How late Mamman Shata wooed me — Hajiya Yelwa Shata

What is your real name and history? My name is Yalwa, but my real name is Fatima. People used to call their children Yalwa when there was a bumper harvest at the birth of the baby. My mother told me that she received many gifts during my naming ceremony. That was why my mother was calling […]

What is your real name and history?
 My name is Yalwa, but my real name is Fatima. People used to call their children Yalwa when there was a bumper harvest at the birth of the baby. My mother told me that she received many gifts during my naming ceremony. That was why my mother was calling me, Yalwa. I was the only lady out of three siblings on my mother’s side.
 My father was Alhaji Ibrahim Mai-Tawakkali. He was a merchant. He was also a friend to the father of Shata in Musawa before he relocated to Funtua. Mamman Shata used to come to my family and sing. As the male were either out playing or in school and I was at home -the rich then had a sack for coins- after Eid prayers, my father gave me some gift to hand over to Shata who used to come riding a horse and praise singing. That was the first time we saw each other.
 
Was your marriage arranged?
 We loved each other. I was out with my friends when he saw me and called me. But I ran away. He came to my father and said I am grown up and he wanted to court me for marriage. My father told him to settle with me first. That was how it all started, I was very shy, but he insisted and I became his fourth wife.
 
How was your relationship with the other co-wives?
 I was very young but the relationship was very cordial. When I was taken to the house, I was taken to the room of the senior wives and was told to respect them and they in turn to guide me when I went wrong.
 
What did Shata mean when he said, “We are visitors of Funtua and merriment made us to stay…?”
 He once told me that when he made his debut in Kano, many famous musicians, praise singers and palace musicians wanted to crush him because he surpassed them. That was why he relocated to Funtua. He said he was welcomed by the people especially the youth who trooped to his shows.
 
He is fond of bragging about what he called his mysteries. Has he ever told you anything of it?
 I have never even once seen him taking herbs for his voice to be melodious, or a medicine for protection or even fetish things. But medicine men used to come and give things to use, but when they leave he would tell us to use them. He settled the medicine men that came to him but he didn’t rubbish them.
 He used to send Dan Maraya Jos to come and knock the house sometimes by 2 in the morning. When we open the house he will say Shata has sent him to come and pick Yalwa.
 
How many children do you have with Shata?
I have three children with him. They are Bilkisu Mamman Shata a banker with Federal Mortgage Bank, Nura Mamman Shata and Umma Mamman Shata, wife of Colonel Bala Mande, former military administrator and former minister of Environment.

How was Shata’s relationship with other musicians?
The legendary Dan Kwairo used to come and sing and Shata will shower him with gifts among others during weddings and naming ceremonies.

How many days did Shata spent hunting in the bush?
There was a time he went to the famous Ruggu bush to hunt and was successful as he killed a giant bull after he had spent two days. Sometimes he went with some aides to assist him when he made a big kill. Shata was a fearless person.
 
How many children did Shata have?
I cannot easily recall. But he has many children.
 Has he ever sang a song for any of his family members?
 No, no, no. We never insisted. But he has made one reference of one of his wife in the song of ‘Yar Auta, when he said “You have Binta in your house, I have Binta in my house, were Bawa surpassed me was, Shata did not have ‘Yar Auta ….”.  He did not sing for his family members, brothers, wives or children.
 
What is the genesis of the song of “Yar Bayye” where he said she gave birth to a thief in his family?
It was about one of his troupes named Mati Ata, he was from Gidan Mutum Daya in Musawa and they started the troupe together. Mati Ata was alleged to be stealing from the ticket sales for the shows. That was why he sang that song. He was saying “The son of Bayye, Bayye has given birth to a son that is a miscreant. He likened him to a bat which is carried in the stomach -on the front- and not at the back -as is the norm…”

How was the relationship of Shata and Dan Maraya Jos?
 
Dan Maraya Jos considers Shata as his father. The bond is strong. They usually meet when they will be recorded for TV, radio or at festivals.

What of the female traditional singer late Hajiya Barmani Choge Funtua?
We are the ones that used to tell him before we invited her to perform during naming ceremonies or weddings and she entertains the females inside the house. Barmani Choge was known to him very well. She sometimes spent time talking to him and amusing people. She was a very jovial person to all.

How was the relationship of Shata and Musawa, his birth place?
He even sang a song “People were happy when Shata returned the Crocodile of Musawa….”. He took the crocodile away to Funtua before he later returned it, that was why he sang the song. He visited the place regularly.

Did he have elder brothers and sisters?
He did. But they are dead. Only the younger ones are alive. But they are not of the same mother.

Where is the giant tortoise of Shata?
 I don’t know where it is right now, but I left it in the house. We were trained then not to ask too much questions.
 
What of the giant crocodile?
 They are many, but he took the giant and later returned it back to Musawa. When he visited the pond and called, they would hurriedly come out. The giant will come and stay near him.

Which of his songs do you like most?
His famous debut song popularly called ‘Bakandanmiya and that of Emir of Daura. Bakandamiya was about his history, that he did not inherit singing, he did not use fetish medicine, he is fearless and he was happy. And about that of the Emir of Daura, he told me what it meant: “Emir Bashar do not consider that they are big, enter the palace, read and keep on ruling the people.”
 When I asked what he meant, he told me that because the Emir was young when he was crowned after he outsmarted his uncles, elder and younger brothers. So Shata advised him to rule and not to be intimidated by senior or younger princes.

Why did you accompany him to Lagos?
 He was given a national honor when Obasanjo was the Head of States. I accompanied him together with the legendary Hausa traditional Boxer, Shago. We stayed at the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos. The citation was, he was honored in recognition of his music for the peace and development of Nigeria.
 
Why did Shata usually go late to events?
 That was how he was. He wanted other lesser musicians to performed first before him and get something. As when he performs first, he might likely get all the money and gifts and leave the musicians empty handed.
 Note that he was advised to stop going to the market. The reason was whenever somebody said “Look at Shata” the hawkers and traders would abandon their wares to go and watch him. Some would have their goods trampled upon among others, that was why he stopped going to the market.
 
What caused your divorce?
 It was destined, as he loved me so much. He tried through many means but to no avail.

What is your advice to modern musicians?
 They should avoid borrowing alien cultures. And should teach morals and not otherwise.
 
You are a women leader what is your call to the politicians before and after 2015 elections?
 
I want the 2015 general elections to be peaceful. Politician should not buy drugs for thugs and youths to ignite crises and they should know that only God gives power.