31 Facts About Mamman Shata

Alhaji Mamman Shata MON was born on in 1923 in Musawa, Katsina State, Nigeria, died on 18 June 1999 and was a Nigerian singer.

Mamman Shata's vocals were often accompanied by talking drums, known as kalangu.

Mamman Shata mostly performed for the people of Northern Nigeria, primarily in the Hausa language, for more than half a century.

Mamman Shata's mother, Lariya, was a Fulata-Borno, the Fulani people who migrated from the Borno Empire after the Fulani Jihad of 1804 and settled in parts of Hausaland.

Mamman Shata was born in Tofa town in the Kano Emirate and met Shata's father, Ibrahim Yaro, when she went to visit a relative in Musawa.

Mamman Shata's father, being a Fulani man, wanted the young Shata to become a farmer or a trader, either of which was a more dignified occupation.

Mamman Shata went to an Islamic school in Musawa as a boy, according to Hausa Muslim tradition.

Mamman Shata acquired his sobriquet of 'Shata' from a man called Baba Salamu, a relative of his.

Mamman Shata began singing with other youth for fun at the village square after the evening meal.

Mamman Shata's prowess grew until he outshone the other youngsters.

In Bakori, Mamman Shata married his first wife, Iya, whose real name was Binta.

Mamman Shata made Funtua his home for about forty years - up until his death.

Mamman Shata's band was usually made up of 12 men, six drummers and six singers.

Mamman Shata signed with EMI record label in the 1980s becoming their biggest star.

Mamman Shata was famed to have sung for every topic under the Hausa land's sun: agriculture, culture, religion, economy, politics, military, morality and etiquettes, animals, trade, etc.

Mamman Shata sang of unity and the necessity for rehabilitation at the end of the Nigerian Civil War.

Mamman Shata used music to educate and inform people on the many changes in 1970s Nigeria, such decimal currency and the change to left hand driving.

Mamman Shata had serious disagreements with some, such as Ahmadu Doka, Mammalo Shata and Musa Danbade, but generally he maintained a cordial relationship with most singers, who regarded him as a leader.

Mamman Shata's poems are set to music and accompanied by instruments usually provided by his bandmates.

Mamman Shata often refers to the kalangu in his songs and the drummers use it to emphasise his words using instrumental repetition.

Mamman Shata is particularly famous for always improvising his songs or poems and composing lyrics in the moment.

The chorus members of Mamman Shata's band are his apprentices and have usually worked with him for a considerably long time.

Mamman Shata used body movements and gestures as instructions for the members.

Mamman Shata was vocal critic of oppressive governments and corrupt politicians.

Mamman Shata was able to openly criticize the Authoritarian government of General Sani Abacha because of the immense respect the people of Nigeria had for Shata, especially in the North where Abacha was from.

Mamman Shata's politics was largely left-wing even though his benefactors were mostly on the right.

Mamman Shata did not participate much in the politics that ushered in the civilian government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 due to ill-health.

Mamman Shata was already weak and his body had shrunk.

Alhaji Mamman Shata suffered a debilitating illness that made him to be hospitalised in Kano and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Mamman Shata was survived by three wives, 19 children, and 28 grandchildren.

Mamman Shata was buried that day in Daura, the city of his benefactor, Emir Muhammadu Bashar, who attended the funeral.