Citation: Nalado, N. and Rabeh, H. (2024). Theory of Change in Hausa Lyrical Performance. Ginshiƙin Nazarin Salon Waƙoƙin Hausa, 378-383. www.doi.org/10.36349/djhs.2024.v03i01.048.
THEORY OF CHANGE IN HAUSA LYRICAL PERFORMANCE
Nuhu Nalado 1
Hassan Rabeh 1
1 Isa Kaita College of Education, Dutsin-ma, Katsina State
Abstract:
This paper relates theory of change in Hausa lyrical performances, especially in the songs of Dr. Alhaji Mamman Shata Katsina. Theory of change deals with how activities are understood to produce a series of positive results that contribute in achieving the final intended impacts. Methodology used in gathering data is reading and understanding theory of change and listening to some selected songs of (Dr) Alhaji Mamman Shata. The theory employed for the purpose of this paper is scheme theory. A scheme theory is taken to be an abstract representation of a generalized concept or situation and its inherent entities The study identified contributions as an agent of change in Hausa lyrical performance in respect of the public singer musicological aspects (Dr. Mamman Shata). The types of changes examined in this paper include changes in politics and Administration, economic affairs, and social settings.
Fitilun Kalmomi: Theory, Change, Hausa, Lyric, Performance
Introduction
A ‘theory of change’ explains how activities are understood to produce a series of results that contribute in achieving the final intended impacts. It can be developed for any level of intervention, a project, a program, a policy, a strategy or in an organization.
A theory of change can be developed for an intervention: where objectives and activities can be identified and tightly planned beforehand or that changes and adapts in response to emerging issues and to decisions made by partners and other stakeholders. Sometimes the term is used generally to refer to any version of this process, including a results chain.[1]
A theory of change can be used for strategic planning or program/policy planning to identify the current situation (in terms of needs and opportunities), the intended situation and what needs to be done to move from one point to the other. This can help to design more realistic goals, clarify accountabilities and establish a common understanding of the strategies to be used to achieve the goals.
Nalado, (2020:10) states that a theory of change can also be used in explaining to people how the program or policy works in relation to the context. The paper explains how these changes were understood to come about, in some selected lyrical act of Dr. Mamman Shata at various field of life. Thus the theory of change explains how activities are understood to contribute to a series of results that produce the final intended impacts.
2.0 Theoretical Frame Work and Methodology
The theory employed for the purpose of this paper is scheme theory. A scheme theory is taken to be an abstract representation of a generalized concept or situation and its inherent entities. As highlighted by Lackoff & Turner, (1989) that schema plays a crucial role as the reader’s prior knowledge in meaning construction. Image schemas are relatively abstract conceptual representations that arise directly from our everyday interaction with and observation of the world around us. Talmy, (2000) argued that, one of the ways that language encodes conceptual representation is by providing schematic meaning.
Johnson (1987) developed a theory of image schema and proposed that embodied experiences gives rise to image schemas within the conceptual system. Johnson, (1987:29) points out that a schema consists of a small number of parts and relations, by virtue of which it can structure indefinitely many perceptions, images and events. In other words, image schema operates at a level of mental organizations which locates between particular concrete images and abstract propositional structures. He also proposes that, in order for us to have meaningful, connected experience that we can comprehend and reason about, there must be pattern and order to our actions, perceptions and conceptions. A schema is a recurrent pattern shape and regularity in, or of, these ongoing ordering activities. Johnson, (1987:117) added that the combination of our perceptual capacities and the circumstances of our perceptual environment give rise to a massive, interwoven complex of concrete and abstract linkages
Therefore, some events can be linked because of our experiences of them which are temporarily related. E.g. event A is link to event B by a series of interceding events. Event A which stands as primary data sourced from sampled study of Dr. Mamman Shata Katsina oral performances at different fields of life, by using recording materials. While B stands as the secondary data sourced from research works on issues pertaining social changes theories from different scholars were regarded as the methodology of the ongoing contribution.
3.0 Presentation of a Theory of Change
There are different ways to present a theory of change.
A results chain (or pipeline model) represents the theory of change in terms of a series of boxes. Sometimes multiple boxes are shown for each stage and the relevant boxes linked to show how particular activities lead to particular outputs, and how particular outputs lead to particular outcomes. As stated by James, (2011:14) an overly simple theory of change might show, for example, that the input of funding and materials, and the activities of producing and distributing a newsletter, will lead to increased knowledge, which will in turn lead to changed behaviors that contribute to better health. An intervention with a better theory of change would show multiple causal paths towards behavior change, including influencing social norms, infrastructure development and individual motivation.
4.0 Theory of changes in Hausa Lyrical Performance
Hausa lyrical performance is a discipline of study with vast area that happened to exist in the history with no one can predict the actual time is started. The study focused on Dr. Mamman Shata Katsina musicological art. Shata is an exponential Hausa traditional public singer who used to sing on everything he wished. Xangambo, (1975) says a good theory of change would explain how the program was expected to achieve its intended results. The study stressed Dr. Mamman Shata Katsina, employed these changes:
4.1 Changes in politics and Administration.
Rabeh & Nalado, (2020:118) emphasized that Nigeria is a nation of diverse languages, ethnicity and culture. Even though English is the official language, Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo languages serve as regional and co-official languages. The country structure necessitates the then administrators to employed new administration pattern for sustainability. The incidence does not left Shata behind:
Jagora: Najeriya an yi Jaha-jaha
Ba don gaba ba a kai mana.
Mutumin da yake waccan jaha’
Manomi ko xan kasuwa.
Sai ya je waccan jaha,
Yay noma ya ci kasuwa!
A saboda a zauna lafiya,
Najeriya gwamnati ta yi Jaha-jaha.
(Mamman Shata: Waqar Najeriya an yi Jaha-jaha)’.
Lead: States was established in Nigeria.
The states were established not to separate among us.
The citizen of each state, farmer or merchant.
Can go to any state, to set his farming or business activities.
Nigerian Government established new states in order to enhance
Peace and stability.
In the same vein, Shata said:
Jagora: Ku je ku huta farar hula: Tun da soja sun amshe mulkinsu.
Wallahi a zamaninsu Soja in sun doka ku daina son keta ta.
Ba sa da xan’uwa im ban da mai kaki.
Ina masu voye kuxi a sito ni, dukku je ku huta da mulkinmu
tun da soja sun karve mulkinsu.
(Mamman Shata: Waqar Ku je ku huta farar hula)’.
Lead: You should go and rest civilians (politicians), since military
Has taken over the administration.
Wallahi during their regime you shouldn’t break the law.
They considered none except their quailed.
Where are the money launders, you should all go and rest?
The song traced its’ origin back to ‘1983’, Nigerian military coup against civilian government. The singer used his art to introduce the instance to the society for effectiveness.
Before the advent of this song, Hausa traditional singers Shata alike, don’t employ such theme in their arts. Mostly they stand upon praises of leaders or exponential politicians. The study considered the lyrical advocacy as monumental change aroused in to Hausa traditional musicology.
4.1. Changes in Economic Affairs
Changes in economic sectors were considered as a worldwide phenomenon. Designed packages of plans or policies that governed the states or countries’ economic activities in short or long term period for effectiveness happened to be done. Shata had been quoted to have said much in this field at different sides’ specifically on salary earners, farmers, merchants and producers at their level of investments.
At production and investment level, Dr. Mamman Shata quote to have been said:
Jagora: A da a qasar nan babu mai kafet,
Sai a qasar waje za mu je mu saya,’
Yanzun qasar waje sai su zo su saya ga shi darajar Tujjani Dagazau.
(Mamman Shata: Waqar Tijjani Dagazau)’.
Lead: Previously in this country we haven’t carpet industry.
We used to order it from abroad.
Now we have it in favor of Tijjani Dagazau.
In the same trend, the singer called upon salary earners on how to spend their earnings’ logically and accordingly.
Jagora: Ina yara masu xaukar albashi,
In kun xauko albashi.
Ku raba shi uku.
Kashi guda ka kai shi can banki.
Kashi guda ka sai abincinka.
Kashi guda kau ka zo mu gaisa.
Alhaji ya yo farar dabara.
(Mamman Shata: Waqar Mamman na ‘yan gurasa)
Lead: Where are your salaries earners?
If you earned your salary.
Divide it into three.
Take one share to Bank (for saving).
Take another share to purchase your food stuffs.
Come and meet us with the remaining share.
Alhaji makes a polite plan.
The lyrical suggestions might boast economic stand of the country and the concerned individuals. One might quote right if attested that, the singer employed change that relates to musicological plot and norms of the concerned society,[2]compared to the traditional norms of singers alike, where mostly stands as master’s or characters praised agent. Bichi, (2013:15).
However, the singer was quoted to have said:
Jagora: Ma’aikata! Ku nay yi wa horon nan.
In ka taso dac can wurin aiki.
In la’asar ta yi ta riga ta yi!
Ka xauki mota ka nufi goonarka.
Mai shuka koomai ba zai rasa koomai ba.
Kula da goona yana da alfanu.
(Mamman Shata: Waqar Garkuwan Bauchi)’.
Lead: My advice upon you civil servants.
Once you came back from office in the late evening.
Take your car to your farm.
He who seeds everything, hasn’t had anything’s.
Having concerned with farm, yield a reasonable impact.
The paper considered the sited lyrical chorus as an aspect of social changes aroused into the society norms. In the same trend, the exponential Hausa traditional public singer who happened to sing a song on everything he wished (Xangambo, 1975), quoted to have been said:
‘Jagora: Manoman birni da na qauye ku zo ga Abu A, B, C, D.
Mu koyi noman zamani, ga takin gyaxa da na maiwa, takin
noman masara dawa rogo, ga motar noma da shanun noma zamanin Abu A, B, C, D.
Shin ni wannan suna Turanci ne ko Yarabanci ko Fillanci?
Nan ne Shata bai gane ba, amma fa Abun A.B.C.D’.
(Mamman Shata: Waqar Abu A, B, C, D).
Lead: The farmers of cities and that of rural areas here is Abu A, B, C, D.
Let us learnt mechanized farming with varieties of fertilizers:
Groundnut, maize, millet, sorghum and cassava.
There is the tractor and plough cows with Abu A.B.C.D.
Does this name belong to Europeans or Yoruba or Fulfulde is what Shata fails to understand! That is A, B, C, D.
Bichi, (2013:15) said that traditionally, Hausa musicological affairs rested upon praise and entertainment happened to took place on special occasions The concerned singer (Dr. Mamman Shata) introduced global mechanized advocacy on farming system to his dear society. At this trend, the ongoing work considered the lyrical performance as an agent of change in Hausa lyrical art in respect of the studied singer.
4.1 Change in Social Settings.
Currently, changes in society’s norms in relations to Social Settings happened to be a worldwide phenomenon. Nalado, (2020:8.) stressed that, there are some significant effects of globalization on African oral traditions and other cultural practices, notwithstanding it has impacted negatively on our traditional values and systems especially in the field of cultural interact where some get changed or destroyed at the expense of others. And also negative values were spread all over the world without any hindrance.
Kwame, (2005:120)described, the process of linking regions and nations of the world together which facilitated the flow of information (communication), induced changes in the pre-existing socio -cultural, political, economic, and entered system structure of the nations or peoples as globalization.
Globalization, which gained its inroad through African culture, has fundamentally changed the mode of delivery of the entire folkloric aspects of the said societies. The event paved way to Dr. Mamman Shata to employ some aspects of social change in his musicological art in the year of ‘1974’, after Nigerian civil war at one of his playground at Funtua town at the course of praise of his pioneer Alhaji Abu ‘Yammama.
Jagora: Ya yi masallaci don sallah,
A gefe xaya ga xan Otel.
Anan dai ga butar alwalla.
A gabas daidai kwalta.
A yamma kau bakin wata kwalta.
Garba Abu yai Otel.
Ga giya ga taba ga kuma mata tanxan-tanxan.
A ciki kowacce akwai xakinta.
Ta kuma gyara daidai kanta.
Irin aikin su Abu ‘Yamma.
Ciji wannan shi ne goro.
Bushi wannan shi ne taba.
Tsotsi wannan giya in ka tava sai….”.
(Mamman Shata: Waqar Na Malumfashi Abu ‘Yammama)’.
Lead: He built a mosque for prayer and a hotel.
There is ablution container.
At East side of the road.
At the opposite side, Garba made a hotel.
With enough wine, cigarette, and beautiful women.
With independent apartment,
Decorated as her wish.
Ciji is what we called kola nut (goro).
Bushi is cigarette.
Tsotsi is wine.
Employing and adaptations of the quoted lyrical aspects became necessary in order to match with modernization at that very era. The study considered the period of 1960’s to early 1980’s as a globalizations renaissance period on African culture Hausa in particular[3].
In the same train, Shata happened to said:
Jagora: Inna idan za ai man aure.
Baba idan za ai man aure.
Kawu idan za ai man aure.
Ku bar ni in zavi fari kyakkyawa.
Kar fa a ba ni baqi mummuna.
Auren tilas ba aure ne ba.
Shi ke sa wasu yawon banza.
(Mamman Shata Waqar Don sallah da salatil fatihi)’.
Lead: Mum if you intend to give me out for marriage.
Dad if you intend to give me out for marriage.
Uncle if you intend to give me out for marriage.
Allow me to choose handsome partner
Don’t give me dark ugly.
Force marriage can no longer be a marriage,
It makes some spouse to become irresponsible in the society.
Malhotra, (2010:2), stressed forced child marriage as a gross violation of human rights and a barrier to girls’ health and social well-being. He further stated that, “I come to you today as the vice president of research, innovation and impact at the International Center Research on Women (ICRW). The centers works to make women an integral part of alleviating global poverty. We do this by using evidence-based approaches to demonstrate that a focus on women is critical for lasting social and economic change. The center also differs from other think tanks in that we translate our research into concrete steps that program designers, donors and policy makers can use to create the conditions in which women can thrive.
Forced marriage undermines initiatives to raise girls’ education, to reduce maternal mortality, and to increase employment and enterprise levels. Existing solutions can go very far in making a difference. The International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act, introduced in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in2009, begins to outline some of these solutions. With political will and resources authorized in this legislation, the United States can support on the ground efforts that many countries are undertaking to help bring down perceptibly forced child marriage rates over the next few years”.
The reports stressed the analysed oral performance as a great advocacy instrument towards expelling the habit in his audience perspectives. In the same vein, the study considered the act as a progressive change on the discussed institution.
5.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, the study found out and identified contributions as an agent of change in Hausa lyrical performance in respect of the public singer musicological aspects (Dr. Mamman Shata).
However, introduction of positive amendments in societal norms and values that yielded better up modes were regarded as one of the principle of social change in life. As an exponential Hausa traditional singer, Shata have done a lot towards contributing in the discussed matter as shown before. The singer portrays on effects of forced marriage in the society, the impact of peace and social stability in the country, and the current globalized social setting in religion and recreational issues related to hotels and tourisms happened to introduced in to the society.
The study find out that the public singer portraits to the society on military regime and military attitudes and also identified reasonable changes in the field of Economic, social settings, politics and administrations in his lyrical performance. Dr. Mamman Shata Katsina Musicological art served as a potential advocacy towards developing the theory of change in the Hausa social norms.
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