Curtain falls on prince who became king of TV comedy

Born into a royal family, the late Usman Pategi, affectionately called Samanja, became a household name in entertainment after his career in the military, STEPHEN ANGBULU writes

On November 12, 2023, the curtain fell on a storied era of laughter and entertainment with the passing of Usman Pategi, popularly known as Samanja, at 81.

President Bola Tinubu, the Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and eminent Nigerians, and countless fans poured encomiums on a man known too well for his excellent theatrics.

His unique mustache distinguished him from every character of his day. His concepts evoked laughter and lightened moods while instilling citizens with a sense of patriotism and appreciation for servicemen and women.

For millions of adult Nigerians, it was not only Pategi’s acting career that commanded their gratitude but what he sacrificed to give them a memorable childhood.

It is an exciting tale of a prince who chose the stage over the throne. The story of a man who would have lived in quiet aristocracy but chose a louder path filled with the laughter of audiences and the applause of a nation.

Usman Pategi was born into the Patigi royal family on May 20, 1942, in Pategi, Northern Nigeria. His father was the late King Etsu Usman Patako of Pategi. Young Usman started his formal education at Pategi Primary School, then went to Ilorin Middle School.

Later, he moved to Kaduna to live with his uncle, Alhaji Audu Bida and helped him at home. Narrating his experience within that period, he said, “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, made payments to people, or issued donations 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.”

He later joined the Public Works Department in the Mechanical Store before securing a job with the Northern Broadcasting Corporation in Kaduna. At NBC, he worked under Abubakar Pate, Yusuf Ladan, and Muhmmadu Zaria, who was the producer of drama.

At the time, he helped to produce Mallam Jatau Na Albarkawa, a comedic and satirical programme about brilliant and weak students in a class.

But it was the late 1960s. Nigeria’s nascent democracy had suffered severe setbacks through the 1966 coups and the events that followed. As a virile 25-year-old at the start of the Civil War in July 1967, Pategi left his stable job at NBC to begin an 18-year service in the Army—another major sacrifice on his list of tradeoffs.

However, that tradeoff sowed the seeds of what would blossom into a flourishing post-war career on the screen and stage. When he retired from the Army, he had observed his superiors and colleagues well enough to dramatise the practices of a typical Nigerian soldier skillfully.

In a 2017 interview, he confessed, “It was while in the Army that I started observing how our Sergeant Major controlled the other ranks and related with his superiors.

“And as an active soldier, it was easy for me to gist and interact with the rank and file. And so, after the war, I left the Army and returned to my first love, which is drama. Acting gives me joy. It makes me happy.”

He served under Generals Sani Abacha and Sani Sami, retiring in 1985 to begin acting in dramas at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria in Kaduna. He also directed and wrote movies. But for no other feat was he more celebrated than his role in Samanja Maza Fama (meaning Sergeant-Major), drawing from his years in the Army.

As the man recounts, “Samanja was meant to enlighten the civil populace on the regimentation of the military.” However, it quickly gathered steam, raking in followers from the highest and lowest realms of the military and civilian population.

Sadly, being the face of the TV programme made it vulnerable to Pategi’s natural predicaments, such as his failing eyesight. Years later, he narrated that the fall of Samanja “was the lack of sponsorship and my failing eyesight, as it will deny me the ability to act on action scenes during drama.”

Although businessman and founder of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, footed Pategi’s bills to receive treatment for glaucoma in India, it became clear that his condition may not change much and the programme would remain in his past.

He narrated, “I went to India twice to a Columbia-Asia Hospital in Bangalore. The first time, they placed me on drugs and said I should return after six months. I went back 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.”

Though denied the opportunity to continue his passion in the way he knew best, Pategi remained grateful for the biggest moments of his career. That included an invitation by a former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, to perform on stage during the Army Day celebration. He also reminisced about the VIP treatment given him and his crew during the Nigerian Air Force Day Celebration in Ikeja, Lagos, when the Presidency dispatched an aircraft to fly him and his team from Kaduna to Lagos and back after their performance.

“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,” he enthused.

Decades after sacrificing the monarchy for his dreams, the opportunities did not stop coming. Blue blood meant he could have lived in regal comfort and traditional responsibilities. Yet, his love for acting and storytelling would not allow him to sit on a traditional throne. In doing so, he became a pioneering figure in the Hausa film industry, often called Kannywood.

Samanja’s journey was not merely one of personal fulfilment. He chose to be a monarch in a different way. To him, a better way to serve his people would be to bring to life the stories of the north, tales woven with the threads of humour, wisdom, and the everyday experiences of his people.

Through his craft, he showcased the vibrancy of Hausa culture and its rich tapestry of traditions to a broader audience. His roles were as varied as they were memorable. Nonetheless, they all carried the unique imprint of his genius—a blend of comedic timing, dramatic gravitas, and an innate ability to connect with his audience. It made sense when, in a 2016 interview, Samanja confessed to receiving his ideas from the dreams.

His performances transcended language and cultural barriers, earning him admiration from both young and old across Nigeria, particularly in the northern region. Little wonder at his demise, the Nigerians paused to pay their respects.

Taiwo Bamigboye, who shared his thoughts about Pategi on X (formerly Twitter), said, “I watched Samanja and Jagua while growing up. May his soul rest in perfect peace.”

Abubakar Usman wrote “Rest well Samanja. Growing up, your drama series was a delight to watch. You did not only bless us with laughter; we learned patriotism and nationalism from you. May Allah grant you Aljannatu Firdausi.”

Also, another user named Norman Williams reasoned, “Growing up watching Samanja stirs up that sense of patriotism.”

He did not sound very different from Yahaya Abdulrahman, who wrote, “May the gentle soul of the veteran actor Usman Pategi alias Samanja Mazan Fama rest in peace. As a child, I grew up listening to his drama played on Radio Nigeria Kaduna, then watched the same in NTA & BRTV Maiduguri. He was a force of his own. Will be deeply missed.”

Mourning the Pategi, President Bola Tinubu described his death as a painful loss, saying he contributed to the country through the various vocations he pursued in his lifetime.