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Abdulkadir Sani et al.; Sch. J. Arts. Humanit. Soc. Sci., November 2015; 3(8A):1306-1310 Scholars Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences ISSN 2347-5374 (Online) Sch. J. Arts Humanit. Soc. Sci. 2015; 3(8A):1306-1310 ISSN 2347-9493 (Print) ©Scholars Academic and Scientific Publishers (SAS Publishers) (An International Publisher for Academic and Scientific Resources) Significant Features in the Elegies Composed by Selected Poets of Gusau City, in the Second Half of Twentieth Century, A.D Dr. Abdulkadir Sani, Dr. Nasiru Ahmad Sokoto Department of Arabic, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria. *Corresponding Author: Dr. Abdulkadir Sani Email: [email protected] Abstract: The paper will be an effort to study and analyze significant features in the elegies composed by selected poets of Gusau city, in the second half of twentieth century A.D., which will be divided into sub – headings, such as: brief history of the city, selected poets of elegy in the city, significant features in their elegies, conclusion and endnote. Keywords: poets, Gusau city, elegy Introduction misunderstanding between him (Sambo) and the rulers Effort has been made in this paper to study and of the city[3]. analyze significant features in the elegies composed by selected poets of Gusau Town, in the second half of Historically the cities of “Yandoto and Gusau twentieth century A.D. and many other towns and villagies were under KatsinaKingdom, with the name: western Katsina, or The paper is divided into sub – headings, Katsina Laka, which means the muddy area of which include; brief history of Gusau city, selected Katsina.But with the establishment of Sokoto Caliphate poets of elegy in Gusau, significant features in their which conquered all cities of enemies, including the city elegies, conclusion and endnote. of “Yandoto, the Katsina kingdom was divided into two; the eastern part, with Umar Dallaje as a leader, and The significant features include the use of Sufi the western part, with Muhammadu Sambo as a leader order technical words, mentioning the deceased’s who took his new city of Gusau as the headquaters of efforts in dissemination the Sufi order, encouraging his new emirate[4]. But in the process of jihad and fellow brothers to adhere to rules of Sufi order, prayer expanding the circle of the caliphate, he left the city of for the deceased, make inanimate objects to cry upon Gusau and moved fromvillage to another in the area, the deceased, description of the deceased with excellent putting them under the caliphate’s loyalty, until he died virtues, condoling deceased’s family, friends and in the year 1827 A.D. in Wonaka village, which was neighbors, mentioning deceased’s students, children and established by him[5]. wives, mentioning date of the death, time, and place, mentioning the poet’s name by himself at the end of the His son Abdulkadir, who succeed his father poem, and the poet prayer for himself, his family and stayed in the village with his followers for the period of the rest of Muslims. thirty three years before he migrated to Rawayya, a nearby village in the year 1860 A.D., for the fear of Brief history of Gusau Town heavy attack by the King of Maradi. After two years he The city of Gusau is currently the capital city decided to move back to his father’s ancient city Gusau. of Zamfara state in northern Nigeria, which issituated That was in the year 1862 A.D., during the reign of along Sokoto to Zaria road the distance between Sokoto Amirul – Muminina Ahmad Atiku (1859 – 1866 to Gusau is 210 kmwhile between Gusau to Zaria is 176 A.D.)[6]. This settlement was regarded by historians as km. The city was among the cities that were established the real one, since without it Gusau would only be on during the jihad of Shiekh Usmanu Dan Fodiyo, under historical books. the leadership of one of the Danfodiyo’s companions; Muhammadu Sambo Dan Ashafa, in 1799 A.D[1] who Selected poets of elegy in Gusau migrated from the ancient city of “Yandoto[2], with the The elegy means to cry over the deceased and advice of Shiekh Usmanu Dan Fodiyo to do so, due to show One’s grievances and sadness over his death for the relationship between the poet and the deceased, like Available Online: http://saspjournals.com/sjahss 1306 Abdulkadir Sani et al.; Sch. J. Arts. Humanit. Soc. Sci., November 2015; 3(8A):1306-1310 son and father, student and teacher, and between friends or lovers. The death of any one of the two would Where are Qutub and definitely shock the other to the level of crying and another Qutub after them composing elegy on him, if he is a poet. By putting the Where is saqi (the sufi order above definition and description into consideration, it is thirst quencher) who came not surprising for Gusau poet to have this type of poem before them spreading among them, for two reasons: The poet used the above verse insolace, that is The first reason is that; most of the poets in to call others to bear the loss, by reminding them that Gusau, if not all, are adherents of Sufi order; many prominent scholars who were considered as Tijjaniyyah or Qadiriyyah sects, whom were known Qutubs, that is the pole or magnate to the stability of the among Muslims with love and respect to their spiritual world have died. So everybody should bear in mind that teachers, it is very rear to have a poet in Gusau without dearth has no exception. composing eulogy to his academic or spiritual teacher, The poet also said: while alive, or compose elegy on him after his death. By doing this, they were imitating the great Shiekhs of The people of Gusau had loss a great the Sufi order they adhered to, like Shiekh Ibrahim light of Qutub, Inyass (R.A), who composed many poems of The good leader and the Sun of his panegyrics, that is eulogy to the Prophet Muhammad time (P.B.U.H.). Ustaz Muhammadu Mahi Amin Gusau also The second reason is that; the art of Arabic had similar expression in his elegy on his spiritual poetry goes direct to reader or listener’s heart.That is teacher Shiekh Muhammadu Balarabe Gusau when he why they share the same feeling with the poet in said: sadness or joy.This shows that, the process of composing poem is not a simplejob, it is “God given” (Shiekh Muhammadu Balarabe) was which He gives to the selected ones among His the secret of servants, even though, it needs a poet to be well verse in The Gaus [10] (the world aider of his Arabic studies, very wide reading of Arabic books and time); speaks the language fluently. This is what Gusau poets Ibrahim Inyass, my beloved one distinguishedbeing adherents of the Sufi order, which I pray to Almighty Allah to see him in has many academic programs in Arabic. any way. It is very difficult to mention all of the poets in Mentioning the deceased’s efforts in Gusau who participated in the race of composing poems dissemination the Sufi order, as mentioned by Shiekh especially the art of elegy, therefore, the elegies of the Muhammadu Balarabe in his elegy on Shiekh Musa following six prominent poets would be cited in the Madugu, when he said: studies, they are: You provided a place for us where we 1. Shiekh Muhammadu Balarabe Gusau (1918 – 1987) say our daily zikir[11], 2. Shiekh Qadhy Abdulkadir Sani Gusau (1927 – 1999) May Allah rewords you abundantly, 3.Shiekh Muhammadu Mukhtar Danbara Gusau (1950 – You tried your best in propagating Date) Tijjaniyyah sufi order 4.Ustaz Abdullahi Tafkitara Gusau (1962 – Date) You are known in Gusau as the 5.Ustaz Muhammadu Mahi Amin Gusau (1967 – Date) reviver of the sect. 6. Ustaz Muhammadu Mustapha Balarabe Gusau (1972 – Date) Shiekh Muhammadu Mukhtar Danbara Gusau also has similar expression in his elegy on his mentor Significant features in their elegies Shiekh Malam Lauwali, when he said: The use of Sufi order technical words We have mentioned above that, most of the Shiekh Lauwali was very diligent in poets in Gusau city, if not all, are adherents of performing Tijjaniyyah or Qadiriyyah Sufi order, so,it is not religious obligations andadherence to surprising to find them using Sufi order technical words the sects’ rules. in their elegies, such as: el-Gaus[7] (relief or aid), el- Qutub[8] (the pole or magnate), el-Karamah,el-Wali, el- Encouraging fellow brothers to adhere to rules of Sufi Faidha, el-Tariqa, Saqi[9], el-Ma’ani, etc., as used by order, as Sheikh Balarabe did, when he said: Shiekh Muhammadu Balarabe Gusau in his elegy on his spiritual teacher Shiekh Musa Madugu, when he said: Oh you my fellow brothers arise Available Online: http://saspjournals.com/sjahss 1307 Abdulkadir Sani et al.; Sch. J. Arts. Humanit. Soc. Sci., November 2015; 3(8A):1306-1310 So as to follow the footsteps Who always seek refuge to of Shiekh Tijjani Allah. To be diligent in performing He was a Piet, a pure and the sects’ obligations neat, a leader, We should try our best to A pious, a sedate, a brave, adhere to the rules of the Who would be compared sect with none. In order to get rewords in hereafter. Condoling deceased’s family, friends and neighbors. The condolence can be found in all of their elegies, such Prayer for the deceased, as said by Shiekh Balarabe: as what Shiekh Muhammadu Mukhtar Danbara said in his elegy on Shiekh Lauwali Jega: Oh Musa may Allah reword youwith paradise, I extend my condolence to Together with Shiekh Ahmad people of Jega and others, Tijjani, For the loss of ocean of And give you the girls of knowledge Shiekh Lauwali, paradise.