FACES OF ISLAM

It was in the month of October 2003, that Abdullahi Ismail, of ANA Niger and then National Assistant Secretary called me and informs me that Mr. Nduka Otiono (ANA National Secretary) has asked him to inform me that I am slated to give reading at the Goethe Institut Lagos. The Goethe Institut will be celebrating a photo exhibition tagged Faces of Islam. The exhibition is on Ethiopian Muslims; they therefore in collaboration with ANA decided to match it with a reading by northern Nigerian authors (presumably because many are Muslims). I was glad to hear about it, but I began to ask myself what am I going to read that will match the occasion? What other details are there. I called Mr. Nduka ha gave me some briefs and said when we meet at the then forthcoming convention of ANA holding at Makurdi he would give more details. I waited until we met at Makurdi, unfortunately, it was an election convention, we are all too busy to talk, and I however saw the news on ANA Review. After the convention, I got my date. Mrs Rachel Attah of Kogi ANA will be attending also to read from her works.

On Saturday morning, November 8, 2003, my younger brother Usman took me to the airport. There I had two options, there were two flights to Lagos each costing Eleven Thousand Naira only, one IRS taking off at 10:00 am, the other Bellview, at 11:00 am. I had travelled with IRS in the past so I opted for Bellview. I went there and paid and waited. While IRS passengers were boarding, I felt like I should have joined that flight. But I have no business in Lagos before 5:00 so I remained till our time. When our plight landed we board and took off.

On the air, I was busy doing my favourite thing, watching the land from the air. It is always an excellent and exiting view how hour houses are well laid, how our farmlands are properly demarcated, the water bodies, the hills and so on. As our altitude increases we pass through the clouds and we move above them. I remembered my Climatology course realising that we have just passed through the troposphere and up to stratosphere where it is safer for flights. I can see the clouds spread as a land with some undulating surface. Far away I can see some hills or mountains of clouds.

We arrived Lagos on time. I was holding only my bag and have not to wit to collect it. When I can out of the arrival hall, Tijjani Abubakar who was my student and supervisee at Bayero was there waiting for me. I was so glad t see him because the problem with Lagos is not arriving, but getting to where you want to be. He was with his cousin Baba who drove us to Goethe Institut at Victoria Island where I was booked to read. There was traffic hold on as usual, but we made it around 2:30 pm, I text Nduka Otiono, ANA national secretary that I have arrived. He replied informing that he was in Ibadan to take Mrs Rachel Attah. That we should meet at 4:00 pm. When I arrived there at the Goethe Institute, at the gate, I saw a banner with Mrs Attah’s name and mine and I said to Tijjani jokingly ‘so I am this important’. There are pamphlets at the reception reading thus:

Goethe-Institut Lagos would like to invite you to a special event in collaboration with the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Exhibition and Readings. On the Road-Faces of Islam-A Photo Exhibition
Readings by Rachael Attah from Kogi State and Yusuf Adamu from Kano State.

None of the officials are there because the activity begins at 4:00pm, so we went to Dolphin Estate (Tijjani’s residence) I prayed and took a bath, rested foe a while. We left Dolphin estate some twenty minutes to four and arrived just on time and as Nduka was arriving, what a coincidence. We greeted and moved to the reception. The director Mr Michael Muller-Verweyen, and Mr Sunday were there to welcome us. Mr Nduka arrived with Mrs Attah and other ANA members from Lagos. We made copies of our submissions and distribute to the participants. We were fully introduced by Mr. Nduka and the director of Goethe Institut gave a background of the exhibition.

Mrs Attah was the first to read her short story. It was as if we arranged that she would be reading prose and I poetry. Her story was a folkloric one about one young man called Aduga who happens to be a son of a woman not so favoured by her husband. He has to pass through many huddles to succeed in the end. One of the huddles was when his father gave him a cock and his brothers hens and ask all to bring eggs after sometime. Aduga was clever enough to realise that the hens could not have made eggs without his cock and therefore used that opportunity by asking his brothers to give him an egg each so that he can allow his cock to meet with their hens, they have no options by to oblige. It was an interesting story that clearly shows her culture, issues of polygamy, favoured and unfavoured wives ad so on and so forth.

After she finished her short story I was asked to read my collection. Among my collections. Earlier I thought of what kind of selections I am going to make at the occasion, which seem to reflect Islam. As a Muslim I know I must have written some poems that may be seen as ‘Islamic’ but I also know in Islam, life itself is all Islamic in as much as poets will see life as poetry. In any case, I have no doubt that my poems will always manifest my Islamic faith, so I made a careful selection that I feel may be relevant and may summarise my poetic works in some sense. When I told Nduka and the director about my deliberate selection, they seemed impressed. The poems are categorised as, Religious, Social, Political, Place, Historical and Personal. However among the poems I was to read was Global Village, for this poem it was a homecoming because it was published in a German English High School text title Across Cultures (2002) published by Cornelsen, Berlin. The poem was published on pages 156-157 in the part three section of the book, which was discussing Globalisation. It may interest readers to reproduce how the poem was presented and the questions raised, at least it would show us how poems are appreciated in another part of the world.





Global Village
Yusuf M Adamu
In this poem Yusuf M Adamu offers his view of the impact of globalisation.
* Before reading, write down what you think the poem might be about based on
- the title (What is a ‘village’? How does the adjective ‘global’ go with it?);
- your knowledge of the topic;
- the poet’s name (Where do you think he comes from?).
* Discuss your notes in class, then save them for your analysis and final evaluation of the poem.

Global village

though we are all human
we are made to be different
by forces beyond our clout

yet they want remake us
in a new image of their choice
in a village too big to be safe

the world they now call
a single village in the globe
with a big brother to match

as long as we are second class
within that large village fashioned
we should not be subjected to
someone’s standards
someone’s culture
someone’s technology
someone’s understanding
someone’s world view
someone’s theories and concepts

they try hard in harder ways
to make us part of that village
but we know we are different
and shall strive to leave outside
that fashioned unsafe village

Read the poem and jot down your first impression of what it is about.
Now look at the style and form of the poem and describe them as precisely as possible. Compare notes with a partner and discuss to what extent your information is of significance for the poem’s central message. Keep your notes and ideas ready for further reference.
with a partner or in groups of three, go through the poem and make notes on the following:
-Who is the speaker? Who might he be speaking to?
-Who/and what is he speaking about? (What key words are there to indicate this?)
-what is the speaker’s attitude towards ‘global village’? (how does his attitude come out in the poem?)
-What development do you see from the first to the last stanza? Look for clues such as similar words and phrases, and echoes within the poem.
-Which aspects of the poem’s form are connected with the overall message (look again at your notes from task2)
Decide as a group what the message of the poem is and write down your conclusions. Compare your conclusions with those of the other groups and discuss in class the overall message and your differing interpretations of it.

I gave most of the participants a photocopy of this and the selections below.

Religious poems

The selection below are considered and presented as ‘purely religious’ poems.

prayer time

when i feel uneasy
worried and confused
inattentive to other things
prayer time has elapsed
i am busy doing something else
the moment i pray
happiness abound in my heart
serenity engulfs my frame
i can do other things now
nothing hinders my way
from then on

faith

smoothness of affairs
freedom from wants and worries
promises of the day break
gives us a peace of mind
but
the conviction
that God exists
gives us permanent peace

9/10/1999



extremes

two extremes in the terrain of
human behaviour lie oblique
on one extreme the beast
on another stupidity
in between lies reasoning

October 11 1999

living in peace

you live in peace
when you are peaceful with yourself

you will live in peace
when your intentions are good

you will live in peace
when you always think good about others

you will live in peace
when everyone his rights you give

you will live in peace
when every trust in your hands is safe

you will live in peace
when other peoples’ business you did not interfere

you will live in peace
when your activities do not harm others

you would indeed live in peace
when you do your job properly

you would certainly live in peace
when you forgive mistakes

you will always be in peace
when you trust in God







Political poems


Saints

A tradition it is becoming
When power is snatched from your hands
When your influence is gone
When you no longer have a say
When you are no longer acting on stage
You are accused of all wrong doings
‘past administration’ you are labelled
Any little mistake is yours

Those in power think they are better
In fact they want to be seen as saints
But saints are made by their actions
Saints never accuse others to hide their weaknesses
Saints are careful not to blow their trumpets

They are judged by prosperity
Never define their sainthood
Their good deeds tell who they are
Those that now call themselves saints
Will not remain as saints when they leave office
Nay they will also be like their predecessor,
sinners!

October 21 1999.

I don’t care
I value my way of life
It is the best life can give
I eat what I want
Wear what I chose
Go to where I wish
Sleep in a nice house
Do whatever I want
Without fear of anyone
For I’m secured

I am rich and beautiful
I am powerful and proud
Tall I stand among others
Why should I care about any one
So long my way of life is protected

I waste a lot no doubt
I consume too much I am sure
But that is because I’m powerful
That’s why others envy me always
That is why I’m the best

Why should I worry about others
It is not my business to care
The way of the rich is not the way of the poor
The lifestyle of the strong does not look the weak’s
Civilization is what I think it is
I should care only about me

Who cares if you are hungry
Or have no roof above your head
Who mind that you are diseased
Or insecure poverty-stricken
Why should I be concerned
If you are oppressed and cheated
I care only about myself
I always feel I’m more civilized
I am a human being but not like you

Shhhhh!
It is a matter of time
The day shall come when
Everyone must care
About every other one
By the dare need to be truly human

January 20, 2002
SOCIAL POEMS
The following poems were presented as poems of our social reality.

Gsm palaver

suddenly it rings
and away its holder
moves trying to catch
the incoming call; hello!, hello!

away by the side
to make conversation inaudible
yet very audible is all said
those left disturbed by loud voice

why move away
when all said is heard?
stay there and talk
let everyone hear!

Pakoto, 18/11/02




career beggars

old, frail, disadvantaged
some of them are
able-bodied and sound
most others are
“for Allah’s sake
for prophet’s sake”
they lobby for alms
as if Allah permitted them
ignorance- misled they think
the prophet also enjoys it
they made a career in begging
despite being fit
their minds are enslaved
by false-belief and ignorance
chained by laziness and broken heart
their minds may never be free
until the society decides to free them

professional beggars

leper
blind
paralysed
amputated
limping
rejected and dejected
their society certified
that they don’t fit in
they took to the streets
with blinded eyes
damaged fingers and toes
amputated fingers and legs
paralysed hands and legs
manifested in each disability
a distinct professionalism

fuel scarcity
long queues
hectic days
frustration
price hike
congestion
time waste
alfarma1
cuwa-cuwa2
fire out-breaks
smuggling
embarrassment
chaos
black market
surface tanks
jerrycans
task force
purchase card
police
military
press war
fuel scarcity
has arrived.

motor cyclist

acaba
okada
kabu-kabu
going
express1
describing the motorcyclist
who emerged
not by design
or scheme
but by necessity
to get employed
to send away idleness
to safeguard dignity
keep together body and soul
maintain family bonds
meet him in cities
meet him in suburbs
even in villages
he has a mental map
can locate whereever you suggest
streets and drives
nook, corners and roads
cannot be mistaken
always in a haste
reckless and speedy
`let’s make the balance,
before the day runs out’
1. acaba, okada, kabu-kabu, going and express refer to commercial motor cyclist.



Place poem

Sokoto

(for Salisu Yakasai)

protected by two arms
of rivers sakkwato and rima
forming base for
islamic reformers and saints
establishing a state
so just
an empire
so vast
a people
so honoured
sakkwato
the city of the shaihu.


Lagos

traffic jams
sky crappers
overhead bridges
area boys
bar beach
beggars
mobile preachers
affluence
destitution
this
is
lagos.

(lagos, oct. 1998)


Historical poem

ancient revolutinary

(for akhenaten, c.1388-c. 1358 BC)

when the then civilised world
was engrossed in polytheism
every man, house, village, city
with its god
every aspect of life
with its god
Ptah, Anubis, Sekhmet, Osiris, Hathor
with Amun-Re, the major god

a child was born
he was deformed,
they said
he was weak,
they said
he was eccentric,
they said
but queen Tiy, his mother knew
his mind must be strong
his psyche great
for one day
he shall be pharaoh

and the day came
amenophis IV became akhenaten
he declared aten, his new god
the god of all egypt, syria and nubia
the boy king declared monotheism
aten was a sole god,
shall be worshipped alone

the boy king refused been called a god
prepared to be seen as a man
he knew, he was only that
he showed love to his family publicly
not as pharaoh should do
he revolutionised art
amarna art, they called it
to his name he added
`ankh em maat’1


the high priests of amun annoyed
sad and determined
to see the end of this new faith
is a must

akhenaten realised
left thebes
established akhetaton
a new abode for aten
propagated his new faith
built more and more temples

they called him a heretic
they called him all sorts of names
in c. 1358 BC
this revolutionary died
akhetaton was abandon
so also aten
thebes welcomed a rebirth
polytheism was strengthened again
but for akhenaten
the glory of monotheism
that appeared on the horizon
shall re-appear again
monotheism became the new faith
for the whole world.



Personal

The Mirror Never Lies

The mirror tells me that
My face is full of valleys and crannies
My chin as bare as the Sahara

As the Sun winked again and again
The moon smiles and grin
The seasons exchanged fortunes

The mirror told me something new
All the valleys and crannies gone
As if it has been different ever since
My chin has turned into a bush

The mirror showed me a total stranger
This morning!

She

She came into my life
After my mind had been conquered
She waited and observed
Patiently, waited and studied
Then she casts her web
Soon I came under her spell

I showered her with my love
I pampered her so much
Held her like an egg
Not even a crazy wind could touch her

Like an occupying force
She had been resisted
By the earlier conqueror
“It is a territory not to encroach”
So said the empress in situ

She carved niches after niches
But they could not expand
Despite my admiration and protection
Will she ever be satisfied?
Or will I ?
I wonder ..
I am confused…

Makurdi (2/11/03)



I read the poems one by one without explanation or any brief on why the poem was written. This is not to pre-empt what the participants would want to say, for I am sure there would be comments and observations and indeed critical criticism, particularly because it is a northern poet presenting in Lagos.
One poem attracted applause even before I finish reading the rounds; that was fuel scarcity. It is one of our social reality and no Nigerian, not even OBJ would disagree with the issues raised.

After I finished my readings, as usual I got applauses and I recognised their applauses by saying (as usual) thank you, thank you… Mr. Nduka came forward and try to say he is vindicated that our presentations are superb, discussable and of interest and relevance.

The time for questions and comments came. All questions were noted and we latter responded. A summary of the questions and comments made are reproduced below. One Mr. Chuks was the first to comment and his comment was that although he agrees with the substance of the poems I read, they are too prosaic and did not tally with the mainstream of Nigerian Poetry.

I responded by also asking (like typical Nigerians) what is Nigerian poetry like and latter explained why my poems are simple and ‘prosaic’ if he thinks they are so arguing that I think many people in Nigeria and elsewhere feel that what I am writing is poetry as my poems have been published in Nigeria by journals like Okike and a review of them in Glendora Literary supplements a part from many anthologies and newspapers. I however stressed that my poems are simple because it is a matter of style and I am writing for the common man, the man on the street. I am not writing for critics or fellow poets. I have the conviction that all should enjoy poetry; the only way that can be achieved is by writing in a simple and accessible language. Many participants seem to like my response and commented in favour of poetry for the common man. Victor Okhai in particular was strongly against obscure poetry and poems that are too loaded just to be seen as poems. Many other young poets supported my style after the reading.

Olayiwola a.k.a Layi a literary columnist, now with Chevron raised the issue of influence, i.e. do religion influences poetry or is it the other way round, in other words he wanted to know whether Islam influences my writings. He latter raised the issue of Almajiri (the beggar) and asked about the cultural significance of the Almajiri and its social nuisances ad ask about the way out.

My response there was that as far as I am concerned, I am a practising Muslim and Islam as my religion actually influences my literary works, in fact it actually guides it. I informed the gathering that there is no way I can separate myself from Islam and that I cannot write anything that would go contrary to Islam. That means many deduced I am not a believer in the concept of Literature should be independent and Art is secular. The discussion even after the formal reading was interesting and rewarding.

On the issue of Almajirai, I told them about its cultural roots and my personal
opinion about it all, I use the three poems earlier presented (almajiri, career beggars and professional beggars) to buttress my points. At least many were able to differentiate between Almajiri (the Qur’anic school pupil) and alamajiri the beggar.

Austen Njoku (ANA National Treasurer) was more captivated by the first poem I read: Global Village. He commented at length about globalisation and its benefits citing examples of myself as a beneficiary of globalisation (otherwise how can I be published and taught in German secondary school?) in the end he asked this important question “Who are the we in the poem?”

I believed that globalisation has benefits, that is, if we view it from the point of view of communication, shrinking the world and making information accessible and cyber communications easier. It is now easy for me in Kano Nigeria to communicate with someone in Iceland or in Mangolia.

However, globalisation is not just about communication, it is about exploitation and domination. The Encarta Encylopaedia defines it as “integration and democratization of the world’s culture, economy, and infrastructure through transnational investment, rapid proliferation of communication and information technologies, and the impacts of free-market forces on local, regional and national economies”. This definition is loaded and meaningful. Globalisation is about ‘one state’ remember George Orwell’s 1984? I explained these to the audience and to their dismay I said, the we means Third World. This was an issue well discussed and everybody now get better information about the notion or concept of globilisation.

Victor Okhai, commented in my defence at two angles, first on globalisation citing the issue of Cowboy diplomacy and asking who determines what is right. On the other hand he argued that simple poems are the best form of poetry, as long as its goal is to communicate. Layi also argued that poetry must be allowed to flow without much complication. Readers enjoy poetry only when they understand what it is saying.

Flora of Comets said the poems are very simply (not simplistic) and raised an observation about American poetry. Here, I agreed with her the my poems are naturally simple for reasons earlier given. I also inform her that while in the United States as a Fulbright Fellow at the School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, I attended poetry sessions and have published in their journals. If our poems are said to be prosaic, the poems I listen to or read in the US may be seen as simply PROSE not even prosaic poems.

This is a summary of the discussions and in the end the irector Goethe Institut and Mr Nduka Otiono thank us and the participants and we went out to drink. There also, a new phase of the discussion starts. I was pasting and there was only Coke and water for me and Tijjani, but there is plenty of beer, the Lagos guys are doing what they know best.

The Director, I found to be a gentle and intellectually sound and seem to be well mannered and cultured. I remember when one of the participants suggests that the photo exhibition should have been that of Nigerian Muslims (northerners of course), the Director’s response impressed me, he argued that exhibiting Ethiopian Muslims and superimposing Nigerian Muslim poetry made the magic. It means that Islam is the same everywhere and that Islamic culture is transnational and across man-made and natural boundaries.

I have to thanks everyone exchange addresses and emails and take my leave. In the afternoon, I left for Kano. I met my younger brother Usman waiting for me at the airport. The Goethe Institiut experience is one experience I will cherish for a long, long time to come. Many thanks to ANA (especially Mr. Nduka) and the Goethe Institut (especially Mr Michael Muller-Verweyen).

FIR'AUNONIN MASAR TA DAURI

Na gabatar da wannan makala a bikin bikin Makon Hausa na Jami'ar Bayero ta Kano ranar, 11/9/2000
GABATARWA
An nemi in gabatar da makala akan Fir’aunonin Masar ta Dauri. Wannan a gaskiya ba karamin aiki ne a gare ni ba. Na farko dai wannan abu ne da ya shafi tarihin wayewar kai mafi tsawo da dadewa a duniya. Ita kuwa Masar ta Dauri gidan tarihi ce. In aka ce za yi lakca akan Masar ta dauri a kullum, za shekara guda ba a kare ba. Don haka, kada a yi tsammani zan iya yin bayani da zai zama mai gamsarwa game da Fir’aunonin Masar ta dauri, zan dai tsakura kadan daga kalilan da na sani game da taken jawabina na yau. Kafin mu shiga harkar bayani akan Fir’aunoni bari mu fara da yin sharar fage akan wasu ‘yan bayanai da suka shafi ita Daular /Daulolin Masar ta Dauri dangane da tarihinta, tsarin rayuwa da addini.

MASAR KYAUTAR NILU
Kufakar kogin Nilu (Nile Valley) na daya daga cikin wurare na farko na wayewar kan dan adam. Masani Herodotus dan kasar Girka, tun lokaci mai tsawo ya kira Masar a matsayin kyautar kogin Nilu saboda dalilai kamar haka; kogin Nilu ne mafi girma a kogunan duniya, tsawonsa ya kai kilomita 6671. Ya taso ne daga tafkin Victoria ya malalo ta Uganda ya biyo ta Sudan sannan ya shigo kasar Masar ya malala ya fada tekun Mediterranean. Idan an dubi Masar za a lura cewa kusan dukanta hamada ne ba don kogin Nilu da ya ratsa ta cikinta ba. Ratsawar kogin Nilu ne ya sa kufadar kogin ta zama mai matukar ni’ima ta fuskar shuke-shuke da noman rani. Duk shekara, mutanen wannan wuri kan dogara ne ga turbaya mai taki da kogin kan amayar ta hanyar yin ambaliya ta yadda bangarorin kogin biyu za su wadatu da taki domin yin noman rani da na damina. Ta haka mazauna wurin ke samun wadatuwar abinci har ma su sayar ga wasu kasashe. Wannan damar ce ta bada samuwar wayewar kai a wurin tun lokaci mai tsawon gaske.

ADDININ MISRAWAN DAURI
Misrawan dauri mutane ne masu addini. Ma’ana suna bin dokokin addinsu sau da kafa. Sai dai su ba mutane masu bautawa Ubangiji guda ba. Suna da iyayen giji da dama, duk da cewa suna daukar shi kansa Fir’auan a matsayin Ubangiji. A kowane babban birni akwai mabautu. Kowane birni na da ubangijinsa, haka kauyuka da gidaje, sai dai akwai ubangijin da kowa yake bi. Wasu daga cikin Iyayen gijin Misrawan dauri sun hada da;
Amun-Ra Ubangiji-Rana
Osiris Ubangijin Matattu
Isis Matar Osiris
Horus [an Osiris
Anubis Ubangijin Jana’iza
Ma’at Uwargijiyar Gaskiya
Thoth Ubangijin Rubutu
Sekhmet Uwargijiyar Yaki.
Ptah Ubangijin Halitta
Mut Uwargijiyar Sama’u kuma uwar Fir’auna
Tunda suna bautar Iyayen giji ne da dama, a wasu lokuta wasu Iyayen giji suna zama muhimmai fiye da wasu. Alal misali Amun ko Amon karamin Ubangiji ne, sai a sabuwar masarauta, bayan an dawo da babban birnin daular Thebes sannan ya zamo muhimmin ubangiji. Lokacin babban birnin yana Memphis babban ubangijin Misrawa a lokacin shi ne Ptah.

MUTUWA DA HISABI
“Jinjina a gareka Ubangijina Osiris! Zan tsira da gangar jikina har abada. Ba zan rube ba, ba zan zama abincin tsutsotsi ba; Ina tabbace, Ina raye, Ina da kuzari na, na tashi cikin salama, kayan cikina ba su rube ba, idanuwa na ba su lalace ba, ba a raba kaina da wuyana ba, gangar jikina za ta tabbata, ba za ta shude ba” Wannan wani bayani ne na karanto maku daga cikin Littafin Matattun (Book of the dead) daya daga cikin manyan bayanan da Masar ta dauri ta bar mana na dangane da yadda Misrawa suka dauki mutuwa. Masu ilmin kufai sun gano cewa a cikin kowane kabari, akwai wasu rubuce-rubuce da ake yi, wadanda manufarsu ita ce ta taimakawa mamaci ya isa lahira cikin nasara. Shi wannan ba saukaken littafi ba ne, a ainihin gaskiya ma masani Lepsius ne ya sawa tattararrun bayanan littafin matattu wanda ya buga a 1842.

Misrawan dauri sun yadda cewa in an mutu za a yi wa mamaci hisabi. Misali, in mutum ya mutu ana kyankyame gawarsa ne domin ya ji dadin yin sabuwar rayuwar lahira. To, bayan an yi bayanan nan na rubutu a kabarinsa wanda ake ganin kamar shine fasfon tafiya, sai kuma a kai ruhin mutum wurin da zai yi bayanin ayyukan da ya yi a rayuwar duniya. Misali mutum zai yi bayani kamar haka “ban tauye ma’auni ba, ban hana jariri shan mama ba, ban karkatar da hanyar ruwa ba, ban tauye hakkin maraya ba, ban kashe kowa ba..” da sauransu. Daga nan sai a dauko zuciyar mamaci a sa ta a sikeli. A hannu guda na sikelin kuma sai a sanya gashin kaza ko na agwawa ko wani tsuntsu a auna. Idan gashin ya rinjayi zuciyar mutum, to ya haye kenan, in kuwa zuciyar mutum ta rinjayi gashin nan to mutum ya kade har ganyensa kenan.

SARAUTAR FIR’AUNA
Da farko ya dace mu gano asalin kalmar Fir’auna. Daga ina ta samo asali, kuma me take nufi. To ita dai kalmar Fir’auna ta samo tushe ne daga harshen Misrawan dauri. Ita dai kalmar Fir’auna da (Ingilishi Pharaoh) tana nufin ‘babban gida’ da harshen Misrancin Dauri. A dauri ana amfani da kalmar ne domin bayyan fadar Mai sarautar Misrawa. An fara amfani da kalmar ne domin kiran Masu Sarauta daga wajajen 1400BC. Ta kokarin kiran dan sarauta dan babban gida shi ne har kalmar ta juye ta zama taken sarauta. A tsarin addininsu, Fir’auna an dauke shi a matsayin dan Osiris, daya daga cikin Iyayen gijinsu. Yana mulki ne a duniya a matsayin wakilin Osiris da sauran iyayen gijin Misrawa. Saboda haka, shi ne shugaban addini da kuma mayaka. A wasu lokuta ma ana daukar Fir’auna a matsayin wani dan karamin ubangiji tunda shi wakilin Osiris ne. Daga cikin fitattun Fir’aunonin da aka yi sun hada da Khufu da Zoser (Djoser) da Thutmose I da Thutmose II da Akhanaten da Ramses II, da kuma Fir’auniya Hatshepsut. Za mu yi bayani akan wasu daga cikin wadannan Fir’aunoni.
Mai Sarauta na farko da za a iya cewa shi ne ya kafa daular Masar ta Dauri shi ne Menes ko Nermer. Shi Menes shi ne ya hade garuruwan dake Kudancin kufadar kogin Nilu da kuma na Arewacin kogin Nilu. Ga jerin Gidajen Sarauta da kuma sunayen wasu daga cikin Fir’aunonin da aka yi a Masar daga gabanin samuwar Masarautu zuwa zamanin Girkawa da Rumawa.
ZAMANIN MULKIN FIR’AUNONIN MASAR
Kafin samuwar Masarautu Kafin 3150 BC
Masaurautun farko-farko 3150BC-2686BC Gidajen Sarauta I -2
Tsohuwar Masarauta 2686-2181BC Gidajen Sarauta 3 - 6
Tsaka-tsaki na farko 2181-2040BC Gidajen Sarauta 6 – 11
Masarauta ta Tsakiya 2040-1782BC Gidajen Sarauta 11-13
Tsaka-tsaki na biyu 1782-1570BC Gidajen Sarauta 13-17
Sabuwar Masarauta 1570-1070BC Gidajen Sarauta 18-20
1570-1293BC Gidajen Sarauta 28
1570-1546 Ahmose
1551-1524 Amenophis I
1524-1518 Tuthmosis I
1518-1504 Tuthmosis II
1504-1450 Tuthmosis III
1498-1483 Hatshepsut
1453-1419 Amenophis II
1419-1386 Tuthmosis IV
1386-1349 Amenophis III
1350-1334 Amenophis IV(Akhanaten)
1336-1334 Smenkhkare
1334-1325 Tutankhamun
1325-1321 Ay
1321-1293 Horemheb
1293-1185 Gidan Sarauta na 21
1293-1291 Ramesses I
1291-1278 Seti I
1279-1212 Ramesses II
1235-1224 Merneptah
1185-1070 Gidan Sarauta na 20
1182-1151 Ramesses III
Tsaka-tsaki na uku 1070-664BC Gidajen Sarauta na 21-25
Masarautun karshe-karshe 664-332 BC Gidajen Sarauta na 26-31
Zamanin Girkawa-Rumawa 332BC-395AD Gidajen Sarauta na 26-31
(Sarakunan Talamawa –Ptelemies da na Rum)

FIR’AUNA KHUFU DA ZOSER
Yanzu kuma sai gabatar da bayani akan wasu daga cikin wadannan Fir’aunoni da suka gabata. Dole ne mu ambaci Fir’auna Khufu da Zoser koda a gurguje ne domin kuwa sune suka gina Dalar Dutse da aka ce yana daga cikin manyan abubuwan mamaki na duniyar dauri guda bakwai. Wadannan Fir’aunoni na farko sune suka gina manyan abubuwan tarihi da har yanzu muke takama da su a matsayin kayan tarihi. Dalar Dutse da Mutum-Zaki (Sphinx) abubuwa ne na ban al’ajabi. Misali Dalar-Dutsen da suka gina takai kafa479 a tsawo, ta kunshi a kalla bulo (wanda kowane ya kai ton 2) guda 2,300,000. Herodotus, masanin Labarin {asa da Tarihi dan kasar Girka ya ruwaito cewa, sai da mutane 100,000 suka yi shekaru ashirin suna gina shi. Tirkashi, har yanzu abin da daure kai, domin an kasa gano yadda aka gina su. Shi kuma Mutum-Zaki (watau Sphinx) ya kai kafa 66 a tsaye, tsawonsa kafa 189.
Zanen Dutse mai nuna Khufu na karya makiyansa
FIR’AUNA AKHANATEN
Babban dalilin da ya sa na zabi in kawo bayani akan wannan Fir’auna shi ne, domin ya bambanta da saura. A baya mun gaya maku cewa, Misrawa na bautawa Iyayen giji da dama, babba a cikinsu kuwa shi ne Amun-Re. Fir’auna Amenophis III, shi ne mahaifin Fir’auna Amenophis IV. Mahaifiyar Amenophis IV kuma Sarauniyar Amenophis III sunanta Tiye. Amenophis III Basarake ne wanda ya yi fice ya kuma yi suna ta fuskar jarumtaka da mulki.

Lokacin da Amenophis IV yana yaro, watau yana dan Sarki kenan, bai taso tamkar sauran ‘yan Sarki ba. Maimakon ya maida hankali wurin koyon dabarun yaki da kuma sauran al’amura na jarumtaka da mulki, shi ya fi damuwa ne da wasu abubuwa na dabam. Misali shi ya fi damuwa da halittun Ubangiji madaukaki. Ya fi damuwa da kallon Dinya da Agwagin ruwa ko kifaye. Ya fi damuwa da kallon fitowar rana da faduwarta. Da sauran abubuwa na halitta.

A wannan lokaci, manyan malaman addini na Masar wadanda ke zaune a birnin Thebes sun kasaita matukar gaske. Tun farkon farawar Sabuwar Masaurauta, su wadannan malamai kan sami dukiya mai yawa daga masu sarauta da kuma mutanen gari. Saboda haka, sai suka fara zama barazana ga Fir’auna Amenophis III. Wannan ya sa a lokacin ya fara tunanin yaya zai yi ya rage masu karfi. Ta haka ne ya fara gina manyan Mutum-mutumansa wadanda daga bisani ya fara jan hankalin a rika bauta musu. Ta haka kenan ya fara janye mabiya Amun-Re kenan. A Birnin Thebes bautar Fir’auna ta fara karbuwa sosai haka a kudancin Masar.

Lokacin da Amenophis IV ya zama Sarki, ya gaji mahaifinsa Amenophis III, sai ya fara nuna alamun yana da ra’ayin wani Ubangiji da ake kira Aten. Shi wannan Ubangiji ba shi da mabiya da yawa. A takaice ma dai, ba a damu da bin wannan Ubangiji Aten ba. Ana cikin haka sai ya far a nisanta kansa daga bautar Ubangiji Amun (Amun-Re). Daga nan sai ya gina Mabautar Aten a Birnin Karnak, Sarauniya kuma Uwa Tiye ta rika tausawa danta domin lura da cewa shi mutum ne wanda bai damu da duniya ba, kuma ga alama ba zai iya yin mulki yadda ya kamata ba, ta hanyar yin amfani da karfin tuwo. Ba a tabbatar da cewa ko ta goyi bayansa ba bayan ya bayyana sabon ra’ayinsa na jaddada addinin Aten.

A takaice dai sai ya bayyanawa Misrawa cewa ya sauya sunansa daga Amunophis zuwa Akhanaten. Wanna sabon suna ya warware shi daga bautar Amun gaba daya ya kuma lika shi da bautar Aten. Ma’anar sabon sunansa shine Aten ya wadatu da ni. To daga nan ne ya fara bayyana cewa Misrawa su daina bautar Iyayen giji barkatai. Su bautawa sabon Ubangijinsa watau Aten. A cewarsa Aten shi kadai za a bautawa kuma ba za a wakiltar da siffarsa ta hanyar gunkin mutum ko dabba ba. Shi kuma Akhanaten ba za a kira shi ko a bauta masa a matsayin Ubangiji ba. Duk wannan abu da ake yi mabiya Amun-Re ba su jin dadi. Don haka sai suka fara shirya masa makarkashiya. Wannan ne ya sa ya yi hijira daga Thebes zuwa wani wuri tsakanin ta da Memphis (wani babban birni a Masar ta dauri). A daidai wannan lokaci ne ya auri wata mata mai suna Nafertiti, ba a da tabbacin ko ita wacece ko ‘yar wacece, sai dai ana kyautata zaton cewa kila ‘yar sarauta ce ita ma. Nafertiti ta yi imani da wannan sabon addini na mijinta ta kuma ba shi cikakken goyon baya.
Surar matar Akhenaten Nefertiti
A cikin shekar sa ta shida ne a kan karaga ya tafi wurin da zai gina sabon birninsa wanda ya kira Birnin Ubangiji. A dai-dai inda ya tsaya don kafa wannan sabon birni, ba komai face wasu ‘yan gidajen da talakawa ke zaune ciki bakin gabar kogin Nilu. Akhanaten da kansa ya ce game da wurin “Na sami wannan wuri da bamallakar kowa ba, ba na wani Ubangiji ko Uwargijiya ba ne, ba na wani yarima ko gimbiya ba ne, ba wanda zai ce nasa ne” Ya kwana a tantinsa, da safe ya fito ya shata iyacin inda birnin zai tsaya, ya kuma sa masa suna watau AKHATATEN ma’ana Birnin Aten. Sannan ya yi bauta ga Ubangijinsa, bayan nan sai ya cewa wadanda suke biye da shi “ Aten Ubangiji ne, shi ne ya umarce ni da in gina wannan birni” sannan ya ci gaba “Ga ubangiji na Aten zan gina wuraren bauta”

Bayan shekara biyu aka kamala ginin Akhataten suka dawo tare da iyalinsa da mabiyansa. Bayanan da aka samu sun nuna cewa, wasu sun biyo shi ne domin sun yi imani da shi, wasu kuma don su sami abin duniya suka yi kaura tare da shi. Imaninsa da gaskiya watau Maat ya bambanta da na sauran Fir’aunoni da suka gabace shi. Ga Akhanaten, Maat ba kawai tana nufin gaskiya tsurarta ba ne kawai, a’a, in an ce Maat, ana nufin ne aikata gaskiya, barin munafunci da annamimanci, bayyan abubuwa a yadda suke. Wannan sabuwar manufa ta shafi yadda ake tafiyar da rayuwar yau da kullum ta wancan zamani. Ga kadan daga cikin yadda yake yabon Ubangijinsa Aten. (daga cikin rubuce-rubucensa)

Ayyukanka suna da yawa matuka
Ya ubangiji tilo, babu wani tamkar sa
Kai ka hallici duniya yadda ka so
Da kai kadai ne tilo,
Duk mutum, duka dabbobi na gida da na dawa
Duk hallitta mai tafiya bias dugaduganta
Duk abubuwan dake sama da halittu masu fiffika suna tashi
(shi Ya halicce su)

Kai ka halicci kasashe har da kasar Masar
Ka ajiye kowane mutum a wuri nasa daban
Al’umomi suna harsuna da-ban daban
Siffarsu ta jiki da launi sun banbanta
Domin ka banbance tsakaninsu.

Ya haifi diya mata kamar su Merytaten da Meketaten da Ankhhesenaten, sai dai bai haifi namiji ba.

Mabiya Iyayen giji da yawa sun ci gaba da shirya masa kulle-kulle da har daga baya dai ya sami baraka da matarsa suka rabu. Daga bisani ya zabi mijin diyarsa Makataten watau Samenkhkare ya zamar masa waziri. Da ga bisani dai ba za a iya cewa ga yadda ya kare ba. To amma bayan fakuwarsa Semenkhkare ya zama Sarki. Bayan ya zama sarki sai ya bar Akhataten ya koma Thebes. Shi ma daga nan ba a san yadda ya kare ba. Tutankhaten wanda shi ma surukin Akhanaten ne shi aka nada sabon sarki, sai dai yana yaro sosai. Don haka, Ay wani babban kwamadan Akhanaten kuma mai bin addininsa shi ke mulki. Tutankhaten wanda ya maida sunansa Tutankhamun, bai dade yana kan sarauta ya mutu yana dan shekara 18. Don haka Ay ya haye karagar mulki. Shi ma saboda tsufa bai dade ba ya mutu. Daga nan sai sarauta ta fada hannun Horembeb, wani babban kwamandan Masar.

Horembeb ya tabbatar da cewa an koma kan tafarkin addini da ake bi kaka-da kakanni. Da yake soja ne, sai ya dora kasar akan tsarin mulki irin na soja. Ya fara mulkin kama karya da gallazawa talakawa, tare da hukunce-hukunce marasa tausasawa. Kamar guture hancin mutum in ya karya dokar kasa. Ya sa aka goge duk inda sunan Aten ko Akhanaten ya fito a Masar saboda a manta da shi har abada. A shekarar 1320BC ya mutu, daga nan Gidan Sarauta na 18 ya zo karshe. Horembeb ba shi da magaji, saboda haka sai sarauta ta fada hannun wani mayakinsa mai suna Paramesses. Wannan shi ne kakan kakan Fir’aunan Annabi Musa (AS). Ya cire Pa daga sunansa ya koma Remesses I.

FIR’AUNA REMESSES II
Ramesses II dai shi ne wanda ake kyautata zatin cewa shi ne Fir’aunan da ya yi zamani da Annabi Musa (AS), wanda Allah Ya fadi tarihinsa a cikin Alkur’ani, littafin Allah mai tsarki. Kodayake masana irin su Maurice Bucaille suna ganin Merneptah ne ba Ramesses II ba. Saboda haka, ra’ayi ya banbanta ko tskanin Ramesses II da Merenptah wanene Fir’aunan Annabi Musa (AS). Wasu masanan Masar tadauri na ganin cewa Annabi Musa (AS) ya yi yayi da Remesses II ya kuma yi yayi da Merenmptah, wasu kuma na ganin dai-dai lokacin da Yahudawa suka yi kaura daga Masar suka bi ta kogin Maliya, Merneptah ne ke kan karagar mulki. Sai dai ba bu cikakken bayani akan shi Merneptah kamar yadda ake da bayani akan Remesses II. To, kowane ne dai daga cikinsu Fir’aunan Annabi Musa (AS) Allah ne Ya fi tokowa sani. To amma dai duka gawawwakin na su suna nan, don haka, alkawarin Allah Ya cika kenan. A duba shafi na gaba domin ganin kyamkyamammun gawarwakin Remesses II da Merneptah
Idan mun dauka Remesses ne Fir’aunan annabi Musa (AS) to, kusan duk mai bin addinin Muslunci ko na Kiristanci ko Yahudu ya karanta a cikin littafinsu yadda Allah Ya bada labarin kafircin Fir’auna Remesses II. Saboda haka, ba za mu yi wani dogon bayani ba illa dan tsokaci. Shi dai Remesses II da ne ga Seti I wanda shi kuma da ne ga Remesses I. Remesses I da sunansa Paramesses wanda asali ba jinin sarauta ba ne. Shi soja ne wanda ya gaji mulki Misra daga hannun Fir’auna Horembeb. Ya yi yake-yake da gine-gine manya katafarai. A takaice dai za a iya cewa yana daya cikin manyan masu mulki da Masar ta dauri ta taba yi. Cikin katafaraen gine-gine da yayi, ana daukar babban dakin nan da girmansa ya kai murabba’in kafa 5800 kuma an yi masa rufi tsaf. A yau da yake a bude, in ka shiga ka ce a wani sararin daji kake. Har yau in ka ie Karnak da Abu Simbel za ka ga wasu daga cikin maka-makan gine-gine da ya yi. Cikin manyan matansa akwai Nefertari da Manefrure. Ya kuma auri uwarsa ya kuma
aure diyansa mata guda uk`u. diyansa sun kai 150, dansa na 13 ne ya gaje shi shi. Sunansa Merneptah.
A shekarar 1881 aka gane kyankyamammun gawarwakin wasu fitattun sarakunan Masar ta dauri na Sabuwar Masarauta a wani wuri da yanzu akan kira Kufadar Sarakuna watau Valley of the kings. Cikin gawarwakin har da ta Fir’auna Remesses II, saura sune Seti I da Ramesses I da Ahmose I da Amenhotep I da Thutmose I da Thutmose II da kuma Thutmose III. Duka sai aka kai su gidan adana kayan tarihi na Masar. A cikin shekarar 1912 Masanin Masar ta dauri Eliot Smith dan kasar Ingila, ya fahimci cewa wata cuta ta kama gawar Remesses II saboda haka aka fara kokarin tsayar da kwayar cutar dake neman bata gawar. A cikin shekarar 1976 aka dauki gawar zuwa kasar Faransa don kyautata ta. Wannan shi ne karo na farko da gawar wani Fir’auna ta bar Masar. Da aka sauka da gawar a filin jirgin saman Orly, sai hukumomin Faransa suka yi mata tarba irin wadda ake yi wa Shugabannin {asashe har da shimfida jar darduma. Gawar Fir’auna Remesses II ta yi shekaru 3200 da binnewa, saboda haka ta fara fita daga hayyacinta. Don haka ne aka sa likitoci da masana kimiyya guda 102 karkashin Farfesa Lionel Balout suka yi watanni bakwai suna aiki akan gawar. Bayan an gyatta ta sai aka maido ta Masar. Ai alkawarin Allah ba ya tashi.
KAMMALAWA
A wurin kammalawa, ina ganin zai yi kyau in yi bayani a takaice bisa yadda ilmin Masar ta dauri ya iso mana. A nan ya kamata a fahimta cewa hanya ta farko ita ce ta Saukakkun Litttatafai kamar Al-qur’ani mai tsarki. Hanya ta biyu ita ce ta hanyar abubuwan tarihi da su Misrawan suka bar mana. Sai kuma hanya ta uku wadda ita ce ta bada cikakken bayani akan tarihin wayewar kan Masar ta dauri na tsawon shekaru dubu biyar zuwa bakwai. Wannan ita ce ta hanyar iya karanta, da fahimta da kuma fassara rubutunsu na dauri. A nan ya kyautu mu koma mu yi godiya ga masana na baya da suka yi kokarin gano sihirin rubutun misrawan dauri, irin su Nicolas Claude Fabri da Athanasius Kircher da Bernard Montfaucon da Jean-jacques Barthelemy da Antione Isaac Silvetre. To amma mutum daya da za mu fi yi wa godiya shi ne dan kasar Faransa Jean-Francois Champollion wanda ya shekara 30 yana kokarin warware zaren ya kuma warware shi a karshe. Sai kuma masanan Masar ta dauri da dama da suka yi bincike da rubuce rubuce a kan Wayewar kan Masar ta dauri irin su Manetho da Herodotus da Lepsius da Maspero da Marriette da Carter da Cheik Anta-Diop da su Gardiner da sauransu. Babu shakka, ba dominsu ba, da sai mu ce sai dai a yi kame-kame da shaci-fadi.

To, babban abin burgewa da Masar ta dauri ta barwa ‘yan baya shi ne gine-gine. Duk da cewa su gine-ginen duwatsu suka yi, za mu iya cewa Misrawan dauri da na yau sun yi kokarin adana kayan tarihinsu, ba domin haka ba, da babu abin da zai rayu har mu ‘yan baya mu zo mu gane shi mu kuma karu da shi. Don haka, kenan ya zama wajibi ga kowace irin wayewar kai ta adana kayan tarihinta domin ‘yan baya. Wannan ne ya sa na ga ya dace in nuna bakin cikina game da yadda mu a kasar Hausa muke yin watsi tare da fatali da kayan mu na tarihi. Yanzu ku duba badalar Kano. Duk da cewa an gina ta ne lokacin sarakunan Habe, da jahadi ya zo karkashin Fulani, ba su rusa ta ba. Da Turawa suka zo, ba su rusa ta ba. Amma bayan Turawa sun tafi, gata nan ta zama abin tausayi. Na tabbata nan da ‘yan shekaru ba za sami ko kufai na badala ba (sai shaguna?). Don haka, ina ganin lokaci ya yi da mutanen Kano za su fara wani motsi ko rugugi babba na gani cewa an tada badalar Kano. Kada ku ji komai, za a iya. Ku kuma daliban Jami’a, hakkin ku ne ku wayar da kan jama’a akan wannan harkar. Zan dakata anan sai kuma in mun sami wata dama za mu dora. Na gode kwarai da kuka zo kuka saurare ni.