Octogenarian Alhaji Ali, nicknamed Sabon Kida, is the only surviving member of late Hausa music legend Alhaji Musa Dan Kwairo’s group. He now makes a living weaving rope. Weekend Magazine spoke to him on his musical beginnings, his famous cousin Dan Kwairo and many others.

Alhaji Ali, the only surviving member of late Hausa music legend Alhaji Musa Dan Kwairo’s group, still has fond memories of his involvement with his colleagues in the band still remembered by many music-lovers and historians in the north.
80-year-old Ali, nicknamed Sabon Kida, now weaves rope for a living. With tear-filled eyes, he told Weekend Magazine that he is contented with the life he’s lived.
On being part of Dan Kwairo’s group, he said he started with them as a child and was allowed to become a full-time member only after his father requested Dan Kwairo, who was a cousin, to give him a chance.
According to Sabon Kida, the art of singing runs in the family. “It is as if we drank the gift of music from a fountain,” he explained to Weekend Magazine.
Sabon Kida recalled that the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardaunan Sokoto, who had a lot of respect for aspects of social life, developed a special liking for the group.
At his hometown of Gidan Karo in Maradun local government area of Zamfara State, elderly Sabon Kida grappled with poor memory, as he had difficulty recounting a number of things vividly. But still, many memories, perhaps the brightest of them for the one-time artiste, seemed to pop up as the encounter continued.
Sabon Kida spoke about the late Sardauna’s legendary generosity and how it impacted their whole group. He said the late Premier was noted to have placed Dan Kwairo and his band far above any known one, giving them fancy fabric and even vehicles at a time when such gifts were beyond the reach of the ordinary man.
Sabon Kida told Weekend Magazine that he still has in his possession an outfit given to him by the late Sardauna, estimating the garment’s age to be almost 50 years. He stressed how much of a prized possession it was to him, even as he happily – and eagerly – wore it to demonstrate its beauty. The outfit still looked intact in spite of its age. He revealed that it was gifted to him after a special outing at the late, beloved leader’s residence in Kaduna, where they were given choice accommodation, fed with the best food and showered with gifts.
Over the course of the interview, Sabon Kida would frequently mention the late Sardauna, referring to him as ‘Gamji Dan Kwairo’, signifying how much the late Premier meant to him and his deceased colleagues.
Memories of his group’s many musical exploits and the happy moments he shared with his colleagues during the First Republic caused the senior gentleman to break down in tears. He explained to Weekend Magazine that after the demise of Sardauna, the group took time before they decided to continue working, singing the praises of such notable northern leaders as the then Sultan of Sokoto, Sarkin Daura Bashar and Sarkin Zazzau Aminu, all of blessed memory.
More tears fell from Sabon Kida’s eyes as he was reminded by the walk down memory lane that he is the only surviving member of the once-famous singing group. He apologised like the gentleman he is, declaring every tear a tribute to his colleagues whom he misses so much.
However, he is not even remotely alone. At his Shiyau Makada retirement home on the outskirts of Gidan Kano village off Gusau road in Maradun local government area, Sabon Kida finds companionship in his 10 children and many grandchildren who are now looking after him.
The veteran singer insisted to Weekend Magazine that he has no regrets for his chosen career and the life he’s lived garnering fame doing what he loves. “26 years since the demise of late Alhaji Musa Dan Kwairo, the man who started it all, a road has been paved for generations to come,” he said, even as he revealed that the late Dan Kwairo’s grandson is also an incredibly talented singer/musician.