) 1965-1967; Malam Bala was deployed to the defunct North-Central State (now Kaduna and Katsina State) as a teacher at Katsina Teachers College in 1968. He was Assistant Inspector of Education in Charge of Funtua and Malumfashi from 1968 to 1969; Vice Principal, Kufena College, Zaria 1972; Area Inspector of Education, Kaduna 1972; Principal, Government Commercial College, Zaria from 1972 to 1973; Provincial Inspector of Education, Katsina (Inspector and administrator of Schools in the old Katsina Province from 1973-1975; Principal Government Secondary School, Malumfashi in 1976. In the same year, Malam Bala voluntarily retired from the Civil service having put almost 25 years of service as an educationist.

Having retired but not tired, still active and full of energy, Malam Bala ventured into national politics and community service, initiating almost a second career. He contested and won local government election as a Councilor in charge of Finance, Planning, Trade, Administration and Community development from 1976-1977. He also contested and won election as the first Executive Chairman of old Funtua Local Government Area Council from 1980-1983. He was later appointed as member, Ahmadu Bello University Governing Council 1983-1984; member, National Universities Commission 1984-1986. He was also a Director of Nigerian Universal Bank in 1986; Chairman, Savannah Sugar Company, Numan, Gongola State 1987-1989 and Chairman, Katsina State Primary School Management Board 1989-1991.

Apart from his contributions in the public service, Malam Bala also played a significant role in national politics, both at the grassroots and the national levels. A founding member of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), during the Second Republic, he also participated in the formation of People’s Front (PF) in 1989 which later metamorphosed into Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 90’s. In 1998, he joined forces with other nationalist politicians in the wake of the June 12 national crisis to form the PDP which won election at the Federal Government at the centre and Katsina State in 1999. He was appointed Chairman, Governing Council, Isa Kaita College of Education; Dutsinma 1999 – 2003; Chairman, Governing Council Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, Katsina 2003-2007.

A philanthropist, Malam Bala Abdullahi Funtua was also a community leader and a promoter of educational development at the grassroots. He personally founded and endowed the Abdullahi Memorial Primary School, Unguwar Makera, Funtua. He also made contributions in the field of Agriculture through his establishment of the Bala Funtua Farms, a few kilometers away from Funtua along Sokoto Road. A Nigerian patriot and eminent National figure, Malam Bala was a 2005 recipient of MFR (Member of the Federal Republic) National honours award. He was Patron to many associations and societies including the Students Historical Society of Nigeria, SHSN, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria Chapter. A posthumous award of service was given to him by the Governor of Katsina State during the 30th Anniversary of the creation of the state for his exemplary service in the field of Education and Community development.

In the past 60 years, the ship of Nigeria is still buffeted by the tempest of challenges not least social and economic, to say nothing of political crises. The agitations that were witnessed in some parts of the country recently seem to be more a sign of long accumulated grievances against the prevailing hardships in the land. Coming at this time, this tribute is intended as both a remembrance of Malam Bala Abullahi Funtua and his contributions and as counsel to our national leaders and the citizenry on their obligations and rights to work for the improvement of the human condition in Nigeria.

May the gentle soul of Dattijo, Malam Bala Abdullahi Funtua, continue to rest in perfect peace, ameen.

This tribute was sent in by Rabiu Yusuf of the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, ABU Zaria & Mohammed Abubakar Nasiru of the Department of History, ABU Zaria.