Shaaban Robert | |
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| Born | Shaaban bin Selemani (1909-01-01)1 January 1909 |
| Died | 20 June 1962(1962-06-20) (aged 53) |
| Resting place | Machui,Tangasisi, Tanga Region |
| Occupations | Civil servant, writer, poet |
| Years active | 1932–62 |
| Known for | kiswahili literature |
| Notable work | Kusadikika |
| Spouse | Amina |
| Children | 10 |
| Awards | Margaret Wrong Prize and Medal for African Literature |
Shaaban bin Robert, also known asShaaban Robert (1 January 1909 – 20 June 1962), was a Tanzanian poet, author, and essayist who supported the preservation ofTanzanianverse traditions.[2] Robert is celebrated as one of the greatest Tanzanian Swahili thinkers, intellectuals and writers in East Africa and has been called "poet laureate of Swahili" and is also known as the "Father of Swahili."[3] He is also honoured as thenational poet.[4]
Shaaban was born to a father ofYao decent and mother ofDigo heritage at village of Vibamba,Tangasisi ward ofTanga District, located south ofTanga City inTanga Region, Tanzania (thenGerman East Africa). The surname Robert is a name of a British colonial officer who requested his parent to name him after him. Thus in real sense, Robert was his second name (not his surname or last name), his first name being Shaaban. Shaaban himself for a time wrote it 'Roberts' rather than 'Robert'. From 1922 to 1926 he was educated inDar es Salaam, coming in second in a class of 11 to receive the School Leaving Certificate under the then British colonial educational system in Tanganyika.[3]
After receiving the school certificate, Shaaban worked at various posts as a colonial government civil servant. From 1926 to 1944 he was a customs official at different locations throughout the territory including one post at Kwale Island in current dayMkuranga District ofPwani Region. From 1944 to 1946 he worked for the Game Department. From 1946 to 1952 he worked in the Tanga District Office, and from 1952 to 1960 he was in the Survey Office there. He worked very closely with theTanganyika African National Union (TANU) andJulius Nyerere. Many of his civil service experiences are woven into his writings. During his lifetime he received theMargaret Wrong Prize and Medal for African Literature and was honored by the British government as aMember of the Order of the British Empire (M.B.E.).[3][5]
Robert contributed to the promotion of theSwahili language and the struggle for the dignity of mankind. He was a celebratedhumanist. He worked forfreedom andgender equality, and was againstracial andreligious discrimination in Tanzania. Tanzania's first president,Julius Nyerere, had complete admiration for the late Shaaban Robert, and greatly valued and promoted his intellectual work. His was also equally respectful of both Muslims and Christians. That is reflected in his two unusual names (Shaaban—Muslim name and Robert, a Christian name).[The name Robert was in fact one of his father's several names, the others being Selemani and Ufukwe]
Sheikh Shaaban Robert succeeded in writing essays, books, prose and poems and some of his literature is part of school curricula and higher education reading. Some of his books includedMaisha Yangu na Baada ya Miaka Hamsini,Kusadikika, andWasifu wa Siti binti Saad. His works are still being discovered and published. To date he has 24 known works.
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