Anyone who claims to have a record of all my songs is a liar – Shata

I hail from a village in Katsina called Musawa. My father was a Fulani man and my mother was from Kano city, she was called Tofa Dan’adala. I was also brought up in Musawa. At what age did you start singing? Honestly, I can’t say because there was no record of my birth as it […]

I hail from a village in Katsina called Musawa. My father was a Fulani man and my mother was from Kano city, she was called Tofa Dan’adala. I was also brought up in Musawa.

At what age did you start singing?

Honestly, I can’t say because there was no record of my birth as it is done to children of today.

For how long have you been singing?

I have been in it for the past forty years because I have a son who is almost forty years now and I started singing before I even got married to his mother.

Can you remember how many songs you produced from the time you started to date?

I don’t have a record of that also and this is because I don’t keep such records. What really happens is while some are recorded by people interested in doing so and media organizations like the radio and TV, many are not on any form of record. And more to that is that even if the records of those produced in Nigeria are kept, what of the ones I sang in other countries of the world when I travelled? So I can’t really say and anyone that says he can give such record must be lying as it is not feasible that he has records of all my songs. People can only speculate depending on the number of songs they know or heard of. Some will say thousands; others will give the figure in hundreds, it all depends.

Which among your numerous songs do you consider your favourite?

My belief is any sensible person will never do anything he doesn’t want; therefore I was always at my best in all songs. I don’t consider any my favourite or worst as far as I am concerned. The people’s favourite is my favourite and they know best. All I know is that I emphasize on the one I see people prefer.

It is on record that you once said it will be impossible for people to play and listen to your songs after your demise; were you referring to all of them or some?

It’s true, just like you said, some of my songs will not be heard when I die. That is just the truth and you can be a witness to that if you are lucky to be alive when I die.

 

Can you please tell us these particular songs of yours?

I don’t consider any person worthy of me telling him those songs and that person will certainly not ask me. That is just my simple reason on that.

You were conferred an honorary doctorate degree by Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria following the impact of your songs in enlightening members of the public on important issues; what other awards have you won since the time you emerged a singer?

Bayero University also gave me an honorary degree; I won a cup and silver sword during Gowon’s regime; I also received a national honour during Obasanjo’s time [between 1976 and 1979]. During Babangida’s regime, I was also honoured. I was also honoured when I visited the United States.

You emerged the chairman of Social Democratic Party in your local government area, Funtua; what really attracted you to politics?

What made me join politics then was the fact that no one owns political parties as declared by the government then. All that was required was for interested candidates to solicit votes of the majority through proving worthy of any seat one decides to vie for. And I also heard that there is a position that could also be contested for and held by people who did not go to school, that all that one needs is to work with an educated secretary. That was why I registered and contested for the chairmanship of the party in my local government and I got the mandate of my people unopposed.

What really motivated you to venture into singing?

I only started singing for the fun of it and people became mesmerized. I therefore made it a career; and today it is a source of pride to me. Pride in the sense that wherever Hausa is spoken, Shata is known and people talk a lot about me. Therefore, I don’t have any plan to quit singing unless people feel they don’t enjoy my songs any longer because I sing because people like me singing.

Recently, you made a trip to the United States which I think is your first visit there; what things fascinated you most?

The most interesting thing about them (Americans) is their attitude despite the fact that they are predominantly Christians. They are of exceptional good behaviour which is better than what we exhibit here. They are highly organized and law abiding and that I know will be a very difficult thing for us to imbibe. Secondly, technological know-how, things we wonder about how they are made were all shown to us and they look so interesting. Take for instance the aircraft which we wonder how they are manufactured, we all saw how they are made from melted irons. We also saw how the rockets are operated and even people that already visited the moon; we saw a lot of interesting things.

What are the things that fascinated you most in all these years you have been singing?

Nothing, virtually nothing! And this is because it is always business as usual, the usual drumming and singing stuff which I do every day. There is no gathering no matter the calibre of audience that intimidates me and this is because, there is no gathering I have not witnessed. So I can’t really say what impresses me most let alone what intimidates me. Nothing has ever intimidated me regarding singing; in fact, I scare people away instead. If not for those musicians that identify with me, everyone becomes restless on hearing that Shata will also perform at any function. Therefore, there is nothing intimidating.

Do you wish any of your children takes after you?

I did not inherit it from my father and therefore will not decide the future of my children. They are all free to do whatever they feel they want to do. In fact, I am not interested in having any of my children as a musician, I don’t want that but if anyone insists, I will have no option than to let him because my father never wanted me to be a musician too but had to let go when I insisted. I only pray to God to bless all of them and guide them right.

How would you describe your relationship with other Hausa musicians?

They are musicians and I am also a musician, therefore we bear the same name. when we are brought together to perform, we all display our different talents only that some of them imitate my songs but I wouldn’t say they are my boys only if they want to be referred as such. So that is simply my relationship with them, we all are musicians.