Recently, when a University in the Republic of Benin CEGT decided to honour Kano famous Hausa singer, Aminu Ladan Abubakar alias Alan Waka, he confided privately in some of his close friends including his immediate family that the recent successes he is recording in life are beginning to frighten him because it is either his end is near or the sky is the beginning of more successes to come his way.
Then a week later, Dr Aminu Ala was approached by prominent sons and daughters of Zazzau to compose a song for the newly appointed Emir there, Ambassador Ahmad Bamalli to douse an expected crisis that Zaria may witness because the appointment did not go down well with the majority of people of the area. Aminu Ala promptly composed and release a song that virtually sent the people of the emirate jubilating and celebrating by putting what happened as the act of God.
Then, recently again, a powerful delegation from the Gobir Kingdom from Sokoto State was dispatched to convey an appointment letter to Dr Aminu Ala Abubakar as the new Dan Buram of Gobir Kingdom, Aminu Ala who had since received this prestigious appointment had an interview with Neptune Prime’s correspondent, Saleh Inuwa recently in Kano later where he talked about his life, family, future plans, challenges including his enemies.
Excerpts of the interview
Neptune Prime: When CEGT University of Benin honoured you with a Doctorate Degree, you were quoted as saying that your recent successes are giving you sleepless night, now comes another big honour to your credits, what will you say this time around?
Aminu: The awards are just coming my way almost on daily basis, I can now tell you authoritatively that it is a good omen because since I composed my famous song for Late Dr Ado Bayero “SAN KANO” awards continued to come my way uninterrupted as such, I have now passed the level of fear but into the level of celebration. I have become an icon in my own field of Hausa Music and the sky is the beginning of my successes, not the limit.
NP: There was this report that some members of your family resisted your earlier plan to be a singer, but as God may have it, you later had your way, tell us what happened?
Aminu: Yes, it’s very true, I am even surprised how you know this, I have a sister that does not want me to be a singer because as far as she is concerned, it is not a good profession, but one day in their Islamiya school, their teacher gave them a lecture on local musicians and specifically mentioned me by saying that my type of music is aimed at promoting our culture, our religion and general enlightenment as such, people should patronize my type of music, since that day, my sister had dropped her resistance and today, I am so successful in my chosen career that she is one of the beneficiaries of my songs, long laughter.
NP: There are those that cannot situate your state of origin, who is Dr Aminu Ala Abubakar?
Aminu: Well, my parents are from Jega, the present Kebbi State but I was born and brought up in Kano and I still live in Kano and will continue to be in Kano Insha Allah, I have about 13 children with the eldest daughter already in the University, I have 3 wives ready to take the fourth one, maybe before this your interview is out, I might have taken the fourth wife. I have a house in Kaduna where one of my wives is staying because I have business connections in Kaduna too, but you know our profession, we have lots of enemies, disgruntled elements have been disturbing my house in Kaduna, so I may relocate my wife there back to Kano, educationally, I have a diploma in Printing Technology, from Kano State School of Technology, I am planning to go for my degree programme in one of the neighbouring universities.
NP: It is difficult to separate Aminu Ala from Fati Niger, Maryam Baba, Murja Baba, and what have you, is your group still intact?
Aminu: For a very long time, we operated like one family, but you know they are women and can easily get married and drop out of the group, Maryam Baba is happily married now, but I won’t say she is not part of us, Fati Niger is still very much around and Murja Baba also, but I have several backup singers so my team will always remain formidable.
NP: Tell us your most cherished moments in life?
Aminu: I can hardly enumerate them, but I can tell you that apart from the doctorate degree bestowed on me by CEGT University of Benin, I was honoured by ABU Zaria, FCE, Kano, the Dutse Emirate Council that appointed me King of Dutse Emirate Council Musicians, I am the Dan Amanar Bichi which was given to me by the former Emir Dr Aminu Ado Bayero who is now the Emir of Kano. I have series of awards which it will take us a very long period to name all of them but all in all, I think I am the most honoured Hausa Musician of our time, I have beaten the records of Late Dr Mamman Shata, Dan Lami Jos, Adamu Dan Maraya, Dan Kwairo, Dan Anachi, and many others as such, I have stopped counting my laurels because as God my have it, they are always coming my way.
NP: How rich is Aminu Ala?
Aminu: Well, I ride the best cars of my choice, I am very comfortable in life, I take very good care of my family, my children go to the best schools, I live in my own houses, I built a house for my mother, and my sister, my wives are getting the best from me, I go for lesser hajj or Hajj anytime I want, and I have also sponsored my family to the Holy Land, so basically I will say I am very grateful to God.
NP: You were once sent to prison on the orders of former Bauchi State Governor, Malam Isa Yaguda, tell us what happened?
Aminu: It’s true, it was unfortunate really because we composed a song in group and I was invited to Bauchi by the Governor’s wife where she pleaded that we should delay the release of the album until her husband returned from Lagos, that was agreed but some of my colleagues in Kano thought the Bauchi Governor’s wife gave me lots of money so they betrayed me and released the album which supposed to be on embargo through downloaders and radio boys, and when I arrived Kano, I was invited by the security and later sent to prison for a day. That incident made me release series of songs called “SHAHARA” and instead of affecting my career, what my enemies did has promoted my image to no limit, so I have no regrets.
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