Blind singer goes from streets to stardom in north Nigeria Yahaya Usman, known by his stage name “Yahaya Mahako” (Mahako means blind in Hausa), went from being a beggar to a famous singer in northern Nigeria. After losing his sight to measles when he was 3, he was sent away from his village and was told street begging was his only means to survive. He discovered his talent for singing on the street but faced years of discrimination, until he met a wealthy man who helped him achieve his dream. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES