Ajamization of Knowledge: The Kanuri Experience

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Ajamization of Knowledge: The Kanuri Experience

Tahir Abba email: [email protected] [email protected] +234 80163366381 +234 8055584078 Department of Linguistics, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria

Being Paper presented at the Conference of Language and Identity in Africa: in the Light of the Current Variables, held at the Institute of African Research and Studies, Cairo University, Egypt (5-6 April, 2015)

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Ajamization of Knowledge: The Kanuri Experience Abstract Ajami was the language of scholarship in Kanem Borno, through which religious knowledge is imparted to students. Therefore, Ajamization was in place even before the coming of the Europeans to the Kanem land. Ajami is not used for language of scholarship and skill acquisition only but it serves enormous roles in adult education, political education as well as mass literacy in general. It also serves as a medium for integration of Qur’anic (Sangaya) education into formal western type of education. So that product of Qur’anic education can be elected into various political offices. They too can contribute in political administration and governance of their nations. Against this backdrop, this paper reviews various Ajami writing system among the Kanuri speaking communities with a view to harmonise the divergent spellings and writing practices. 1.0 Introduction The word Ajami has different connotations in that adaptation of the Arabic scripts to write local languages in order to suit a written communicative demand on one hand and another meaning of Ajami is non Arab native. In a broader perspective we attempt to indicate for both conceptualizations so as to postulate that the word Ajami has social and literal connotations. The nonliteral connotation; originated from the Arabic word al-ajam which refers to non-Arabs. Arabs used to call other people as al-ajam, while in other context, the ward has negative connotation. For, Arabs always show superiority over other races. 2

Ajami, according to Philips (2000) is defined as a spurious Arabic but in any foreign language in Arabic script. Thus, Ajami is a modified Arabic Script employ to write local language as a result of enormous exposure of native people to Arabic and Islamic literature. Historically, the introduction of the Arabic script to Nigeria as far back as 11th century (Batiiste 2007) in Diso (2010) marked the beginning of the Ajami as a form of written communication, especially in Northern Nigeria. The literates in Northern Nigeria utilised Arabic scripts to write in local languages, adopting or modifying the original (Arabic) sounds of the letters to suit the local situation, as the case may be. Four languages –Hausa, Kanuri, Fulfulde, Nupe and Yoruba have been prominent in the use of Ajami because of the speakers’ dominance in Arabic literacy. Since that time, the use of Ajami script has continued through the British colonial period to date. Of course Ajami was the language of scholarship in Kanem Borno, through which religious knowledge imparted to students. Therefore, Ajamization was there even before the coming of the Europeans to the Kanem land. Ajami is not used for scholarship and knowledge acquisition only but played enormous roles in political administration and governance as well as in business transactions in those days.

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Bondarev (2013) confirms that languages sing written in Arabic-based scripts from the very beginning of Islam were varying in degree of standardisation and styles, layouts and orthography. Development of standards in orthography is particularly difficult to generalise if we consider the following examples: (a) Persian orthography became standardised very early in its history of writing; (b) Berber developed orthographic consistency at an early stage of introduction of writing but the Berber orthography underwent a decline and changed into a different spelling system; (c) Ottoman Turkish and Malay in Jāwī script apparently did not develop spelling standardisation, whereas (d) Old Kanembu was written with varying degree of consistency depending, among other factors, on frequency of linguistic items (CSMC 2013). Bondarev further put forward that Ajami as writing tradition could be postulated at least in two different perspectives. The word Ajami has literal and educational connotations. Whereas the literal meaning of Ajami in other words, (still from Arabic c’ajam ‘non-Arabs’ by which the medieval Arabs referred both to ‘incorrect’ variants of the Arabic language and non-Arabic texts in Arabic scripts, for instance Persian in the Middle East or Spanish in Andalusia), was adapted by many other communities in West Africa independently of the linguistic affiliation of their languages (Bondarev 2011). 4

It is pertinent at this juncture to conceptualize the word Ajami and dig deep into its etymological background, how it came into being, and what contribution has it influence in scholarship and learning activities in Kanem Borno, so that we find tune the focus of our discussion. The beginning of usage of the Arabic script to write Kanuri could plausibly trace back to the advent of Islam to Nigeria via the Kanəm land. Especially the Arab merchants move along with their religion that is the Islam. Gwandu (2010) has also explained that “it is common knowledge that Islam reached this part of the world through mainly traders and preachers from North Africa. It reached the Kanəm-Borno area earlier or at most around the 11th century and the Hausa States around the 14th century.” 1.1 Ajami Pre-colonial Rule The Ajami writing system of Nigeria first emerged in the Kanem-Borno caliphate of Saifawa rulers where it is applied to writing Kanuri language. In the Nigerian context, it was first in Borno that, this writing system is called Ajami. Bala (2010) reported that with advent of Islam in northern Nigeria, literary activities commenced immediately. This resulted in the proliferation of reputable Ulama from different parts of the globe. With the establishment of Sayfawa dynasty, the rulers of Borno attracted many scholars to settle in the 5

area for advancement of Islamic knowledge and writing. This was evidenced in the works of the Chief Imam, Ahmad bin Fartuwa, around 1575. The first known writer in Arabic in Borno according to Hunwick, was a nahwy (grammarian) as well as shaaireey (a poet) of Kanem Borno origin. He was Abu Ishaq Ibrahim El-Kanemi who was very active C.1200 (Hunwick 1995). During the colonial period, massages were sent by the rulers to colonial master in Ajami especially those colonial masters who could not understand Arabic language. In fact this shows that Ajamization process and the intellectual activities of Borno scholars were in its prime even before the advent of the colonial masters in the region. From the ongoing discussion we would be able to deduce that the beginning of the Ajamization is synonymous to the introduction of Islam to the Kanəm-Borno or thereafter. Later, Borno scholars have travelled far and near in search of Islamic knowledge. There is no doubt that the main responsible factor for the adaptation of Ajami script in Nigeria is the Islam. Hashim (2010) further, claimed that the necessity to Arabize the indigenous names and places in correspondences and treaties resulted to the usage of Arabic Script. Therefore, the adaptation of Arabic script could be dated back to eleven century, when Islam was embraced by the rulers of Borno. The Ulama of Kanem-Borno was credited for the earliest adaptation of Arabic script in 6

Nigeria. This is evidently shown in the pilgrimage embarked upon by the rulers of Kanem-Borno. In the course of the pilgrimage, the names of Ummu Jilmu and Kanem-Borno were written in pilgrimage register. The name of the Mai was certainly written in Arabized script this must have been the origin of Kanuri Ajami and was latter sustained by Borno scholars. The scholastic activities of Ibn Muhammad b. Mani in the palace of Kanem-Borno rulers is eloquent testimony of early cultivation of Arabic and Ajami script in Borno (Alkali 1983:156). Another factor that contributed to the sustainability of Kanuri Ajami tradition as a vehicle of written communication is the Tafsir in Arabic language. Usually it is accompanied by notes of explanation written between lines in vernacular (Kanuri) in the Arabic Script expressing either the meaning of the text or giving only the meaning of the difficult words in Kanembu. The use of Arabic language and Kanembu simultaneously has greatly reduce the fear that the Tarjumo as a means of Tafsir could not be adequately give all shades of meanings attached to some Arabic words and phrases. It has also highly reduced the fear that, the use of vernacular might not adequately and sufficiently express these Arabic words and phrases and might possibly narrow down the meaning of the text (Mustapha 1987).

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1.2 Kanuri Ajami during the Colonial Administrators During the pre-colonial period, it was used for various purposes, including, at official level, administrative record keeping in king’s palaces, taxation, court proceedings, and at individual level, for religious, political, and cultural matters. Although this situation continued during the colonial period, it was significantly marginalised at official level by the introduction of the Roman script as official script by the colonialists. In the immediate postcolonial period, there was a relative decline in the use of Ajami apparently confined only to the clergy until the 1980s when the first Newspaper –Alfijir was published by the Triumph Newspapers. The paper was popular among the Ajami literates there is hardly any evidence to show its positive impact on the use of Ajami even among the Ajami literate population. Later, rule Ajami has faced a greatest set back when the colonial masters put a capital full stop on the teaching and learning of the Qur’anic education, which is the machinery of Arabic language. They said don’t educate the Northerners if you educate them you will produce progressive Muslims intellectuals like that of Egypt and India. This is observed when the colonial administrators refused to send students in furtherance of the Qur’anic education, which is main source of Ajamization of knowledge. Qura’nic education had elevated the status of Kanem-Borno to one of the most powerful sultanates of the Muslim World. It became celebrated Centre of 8

learning and scholarship, attracting scholars and students from far and near. This was supplemented by the Jihad of Uthman Bin Fodio. Qura’nic Education was therefore incubated, domesticated and disseminated to other parts of the Central Bilad alSudan. The period before colonial rule in Nigeria was the prime period of Qura’nic Education for its was not only recognized but adequately funded and supported by government as relevant to the overall development of humanity. 2.0 Review of Ajami in some African Languages Adamu (2000) argues that since education is one of the most effective means of reducing the level of poverty in the society, therefore through the Ajamization of knowledge (which focuses on the use of Ajami, a modified form of Arabic script for instructional purposes, mass education) provides individuals with a sense of personal dignity enough for him to seek for poverty alleviation privately. Tela (1994) The Importance of Tarjumo to the Development of New Terms in Kanuri, has explained that, Tarjumo text in Kanuri Ajami system is to be written in the interlinear space provided between the Arabic lines on a slate or paper. The Arabic text is written vertically on the slate or paper, while the Tarjumo (translation or the meaning) is written diagonally above the Arabic text within the interlinear space provided for the Tarjumo. However, Tela’s study is closely related to the current research, by way of translating the Arabic 9

texts through the means of Arabic scripts in order to decipher meaning into Kanuri language. In fact, the author did not provide impetus for scientific analysis. The whole process, Adamu (2001-12) referred it as “Ajamization of Knowledge”. 2.1 Ajami among the Fulbe Ajami tradition has been in used for many years among different nations; Spain, known as Aljamiado, use of the Arabic script for transcribing Romance languages. Ajami is also common among the African such as Swahili, Wolof, Mandinka Hausa, Fulfulde, Kanuri etc. In addition to the native language, each nation had derived its source from the Arabic script to write down its language which formed the basis for additional medium of written communication. During the Sokoto Caliphate, comparatively, Fulfulde Ajami has a lot of manuscripts written in Ajami. Mostly the content of the manuscripts are either religiously oriented or historically and pedagogically oriented manuscripts. A very prolific author and erudite scholar in Arabic and Islamic knowledge, Waziri Junaid’s intellectual contributions to the development of Fulfulde Ajami have clearly pushed the frontiers of ignorance. One of his writings entitled (Tamrin al azhan ala Lugatil fulani), is a Fulfulde grammar presented in a poetic form in Arabic language and examples are provided in Fulfulde Ajami. Therefore, the extract in one of the Fulfulde Ajami manuscripts has illustrated the environment of personal pronounces. 10

The encircled items in red are the second person person ‫ ؤأ ند‬respectively. Fulfulde Ajami Text 1.

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‫ أأ ند‬first person ‫مأ ند‬

third

2.2 Ajami among the Hausa On Hausa Ajami forms of writing system we largely rely on the sources collected by colonial officers and individual scholars. There are a large number of poets who wrote in Hausa Ajami about Tarikas. Among the Tijjaniyya, poets are Abubakar Atiku, Sheriff Ahmadu, Malam Sani Bature, Malam Mijinyawa, and Malam Ashiru. Qadiriyya poets include Sani Mai Makaranta etc. There are many anonymous hand-written poems praising Sufi leaders (Paden1965:36). On Hausa Ajami, there are also lots of manuscripts deposited in the institutional libraries bearing various genres ranging from personal letters, poetries with different themes and titles, written in different dialects. For example, Maharazu Barmu Kwasare (1974) Wakar Tabbashi, features Sokotonci dialect, the below extract shows this, Fig.2 Hausa AjamiText.1

‫شي‬ ‫شي‬

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The first stanza of the opening poetry phoneme /ᶴ/  [sh]

‫ش‬

is realised as shi

instead of /š/  [ci] and /j/ [y] respectively. Beside the dialectical differences and idiolect, with regard to spelling of Hausa sounds in Ajami there are inconsistencies by different authors across the texts sampled, consider the below examples; 2.2.1 Phonological Variations ‫نا شا ضوا‬ ‫(نا شا روا‬nasha ruwa) ‫( حرشن حوسا هرشن هوسا‬Harshen Hausa) 2.2.2 Morphological Variations ‫زواغ‬ ‫ظلك‬

‫( زوغ‬zuwaaga) (zuwaga) ‫( ظلكا‬tsallakaa) (tsallaka) Adapted from Ayagi (2013)

Similar experiences of non standardization of writing Hausa Ajami observed in the Kanuri Ajami. Despite discrepancies in the writing system, Hausa Ajami form has tremendously contributed towards the uplifting the literacy level of Hausa folk. In the beginning of the twentieth century the only literacy in the Hausa land was through Arabic, introduced by Muslim missionaries. After the British administration was introduced in 1903, the Roman script was introduced and gradually took over from the modified Arabic script, known as Ajami in which Hausa was written, although it never entirely displaced it (Hiskett1975:1).

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Hausa Ajami Text.2

The Christian missionary workers have also seized this opportunity to use Hausa Ajami in propagating the Christianity in the Hausa land. The content of the above text is one of the purest so far in terms of style and mode of presentation the Hausa Ajami, if not for the Sokontonci dialect featured in the text. The author did not stick to the standard dialect, which is the central dialect of Hausa speech variety. 14

Hausa Ajami like any other is not devoid of problems of dialect variations, unification and standardization, for example, Ayagi (2013:118-126), also observed that, the Arabic/Ajami writing in Nigeria has passed through different stages; each stage had produced a lot of manuscripts, which circulated among people. As far as Arabic/Ajami manuscripts concerned, there had never been a very uniform standardization as to how they should be written. Hence, this paved the chance for the emanation of numerous mistakes among writers and authors. 2.3 Ajami among the Yoruba The Yoruba people have a long history of existence, so their language. Several factors have helped in the codification of Yoruba into a recognized language, and a major means of communication. No doubt, these developments have made writing, documentation and preservation of information for short and long terms possible in Yoruba language. These factors could be responsible to codification of Yoruba language in Arabic script:  The Role of Ajami  The introduction of Christianity and modern education  The introduction of Islam; and  The industrialization in Yoruba land In fact, Ajami script writing had significant impact on Yoruba, because, some of the spoken words and phrases in our day-to-day conversation were derivatives of Arabic words or terms. Abu Abdullah Adelabu documented some of these words also 15

Baldi Sergio in his book, “On Arabic Loan in Yoruba” gave a list of some of these Arabic words found in Yoruba. However, original or (probable) Yoruba terms are provided by this author. Table 1: Some Arabic Words in Yoruba Vocabulary Original or Probable Yoruba Word

Derivative

English Equivalent

Arabic Source

Olodunmare

Ọlọrun

God

Allah

Ilera-lọrọ

Alaafia

Good Health

Al-Aafiaìì

Baba Oni Ile

Baa’le

Family Head

Ba’al

Oju-Ọrun, Oju-Ofurufu

Sanma

Sky/Heavens

Samaa

Ibukun

Alubarika

Blessing

Al-Baarakah

Asiko, Ìgbà, Akoko

Wakati

Time

Waqt

Ewebẹ

Alubasa

Onions

Al-Basal

Ijirẹbẹ,Ẹbẹ

Adura

Prayer to God

Ad-du’a

Ikọkọ, Bonkẹlẹ, Labẹlẹ

Aṣiri

Secret

As-Sirr

Itọrẹ-Aanu

Saka

Gift

Sar-Kaht

Ọjọ-Aiku

Yo-Alaadi, Ar ʔ-al-ʔahad

Sunday

AR ʔa-ʔahad

Ounjẹ

Yo- Saari

Meal before Fast

Ar-Sahir

Ẹká-Bàbà

Yo-Alikamon

Wheat

Ar ʔal qanih

Omi-Arό

Yo- taalaa/tadawa

Ink

Ar-dawah

Titilae

Yo-abada

Forever

Ar-ʔabadan

Owo-gba-ma-bi-nu

Yo-lada

Commission

Ar-ʔal-c-ȃdam

Ayanmọ

Yo- Kadara

Destiny

Ar-qadar

Ẹbẹ- si-Olodunmare

Yo-Ladani

Prayer

Ar-ᶗal-ᶗadan

Ewu

Yo-ijanba

Danger, Injury, Harm

Ar-danb

Owo-Ẹhin, Abẹtẹlẹ

Yo- riba

Bribe, Hush Money

Ar-riban

Mọna-Mọna /Apaara

Yo-ara

Thunder

Ar-ʔar-raᶜd

Ibakasiẹ

Yo-rakunmi

Camel

Ar-rakuba

Arẹnijẹ, Irẹjẹ

Yo-haramum

Swindle, Triickster

Ar- haram

Ọjọru

Yo-Alaruba

Wednesday

Ar-ᶗal-ᶗarb ȃſ-ȃᶗ

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Original or Probable Yoruba Word

Derivative

English Equivalent

Arabic Source

Ipamọra, Itẹmọra, Irọju

Yo-suru

Patience

Ar-sura

Ogun, Egbo-Igi

Yo-tira

Charm

Ar-tira

Ọrọ, Dukia,

Yo- alumoni

Money, Riches, Wealth

Ar-ᶗal-ᶗamr

Ihin, Irohin,

Yo-labare

News, Information

Ar-ʔal-ʔakaȓ

Oorun-didun

Yo-turari

Perfume/Incense/Scent

Ar-ᶜitr

Iforiji, Idariji

Yo-gafara

Pardon, Forgiveness

Ar-gafr

Oge,Ẹwa

Yo-faari

Beauty, Honor

Ar-fakr

Ẹtan, Ẹlẹtan

Yo-Alumọkọrọyi

Cunning, Craft

Ar-ʔal-makir

Abọrisa, Alaigbagbọ

Yo-Keferi

Infidel

Ar-kafir

Igba, Akoko

Yo- Sanmani

Period, Time, Season, Era

Ar-Zamȃn

Tanganran

Yo-Tosa

Metal-Bowl

Ar- tȃsa

Iwe

Yo-Takada

Paper

Ar-qarts

Asọ, Ẹwu-wiwọ

Yo-Kafuntani

Caftan

Ar-quftan-

Ọrọ-Ìṣiti-Olodunmare

Yo-Iwasun

Sermon, Preaching

Ar-waᶜz

Ọjọ-Ẹti

Yo-Jimoh

Friday

Ar-Jumᶜa

Ọpọ-Ero/Ọpọ-Eniyan/ỌpọlọpọEniyan

Yo-jama

People, Congregation

Ar-jamaᶜa

Ere, Ibukun

Yo-anfani

Advantage/Profit

Ar-naf

Tojubọ, D’ọmọkunrin/D’ọmobinrin

Yo-balaga

Puberty

Ar-balaga

Imọlẹ, Atupa

Yo-fitila

Light, Lamp

Ar-fatil

Bàbà,

Yo-fadaka

Silver

Ar-fidda

Ohun-Ikọwe

Yo-Kalaamu

Pen

Ar-qalam

Itọrẹ-Aanu

Yo-Saka

Alms, Gift

Ar-sadaqa

Òye, Ọgbọn-Ori

Yo-lakaaye

Wisdom

Ar-ᶜaql

Ẹku-orire,

Yo-barika

Congratulations

Ar-baraka

Rogbo-diyan,Ruke-rudo,Ijagboro

Yo-alu-ke-m-bu

Stirring-up, Contention

Ar-rikab

Olowo, Ọlọla,Ọlọrọ

Yo-Bọrọkinni

Rich, Nobility

Ar-rukn

Otoṣi, Aboṣi,Akuṣẹ

Yo-Mẹkunnu

Poor, People of no account

Ar-miskń

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Original or Probable Yoruba Word

Derivative

English Equivalent

Arabic Source

Iranṣẹ-Olodunmare

Yo-Malẹka

Angel

Ar-malàńka

Ọmọ-Ẹhin

Yo- atẹle, Itẹle

Disciples, Followers

Ar-ᶗat-talin

Ọjọ-Iṣẹgun

Yo-Atalata

Tuesday

Ar-ᶗat-lȃtȃ

Ile-Ijọsin

Moṣalaṣi

Muslims place of Worship

Ar-Musallan

Aarẹ, Ojojo, Aaganna

Yo-Amọdi

Malady, Illness

Ar-ᶗal-morad.

3.4 Ajami among the Nupe Nupe has been one of the languages written in Arabic script probably even before the period of the Sokoto Jihad. Ibrahim (1988) observes that manuscripts have existed in Nupe land since the fifteen century. Available written records confirmed the existence of Nupe Ajami manuscripts in Nupe land even before the arrival of European missionaries and later colonialists in that part of Nigeria. In 1841, one of the first Europeans to have contact with Nupe affirmed the ability of Nupe Scholars at that time to communicate in Nupe Ajami. The wave of Nupe Ajami flourished in Nupe land as most popular form of Islamic literary tradition among Nupe scholars until the end the Second World War by which time Latin letters through western education had found a permanent home in Nupe land. This, of course, set the cultural stage that facilitated the gradual decline in the use of Ajami by Nupe scholars. During the first stage (1903-1945) of the decline, Nupe scholars combined the use of Roman numerals with Arabic alphabets and symbols in their Ajami writings. 18

For instance, between 1900 and 1953, the two forms of scripts or characters were simultaneously used by Sulaiman Baba Sankuci (d. 1957) in Agaie emirate of Niger state in Nigeria to record tax incomes at the then Emir of Agie’s Palace (Ndagi 2007). The overthrow of Nupe ajami was initially enhanced when leaders of the Sokoto caliphate suffered defeat in the hands of colonialists who, in 1903, dislodged the Islamic political system that was in place in the Northern part of Nigeria with a secular colonial administration. Latin letters were subsequently made to replace the popular Ajami scripts in the whole of the Muslim north. 4.0 The use of Ajami Script for Specific Purposes Under this topic Ajami is being used for various purposes, beside it had been used for special purpose (LSP), that is pedagogical, religious or commerce as it had been the practice in Kanem Borno and among many African communities. Beside this as the African communities has the growing need for democratization of the body polity, politicians are left with to resuscitate the use Ajami to deliver their manifestos and political massages to the electorates. However, politicians adopt the resources of the modified Arabic scripts with a view to reaching out to public especially targeting the dominant Arabic literates who could not read the Roman script. So, Ajami is more at home for them than the otherwise. In this regard, in Nigeria, we see posters and stickers bearing party logos and pictures of 19

candidates on it, either in Hausa Ajami, Fulfulde Ajami or Kanuri Ajami. Consider the example below,

Hausa Ajami Text.3 5.0 Ajamization of Knowledge in Kanuri Society The regional calligraphy determines the system of script adapted for Ajamization. Basically, the Bornoans tradition is largely uses the Kufic script, which is the dominant form of writing in the region. Under the Ajamization of knowledge, we focus at the study of the translated version of the Qur’an, which 20

rendered in Tarjumo in Bornoan tradition has plays a complimentary role in the study of the Qur’an. However, Tarjumo is the written translation of the Qur’an in Kanuri language, by the means of Ajami format. El-Miskin (2009) confirms that, Kanuri is the first language in the region to utilize the Ajami writing format and Tarjumo Qur’anic works constitute a vital component of the tradition. He further said in addition to the Qur’an, this translation format is also applied to many other texts in Grammar, Literature, Law, Jurisprudence and others. There are also manuscripts of the existing texts like Fiqh manual Alakhadari, Risa, Mukhtasar ibn Ashir reproduced in hand written copies for educational purposes or for reading pleasure. In deed this has tremendous impact on scholars and scholarship in Borno. Simply, these texts are domesticated especially the annotated meanings in Kanuri Ajami format, thus it fill up the educational and pedagogical role of imparting various knowledge. These activities of the copyists reveal the quality and quantity of the intellectual history of the region. 6.0 Contrastive Analysis of Arabic and Kanuri Ajami Sounds Due to the fact that distinctive sounds of languages are similar to certain extent, the Kanuri language has its distinctive features. Kanuri has 24 Roman

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alphabets, which each stands for a particular sound. Out of the 24 alphabets 18 are consonant sounds while 6 are vowel sounds respectively. Contrastively not all the Kanuri sounds are correspond to the Arabic sound. The Arabic sound Pharyngeal /‫ع‬/ ainun is heavily represented by high front vowel [i] /‫إ‬/ in the phonology of Kanuri language. In the same way, the phoneme

/‫ه‬/, /‫خ‬/

replaced /‫ح‬/ and /‫ ض‬/ is substituted with / ‫د‬/ and /‫ص‬/ is replaced by /‫س‬/, /‫ظ‬/ /is replaced by /‫ز‬/. Similarly, /‫ط‬/is also equated with /‫ ت‬/. Table .1 Kanuri Ajami Sounds ‫ا‬

Alif

A

‫ب‬

Ba

B

‫ت‬

Ta

T

‫ث‬

Tha

Tsa

‫ج‬

Jim

J

‫ح‬

Ha

H

‫*خ‬

Kha

Kh

‫د‬

Dal

D

‫ر‬

Ra

R

‫ز‬

Zaira

Z

‫س‬

Sin

S

‫ش‬

Shin

Sh

‫ف‬

Fa

F

‫ك‬

Kaf/

K 22

‫ل‬

Lam

L

*‫ص‬

Saad

S

*‫ض‬

Daad

X

*‫ﻉ‬

Ainun

Ai

‫ﻍ‬

Gainun

G

‫م‬

Mim

M

‫ن‬

Nun

N

*‫هـ‬

Ha Suroa

H

‫و‬

Wau

W

‫ي‬

Ya

Y

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Kanuri Ajami Text 1. Showing divergence spellings (adopted from Benton 1968)

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6.1 Transliteration of the three Kanuri Ajami texts Text 1. Mallam Shettima Aate gargam Saubi. Kəmagən

indi chi shi shiya, karo laskaya, gaafanan

gozaiya, fal fugun, fal gafon. Sobachə shika chogoriya. Ni abi fandəm, da gana fandusko. Text 2. Mallam Gana Zongobe Atə gargam Saubeh kəmagən indii ceceshiya, karo lassagayya ngafanan gozayi, fal fugun, fal gafon. Sobancə shika cokoriya, ni abi fandəm? Dah gana fandəsko. Text 3. Mallam Hamet of Maiduguri Ati gargam Saubee, kəmagin indii shishiciya, karu lascaiya, gafanan gozai. Fal fugun fal gaafon. Subanzii shika cogoriya nii afifandim? Da gana fandisko. 6.2 The English Translation of the Specimen This is a story of Sau (legendary people of Kanem Borno), when a Sau man goes for hunting and kills two elephants he hangs one at front and theother at the back on a stick, he carries it to his shoulder. Backed at home, when he was asked by his companion, he says “just a piece of meat that I got from the hunting.

Some discrepancies observed in the above sampled Ajami texts are as follows;

a)

[/‫ صوبي‬/‫سوبي‬/] (b) [/ ‫ بﯥ‬/ ‫ بﮫ‬/] (c) [ ‫أت أت‬/ ‫( ] آت‬d) [‫ش‬/‫] شي‬ ‫صوبﮫ‬/‫( صوبي‬e)

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6.0 Future of Ajami Tradition in African Languages Ajami as a written means of communication has faced several challenges, among other things lack of patronage from government and public, lack of printing equipment that can take care of the various spelling inadequacies etc. During the pre-colonial period, it was used for various purposes, including, at official level, administrative record keeping in king’s palaces, taxation, court proceedings, and at individual level, for religious, political, and cultural matters. Although this situation continued during the colonial period, it was significantly marginalised at official level by the introduction of the Roman script as official script by the colonialists. In the immediate postcolonial period, there was a relative decline in the use of Ajami apparently confined only to the clergy until the 1980s when the first Newspaper –Alfijir was published by the Triumph Newspapers. The paper was popular among the Ajami literates there is hardly any evidence to show its positive impact on the use of Ajami even among the Ajami literate population. Alkali (1993, 1998) has elaborated the need for lexical modernization, and elaboration through various methods such as terminologization, compounding, direct loan, and loan translation (calque), affixation, explanatory procedure of paraphrase and contraction. 26

7.0 Conclusion The situation examined so far suggests that, Ajami is realised in a written usage. Arabic script as the source material provides the impetus to the local languages therefore it reflects its usability depending on language specific, without resorting to translatability of the meaning of the target language. Kanuri Ajami could not operate side by side with Arabic due to discrepancies in phonetic correspondences and semantic impediment of some lexicon across the languages. Though, its significant homogeneity across the local languages could be observed in eliciting a phatic communication, incomparable within the context of spoken language. The Kanuri Ajami or Ajamization of knowledge serves as additional vehicle of written communication, in the sphere of knowledge acquisition. It’s certainly enhances the learnability and express powers of individuals. In mass literacy for example, if the challenges of production of learning and teaching materials have taken into cognizance, there should be mass enrolments into more formal school system by the graduates of Tsangaya (Qur’anic schools) in the region. This is a golden opportunities should be created for the Tsangaya graduates. They too would secure employment and take participate in politics; they should be voted into various political offices.

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