He is a prince of Pategi in Niger State. Samanja became a household name in Nigeria, not as a prince or soldier, but as a comedian on radio, television and on stage. Though he has now retired from the scene, his name still rings a bell. In this interview he demonstrated his humorous endowment, in spite of his failing sight.
One can safely say that you’re owned by Nigerians because of the fun you took to the living rooms in your days as a comedian. But who is Samanja?
I am Usman Baba Pageti, the son of the late Etsu Pategi. I was born in Pategi on the May 20, 1942. I attended schools in Pategi and later Ilorin Middle School. My elder brother then took me to Kaduna. We lived on Gumel Road in the house of the then richest man in Kaduna, Alhaji Audu -Kwangila- Bidda, the father of a former Director General of NAMA, Alhaji Audu Bidda.
He trusted me and I was the custodian of his safe. He gave me the key to his safe, tied to his prayer bead. I was the treasurer who opened the safe, making payments to people or issuing donation to the needy. I would read from a list and he would say give so and so this amount and tell so and so to come back some other time. I later worked in the Public Works Department, in the Mechanical Store, before I joined the Northern Broadcasting Corporation, NBC, Kaduna.
What was the programme that shaped you?
At NBC I worked under the Abubakar Inna Pate, Yusuf Ladan and the late Muhmmadu Ango Zaria, who was the producer of Drama. The programme entitled Mallam Jatau Na Albarkawa was a mock university and they methodology was comedy and satire about brilliant and weak students in a class.
Why did you join the Army?
When the Civil War broke out, a Captain came looking for northern youths to volunteer to fight, and I did. I then withdrew my service and joined the army through Depot Zaria and 13 of us were sent to Army Signal Training School, Ojo Road, Apapa. Tony Abgem and I passed and were deployed to the Mid-West in Kwale Town under the late General Sani Abacha.
While Madugu was the brigade commander and later the present Emir of Zuru, General Sani Sami was at the Brigade headquarters. After the war, and later in 1985, I retired from the army and went back to acting drama at the FRCN, Kaduna broadcasting station.
What led to the rise and fall of the drama, Samanja?
The drama series, Samanja, was meant to enlighten the civil populace on the regimentation of the military. It later had followers by the high and low military and civilian population alike. The fall was the lack of sponsorship and my failing eyesight, as it will deny me the ability to act on action scenes during drama. But Alhaji Aliko Dangote sponsored my bill. I went to India twice to a Columbia-Asia Hospital in Bangalore, India.
The first time, they placed me on drugs and said I should return after six months. I went and they told me that there was nothing they could do. They even advised me -stern warning- to be patient and accept my fate. I was told not to bother myself so that it may not cause other health problems for me.
What were your happy moments?
Enlightening the populace, performing live on stage, an invitation by a former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, to perform on stage during the Army Day celebration, the VIP treatment given me and my crew during the Nigerian Air Force Day Celebration in Ikeja, Lagos when they dispatched a plane to fly me and my crew from Kaduna to Lagos. On that occasion, the plane was on stand-by and after we had performed, it flew us back to Kaduna. Another happy moment was when my crew and I passed the night in Aso Rock, during the reign of General Sani Abacha when his wife invited us to perform.
What happened when armed robbers attacked you in your house?
When it was announced in the media that Alhaji Aliko Dangote would sponsor my medical treatment abroad, armed robbers came and greeted me and said ‘Baba, we heard that you have received money and we are here to collect our own share’. Being an experienced person, I didn’t panick. I told them that I would not see a kobo of the money, that the money would not be given to me, but to the agent who would process my flight ticket and the hospital bill to their account in India. They left me unscathed.
Are your children taking after you?
Yes, Abubakar Usman is with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Kaduna, in their drama unit.
Why didn’t you inherit your father’s throne as Etsu Pategi?
My grandfather and father were the Etsu Pategi. When Chief Idris Gana died, a delegation went to The Emir of Kontagora to persuade me to come back home and rule my people. When Etsu Idris Gana died, my elder brother Alhaji Jibrin Taka told me to support him to be the Etsu. We are from the same father, but of different mothers. I told him to go to Pategi and if the people accepted him, so be it. The people shunned him for some reasons. However, out of my mother’s eight births, six died, leaving my elder sister and myself. She is still in Pategi. She went to the Emir of Kontagora, Alhaji Saidu Namaska, who was very fond of me.
The Emir called me and said I should contest and that he would provide everything to support make me and Etsu. And, even the present Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, said the same thing. He promised to assemble horses, clothes and many other royal paraphernalia for me to contest . They promised to make the turbaning a success, but I declined. I told him that I didn’t want to be Etsu now, but when the time comes, I would vie for the position. You know, when you become a chief or Emir, you become a friend of the rich and mighty Emirs.
Who then became the Etsu?
My younger brother is the present Etsu Pategi. He is Etsu Umar Chata.
Why didn’t you accept the offer?
It didn’t appeal to me. My ambition was to make money through drama and retire to be a philanthropist and help the needy. Uptil today, if you see me with a lot of money today, do not be surprised if I wouldn’t have a kobo tomorrow.
Any regret?
No. But people should accept defeat. They should be honest, avoid cheating, work hard and leave everything to God, as you cannot challenge destiny. To those who are traditional rulers, times have changed, as they are now without power, merely living on past glory, but highly regarded but still being tormented by political leaders, either military president or civilian governors.
They are consulted during electoral campaigns and dumped after victory at the polls. Still, a traditional leader would pull more crowd than a governor at any event.
