Opinion
Leke Abejide: A home in Yagba, a heart in Okunland
By Tunde Olusunle
Come Monday October 10, 2022, Leke Joseph Abejide, Member Representing Yagba Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, will be conferred with the title of Maiyegun of Egbe. Egbe, a major town in Yagba West local government area, (LGA), Kogi State is host to a number of historic institutions. The famous Sudan Interior Mission (SIM) Hospital, was established in the community in 1952, by the iconic Canadian missionary and surgeon, Frederick George Campion. The medical facility has since metamorphosed into the Evangelical Churches Winner All, (ECWA) Hospital and remains a major health institution, serving patients from the contiguous Kwara, Kogi, Ekiti, Ondo and Niger states. Late founder of the Synagogue Ministries, Prophet Temitope. Bamidele Joshua did testify, that his mother was delivered of him at the ECWA Hospital, Egbe, after he had spent 15 months in her womb. Before that auspicious time of his mother birthing him, she had been taken around several clinics and hospitals, without a solution.
Egbe is also the host community of the renowned Titcombe College, established in 1951. The institution has been at the core of knowledge impartation for thousands of youths from across the country, into the seventh decade and still counting. Notable graduates of the school include Adeyinka Adeniyi, who hails from Egbe, and who retired as a Major General from the Nigerian Army. So was the late Ibrahim Kefas, an Air Commodore who served as military administrator of Cross River State and Delta states, respectively. There are also Bayo Ojo, SAN, former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, and Samuel Afolayan, a retired Vice Admiral and former Chief of Naval Staff, (CNS), who both served in the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.
Olu Obafemi, Emeritus Professor of English and Dramatic Arts, and 2018 recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit, (NNOM), is also an alumnus of Titcombe College, Egbe. So was Pius Adesanmi, the Canadian-Nigerian distinguished professor of literature and public intellectual, who died in the Ethiopian Airlines crash of 2019. Former Director-General of the National Institute for Security Studies, (NISS), Toyin Akanle, (PhD), and the incumbent Agbana of Isanlu, Oba Moses Babatunde Etombi, are both products of the college. This is not forgetting Solomon Adebola, Professor of Management Sciences, University of Ibadan, (UI).
Abejide’s installation with the “Maiyegun of Egbe” title, will be conducted by the *Elegbe of Egbe, Oba Ayodele Irukera, a revered royal and retired university bureaucrat. It will be the most recent of a string of honours and recognitions he has received in recent years and months. His previous investiture as Asiwaju of Alu his birthplace in Yagba East LGA, was attended by Abubakar Badaru, governor of Jigawa State. His more recent recognition with the title of Asiwaju of Yorubas in Kano, was graced by the Kano State chief executive, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. All of these speak to the deep affiliations and broad network of a man, whose career is rooted in the catacombs of time and space.
Abejide came unto the political scene in Yagba federal constituency, the single largest sub-Okun sociocultural bloc, a green horn, a total neophyte. He ventured into a terrain which had hitherto been dominated by the Peoples’ Democratic Party, (PDP), with a fleeting glimpse of the All Progressives Congress, (APC). For the avoidance of doubt, beginning from the return of democratic governance in 1999, the PDP has produced three out of the four preceding members of the House of Representatives, the position he desired. Sola Ojo, an attorney from Mopamuro local government area, (LGA); Tolorunju Faniyi, an investment and management consultant, (Yagba East) and Samuel Bamidele Aro, a businessman, (Yagba West), all contested and won under the umbrella of the PDP.
They all served for one term of four years each in the “green chamber,” the way the House of Representatives is commonly described. This was in consonance with the mutual agreement between all three local government areas in the constituency, to this effect. Backed by the billionaire Jide Omokore who hails from Isanlu, Sunday Karimi, a businessman from Yagba West who vied for the position in 2011, did so on the platform of the APC. He ran against the established rotational template, which ordinarily, should have seen a candidate from Mopamuro, fielded for the office. Karimi would subsequently leverage his incumbency to take a second shot at the position in 2015, in total dismemberment of the preexisting “single term per LGA” arrangement.
Our subject in this instance, however, seemed to have been properly guided by the crippling socioeconomic situation in Yagbaland, in the run up to the 2019 general elections, before pitching his political tent. He desired to serve his people as their voice, their eyes and eyes in the green chamber. But he was ranged against two dominant political parties which could be a hard nut to crack. He zeroed in on the knowledge industry in Yagbaland, which like its brother subsets in Okunland, is the biggest preoccupation in the federal constituency, when juxtaposed with subsistence farming.
At the last tally, full professors from Isanlu, headquarters of Yagba East, for instance, were 40 in number. In recent years, unfortunately, globally respected professors like Pius Adebola Adesanmi from the same community, very painfully, passed on, depleting the numbers. Pioneer Vice Chancellor of Bingham University, Abuja, Felix Anjorin, another distinguished professor from Isanlu, also departed a few years ago. About a dozen other academics from the same community, are very senior associate professors, awaiting substantive elevation to full chairs. Statistically, the Yagba sub-country has a total of 70 secondary schools, spread across the three LGAs which constitute the federal constituency. There are 47 government-owned, and 27 privately established. This is testament to the subsisting hunger and thirst for literacy and education in the constituency. This is the catchment area Abejide desired to serve.
The salaries of civil servants and teachers in government employment who constitute the bulk of the rural intelligentsia, were paid in distinguishedly erratic, phenomenally miserly, even preposterously inconceivable percentages by the state government. There was palpable apprehension that thousands of students in year three of the Senior Secondary School, (SSS 3), may not be able to write the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations, (SSSCE). Looped to this was the fact that these same students would not sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, (UTME) in their quest for placement in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. The SSSCE is a major prerequisite for consideration for admission into higher institutions.
Enter, Abejide, a little-known young economist and businessman. He had hitherto lived and worked in Kano, the famous epicentre of commerce in Nigeria’s idyllic North. He had made a name out there in shipping, logistics, oil and gas, including venturing into cross-border business. Abejide in 2018, offered to foot the SSSCE bills of all the students, in all government-owned secondary schools in Yagba catchment. It was an unheralded precedent. A few people from his political sub-zone who were visibly better endowed in their time, never conceived of, nay implemented any such human resource development schemes. By this singular stroke, Abejide won over not just the admiration of the benefitting youngsters, he equally touched the hearts of their parents. They had been saved the shame of obvious incapacity to see their children and wards through a most critical phase of their academic development.
By the time Abejide announced his decision to contest for the Yagba House of Representatives seat with the approach of the 2019 general elections, he had become something of a household name. The fact that he opted to fly the flag of the rather strange and unknown African Democratic Congress, (ADC), was no obstacle. The electorate who had previously been schooled and stuck with the “umbrella” and “broom” logos of the two bigger parties, seamslessly acceded to very swift and noteworthy political reorientation and adaptation. It was going to be the party with the “handshake” this time around, and not any other. Abejide triumphed over his opponents from the PDP, James Fabola, a seasoned attorney from Yagba East, and Henry Abimbola of the APC, from Mopamuro.
In the green chamber which has 360 members, Abejide is something of an “orphan.” He is the singular, sole and only member of his party the ADC in the entire parliament. But recognition came quickly for him. Following the inauguration of the House in June 2019, he was appointed Vice Chairman of the Committee on Customs and Excise. Following the unfortunate demise of the substantive chairman, he was in March 2021, upgraded and confirmed the chairman. Such acclamation as a green horn in the parliament, and a non-member of the ruling party, is a rarity.
Abejide, however, has served Yagbaland, and indeed Okunland with distinctive verve and diligence, since his first day in the parliament. From the rehabilitation of roads, bridges and culverts, through the provision of potable water for his people; from equipping hospitals, through the construction of classroom blocks; from rural electrification projects, to electricity infrastructure; from the construction of facilities for security operatives, through support for enhancing agricultural productivity, Abejide has been untiring, his imprimatur in virtually every pie. The traditional homeward drift of individuals and families during the last yuletide for instance, was facilitated substantially by Abejide’s interventions. The Iyamoye to Igbagun, the Igbagun to Ife-Olukotun, Omuo to Igbagun and the Alu to Igboero, the Iluhagba-Mopa-Isanlu roads were either rehabilitated or built anew by Abejide.
Elsewhere, Abejide has directly facilitated the absorption of almost three dozen Yagba youngsters, into various federal ministries, departments and agencies, (MDAs), thereby providing lifelong livelihoods for them. He has continued to empower his constituents in various ways, including the provision of 100 motor vehicles; a combined 100 tricycles and motorcycles; 200 water pumps and 500 generators. Determined to accentuate the permeation of information technology to his people, he is building a 300-capacity ICT Centre, and has made available 100 brand new laptops for starters. This is besides placing about 50 students of tertiary institutions on his direct scholarship.
In conjunction with the National Directorate of Employment, (NDE), Abejide has anchored vocational training programmes for youths in his catchment.
Recognising the criticality of agriculture in the socioeconomic sustenance of his people, he is powering the construction of an agricultural research centre in Yagbaland. Each farming cycle, he distributes fertilisers and seedlings to farmers, and has also opened access for his people to agricultural loans provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN). He has been credited with the distribution of over 20,000 palm and cashew seedlings across his homeland, in an effort to revive agricultural production. So variegated and impactful are Abejide’s undertakings that it will take a while by aspirants to his seat, to approximate or better his milestones. It has indeed been suggested that except if Abejide is deploying his personal resources to augment the multifaceted uplifting of his constituents, he might have unwittingly exposed representatives who never went half the mile he has gone.
A few months back, Abejide as Chairman of a fundraiser for the development of an Okun Unity House, domiciled in Kabba the traditional headquarters of Okunland, made an initial donation of N20 million, to the project. He had noted inter alia at the event, that Okunland is too big and too sophisticated not to have a central sociocultural address. He has equally promised to be more pan-Okun in the immediate future, in underwriting the examination expenses of students in all secondary schools, public and private across Okunland and indeed Kogi West.
Leke Joseph Abejide was born May 8, 1975, in Alu, Yagba East local government area, Kogi State. He schooled at the Alu Community Secondary School, graduating in 1991. He obtained a bachelors degree in Economics from the Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU), Zaria, and a masters in Business Administration at the Bayero University, (BUK), Kano. His area of research interest was “entrepreneurship development.” He developed a passion for business and commerce while still an undergraduate which helped to define his future career path. He established and nurtured a non-governmental organisation, the “Leke Abejide Foundation,” which enables his structured interventions in the mediation of the challenges of the less privileged. He has been active in his own way, on the floor of parliament, moving motions and contributing to issues of communal and national interest. He has been honoured with several traditional appellations for his service to his people. Notably, he is also the Asiwaju of Yagbaland, a title invented and bestowed on him, by the agglomeration of royals from Yagbaland, at a ceremony in Mopamuro LGA. L to has been ordained as an “Elder” in Christ Wisdom Church, Kano and is happily married with beautiful children.
Tunde Olusunle, PhD, poet, journalist, author and scholar is a Member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, (NGE).
By Hamza Lamisi
No doubt that one of the expected big game Changers of the 10th National Assembly, particularly the Senate, is the emergence of a vocal voice who ran one of the country’s most persecuted election campaigns in Nigeria’s history. From the feminine gender in a male dominated political ecosystem to being transracial in a highly conservative District; a Christian in Muslim-saturated bargain table of stakeholders, from being single to inter-tribally married in a natively and culturally republic Ebira Land. Not only to contest in a struggling opposition party but to face the most ruthless Chief Security Officer of her State, from her District.
The odds were obviously too many but Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan upturned the guess – defeating the threatening ruling party and emerging the first female Senator Kogi State ever produced. She defined the turning point of Kogi Central’s representation in Nigeria’s bicameral Parliament. Unlike her colleagues from Kogi State who rode on the backing of the number one citizen of the State, Senator Natasha’s road to the red Chambers was never paved, it was a tough and rough journey of determination, persistence, unwavering dedication and commitment to a dream held in trust for the people.
She walked through the storms and she is shaped by the lessons – to remain bold, assertive, unbroken, unbeaten and unbowed by any circumstance, because only by struggle and perseverance freedom comes. Not unaware of the systemic dialogue, lobby and collaboration but Senator Natasha would not do so at the expense or in exchange of the People’s trust and mandate for which she swore oath to protect.
Stepping into the Senate as a survivor of election and litigation battles, and looking back to the unwavering support and uncommon trust of Kogi people and Nigerians by extension, notwithstanding already some months behind her fellow law makers, Senator Natasha was prepared to have the end justify the means. Barely 16 months from the very day of her swearing-in till date, Senator Natasha’s contributions and impact in the 10th Senate have left many wonder if she was a first time Senator or one elected from the minority opposition. Most popular and best performing member of the current National Assembly.
Just within one year in office, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan lit 30 kilometers of road networks across Kogi Central with over 2,000 solar powered streetlights. Over 1,300 women and youth were trained and empowered by the law maker. Senator Natasha has supported the tuition fee of over 353 vulnerable indigenous students at tertiary institutions nationwide. She has faciliated federal employment opportunities for various graduates and facilitate capacity building trainings and empowerment for many others.
She brought a reliable supply of portable water to Kogi Central communities with 12 water reticulation projects with each being a massive 50,000-liter solar-powered motorized water system, which serves 300 locations and provides, 1,800 fetching taps.
To draw legislation closer to the grassroot, Senator Natasha engaged 100 constituency aides both men and women across the 57 wards in Kogi Central. She has distributed 12 trucks of grains, 10, 000 wrappers for women, 20,000 notebooks, 5,000 school bags and reconstructed and remodeled Abdul Aziz Attah Memorial College Okene (AAAMCO), Okene to smart school.
Within one year in office, Senator Natasha has attracted employments in both federal agencies and private organizations to over 30 graduates from her constituency.
Ihima community has been without police station for the past 7 years, Senator Natasha embarked on total reconstruction of Ihima Police Station which was commissioned by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Senator Natasha distributed 4 trucks of fertilizers totalling 2,400 bags of NPK and Urea fertilizers to Kogi Central farmers. Free Business CAC registration of 2,500 SMEs. She has empowered Kogi Central students from 12 selected tertiary institutions across Nigeria with multipurpose business cart and start up fund.
Commissioned six constituency offices in the five LGAs to make government closer to the people. Senator Natasha has sponsored two motions and two bills including the bill for the establishment of Nigeria Gold Reserve, the bill for the establishment of Ihima Federal Medical Centre, motion to investigate alleged corruption and inefficiency in Ajaokuta Company Ltd and National Iron Ore Mining Company, NIOMCO amongst other.
Senator Natasha has provided 5,000 digital learning devices to both public primary and secondary schools in Kogi Central.
For her magical achievements in office and accelerated development and impact her constituency has witnessed, Senator Natasha has received and even turned down several prestigious awards. She emerged Senator of the year 2024 which is her first year in office as Senator.
Achieving these feats in less than 16 months as a first time Senator and one from the minority party and from Kogi Central, one may wonder what could be the Achilles’ Heels of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in the 10th Senate and why the persecution by supposed colleagues in the Chambers. Is there a question of loyalty to individual rather than institution? Is it her performance record or her dedication to the business of legislation rather than playing the cheap political cards around the leadership of the Senate? Is it her idea of universal development of Nigeria rather than regional? After all, every Senator is of the Federal Republic Nigeria and should think and act so.
We may ask further; is anyone being threatened by her uncommon pace? Is there a question of envy or jealousy among her colleagues? Do they expect Senator Natasha to be one step behind, considering the enormity of the task on her shoulders as Senator from an already underrepresented District in the past? Is there a fear that Senator Natasha may reveal to Nigerians what is due to them from their representatives across boards? We may have more to ask than provide answers.
Meanwhile, Senator Natasha is a more than equal to the task of addressing the challenges that come with standing out in an uncommon manner. She is not one to be taught the difference between ‘diplomacy and cold slavery’ or ‘breach of rules and violation of right’. Nobody can silence her or box her to a corner of the Senate. Beyond her voice and impact over the years as an ordinary citizen, the people have been her greatest strength and she can only get more strengthed by any attempt to silence her.
Nigerians know how rare it is to have a NATASHA among the current crop of leaders and they are obviously making sure she is protected against bully, intimidation or harassment in the Senate. The dream is of the people, by the people and for the people, and so the mandate too.
By Professor Mike Ozekhome, SAN, CON, OFR, LL.D.
I have carefully read and listened to former Nigerian military president, General Ibrahim
Badamosi Babagida’s public remorse and regrets over the atrocious annulment of the June
12,1993 presidential elections. He did this 32 whopping years later. I want to very quickly say
that it takes a man with strong guts and balls and a man who has become repentant, born
again and has seen the face of God to publicly recant his earlier wrongful deeds and offer
public apology to the entire nation. This was no doubt meant to heal gapinng wounds and
balm wounded and bruised hearts.
The polls, the best, most transparent and credible elections, ever held in Nigeria till date,
were meant to end decades of military d The annulment threw Nigeria into turmoil and
widespread unreast, protests, maimings and killings. This forced Babagida to “step aside”;
the enthronenent of the Enest Shonekan’s Interim Government; and the arrest and detention
of Chief Moshood Abiola, the presumed winner who later died in Aso Villa in questionable
and suspicious circumstances. Of course, General Sani Abacha who was his second in
command later sacked Shonekan in a bloodless coup. For years, IBB prevaricated on the
annulment, claiming he did it in the best national interest. But on Thursday the 21st of
February, 2025,Babangida during the presentation of his memoirs, “A journey In Service”,
pointedly regretted in the public: “I regret June 12. I accept full responsibility for the
decisions taken and June 12 happened under my watch. Mistakes, missteps happened
in quick succession. That accident of history is most regrettable. The nation is entitled
to expect my expression of regret “. And wait for it:: he acknowledged for the first time that
Abiola won the elections fair and square, trouncing his major opponent, Alhaji Bashir Tofa.
I want to salute Babagida for having the courage and humility to own up like a man; that
everything that happened during the June 12 crisis took place under him as the head of state
and the president who was also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria. I salute him for acknowledging that his government which actually
organised unarguably the freest, fairest and most credible elections in the electoral history
of Nigeria when it introduced option A4 from electoral books that were hithenlrto unknown
to Nigeria or to the world. But unfortunately, regrettably like he now admits, he again turned
around to annul the same elections in a way that was most bizarre, curious and unnatural.
To me, that he has come out to open up to doing something wrong and egregious to a
bleeding nation should be appreciated. I believe that Nigerians should forgive him because
to err is human and to forgive is divine ( Eph 4:32 ). I personally have now forgiven him
because I was also a victim of the June12 crisis. It threw up all manners of challenges to me
as a person, where in my very youthful age; in my thirties, I found myself marching on the
streets of Lagos every day- from Ikeja bus stop roundabout, to Ikorodu road; up to Tejuosho
market; from there to Ojuelegba, Surulere; to Mushin; to Shomolu and Igando, Alimosho.
Everyday, we were on the streets, protesting the mindless annulment. Some of us were killed
in process; some were lucky enough to escape abroad on self exile. But some of us- very few
indeed- refused to flee our dear country; we stayed back. We stared at the military eyeball to
eyeball. We challenge authority and spoke truth to power. We challenged impunity and
repression. I suffered several detentions across different detention centres. I virtually could
not find means of livelihood for my youthful family because I was profiled, my phones bugged
and no briefs were coming in. But I personally forgive him because it takes tons of guts to
make public confession of having erred and atone for same as he has now done.
It is confession that leads to penance and penance leads to restitution and then forgiveness.
If Babagida were to die today, I believe that he will see the face of God because he has prayed
God to forgive him; and he has prayed Nigerians to forgive him. Beyond that historic and
epochal mistake of the annulment of the June 12 election which constitutes his original sin,
let me place it on record that Babagida is one of the greatest presidents that Nigeria ever had
in terms of his ingenuity, rulership mantra; ideas for national resurgimento; ideas that
contributed greatly to nation-building. These were aside the IMF-induced loans and pills
which he introduced and which we again valiantly fought against successfully.
Babagida it was who gave birth to the Federal Capital Territory and laid the solid foundation for virtually everything you see there today. His government was peopled by intellectuals and
not by half illiterates and quacks. He recognized and used intellects. He was luminous and he built bridges of understanding, friendship and brotherhood across Nigeria. Nigerians,
please, accept IBB’s confession and forgive him his sin of annuling the June 12,1993
elections. Let the wounds heal; let the heart melt; and let the spirit of national triumphalism
prevail.
Festivals world over are the most popular forms of celebrations in human existence. Whether as religious, culture, sports, film, arts and other traditional practices, festivals are pivotal events that could involve millions of people in the case of the religion related across the globe annually or periodically. They are events that bring people together and are characterized with merriments, ceremonies, and a lot of other forms of fun and bonding.
Nigeria as a multi ethnic and diverse society with over 250 ethnic groups is enriched with various forms of festivals observed annually with those of religions most prominent with the celebrations by Muslims and Christians. Similarly, the traditional worshippers retain their own forms of festivals all depending on the tribes and the culture involved. Several among the religious and cultural festivals in Nigeria include Christmas the celebration of the birthday of Jesus Christ, the Easter that heralds lent and the resurrection of Jesus after death while Islam has Eid-el Kabir and Eid El-fitri which is breaking of Ramadan fasting. At the level of culture and tradition there other festivals that comes to mind that includes Argungu fishing festival in Kebbi state, the new yam festival predominantly among the Ibo speaking tribes, Durbar festival, Calabar Carnival, Osun festival, Ojude Oba festival, Igue festival among the Benin people of Edo state, Oro festival, Osun festival, Sango festival, Egungun festival all among the Yoruba people, New Yam festival, Eyo festival popular among the people of Lagos Island in Lagos state and so on.
Durbar Festival
The word Durbar is traced to Persian and is connected with the ceremony marking the installation of Queen Victoria as the Express of Colonial India in 1877 while the word have been pronounced and propounded as “darbar” with dar meaning door and bar meaning entry or audience in Hindi-Urdu. In Nigeria, Durbar is a treasured cultural horse riding and display festival majorly among the Hausa people of the northern Nigeria to mark the Islamic holidays of Eid-el- Fitri [end of Ramadan} and Eid-el-Adha [the feast of the lamb]. The over 400 years old practice is said to have been introduced by Sarki Muhammadu Rumfa of Kano in the late 14th century as military parade and display when horses were used in battles to defend and protect the Emirate and also the opportunity to pay homage and demonstrate loyalty to the emir. It is also part of demonstration to showcase the readiness of the palace troops for battles and to also celebrate important political events. Available information has it that the first major Durbar in the country took place on the 1st of January, 1900 as part of the celebration to mark the transition of the Royal Niger Company to an imperial Protectorate.
Also known as horse ride festival it is worthy of note that horses and to some extent camels played prominent roles in the growth and developments of the today prominent Nigeria cities like Kano, Katsina, Zaria, Sokoto and Bida. In the 14th century before the sojourn of Christopher Columbus, aside being used during conquest and in battlefields under the command of the Madawaki who leads cavalry of horsemen with their horses loaded with various weapons, horses were used mostly for commercial activities particularly the trans Sahara trade expansion with items like salt, gold and farm produces.
Ceremonies
The activities and ceremonies involves “Hawan sallah” in Hausa language {meaning Mount of Eid} which in essence connotes the mounting of horse during the Eid or sallah celebration. The ceremonies begin with prayers at Eid grounds followed with parade of the Emir and his entourage on horses followed with drummers and trumpeters with the movement ending at the Emir’s palace. The parade includes hundreds of beautifully decorated horses with nobles in their best clothes followed by musicians and magicians all in a long procession in distinctive turbans {Rawani} clearly indicating their nobility and social status through streets to pay homage to the Emir. Other special attractions particularly in Kano Durbar which is acclaimed to possess the biggest parade of colouful horses in the world, include the display by the “hyena man” who carries out street performance with trained animals like hyenas and baboons which create a lot of excitements and entertainment for the hundreds of crowd in attendance.
The procession of the strictly male event showcases participants dressed in flamboyant turbans and robes with modes indicating their royal linage. Kano Durbar for example is four day event that commences with Hawan sallah on the day of Eid followed by the day 2 and most popular for its entertainment and glamour Hawan Daushe for the special visitation of the Emir and his colourful entourage to his mother in her domain. The display of various entertainers including magicians, drummers, dancers, stunt men and masquerades attract and witness the attendance and spectators across the globe. The other two days are for Hawan Nassarawa and finally Hawan Doriya which are both continuous aspects for merriment during the festival.
The Emir’s return from his mother’s visitation on the day 2 {Hawan Daushe} is followed by The Jahi that sees the him and his entourage ride through various important historical quarters and families before returning to the palace. On arrival the Emir in a military manner takes position to receive salutes and traditional greetings from the cavalry of riders along with the various district heads, their families and entourage in order of hierarchy. This is followed by the demonstration of loyalty and gallantry by all the riders and spectators present. After the homage and performances, [The Jahi] the palace guards take positions and fire several gunshots to signal the closure and end of the day and most important aspect of the four day festival.
Durbar festival has become annual festival celebrated across cities Northern Muslim dominated cities of Nigeria like Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zaria and Bida and was extended to Ilorin in Kwara state during Eid el-fitri and Eid El-Adha. Generally speaking, the Durbar festival is not just the most population cultural heritage of the Hausa people of the northern Nigeria and major parts of Niger republic but it is festival that unite and bring the people together to celebrate their unique historical and cultural heritage.
Durbar festival recently has witnessed more activities like car racing and other fun fairs that attract sons and daughters of Hausa decent, visitors and tourist annually to places like Kano, Katsina and Zaria. The glamour, popularity and attractions of Durbar particularly the Kano Durbar festival over the years, led to the recognition of the festival as one of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO in in December 17, 2024. This laudable and significant achievement in the nation’s cultural heritage exemplified the extent to which the festival has become popular to the people and the role it places towards unifying the people through their rich cultural heritage. During the presentation of the UNESCO certificate, by the Permanent Delegation of Nigeria to UNESCO to the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy Barr. Hannatu Musawa, opined that the great achievement does “not only celebrates the beauty and unity of the festival but also creates opportunities for the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage. The country’s representative at the UNESCO in addition stated that “Having the Kano Durbar on the UNESCO list is a huge milestone for Nigeria” while the Minister in her view remarked that “the recognitions bring both international prestige and tangible benefits to the local economy”.
In comparison, while Ujude Oba yet another similar festival of the Ijebu people of Ogun state in Western Nigeria, entails the participation of both male and female across various age groups as part of the big sallah [Eid-edha] celebration of the Muslim faithful. While both festivals identify or are associated with royalty, palace events and horse riding, durbar is strictly a male show and more of an horse riding festival while the practice is just an aspect of horse riding is just an aspect of Ojude Oba festival.
It is hope that the recent drive by the present administration leverages on the recent recognition of Durbar by the UNESCO to create more awareness through wider media coverage with a view of boosting general interest and tourist attractions which shall cascade or stimulate growth of the sector and also serve as source revenue to the governments across all levels.
Abdulkareem A. Ikharo.
Curator [NCMM].
Abuja.
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