We Promote Non-Muslim Writers___ Babura

Sa'idu Babura is a Professor of Oral literature with special interest on Northern Nigeria literature. An academic staff member of the department of English and French of Bayero University, Babura taught Northern Nigeria literature not only in Nigeria but also in Germany during his sabbatical leave. In this interview with MUHAMMAD KABIR YUSUF, Babura comments on the recent rennaisance of northern literature including the international conference on northern literature hosted by Bayero University

Would you like to shade some light on the background of this conference?

The department of English and French in 1988 called a meeting and collectively decided that literature in Northern Nigeria is an area of research and cause that ought to be promoted. In the same year the department hosted the conference on literature in Northern Nigeria two years later, we hosted the second one on the same topic. In those conferences, many scholars have in Bayero University and Ahmadu University Zaria wrote well researched papers. Those papa edited and published later in 1991 under the caption of literature in Northern Nigeria under the leadership of then Dr. (Now Professor) Oba Abdurraheem when I became the HOD in 2004, I revisited the same seminar that we started and infact, this time I made it international. We invited papers from the United States of America, for example Professor Wind, was here, Professor Graham furmss was also here and other scholars who came from Britain as well as here in Nigeria. Scholars from Danfodido University, Sokoto, University of Maiduguri, Gombe state University, Ahmadu Bello University, zaria, and presented papers. In the year 2005, the papers were published and launched during the fourth in series of our conferences on Northern Nigeria literature.

About Northern Nigeria literature. What is so special about Northern Nigeria literature that made it worth studying in isolation from all other Nigeria literatures?

Well, I don't think enough have been said about literature in Northern Nigeria. You see, in literature studies, we all know that there is regional literature; we talk about South Africa literature Nigerian literature and soon and so forth. But the bone of contention is that we no longer have a political entity called Northern Nigeria. What we have today if you like is Northern states of Nigeria. And of course, one can also argue and say what is so specialized about Northern Nigeria literature. We argue that the special thing about is that most parts of Northern Nigeria was a single entity since before the Danfodio Jihad. This unity persisted after even after the colonialism as the Northern protectorate then the Northern region. During those years of unity, we had accumulated some similarities, which minified themselves in the literary production of this part of the country. So, we think it is a justifiable endevour it talk more about it, to write more about encourage people to write and talk about literate in Northern Nigeria.

Is there a particular goal this Northern Nigeria literature project is targeting at?

Oh yes, the main objective is to expose, analyse and critically study the Northern literature using the literature theories to assess this particular literature. By doing that, we hope to be encouraging Northern writes, who are nowadays, very intelligent, to continue to write on issues of national and international concerns.

Considering the fact that literature in Northern Nigeria cannot be separated from Islam, don't you think that studying Northern literature is just an extension of Islamic studies?

Yes, Islam is a very important factor in Northern Nigeria because most, I say most, not all, people in the North are Muslims. So, over the years, Islamic doctrines find in find their ways into the literary works. But this is not to say that we are using Islamic oriteria for analyzing the literature or using the literature to propagate Islam. So, we promote non-muslin writers just like we promote Muslim writers. For example, Professor Olu Obafemi's works are being extensively studied here in this university. And he frequently come here and present papers. But it is true that Islam is an important factor in the Northern issues. But here in the department of English and French, we encourage writers to touch on national and international issues.