The controversy surrounding Dauda Kahutu Rarara's alleged disparaging remarks against Sheikh Isa Ali Pantami has once again exposed a fundamental truth about Northern Nigerian society: there are boundaries that should never be crossed, regardless of politics.
Let me state from the outset that I am not a politician and I do not belong to any political party. I have no political interest to protect, no candidate to defend and no partisan score to settle. My concern is solely with the preservation of the values that have sustained our society for generations.
In Hausa culture, there is a clear distinction between a malam and a maroki. A malam earns respect through knowledge, scholarship, piety and service to humanity. His influence is built on years of learning, teaching and guiding people towards moral uprightness. A maroki, on the other hand, is an entertainer whose profession revolves around music, praise and performance. While praise singing has an established place in Hausa culture, it has never occupied the same moral or intellectual pedestal as religious scholarship.
This distinction is not about wealth or popularity. It is about values. Throughout history, malamai have encouraged modesty, discipline, honesty and fear of Allah. Their sermons have shaped families, communities and generations. Their authority comes from knowledge and character, not applause.
It is therefore deeply disturbing that Rarara is widely perceived to have directed disrespectful remarks at Sheikh Isa Ali Pantami, a renowned Islamic scholar, professor and former public servant. Whether motivated by politics or personal grievances, such conduct represents a serious lapse in judgment.
Criticism is part of public life, and no public figure is beyond scrutiny. However, criticism must be based on facts and expressed with civility. Resorting to language or expressions that many people interpret as insulting a respected Islamic scholar does nothing to enrich public discourse. Instead, it erodes the culture of respect that has long been a cornerstone of Northern society.
Those who seek to reduce this controversy to partisan politics are missing the point entirely. This is bigger than political affiliations. Sheikh Pantami commands respect from countless people not because of any political office he once held, but because of decades devoted to Islamic scholarship, education and intellectual contributions. That respect cannot simply be dismissed because of a song or a political disagreement.
Rarara should understand that fame does not place anyone above cultural and religious norms. Popularity is temporary, but honour and reputation are earned over a lifetime. When influential entertainers disregard those norms, they risk sending the wrong message to younger generations about how elders, scholars and people of knowledge should be treated.
Northern Nigeria has always reserved a special place for its scholars. Differences of opinion are inevitable, but they should never descend into ridicule or perceived insults directed at those who have dedicated their lives to knowledge and moral guidance.
If indeed Rarara intended to demean Sheikh Pantami, then he has made a grave mistake—one that deserves condemnation, not because of politics, but because respect for knowledge, scholarship and religious leadership remains one of the pillars upon which our society stands.
Tags
Opinion