Legendary Hausa Griot Dan Maraya Jos has died after a protracted illness. The famous traditional artiste best known for playing his moving lyrics and mastery of the kontigi died around 3pm yesterday, his friend and close associate, Ladan Salihu, announced.

“One of Nigeria’s foremost Hausa musicians, poet, philosopher and philanthropist, Dr. Adamu Dan Maraya Jos has answered Allah’s call about an hour ago. “He died in Jos after a protracted illness. When I visited him two weeks ago, he spoke passionately about the Unity of the North and of one Nigeria,” Mr. Salihu, a zonal director at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), announced on his Facebook page at about 4pm yesterday.

Among the earliest to pay tribute to Dan Maraya Jos was Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, who uploaded a 2004 photo he took with the great artiste, writing: “Today, I mourn the passing away of one of the most talented Nigerian artistes, Alhaji (Dr) Adamu Danmaraya Jos, MON OON.”

Aged 69, Dan Maraya Jos was born Adamu Wayya in 1946 in Bukuru, near Jos, the Plateau State capital. His father died shortly after his birth and his mother died while he was still an infant, inheriting his interest in music from his father, who was a court musician for the Emir of Bukuru, who took raised him following the death of his parents died. He started playing the kontigi as a pre-teen, developing into one of the greatest musicians ever to come out of northern Nigeria.

Dan Maraya Jos came to limelight with his first hit ‘Wak’ar Karen Mota’ (‘Song of the Driver’s Mate’) and later recorded a large repertoire of hits that included ‘Jawabin Aure’ (‘Discourse on Marriage’), ‘Auren Dole’ (‘Forced Marriage’) and ‘Gulma-Wuya’ (‘The Busybody’).

•Photo shows late Dan Maraya Jos playing the kontigi.