"" /> HADEJIA A YAU!: Apr 9, 2012

Ismaila A sabo Hadejia

Ismaila A sabo Hadejia
(1)Wannan dai shine Hotona, wadda Idonku yake kallona. (2) Bayan na tafi gun Sarkina, zaku tuna ni watan wata rana. (3) In wani yayi kiran sunana, sai ku cane Allah yaji kaina. (4) Koda zakuyi jimamina, sai ku yimin addu'ah bayana. Marigayi Aliyu Akilu.

Monday, April 9, 2012

HAWAN SALLAR GANI (MAULUD) A HADEJIA

Sallar Gani is an old tradition in Hadejia,
Jigawa state. It is celebrated annually
particularly during the Month of Rabiúl Auwal,
in the Islamic calendar when Muslims are
celebrating Maulud, the birth day of the Holy
Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
According to the former Galadiman Jauje of
Hadejia, Alhaji Baba Daudu, the tradition was
introduced by the Emir of Hadejia, late
Abdulkadir, 80 years ago. Galadiman Jauje
added that the late Emir introduced the
Hawan Gani and Hawan Bariki during his
reign, where festivities including a special
durbar are being carried out. Daily Trust
observed that Gani is a 3-day festivity in
Hadejia town.
On the first day, the Emir and his entourage
will leave the palace on horses in the evening
hours and go round the town. The entourage
will lead the Emir round the town through
Unguwar-Bayi to Magama-Hudu then to
Ramin-Hudi to Tarbin-Barau, pass through
Majema to Bakin-Kasuwa then to Makwalla to
Kofar-Jerma and to the Hadejia Jumaát
Mosque, where the Emir makes a stop-over
and receive greetings from the horse riders.
This special greeting is traditionally called Jafi.
After greeting the Emir, the entourage will
forge ahead to the palace, while the Emir will
remain there until all horse riders have
passed. At the palace the district heads and
their associates will line up at the front of the
Emir’s palace and wait for the Emir. When the
riders have settled at the palace, the Emir will
be informed, and he will then move to his
palace to deliver his annual Gani message to
the Governor and other top Government
officials, who have been seated there waiting
for his arrival.
Daily Trust notes that the entourage was
arranged in such a way that the princes,
district and ward heads, as well as other
horse riders will be at the front followed by
the Emir, and finally the Wamban Hadejia and
District head of Balangu. This is why the
District head of Balangu is called Kurar-Baya,
which literally means the Emir’s rear body
guard.
On the second day, the Emir and his
entourage will ride their horses and head to
Bariki, popularly known as Nassarawa, where
in those days the Emir will intimate the
colonial masters about the problems and
yearnings of the people, for the latter to
address them.
However, now that, the country has secured
its independence, the Emir passes the
message to Government officials, including
the representative of the state Governor, the
Local Government Chairman and other
Government officials.
After delivering his annual speech at Bariki,
the Emir and his entourage will then return to
the palace. The Emir will enter his home, while
other horse riders will leave for their
respective homes. Thus marks the end of the
second day’s activities.
For the third and the final day, the Emir and
his entourage will leave the palace to Babban-
Daki (residence of the Emir’s mother) for the
annual greeting. This greeting is the last
segment of the Gani festival in Hadejia Local
Government.
By virtue of the activities taking place in
Hadejia town during Gani, one would believe
that to an average Hadejia indigene, the
tradition is a replica of Eid-fitr or Eid-el-Kabir
festivals. The Emir and the entire districts
heads, as well as other traditional title holders
are the participants of the special durbar.
The durbar is usually conducted in the
evening hours, where the Emir and other
traditional leaders ride their horses. The
horses are usually decorated in different ways
just to please visitors and other lookers,
during the festival.
Traditional drummers could also be seen
performing during Gani festival. While some of
these local drummers were performing
independently, others are sponsored by either
district heads or ward heads to be in their
entourage.
Because of the importance accorded to the
Gani festival by people of Hadejia, individuals
particularly children could be seen wearing
new clothes during the fiesta. Some
households also share delicious dishes with
relatives, friends, well-wishers and
neighbours, on the day of Gani festival.
Shedding light on the Gani festivity in Hadejia,
the former Galadiman Jauje of Hadejia, Alhaji
Baba Daudu said he was born in the year
when the then Emir of Hadejia, late
Abdulkadir, introduced the Hawan Gani and
Hawan Bariki.
Baba Daudu told Daily Trust that he has been
attending the annual Gani fiesta since the
reign of the Emir of Hadejia, late Usman. He
added that, “I have attended Gano under the
reigns of four Emirs which include late Emir
Usman, late Emir Haruna, and late Emir Maje
and now under the Emir Adamu.”
Daudu recalled that “the festivity is advancing
now. Things are changing concerning the
conduct of the annual festival. In the olden
days, the activities were not as much as they
are presently. The number of horse riders are
many now, unlike in the past where only few
horses were participating.”
Delivering his annual message to Governor
Sule Lamido, the Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Adamu
Abubakar Maje said Gani festival is an annual
tradition which has been conducted by the
Hadejia emirate for years.
The Emir then appealed to the state
Government to provide enough drinking
water to the people of Hadejia, saying “my
people face serious difficulties before they
could get drinking water, whenever there is
power outage in the town.”
“The existing generator brought to the town
by the Government is not enough. I am calling
on the authorities to look into the plight of
the Hadejia people, and provide them with a
bigger generator so that the water scheme
supplying water to them could be more
functional,” he said.
He also urged the state Government to
rehabilitate the road that links Unguwar-Bayi
to Bariki, saying “the road has a great
importance not only for horse riders during
the Gani festivity, but to other road users. The
road has remained dilapidated for some years
now.”
Maje commended the state Government for
facilitating the release of N10m by the Federal
Government for the completion of the Hadejia
Jama’are-River Basin Development Authority
(H-JRBA) Irrigation scheme, saying the scheme
will provide enough job opportunities to the
teaming unemployed youth in the state.