The fuss over Rarara’s honorary doctoral degree

A few days ago, a furore arose when Rarara Kahutu, the Hausa praise singer, was awarded an honorary degree by the European-American University. It was a grand ceremony held in Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja in the presence of Rarara’s family and friends. Suddenly, a day after the ceremony, a controversy erupted over the authenticity of […]

A few days ago, a furore arose when Rarara Kahutu, the Hausa praise singer, was awarded an honorary degree by the European-American University. It was a grand ceremony held in Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja in the presence of Rarara’s family and friends. Suddenly, a day after the ceremony, a controversy erupted over the authenticity of the purported ceremony. At first, the debate centred on why Rarara, and not others, such as Alan Waka (Aminu Ladan), who sings within the same genre and has a large following.

Before that was settled, the European-American University posted a notice on its website disclaiming the convocation that honoured the singer, asserting that those who made the award had no authority to do so. However, even though there is a counterclaim by those who gave the award, the dust raised by these controversies is still up there and yet to settle.

I have always had a fondness for Rarara, especially since I latched onto Masu Gudu su Gudu, the song he performed in 2015 to commemorate the inauguration of Muhammadu Buhari as president. Readers might recall that those were giddy days, when many of us believed that the new president with a reputation for dealing with corruption would repeat the same performance. In those days, Rarara’s Masu Gudu su Gudu became an evocation of Muhammadu Buhari’s earlier rule as military Head of State, who, as a stern disciplinarian, did not tolerate corruption in whatever guise.

In the song that went viral at the time, Rarara was encouraging the corrupt elements in society to flee before Muhammadu Buhari took office. You heard the refrain of the song, in the streets, in the markets, from the mouths of children, women, and the like, lustily singing it away. From my perspective, it is that song that sent Rarara shooting ahead of his peers at that time, and he has never looked back. His unique song and dance have caught on and have effectively dominated the music scene, especially in the northern parts of the country. He has even gotten better with time.

None of his peers would better the Omo Ologo song that eulogises President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is the song that fuses Hausa and Yoruba nuances in a form that renders it danceable and sweet to sing. I have watched the president dance it in his own inimitable fashion. Many governors have been dancing the song at whatever occasion, but I single out the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, as the most ingenious dancer of all. The song is fast becoming an anthem of the party, and I see it featuring prominently in the coming campaigns for the 2027 elections.

Of course, Rarara is a praise singer, but we must admit that most great Hausa singers have been praise singers. Most of the greats used a single instrument. It was the contents of their songs and their delivery that made them special. Ibrahim Narambada and Musa Dan Kwairo used the Kotso drum, Mamman Shata the Kalangu drum, Dan Maraya Jos the Kuntigi lute, Haruna Uji the Gurmi lute and Ahmadu Doka and Hassan Wayam, the Kukuma fiddle. Rarara has taken it to the next level by blending his sonorous voice with contemporary musical instruments, as well as well-choreographed dance sequences featuring girls as backup singers.

Rarara’s best songs now are tinged with a political orientation, leaning more towards the ruling APC and its leaders. We can’t begrudge that. Praise singers would always have their heroes. Narambada had Sarkin Gobir na Isa, Dan Kwairo had Sardauna Mai Dubun Nasara, Shata had Sarkin Daura, and so on. Rarara’s close affinity with the APC leaders is what probably makes him more controversial. As for the hullabaloo surrounding the honorary degree awarded to him, the issue is neither here nor there. Universities, the world over, have given out such honours for all manner of causes as recognition for personal achievements.

Universities in Nigeria have not been left out in that endeavour. Mamman Shata was awarded an honorary doctoral degree by ABU Zaria in 1985, and Dan Maraya Jos was similarly honoured by the University of Jos. LASU and Lead City University also awarded the renowned Juju musician, King Sunny Ade, honorary degrees. Since 2014, Obenezer Obey has been serving as a Professor Emeritus at Olabisi Onabanjo University. However, Victor Uwaifo, who died in 2021 at the age of 80, earned his doctorate through a combination of classroom instruction and research. The guitar maestro whose Akwete music we danced to as secondary school students in the late 1960s combined his music enterprises with academic pursuits. He lectured at the University of Benin and, at one point, held office as Commissioner for Arts, Culture, and Tourism in Edo State.

Perhaps one would advise Rarara Kahutu to put the misadventure of the European-American University honorary degree behind him, return to school, and, like Victor Uwaifo, sweat out towards a more valid doctorate. Rarara, now 39, is still a young man. Victor Uwaifo returned to Uniben at the age of over 50 and worked to earn a BSc, an MSc, and a PhD while continuing to dominate the airwaves as a musician.