Northern academics and the future of literature

By Ibrahim Ado-Kurawa

I have always admired and still respect this generation of northern scholars and writers Usman Bugaje (pictured), Ibrahim Sulaiman, late Tijjani al-Miskin, Ibrahim Khalil, Hameed Boboyi, Auwal Yadudu, Abdalla Uba Adamu, Zainab Alkali, Balaraba Ramat, Attahiru Jega, Ibrahim Muazzam, Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, Emir Muhammad Sanusi II, Bashir Galadanci and Bashir Aliyu. And the most senior Professors Sani Zahradeen, Mahadi Adamu, late Ibrahim Yaro Yahaya, late Bala Usman and Dahiru Yahya.

However I have disagreed with some of them several times on issues sometimes in writing. Some of them I saw them from the distance and never physically but in writing. While others, even though senior have helped my career especially Professor Sani Zahradeen and Malam Ibrahim Sulaiman who is so humble that he offered to now edit a work I did over twenty-five years ago.

These are not the only people that have done so much to knowledge in this part of Nigeria but they are many others that I know but the space does not allow and they are equally great. Many of them would have been world-class scholars but because they came from this environment they have remained obscure. Some of these scholars have achieved much despite the difficulty in this terrain. Professor Abubakar Adamu Rashid did so much to transform Bayero University to a center of excellence in his tenure. Dr. Bashir Galadanci established the most intellectually vibrant non-governmental academic institute in Northern Nigeria, which has been consistent in its literary out put. Usman Bugaje is a true successor of the Sokoto intellectual tradition synthesizing knowledge and action as the motivator of the Arewa Research Development Project.

Literature in this essay means written works. I was prompted to write this essay because of the attitude of some northern academics, who, condemn and produce little claiming that theirs is more thorough than others. They are also prone to generalizations that are sensational for public acclamation with little familiarity of other ideas that require reading, which they do not because they assume higher pedestal. Sometimes their views are embarrassing to many who have time to read. Some have spent decades without producing anything because of their big titles and they are accorded respect. It is also sad that some young ones are following these footsteps of arrogance because they have been corrupted by favoritism. I use academics in this essay because they are professional writers paid to teach and produce literature.

I began this write up in a positive note before I become very critical. Northern Nigeria is certainly one of the most backward places on this planet in terms of literature and general human endeavors and therefore the elite can never claim success or even be proud and it is a collective indictment. Several reasons have been advanced for this total failure. Since the time of late General Hassan Katsina who made several remarks that were aired by the popular Radio Kaduna for enlightenment and advocacy. Every time northern leaders and elite lament and talk of Sardauna with nostalgia. Not only because he was the only premier of northern region but because of his determination in what he believed in. We the people of Kano preferred our own more progressive Malam Aminu Kano to him but we still acknowledge and respect his views and actions.

We may disagree with the Sardauna because what he knew was power and how to maintain it with great vision like his grandfather Sultan Bello. Sardauna was a far-sighted statesman and he showed keen interest in the career of potential leaders as he visited secondary schools encouraging students to join the military. His official biographer John Paden noted: “Few people at that time other than the Sardauna could see the necessity for an army career in the building of a “New Nigeria”. A good example of his determination was that he visited “Bida Provincial Secondary twice in 1962 alone”. He spoke to senior boys who were on the verge of choosing their careers.

He made a prophetic statement as reported by Dan Agbese: “My children, the future of this country will be determined by who owns the army, therefore I call upon you to join the army”. Such guidance made Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Abdussalami Abubakar two former Heads of State, Generals Garba Duba, Gado Nasko, Sani Sami, Muhammad Magoro and Mamman Vatsa and Colonel Sani Bello who were former Governors and Ministers to join the Army. These students have been very influential in Nigerian politics and they were patriots during the civil war when they served as field commanders.

Ribadu the indefatigable defense minister was also very visionary when he refused to send soldiers for training in Pakistan even though it was Muslim but it was authoritarian and he preferred India because it was democratic. We need politicians who can harness our literary talents for the future as Sardauna did when he encouraged young students to join the army. Hence the need to promote newspapers in Hausa language but who will take this up?

There is so much that could be done by everyone, in whatever little ways like the three examples of Bugaje, Rashid and Galadanci. But the worst is condemnation without alternative. Sadly those who condemn have nothing to offer or show but titles and false recognition from the rapacious and corrupt state. Most of these so-called critics cannot withstand any objective critique. Some of the Northern academics have been attending international conferences in their respective disciplines for over quarter of a century yet when you search you see they have produced nothing all these years. Is it not a shame that there is no academician as prolific and productive as Professor Toyin Falola in the whole of Northern Nigeria despite the fact that our academics have enjoyed the patronage of the state? Therefore the problem of Northern intellectual stagnation is not only economic because many were given opportunities as their counterparts from other parts of the world but they did nothing.

Although there is no doubt economic prosperity supports scholarship if the State is interested as in the case of Abbassid Caliphate. Islam the dominant faith of the Northern Nigeria is equated with knowledge by many epistemologists. Hence this stagnation has no root in our culture. But the Muslims of Northern Nigeria are among the most backward people in the world. One of my great heroes is Sultan Bello not because he was one of those who established the Sokoto Caliphate but because of his scholarship. Bello argued with Clapperton on comparative theology and philosophy and he even discussed Euclid. There was no electricity in his time yet he produced more scholarly works than any other person that lived after him up to this day.

It is very easy to find someone who can condemn him in a classroom seminar and the same person would have spent over thirty years in the university without producing two books. How many books did Bello produce? Assuming they were all not good. How many have his critics done that are cited worldwide? Just search any of the scholarly indexes and see how many northern scholars would you find? Therefore they have no claim to perfection or erudition. You cannot be a scholar when you are confined to your house, locality or even your university or your region or country. Producing one or two books is nothing in this era, it is the minimum qualification for tenure in the United States. I have traveled to some places in the world but the most arrogant and pretentious academics I have met are those from northern universities they have produced nothing and yet they pretend to be scholars. I keep wondering is this what they are taught in their universities? It is attitudinal. Many of them have diseased minds.

This backward attitude has retarded northern Nigeria academically. My mentor Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu is the first northerner to be a Professor in two disciplines. He was a professor of science education and now of mass communication. But the journey has not been easy. He did so much to Hausa Language to the chagrin of the “professional” Hausa teachers. He invented the Hausa fonts for word processing. He encouraged many Hausa writers. If there were scholars like him Hausa literature would have developed at the right pace. Yes the Kano Market Literature can be condemned by overzealous clerics and academics but they are reflection of the society and where are their options? Have they written anything good? Even the clerics that condemn everyone what are their literary output? Copying condemnation and recopying! No society can progress without literature. If there is vacuum the audience will go elsewhere. Can’t we advance beyond Magana Jari Ce of the outstanding Abubakar Imam? How many so-called “good” works have been produced since then? Abubakar Imam who was conservative but not indolent he used what was available to him. Are we going to wait for another Imam?

Some of these challenges can only be resolved by the state, that is, politically with good and visionary leadership. But for how long will the academics wait? It is a shame to wait and keep criticizing those who do the little they can. The Internet has revolutionized communication. Many thanks to Alan Godlass who established www.uga.edu/islam the most comprehensive website on Islam, it is not in a Muslim country, and it was started more like a hobby and not as a sponsored project but now it has over 7000 links. Every university department has the potential of establishing a reputable journal and website with assessors and editors from as far as Norway, Japan and Australia and if it cannot there is no reason for its existence because there is no need for people to be talking to themselves when they can reach out to the world.

I have always suggested that to start with, there should be as a matter of urgency a daily newspaper in Hausa language. I keep saying this, because it is major index of literary development. With over 50 million speakers it is enough to have such an enterprise as long as the elite are interested and willing to support it. Some state governors have spent billions on live television coverage and English newspaper advertorials of programs, projects and lies. Why can’t they patronize literature that will enhance their citizens? They are empowering newspapers and televisions that have nothing to do with their immediate constituencies but for their promotion at the national level and they end of getting nothing. So far none of them has become the President of Nigeria or even a national figure in the caliber of Asiwaju.

So it is time to move on. We cannot afford to wait with so large population of illiterates. It can be started as politics was started in the early 1950s with discussion circles and now with the Internet revolution we need literary circles and blogs in northern cities or anything similar. Concerned persons can encourage young ones by sponsoring reading and writing competitions, which would bring out talents.

Ado-Kurawa is a Kano-based researcher.