‘Pipo say na because of my shoki dance censors board come after Islamic gospel singers’

Shariff Abubakar Ali wey stage name be Habu Tabule na one of di most popular Islamic gospel singers wey dey northern Nigeria and e get fans from all over di world, as Kano censors board say make dem no do songs without licence again, e speak to BBC on how e feel.

Kano goment through di censors board wey dey di state announce on Wednesday say make no gospel singer make any music again without licence or di singer go enter trouble.

“Some pipo dey tok say na because of me censors board bring out dis new rule because say I dey use shoki dance for my songs but no be true.”

“Why I dey use shoki and oda trendy dance for my gospel songs be say na wetin pipo want and e beta for us to use di dance praise our prophet and religion than for our pipo to dey use am worship devil.” Dis na wetin Habu tok.

Di singer say e don dey sing for 35 years now and na im be di third pesin wey first introduce beats and piano to islamic gospel music for di whole of Kano.

“About 50 years ago, di singers no dey use beats na just voice but after sometime followership come dey reduce na why we decide to add beats and piano and na dat one bring many pipo back to islamic gospel songs.”

E also advise goment to always dey clear and to look wetin fit happun for future anytime dem wan introduce new law, because for years dem no dey need any licence to release dia songs.

“Regarding dis new rule wey censors board introduce, goment suppose know say if dem stop islamic gospel songs pipo go go back to devilish songs and dance wey go affect di good upbringing wey pipo get.”

Meanwhile, chairmo for di censors board Mallam Afakallah Na’abba tell BBC say di reason dem bring dis new rule na to sanitise di industry as some of di singers dey go out of line in dia effort to praise Islam for music.

Di chairmo add say im agency dey dia to protect di culture and religion of di pipo so na why dem need to act.

“Why we decide to act now be say, before we call dia leaders tell dem to dey censor wetin dia singers dey release to public but we come observe say dat one dey cause wahala between dem, na why we need to step in.”

“Some of di singers dey over-do things in dia effort to praise Islam and our prophet and some dey also use di chance to abuse some pipo for dia music wey no good.” Dis na wetin di censors board oga yan.