POETIC WEDNESDAY - POET OF THE WEEK... NOT ME

In an interview for a promising bard on the northern landscape, I got mentioned by the poet under focus in recognition of my influence in his Haiku exploits. Feeling honored and humbled,  I decided to share the whole interview with you.

Here is Siraj A. Sabuke and what he had to say about his poetry...

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We bring forth to you another amazing interview with this versatile artist and poet. It's a must read.

Bards, it's Siraj A Sabuke.

PW: Can you tell us a short bio of yourself?

My name is Siraj Abdulazeez Sabuke. I was born in New Bussa, Borgu Local Govt of Niger State. I went to Model Primary School, New Bussa after which I proceeded to AMMK III Science College New Bussa for my secondary education. In SS2, I switched back to Arts in Govt Day Secondary School, New Bussa when I realized sciences is not for me. As expected, there were oppositions within the family against my decision, but I was resolute and adamant.

After some glitches the previous year, I studied very hard the following year and got admission to study English Language, Instead of the Econmics I applied for at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. The University has a reputation for changing courses, ambitions. I struggled to love the course for the whole session. Here we are today. I am a "certified linguist." A graduate.

PW: Congratulations on your graduation. You've had quite a Journey. Is your Journey to Poetry also upheaval?

Poetry came to my life very early. I didn't know it was poetry then. Growing up, my father, while back at home in the evening, will sit and sing some Arabic songs. It was later I found those songs to be Ishriniya and the Diwani of Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse. I love the Diwani. By the time I started going to Zawiya it becomes the book of life to me. I find peace whenever Sharif Harazimi is giving us the commentary. It soothes my heart. It gives me purpose and elevates my soul. That was my first encounter with poetry.

I enjoyed a short spell in rapping, until when I went to Kebbi to resit for my O'Level that I met an Igbo young man, John Samuel Urama, who advised me to try poetry instead of wasting my talent on rap which my voice was not good for. I read a few poems and wrote my first poem.

Poetry was not difficult for me because I love her. After I got admission to study English, the first thing I asked was "are we going to read and study poetry?"
It was a dream come true. I could have graduated with a first class had I read my books as close as I read poetry. I was wildly extracurricular.

In 2013/14, I filled two 80 leaves note book with a poem a day. I was just writing then. I write anything and call it a poem. Then I begin posting on Facebook. Then dawn came. I was seen. First it was Kukogho Iruesiri Samson.

Later, I was found by Laura M Kaminski who since then has been nursing my poetry. It was from her I learn how to touch and retouch my poems. The University Library became my home. I read everything poetry. Shakespeare, John Donne, Wordsworth, Sylvia Plath, Keats, Yeats, Okigbo, Soyinka, Brutus, Lenrie Peters, Osundare, Ojaide, Raji, to mention but a few.

PW: The volume of poetry you’ve written is impressive. Are you working on your own anthology?

I have a co-authored collection published by WRR in 2016. Yes. I am working on two chapbooks which will be out in no time. (Laughs). "THE RIVER FLOOD US AWAY FROM HOME" and "LETTER TO DIJEH" are the chapbooks I am working on. The former is social and political. All in all. While the latter is love songs and mystical gyrations.
They may take a long time before they'd be ready. I am not in a hurry. We the upcoming writers should note this: Festina Lante!

PW: What do you think of Poetic Wednesday?

I see PoeticWednesday becoming everything this part of the world knows not. I see our poets becoming beautiful. The journey will be difficult and tiring. Don't relent. Invigorate the struggle. Having literary movement like Poeticwednesday in Northern Nigeria is a thing of joy. Let us not rush it because like fire, we shall burn to the basal of our frozen region.

PW: What's the secret behind your love for Haiku?

I love short poems. A good written short poem cuts you deeper. That's what the haiku does to me. The precision and sublimity. I have read some before. But the person that opened the door for me is Tijjani Muhammad Musa. Haiku does what hundreds of poetic lines could not.

PW: What are your thoughts on Literature as a tool for cultural preservation?

That is what educational books tell you. Those books will tell you literature is tool for social advocacy; a tool or medium for history or cultural preservation and what have you. But it is a lie. We mostly write for the beauty of it. We write to have fame. To become celebrities.

Look at all these writers winning prizes everyday. What have they done with the prize money? Take a close look at the $100 000 NLNG Prize, that is too much money for one man. The book that won the prize last year, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim's Season of Crimson Blossoms, is a good book that I believe could go a long way in changing the mindset of some people. But how many people read that book?

How would you expect a man or a girl-child who must labour or hawk from dawn to dusk so that they'd have a meagre meal or two a day to buy such a book? When we write, the market becomes our target not the readers.

Unless we change these attitudes, literature will not be able to serve its purpose in our society.

And for literature to do any society any good, education needs to be revived. How'd we achieve our goals with literature as a tool for society regeneration in a region where teachers could not pass primary four examination?

I do teach whenever I am on break, to God who made me, no literature could touch the hearts of those students because they cannot write and spell five letter words. And that is because their teachers know nothing as well.

If we want the meaning of literature to go beyond textbooks, we must redefine these;

1. Education
2. Writing purpose
3. Book Circulation

PW: Your favorite childhood memory?

Childhood memory? (Searching) Yes. Those days we walk around New Bussa every night looking for trouble. We stand by the road and wave Okada men to stop and afterward run away leaving them there. We'd go to the market calling mad men names they hate to be called just so they'd run after us. And those Harmattan mornings we'd gather twigs of broken wood, set fire on it and take places around it enjoying the warmth.

PW: Three poets that had the most impact on you?
Since you say three, okay. Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse (RTA), Maulana Jalaludeen Rumi and Laura M Kaminski. What they did to me, I cannot thank them.

PW: Favorite Poet of all Time?

It is Rumi. His poetry has explored all the untouched and mistouched corners of my being.

PW: One book you never get tired of reading?

Hmm! It is the Diwani of Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse (RTA). Its verses heal and elevate my soul. It gives me peace and hope.

PW: One person from PW you'd love to meet?

Salim Yunusa. The brain behind all this. I want to meet him and drill deep into his head. What more ideas does he have hiding there? I wish him well!

PW: Three Facebook friends that have had the most impact on you?
Kukogho Iruesiri Samson
Farooq Kperogi
and my mother, Laura M Kaminski

PW: PW favorite poet?

My favorite PW poet is Maryam Gatawa. She is ferocious. Her poetic energy scares me. I want to become like her when I grow up. But I know that I need time.(smile)

PW: PW crush, and why?

I pray #Dijeh would not see this. I hate to explain things. My crush is non but the charming UmmyHajaar Abbah. She is everything I need in a wife.

PW: Favorite Author?

If you mean my contemporary favorite author, then, it is Amu Nnadi.

PW: What book are you currently reading?

I am reading "THE TAKING" by DEAN KOONTZ. After this I will read Ahmed Maiwada's "we're fish" then Ismaila Bala's "Our Country Held a Whip Against Us."

PW: Who would you choose to spend twelve hours in a desert away from any civilization with?

That would be a great opportunity. It will be Rahma Raji. And I am taking her because that'd give me a chance to address her cyber misdemeanors. Rahma, e je ata!

PW: Parents' treasure that keeps you going?

Humility, Hard work and Patience. My parents are many things I want to become. May Allah's grace be with them. Amin.

PW: Favorite food?

Beans. Dear future wife, it is beans and beans alone

PW: Hobbies?

Watching: people and movies and talking. I talk. I love talking.

PW: Any suggestions for PoeticWednesdays?

We need a name. A label. Poeticwednesday is what we do, right? If yes, then who are we? Since we are mostly from Northern Nigeria and among our aim is to rekindle the fire of creative writing here in our region, I think we should be called something like AREWA POETRY SOCIETY or AREWA WRITERS' COMMUNITY. Then whenever a question is asked about what we do, we'd say we do #Poeticwednesday.

We could create a website or have a magazine(online and subsequently print).
We could come up with prizes. Look at something like NANA ASMAU POETRY PRIZE or MAMMAN SHATA POETRY PRIZE. We'd consult and seek for sponsorship.

PW: Advice to budding poets/writers?

My advise to us is: Read, read, read, read, read and write and write. Don't just read a poem and walk away. No. Try to analyze it. Review it. When you do these, the poems will have a good effect in you. You will understand it more and may be start thinking of your own way of writing it.

Write and read to your friends. Disturb them with your poems. Everywhere you go, tell them you are a poet/writer and work hard toward actualizing it. Let the muse flow whenever it comes and if it is not coming, force it.

Share your work and be humble. Welcome criticism. It helps. And as Wordsmith said last week; steal, steal and steal.

Thank you for your time.

GAMONMU NA KARSHE A DUNIYA - Tuna Tijjani Ado Ahmad

Mun gamu da shi gab da tafiyarsa a gidan Radio Freedom ranar Larabawa 20 ga watan Satumba 2017. Su na tare da Ado Saleh Kankia bacin kammala shirin Barka da Hantsi.

Tijjani Ado Ahmad duk da shike matashin dan jarida ne, in an kwatanta shi da wasunmu, amma mutum ne mai zurfin tunani, kamala da kuma girmama na gabansa. Shi ya sa kowa ya ke sakin jiki wajen huldar aiki ko zamantakewa da shi.

Kowannenmu cikin murmushi da fara'a mu ka tafa hannu mu ka gaisa na ce masa ashe ka dawo, ya ce mun e. Na yi ma sa lale marhabun da fatan Allah Ya sa hajjinsa maqabuliya ce, ya ce amin amin.

A lokacin muna tare da wakilan wata Kungiyar mahadatta alQur'ani wadanda su ka koma makaranta domin yin karatun Boko. Baba Ado ya nemi ya gan su domin buqata ta ayi hira da su a cikin shirin Barka Da Hantsi.

Baba Ado ya yi wa Tijjani bayanin abin da ke tafe da mu a matsayinsa na abokin gabatar da shirin kuma da nazarin fa'idar yin hakan nan take ya amince da dacewar ayi hirar da wadannan hafizai a kungiyance.

Aka yi mu su wasu muhimman tambayoyi don gina tubalin hirar shirin, su ka bada gamsassun amsasoshi. Ba tare da bata lokaci ba kuwa aka ce su zo washegari Alkhamis da misalin karfe 8 Na safe don ayi hirar da su. Sun kuwa zo an kuma zanta da su.

Bacin wadannan baqi sun tafi mu ka kama hira tsakanin juna. Baba Ado ya ce mun "Tijjani, Tijjani (ya nuna marigayi) hwa kudi garai. Tahiya Amurka zai yi. Dawowarsa hwa ke nan daga Makkah amma ka ji zai tai Amurka. Yanzu yace ba shi da kudi?"

Nan fa Tijjani ya kyakyale da dariya ya ce "Yallabai ina na ke da kudi..." kafin ya ci gaba Baba Ado ya katse masa hanzari ya ce "Ko da shike ya ce shi ya biyawa kansa kudin tafiya aikin hajjinsa, amma tahiya Amurka ai ka san sai wanda ya shirya ko ko? "

Tijjani Ado Ahmad cikin murmushi irin na sa ya ci gaba da kare kansa da cewa "Tafiya Amurka ai aikin jarida ne zai kai ni. Kuma ka fi kowa sanin cewa yan jarida na iya tafiye-tafiye da akan gaiyacesu kuma a biya mu su."

Baba Ado ya ce "Ka ji, ka ji shi ko... " Ni dai ina jin su. Zan yi magana wasu su ka kira Baba Ado ya juya ya nufe su ya na murmushi, shi kuma Tijjani mu ka yi bankwana da shi don lokacin fara gabatar da shiri na na Yello Soundz ya karato.

Ashe iyakar gamo ga da ga, ido da ido tsakaninmu ke nan. Sai ganin hotonsa da ya dauka a tashar jirgin sama bacin ya isa Kasar Amurka lafiya da ya dora a shafinsa na Fesbuk na yi. Na kuwa yi Laikin daga baya na sake ganin wasu hotunan da ya dora don masoyansa su ci gaba da ganin yadda ta ke kasance ma sa a can.

Yau da safe na ga kiran wani abokina, aminina ya bugo. Da na dauka sai na ji ya yi wata ajiyar zuciya, ya yi dum. Mu ka gaisa sai ya ce mun "Wai Tijjani Ado Ahmad ya rasu?" Na yi salati na ce "Yaushe aka yi haka?" Ya ce "Ga shi nan ana ta yadawa a social media"

Na ce "Subhanallaah! Inna lilLahi wa inna ilaihir raji'un. Ashe a can kasarsa ta ke?" Nan take na hau Fesbuk don in tabbatar, ile kuwa sai ga shi nan baja-baja. Babu abinda ya zo mun zuciya sai gamommu na qarshe.

Wasu su ka kama bugo mun don su tabbatar ba ni na rasu ba saboda wasu a kafafen sada zumunta sun dauka ni ne. Na ce mu su ba ni ba ne tukunna. Tawa mutuwar ta na nan tafe. Ta shiga tsakaninmu riga tawan. Allah Sarki Tijjani 😢

Gaskiya mun yi rashin ba qaramin ba wAllahi. Ya Allaah mun tuba, Ka gafarce mu Ka gafarce shi, Ka jiqansa da rahamarKa. Gaskiya na jiyewa yaransa, iyalinsa da kuma iyaye da yan'uwansa.

Abokan aikinsa musamman Gidan Radio Freedom da ma'aikatansu duk inai mana ta'aziyar rasuwar wannan bawan Allah. Har hawayenki na zubo mun wAllah. Rabona da in yi hawaye don rasuwar wani ba jinina ba, tun kan Sheik Ja'afar Mahmoud Adam.

Allah Ya jiqansu duka, Ya kyautata makwancinsu. In taking ta zo Allah Ka sa mu cika da imani, amin thumma amin.

BAN KWANA GA TIJJANI ADO AHMAD -
...ta Tijjani Muhammad Musa

Ikon Allah ke nan
Ana tunaninta a can
Mutuwa kuwa ta na nan
Mutum ya yi rayuwa a nan
Kasar rasuwarsa ta na can
Ku gamu yanzu yanzunnan
A ji shelar rashinka jim kadan.

Tsoro lamarin duniya ke ban'
Ace ko a yau ko cikin Ramadan
Ba makawa lallai sai ta shaqan
Matsalarta ba ta notis, abadan
Duk wanda ya yi sake da shedan
To, bonensa don mutum ko aljan
Mai yanke 'kauna ta zamto ajalan.

Yanzu aminina, wadata ko tagajan
Mai kaunata daga Kano har Landan
Ga dubun fara'a, kalmarsa wahidan
Takwarana a sunansa har Mudan
Badan-badan ba da na yi ma kukan
Amma ba ka so hakan ba "Gogan"
Gafara, jinqai, Firdausi su ne fatan.

(c) 2017 Tijjani  M. M.