•Atiku, others pay tributes
The popular Hausa folk musician, popularly known as Dan Maraya Jos, is dead. He was 70. He died yesterday in Jos, Plateau State, in a private hospital.
He was born in 1946 and christened Adamu Wayya but was known worldwide as ‘Dan Maraya Jos’. A name that meant ‘the orphan of Jos’, due to the fact that he lost his parents at a tender age. His father was said to have died shortly after he was born. His mother also died while he was still a baby.
He fell ill before the 2015 general elections. His last public performance was at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fund-raising dinner.
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, expressed sadness and shock at the passing of the legendary musician. In a condolence message by his media office by Mazi Paul Ibe, the Turakin Adamawa extolled the virtues of the late traditional musician, saying that for many decades, he defined music and entertainment on the Plateau and across the length and breadth of the country, “becoming an icon of our traditional music, and custodian of its culture and tradition.”
He recalled that ‘Dan Maraya Jos’ used music to contribute to national unity, peace and stability by preaching togetherness and common brotherhood of all Nigerians in the many beautiful lyrics he sang through the ages, adding that he would be sorely missed.The former vice president urged the people of Plateau State, and, indeed, all Nigerians to take his death as an expression of the will of God and honour his memory by living together in peace, harmony and unity. He prayed for God’s blessing on his soul and called on his immediate family to show courage at this trying time.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, said the north and indeed Nigeria has lost one of its most talented sons. He said, “I want to use this medium to condole with the Danmaraya family, the government and people of Plateau State and all Nigerians over this irreparable loss.”
He added that his name has been written in gold in the annals of Nigeria‘s history as a talented musician, poet and a philosopher. His music was full of wisdom which will not only outlive him but will continue to be reference point for generations to come.”
Paying tributes to the departed soloist, Akin Adejuwon, the artistic director, National Troupe of Nigeria, said “His death signals the exit of a great icon of African traditional music, a creative innovator in the Hausa musical genre and a great performer par excellence. He was a rare African soloist and instrumentalist who created a niche for himself in the Nigerian nationalist environment of the mid twentieth century. He was able to sustain same over the decades through his originality and creative genius. This is such a great loss to Nigerian traditional music and Africa as a whole, particularly against the background that the instability in his domain (Plateau State) in the past few years perhaps minimised the impact he would have made further upon the lives of upcoming Nigerian artistes, more so musicians.”
Benson Idonije, a veteran broadcaster and newspaper columnist, described him as one of the leaders of Nigeria’s indigenous music, “he was indeed a great musician whose place in the music firmament in Nigeria will be difficult to fill.”
Also, Dr. Austine Ananze Akpuda, a poet and senior lecturer in English Literature at the Abia State University, Uturu, described ‘Dan Maraya Jos’ death as a huge loss to Nigeria and the entire entertainment industry worldwide.
“As an artist who created a major brand for himself, he will be greatly missed not only by his biological family but also a network of other communities whose lives have been touched by his performances.
‘Among these include fellow artistes and the clan of teachers and scholars of oral performance whose job will be to keep memories of Dan Maraya Jos’s art permanently etched in the vibrant art academy. Indeed, a major cultural icon has departed but his legacies will remain with us.”
Though the famous musician had no biological child of his own, he was said to have raised a good numbers of youths from childhood to adulthood.
His Bauchi Road residence was yesterday besieged by an upsurge of sympathizers as they rushed to pay tributes and sympathise with relations.
One of his closest friends in Jos, Alhaji Musa Satti, described him as a great griot whose contributions to Hausa music and lyrics would never be forgotten.
According to him, “He inherited singing from his father who was a court musician for the Emir of Bukur, who took Dan Maraya under his care when his parents died. Dan Maraya showed an early interest in music and came under the influence of local professional musicians. During a trip to Maiduguri while he was still a pre-teen, he was impressed by musicians there and made a kutigi, with which he has accompanied himself ever since.”
Kutigi is a one string improvised guitar like instrument which he used to accompany his music while singing. He used his songs to promote peace and unity in the country and the world over. In recognition of his contributions he was awarded the national honour of MON and he is also the United Nations Peace Medal.
The late Dan Maraya has travelled widely around the world. He performed several times in Germany and other countries.
Although, like most professional musicians, the major thrust of his repertoire is praise singing, but he singles out his personal heroes rather than the rich and famous. His most famous song is “Wak’ar Karen Mota” [“Song of the driver’s mate”] was in praise of the young men who call passengers in and out of buses and do the dirty work of changing tyres.
During the Nigerian Civil War, he composed numerous songs in praise of soldiers of the federal army and incorporated vivid accounts of scenes from the war in his songs.
His music focused on social commentaries such as marriage and family values. He sang against forced marriages “Auren Dole”, while “Gulma-Wuya” [“The Busybody”] talks about a neighbourhood gossip that disrupt marriages.
He has since been buried according to Islamic rites.
