OPINION: Singing for an unsung hero, by Murtala Sani
By Murtala Sani
Muhammadu Gwarzo was one of the first five people that pioneered Hausa novel. He was selected alongside Abubakar Imam, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, John Tafida and Bello Kagara by Rupert East, a colonial master who contributed a lot in the promotion of Hausa Language and Literature. The five pupils were tasked to write Hausa novels which were published by Literature Bureau. The Bureau was renamed Northern Nigerian Publishing Company(NNPC), Zaria.
Therefore, a competition was organized which led to the emergence of “Ruwan Bagaja” by Abubakar Imam, “Shehu Umar” by Abubakar Tafawa Balewa,”Jiki Magayi” by Rupert East and John Tafida, “Gandoki” by Bello Kagara and “Idon Matambayi” by Muhammadu Gwarzo.
Mallam Muhammadu Gwarzo,OBE, was born in 1911 at Gwarzo, which is now a Local Government in Kano State. He attended Kano Provincial School from 1923 to 1928. He proceeded to Katsina Higher College from 1928 to 1932.
He worked as Water Works Superintendent at Kano N.A. Electricity and Water Supply Undertaking from 1932 to 1936. He served as a Clerical Officer, Kano N.A. Works Department from 1936 to 1939. Mallam Muhammadu Gwarzo became a Teacher at Kano Middle School from 1939 to 1944.
During his stay in the school, he held the position of Assistant Headmaster from 1944 to 1948 and then the school’s Headmaster from 1948 to 1952. He was a Staff Officer, Kano N.A. Staff Office from 1952 to 1954. At Kano Provincial Office, Muhammadu Gwarzo was a Provincial Adult Education Officer from 1954 to 1955 and then a Staff Officer from 1956 to 1963.
He also served as a Chief Scribe, Kano N.A. Central Administration from 1963 to 1969. He was a Councillor for Establishment and Training, Kano N.A. Establishment and Service Matters Department from 1969 to 1975.
Later,Mhammadu Gwarzo became a Permanent Commissioner, Kano State Local Government Service Commission from 1975 to 1980.
Muhammadu Gwarzo performed some honorary assignments; Military Training for Civil Defence during World War II,1940. He was a Member, Peace Committee for Kano Riots,1953. He was a Member, Federal House of Representatives ofr Karaye,from 1959 to 1966. He was a Chairman, Kano State Scholarship Board, from 1970 to 1975,He was a Member Nigerian Citizenship and Naturalisation Committee in1973. He was a Member Governing Council,Universitywe of Benin, from 1975 to 1980.
He was a Member, Governing Council, University of Ibadan,from 1984 to 1988. He visited Great Britain in 1952 and Saudia Arabia for Hajj Pilgrimage in 1961. In the 1980s, he performed Umrah several times. Reading and hockey were his hobbies. While serving as Water Works Superintendent, he persuaded public to embrace the use of pipe-borne water and abandon the use of wells and other open sources of water in order to prevent them from diseases.
At that moment,hospitals were dreaded because of ignorance and lack of sufficient enlightenment. During his stay at Kano Middle School, he indoctrined and instilled displine and sound morals to school boys in order to become responsible and productive adults to the society. This was reflected in the lives of some of his pupils from 1939 to 1952. Few of the pupils were; Late Alhaji Ado Bayero, Sarkin Kano, Late Tijjani Hashim, Galadiman Kano, Late Alhaji Abbas Sunusi, Wamban Kano and later Galadiman Kano,Late Mahe Bashir Wali, Walin Kano,Alhaji Muhammad Koguna, Durbin Kano, Alhaji Sama’ila Gwarzo,former Minister of Police Affairs and National Security Advisor, Late Haliru Gwarzo, former journalist and BBC reporter.
He contributed to the restoration of peace, tranquility and concord between different ethnic groups during the 1953 Kano Riots. Muhammadu Gwarzo’s “Idon Matambayi” revolves around the lives of four thieves whose lives entirely defend on armed robbery and stealing. They deployed different tricks outsmarting innocent people. Although they had a teamwork,there was no trust among them. They were always on constant fear of being cought despite their mastery in the evil act. The central moral of the story is that all the thieves met their waterloo. While the three thieves were arrested, the central character, Idon Matambayi, lost all his ill gotten fortunes despite the fact that he repented from stealing.
Muhammadu Gwarzo died in 1992. He had two wives, initially. He left five children;Sa’idu Gwarzo,former Federal Permanent Secretary,first Secretary Kano State Civil Service,first Director Kano State College of Art,Science and Remedial Studies(CAS),former Chairman Kano Civil Service Commission.
Basiru Muhammad Gwarzo, former Local Government Secretary within various Local Governments in the old Kano State before Jigawa State was carved out,he was also a school mate of late General Muhammadu Buhari and late General Shehu Musa Yar’adua at Katsina Provincial School. Hannafi Muhammadu Gwarzo, former Deputy Director, Kano State Ministry of Works. Hauwa Muhammadu Gwarzo,a housewife. Dalhatu Muhammadu Gwarzo, former General Manager NNDC Kaduna,former Kano State Commissioner for Special Duties, former Kano State Commissioner Ministry of Commerce, former Executive Director Express Petroleum and Gas Company Limited. Dalhatu Gwarzo is the only living son of late Muhammadu Gwarzo.