Sufi Poetry in Twentieth-Century Nigeria: The Arabic Literary Corpus of Abubakar Atiƙu Sanka

The history of Arabic literary writing in northern Nigeria spans nearly 800 years, with the
emergence of notable figures like Abū Isḥāq Ibrāhīm al-Kānemī in the 13th century. Over time,
Arabic writing became the primary literary tradition in the region, particularly in Borno, Katsina,
and Kano. The 20th century holds significance in the context of Arabic and Islamic writing in
Nigeria, marked by a surge in literary output, especially by Tijani scholars aligned with the Fayḍa
Sufi revival led by Šayḫ Ibrahim Niasse. This study focuses on Šayḫ Abū Bakr al-ꜤAtīq b. Ḫidr,
known as Shehu Abubakar Atiƙu Sanka, a prominent Sufi scholar and writer in 20th-century
northern Nigeria.
Atiƙu's significance lies in his seamless integration of Sufi practice and writing, making him one
of the most prolific writers of his time in Nigeria. The study encompasses Atiƙu's extensive corpus,
including thousands verses in both Arabic and Hausa languages. Analyzing the entirety of his
verses without artificial differentiation based on language, the research benefits from access to
Atiƙu's private library, providing original manuscripts that reveal the author's intentions and
encoded messages not present in published versions.
Examining Atiƙu's literary output, the study aims to explore the Sufi content in his poems and the
strategies employed to achieve cohesion, ranging from lexical and grammatical cohesiveness to
semantic coherence. This involves decoding Sufi elements and techniques, such as acrostic poems,
cryptic encoding, and numerology, which contribute to the overall meaning of the text. The
research questions delve into Atiƙu's identity as a poet, the themes and genres of his Sufi poetry,
the linguistic analysis of his poems, the contextual factors influencing their composition, the
sources inspiring his work, and the social functions of his poetry within the community.
In conclusion, this study offers a comprehensive exploration of Atiƙu's Sufi poetry, shedding light
on its linguistic, Sufi, and literary dimensions. By deciphering the intricate techniques employed
by Atiƙu, the research contributes to the understanding of Arabic literature, Islamic studies, and
the intellectual history of West Africa, emphasizing the unique features of Sufi poetry in 20th century Nigeria.