Recently, the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) admitted legendary Nigerian author and President of Nigerian Folklore Society, Dr. Bukar Usman, into the academy as an honorary member, in recognition of his invaluable contributions to the arts and humanities. Thus, he joins a league of other esteemed honored Nigerians by NAL, including HRM Omo n’ Oba Erediauwa, late Oba of Benin; Late Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Chief Emeka Anyoku, former Commonwealth Secretary-General; Mathew Kukah, the Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Most Rev. Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, among others. In this interview with Li Chunguang of School of African Studies Center, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing, China, the Chinese x-rays the impact of the Nigerian intellectual in African folklore, history and literature, as well as his book donations to institutions.
Tell us how or when you first heard of Dr. Bukar Usman and which of his multiple personalities as a writer, historian, folklorist or public administrator did you first encounter?
I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Bukar Usman at the Language, Culture, and Folklore Conference held at the Bayero University Kano (BUK) in 2017. Chairman Usman’s endeavours to utilise folklore and culture as a means of fostering integration in Nigeria inspired me. Such a nation as Nigeria, comprising numerous linguistic, ethnic and religious groups, Usman is dedicated to fostering a unified literary heritage, thereby strengthening the cohesion of the Nigerian nation. His exemplary patriotism as a public administrator is commendable. As a writer, he pays homage to Nigeria’s history and raises public awareness of the nation’s cultural heritage. I was privileged to gain insight from Usman and expand my understanding of Nigeria.
As a multilingual scholar, which language did you usually communicate with Dr. Usman: English, Hausa or Chinese and why?
Usman displays an impressive command of Babur/Bura, Hausa, Arabic, and English languages. His proficiency extends beyond mere familiarity with these languages. He is also adept at employing them to discuss diverse historical and cultural topics. Furthermore, Dr. Usman placed a high value on Nigeria’s foreign collaboration, encouraging not only me but also other scholars from other countries to enrich their studies and research on Nigerian languages, history and culture.
How have you been appreciating Dr. Usman’s publications, and which ones have had the most impact on you as a researcher of African literature and cultural studies?
His book, A History of Biu! For the majority of people, Northern Nigeria is Hausaland. However, there are numerous other cultural identities across this region, particularly in North-Eastern Nigeria, where the Biu culture is situated. From Kanem, which was part of the Borno Empire, to the present-day Borno State, this book employs a historical perspective to elucidate the history and culture of the Biu people.
Have you taught your students any of Dr. Usman’s folktales or literary works? If so, which ones and what was the motivation?
Yes, Taskar Tatsuniyoyi. I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Usman for his invaluable assistance in providing me with the PDF version of the book and for encouraging me to select the most pertinent sections to share with Chinese Hausa learners and Nigerian researchers. Our objective is to gain a deeper understanding of the literary and cultural heritage of Nigeria’s diverse ethnic groups, which will, in turn, enhance our proficiency in Hausa
How does Dr. Usman’s books contribute to the field of Hausa studies and African culture in China?
In addition to the books mentioned above, Dr. Usman always shares conference information in the fields of Nigerian literature and folklore, which I find to be of considerable value.
Check Part 2 of this story
Chinese students, researchers are indebted to Bukar Usman –Li Chunguang (2)