The word ‘Arewa,’ is a Hausa term that means ‘North.’ The people of that particular geographical location of Nigeria refer to themselves as ‘Yan-arewa’ or ‘Mutanen Arewa,’ to mean ‘Northerners’ or ‘People of the North.’ Thus, the Hausa people and language being the predominant and most populous in northern part of Nigeria, connotes to the people, their shared culture and environment.
Therefore its popular usage in contemporary Nigeria suggests a northern Nigerian regionalism or proto-nationalism. Moreover, in contemporary usage, "Arewa" is simply a Hausa language term meaning "northern" or "northerners."
For centuries Hausa has been the predominant language of commerce, governance, religious and cultural interactions among the people of this region. By the mention of Arewa you are referring to these particular people and region.
Having laid the bed of our discussion, we are delving properly into our main topic of discuss which is the Arewa Music Industry,
Over the last four decades, the Arewa Music Industry has done well in terms of creating and disseminating awareness on both the international and local musical fields. Since from the legendary times of the likes of Mamman Shata Katsina, Alhaji Musa Dan Kwairo, Sani Sabulu, Haruna Uji, Barmani Choge, Abubakar Ladan, Sani Aliyu Dandawo, Alhaji Ali Makaho, Sani Dan Indo, Hajiya Fatima Lolo and many more. These mentioned names, have in one way or the other inspired our today's-Arewa-artists and build a reputational legacy or an iconic virtue for the next generation of Arewa musicians through their legendary contribution.
From the time of these legends, Arewa Music Industry has been one of the greatest music industrries that maintains and promote culture, ethics, decency, morality, discipline, education and enlightenment of the Hausa hosts communities.
The Arewa music system has also served as a tool which the government and traditional stakeholders disseminate information and awareness to the Hausa communities. This tool has been one of the most effective platform that was used to unite the people of the north (The Arewa’s).
But with the advent of technology and inheritance of westernization, today the Arewa Music Industry has transformed to something far beyond nominal Hausa culture, the style and traditional, ethical order of Arewa.
The industry having now become a huge platform, has been experiencing so many changes in varieties of musical patterns, ranging from the hausa movie songs, the Engausa (a mix in usage of Hausa and English language words), the hausa poem words play and the latest one called Hausatrap music, and so much more to mention.
The Arewa music system has kept on evolving day in day out, as the artists are pushing everyday to merge it to global level. These artists are developing and increasingly experiencing high numbers of its artists trooping into the system with love and passion for the game.
In another development, some of this Arewa descendants ranging from its people, political leaders, religious clerics, traditional rulers and even stakeholders and authorities governing the laws of the region are seeing this Arewa music industry revolution as an abomination and unethical. This is because, the revolution has brought about a vast change in the hausa music styling and coordination, which has grossly affected the culture and traditions of the region. To their protest the artist have taken out all the basic hausa music styling system and its values, thereby making it odd and unacceptable according to the people and dictates of the region. Accepting and including the western way of delivering their music messages has made it so awkward and inappropriate with accordance of the hausa original music system. These authorities and stakeholders are seeing this effect from the ways the artists are writing their music, the lyrics and verses, the mode of dressing and even performing these songs to the general public. These are some of the reasons why the new music system has not yet been fully recognized or accepted in the region and other parts of the country as a tool of entertainment and a way of eaning a living to the artists.
For the past twelve years, all these Arewa nowadays artists have been pushing harder to get this recognition and feel of acceptance from the people within the region and beyond, but all efforts proved abortive. Some of these artists have gone to the extent of relocating to other parts of the country to pursue the music career and get recognition but all in vain. While some have been making possible ways to get a record label contract deal, yet no productivity.
In my view, and suggestions collated during an investigation of the problems of Arewa Music Industry and its artist from various people, artists and concern stakeholders, we have unanimously came up with a tactical procedures and way forward to resolving this issue which will intensively be more productive to the Arewa music industry, music business proprietors and the artists at large. WATCH OUT FOR THE NEXT BAUCHI PEAL ENTERTAINMENT AND LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE EDITION to get more!!!
- Umar Ibrahim Dass (Gege -Buzy)
For: ÆM Groups
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