Abstract
This paper examines Dan Maraya Jos’s Teacher Uban Karatu (“Teacher, The Father of Learning”), a celebrated Hausa praise song that foregrounds the indispensable role of teachers in society. Through close reading of the text, the study identifies rhetorical devices such as repetition, metaphor, hyperbole, enumeration, apostrophe, and contrast, showing how they elevate the teacher as the foundation of knowledge and social order. The analysis further situates the song within Hausa oral performance theory, highlighting how call-and-response, audience participation, and musical accompaniment enhance its communicative and persuasive power. The paper argues that Dan Maraya’s composition not only glorifies the teacher but also critiques their material neglect, reflecting the paradox of respect and poverty in African educational contexts. Ultimately, the study affirms Teacher Uban Karatu as both artistic creativity and social commentary, sustaining its relevance across time.
Keywords: Dan Maraya Jos; Hausa oral poetry; rhetorical devices; performance theory; teacher
DOI: 10.36349/alqajolls.2025.v01i01.005
author/ADAMOU IDE Oumarou
journal/AL-QALAM JLLS 1(1) | December 2025
