Jihadin Usmanu Ɗanfodiyo ba Mulkin Mallaka ba ne

DAGA IBRAHIM ADO-KURAWA

A CIKIN 'yan kwanakin nan an samu sabuwar sha'awa kan Jihadin da Shehu Usmanu Ɗanfodiyo ya jagoranta, da nufin a haifar da gaba tsakanin Hausawa da Fulani saboda shi Bafillace ne. Wannan wani shiri ne na siyasa da ake kitsawa domin wasu 'yan siyasa na so su samu madafa a arewacin Nijeriya. 

To amma wannan ba wani sabon abu ba ne, domin hatta Turawa 'yan mulkin mallaka da 'yan mishan da su ka zo daga Birtaniya sun yi wannan ƙoƙarin a farkon ƙarni na ashirin miladiyya. Turawan sun ɗauka cewa Hausawa za su mara wa shirin su na mulkin mallaka baya saboda wai sarakunan Fulani na musguna masu. Wannan wata hikima ce da Rabaran Walter Miller ya kitsa masu, kamar dai yadda E.A. Ayandele ya ruwaito a maƙalar sa mai taken, "The Missionary Factor in Northern Nigeria, 1870-1918" wadda aka buga a cikin mujallar 'Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria' III:3, a cikin 1966. 

A cikin 'yan shekarun nan, an samu ƙaruwar farfagandar ƙin jinin Fulani, musamman tun daga farkon shekarun 1990, lokacin da Cif Bola Ige ya yi wasu rubuce-rubucen ƙiyayya a cikin jaridar 'Nigerian Tribune', wanda wannan abu duk shirin siyasa ne. 

Wani abu da ke haifar da wannan yekuwar ƙiyayyar shi ne ƙaruwar hare-haren ta'addanci da wasu ɓatagarin Fulani makiyaya su ke aikatawa.

A safiyar yau (14 ga Disamba, 2021), na ci karo da wani rubutu na Zaharaddeen Ibrahim Kallah mai taken "Tsakanin Jihadin Fulani a Ƙasar Hausa, Mulkin Mallaka Da Rashin Tsaro a Yau", wanda mujallar Fim ta wallafa kuma ta yaɗa ta hanyar intanet. A cikin rubutun, an ruwaito inda babban yaya na da na ke girmamawa, wato Farfesa Abdalla Uba Adamu, ya ce Jihadin da Shehu Usmanu Ɗanfodiyo ya jagoranta shi ne mulkin mallaka na farko da aka yi a ƙasar Hausa, sannan na biyun shi ne mulkin mallaka da Turawan Birtaniya su ka yi a ƙarni na ashirin.

Wannan magana irin ta ce 'yan mulkin mallakar Birtaniya su ka riƙa yaɗawa a lokacin da su ka mamaye ƙasar nan. Sun yi iƙirarin cewa ba su da bambanci da Fulanin da su ka jagoranci Jihadi a ƙarni na 19.  

To amma dukkan masanan tarihi da ake girmamawa sun yi watsi da wannan iƙirarin domin bai da makama a tarihi, sai dai kawai a siyasar Turawa ta tsarin mulkin mallaka. Babu wata makama ta ilimi da za a riƙe a kan haka, to amma dai tunda wani mutum mai ilimi ne ya yi zancen, na ga ya zama wajibi in yi masa wannan taƙaitaccen martanin.

Nazarce-nazarce da dama da manyan masanan tarihi irin su Abdullahi Smith, Jacob Ade-Ajayi, Murray Last, Bala Usman da Ahmad Kani su ka yi sun yi fatali da tunanin da masanan tarihi masu nuna wariyar launin fata su ka yaɗa, wato irin su M.G. Smith da jami'in mulkin mallaka ɗin nan mai suna H.A.S. Johnston, cewa wai Jihadin da aka yi Fulani ne kaɗai su ka aiwatar da shi. Saboda haka, babu buƙatar in maimaita dukkan maganganun. To amma zan kafa hujjar cewa ba a yi Jihadi da niyyar a yi mulkin mallaka don a ɗebi dukiya ba kamar yadda Turawan Birtaniya su ka yi a ƙarni na 20, an yi shi ne domin a farfaɗo da addinin Musulunci sannan a haɗe kan al'umma a ƙarƙashin inuwar adalci guda ɗaya.

Farfesa Ade-Ajayi ya yi rubutu kan yadda aka haɗe al'ummar. A cewar wannan sanannen masanin tarihin, Jihadin da Shehu Usmanu Ɗanfodiyo ya jagoranta shi ne “jigo mafi muhimmanci a tarihin mu” tun daga ƙarni na 19 saboda ya fara ɗauko "hanyar da za a bi a hankali a hankali don a haɗe kan al'umma". Ya ƙara da cewa Jihadin “shi ne abu na farko da ya faru a zahiri mai muhimnancin da ya shafi dukkan ƙasa a tarihin mu. Da wuya a samu wani sashe na ƙasar nan wanda ya tsira daga tasirin sa. Tasirin sa babba ne matuƙa”. Dalilin haka shi ne ya shafi “al'ummomi daban-daban kamar su Yarabawa, Igala da Kanuri. Kuma ma abu mafi muhimmanci, ya fara ɗinke tarihe-tarihen Fulani, Hausawa, Nufawa, Jukunawa da sauran al'ummomi da dama a wurin da yanzu ake kira Arewacin Nijeriya” (duba littafin JFA Ajayi, wato 'Milestones of Nigerian History', 1980).

Jihadin ya kafa Daular Halifanci wadda ta ɗoru a kan manufofin adalci ga jama'a a bisa hukunce-hukuncen Islama, waɗanda Shehu Usmanu Ɗanfodiyo ya karantar da ɗaliban sa da jama'ar ƙasar Hausa baki ɗaya. 'Yan Jihadin sun samar da al'umma ta kowa da kowa ba tare da nuna wariya ba.

Gwamna Kayode Fayemi ya yi wata magana a kan ƙin raba kan jama'a tare da kawo shawarar haɗewar ƙasa, kuma daga nasihohin Shehu ya samu wannan tunanin. Ya rubuta cewa: "Shehu Ɗanfodiyo ya faɗa a cikin littafin sa na 'Bayan Wujub al-Hijra' cewa, 'Ɗaya daga cikin hanyoyi mafi sauri na wargaza ƙasa ita ce a nuna an fi son wata ƙabila a kan wata ko kuma a nuna wa wani gungun mutane so a kan wani'." Kayode Fayemi ya yi wannan tsokacin ne a shekarar 2020, cikin wani jawabi da ya gabatar a Gidan Arewa a Kaduna mai taken "Unfinished Greatness: Towards A More Perfect Union in Nigeria". 

Irin wannan mulkin adalcin ne ya sanya Daular Usmaniyya ta zamo mafi girma da tsaruwa tare da albarka a dukkan yammacin nahiyar Afrika kafin zuwan Turawa (Dubi littafin P. Lubeck mai taken 'Islam and Urban Labour in Northern Nigeria',  Cambridge, 1986, shafi na 12, da littafin J. Iliffe mai taken 'Africans: The History of A Continent', Cambridge, 1995, shafi na  p. 171). 

Matafiyin nan da ya zagaya duniya kafin zuwan Turawa, wato Clapperton, ya bada labarin yadda Daular Usmaniyya ta ke a lokacin da ya kawo ziyara a yankin a zamanin Sarkin Musulmi Muhammadu Bello. A labarin, ya bada tabbacin ana zaman lafiya da juna a ƙasar, inda ya ce: “Ana matuƙar aiki da dokokin Alƙur’ani a zamanin sa (shi Bello) ... ta yadda a duk ƙasar, in dai ba yaƙi ake cikin yi ba,  ana bin dokoki sosai yadda ɓata baki ne a ce mace za ta iya tafiya da kayan zinari a bisa kan ta daga wani sashe na garuruwan Fulanin zuwa wani” (duba Clapperton, H., 'Journal of a Second Expedition into the Interior of Africa', London, 1829, p. 206).

Da Turawa su ka mamaye Afrika, sun yi wa kusan ko'ina mulkin mallaka. Daular Usmaniyya da sauran ƙasashen sarakai da al'ummomi waɗanda daga bisani su ka zama Nijeriya su na cikin yankin da Turawa su ka yi wa kan su kaso. Saboda haka ta yaya za a ce ƙasa ta na matsayin mai cin gashin kan ta, kuma jama'ar da ke cikin ta ne su ka kafa ta, sannan a ce mulkin mallaka ne? Wannan kawai wani tunani ne da tsarin ilimin da Turawa su ka jawo ya cusa a cikin zukatan 'yan boko saboda su na so su kawo hujjar danniyar da Turawan Birtaniya su ka yi. 

Masu mulki a Daular Usmaniyya ba wasu baƙi ba ne su ka zo daga waje. Wasun su, kakannin kakannin su sun taso ne daga yankin Futa na ƙasashen Gini, Senegal da Mali sama da shekaru ɗari huɗu kafin Jihadin Shehu Usmanu Ɗanfodiyo, su ne su ka kafa Daular Usmaniyya.

Turawan da su ka ƙwace Afrika kuwa,  su na da al'adun su daban. Baƙi ne a Afrika. Alaƙar da ke tsakanin Fulanin da su ka yi Jihadin da Shehu Usmanu Ɗanfodiyo ya jagoranta da Hausawa ta fi bambancin da ke tsakanin su ƙarfi. Dukkan su dai Musulmi ne, su na sanya tufafi iri ɗaya, su ci abinci iri ɗaya, su yi auratayya da juna, sannan kuma Jihadin nan ya maida harshen Hausa gama-gari a dukkan yankunan daular. Idan ka ɗebe Fulani mazauna daji waɗanda ba su bin addini, Fulanin da ke zaune a garuruwa da birane sun zama Hausawa a wajen al'adun su saboda sun rungumi yawancin al'adun Hausawan. Shin wannan shi ne za a kira mulkin mallaka? 

Farfesa Mahadi Adamu ya yi bincike tare da rubuta yadda wannan cuɗanyar da haɗewar ta kasance har ma ya ce dukkan Arewacin Nijeriya ta zama Bahaushiya (Mahadi Adamu cikin laccar 'Inaugural' da ya gabatar a Jami'ar Usmanu Ɗanfodiyo, cikin 2011, mai taken "The Major Landmarks in the History of Hausaland"). 

A yau a Nijeriya, har ma akwai masu faɗin Hausa-Fulani, to me ya sa? Dalilin haka shi ne saboda saboda zurfin cakuɗewar da mutanen su ka yi da kuma cewa ƙabilanci wani abu ne da ake ƙirƙira.

Saboda samun galabar siyasa, 'yan siyasa su kan ƙirƙiri sabon ƙabilanci. Kafin zuwan Turawa a 

yankin da ya zama Nijeriya, yawancin lardunan mulki da garuruwan an gina su ne bisa faɗin ƙasa, ba bisa ƙabilun da ke cikin su ba. Amma a yadda Turawa su ka tsara gundumomin su ne aka samu tunanin ƙabilanci har ma daga baya ƙabilu su ke zancen wai akwai ƙasashen da su ka gina mulkin su bisa ƙabilanci  kafin zuwan Turawa. Sai ya kasance abu mai wahala a bambance tsakanin yadda za a gane al'ummomin Arewacin Nijeriya, wanda hakan ya sa da yawa su ke kallon dukkan mutanen yankin a matsayin Hausawa. 

Amma daga baya sai 'yan siyasa su ka lura da cewa lallai ne su gina siyasar bambancin ƙabila domin su samu madafa a Arewa ta hanyar dabarun raba kan jama'a. Saboda haka tilas ne a bambance Hausawa da Fulani don a zuzuta siyasar ɓangaranci a yankin.

Zancen cewa Fulani ne su ka fara yin mulkin mallaka ya ƙara rincaɓewa ne saboda bala'in nan na 'yan kidinafin da 'yan bindiga waɗanda yawancin su Fulani ne marasa addini kuma makiyaya. Saboda haka wannan ya yi daidai da farfagandar cewa waɗannan ɓatagarin Fulanin su na faɗa ne domin 'yan ƙabilar su su mamaye tare da ƙwace yankunan wasu, sannan ana amfani da ta'addancin da su ke yi a dazuzzukan Jihar Neja a matsayin misali. An san cewa Fulani makiyaya masu shiga harkar kashe-kashe da kidinafin manyan masu aikata laifi ne, to amma fa ba sun shiga wannan harkar ba ne domin ƙaruwar 'yan'uwan su Fulani. Saboda haka ɗaukar su a matsayin “Fulani”, wata farfagandar ƙiyayya ce kawai. 

Batun kawo Jihadin Shehu a matsayin aikin mulkin mallaka wani sabon yunƙuri ne na ciyar da ajandar Turawan mulkin mallaka gaba don a haifar da rashin jituwa a tsakanin jama'a da kuma ajandar 'yan siyasar ƙabilanci masu son su wargaza Nijeriya.

Fulani makiyaya da ke aikata laifuffukan kidinafin da kashe-kashe mutane ne da gwamnatin Nijeriya ta haifar, kuma ba su da wata alaƙa da Daular Usmaniyya ko Jihadin Shehu Usmanu Ɗanfodiyo. Saboda haka, danganta su da wani abu wai mulkin mallaka na farko wata farfagandar ƙiyayya ce.

Shekaru arba'in da su ka gabata, da wuya ka ji an yi fashi da makami a arewacin Nijeriya. Shekaru ashirin da su ka gabata, ba a cika yin kidinafin a wannan sashe na Nijeriya ba. Me ya jawo abin har ya ƙazance a yanzu? Daga ina waɗannan laifuffukan su ka samo asali? Shin ana danganta sauran ayyukan laifi da ake aikatawa a Nijeriya da wasu ƙabilu su kaɗai? Me ya sa aka fara farfagandar ƙin jinin dukkan Fulani tare da ƙoƙarin raba Fulani da Hausawa a yanzu? 

Idan mun samu amsoshin waɗannan tambayoyin, sannan ne za mu iya warware ɓoyayyiyar manufar siyasa da ke lulluɓe a cikin wannan al'amari.

* Malam Ibrahim Ado-Kurawa, wanda masanin tarihi ne kuma Editan 'Nigeria Year Book and Who is Who', mazaunin Kano ne.

TAKAITACCEN TARIHIN SABAN TURAKIN HADEJIA (MAL. DAUDA YUSUF)

HAIHUWA DA NASABA:-

Sabon Turakin Hadejia Mal. Dauda Yusuf da wasu ke kiransa Malam Nakakai, jikan Turakin Hadejia Abubakar ne, Dan Alh. Yusuf Na Ginsau ne, Alh. Yusuf Na Ginsau Dan Turakin Hadejia Abubakar ne, an haife shi a Unguwar Makwallar Ashshe da ke garin Hadejia ranar 15-01-1955.

KARATUN ALLO:-

Yayi karatun Allo a makarantar Malam Garba na Galadima da Malam Abba Mai Kwa a Unguwar Fagge Kano. 

KARATUN BOKO:- 

Ya fara karatun Firamare a Fagge ya karasa a Kofar Arewa Firamare Hadejia a 1963-1969. Mal. Dauda Yusuf bai tsaya anan ba a shekarar 1970-1974 ya halarci Babbar Sakanderan Fantai da ke Hadejia (GSS Fantai), daga nan ya zarce Makarantar sanin koyarwa ta shekara daya a Kano wato (Pivotal Teachers College Kano a 1976).

AIKIN SA NA KOYARWA:-

Mal. Ya fara aikin koyarwa a Firamaren Arbus daga nan sai Dubatu Firamare, irin gudunmawa da cigaban da ya samar a da jajircewa da ya yi a wannan Firamaren sai aka bashi Mukamin Shugaban Makaranta wato (Head Master). 

KARIN KARATUNSA:-

Sa bi da hazaka irin ta sa a shekarar 1980 ya koma Babbar Kwalejin Malanta ta Zaria a karkashen Jami'ar Ahmadu Bello University  (ABU Zaria). Domin karin Kartu inda ya kammala karatunsa yayi wa kasarsa shidima wato (NYSC) a Jihar Anambra a 1980-1981. Ya koma Jami'ar Ahmadu Bello domin samun Digiri a bangaran Kayarwa a karo na biyu.

AIKINSA NA KOYARWA A KARO NA II

Mal. Dauda Yusuf yayi aikin koyarwa da Makaratun da dama, ya koyar a Makarantar horon Malamai ta Malam-Madori (Teachers College). Mal. Dauda Yusuf yayi aikin a Makarantun gaba da Firamare daban-daban a tsohuwar Jihar Kano.

MUKAMAN DA YA RIKE:-

A Jihar Jigawa kuma ya rike mukamai na mataimakin Shugan Makaranta (Vice Principal) a Makarantar Sakandiren Fantai Hadejia (GSS Fantai) a 1990-1993 sannan ya rike matsayin Shugaban Makaranta wato (Principal) a wadannan Makarantu:-

1. Sakandiren Aminu Yusuf Hadejia (A.Y.I.S.S) a 1993-1994

2. Babbar Sakandiren Maza ta Malam-Madori (GSS MMR) a 1994-1997

3. Babbar Sakandiren Mata ta Birniwa (GGASS Birniwa) 1997-1999

Yayi aiki bisa gaskiya da rikon Amana ya kawo ciga marar adadi a guraren da yayi aiki wanda hakan tasa basu taba mantawa dashi.

Irin wannan kokarin nasa ne yasa Ma'aikatar Ilimi a Jihar Jigawa ta bashi Mukamin Shugaban Ilimi na yankin Kirika-Samma wato (Zonal Head).

Daga baya ta maida shi Magatakarda Ilimi na Farko wato Education Secretary) a shiyyoyi kamar haka:-

1. Jahun a 2008-2011

2. Kirika-Samma 2011-2014

KAMMALA AIKINSA NA GWAMNATI:-

Alhamdulillah Mal. Dauda Yusuf ya kammala aikinsa a watam Satumba 2014 ya ajiye aikin a bisa dalilin shekaru na haihuwa. A yayin aikin sa yayi aiki bisa gaskiya, rikon amana, hakuri, da juriya yayi zaman lafiya da al'umma inda Jama'a suka nuna masa kauna.

TURAKIN HADEJIA

Mai Martaba Sarkin Hadejia Alh. (Dr) Adamu Abubakar Maje ya tabbatar masa da Sarautar Turakin Hadejia Dan Majalissa ranar Juma'a 17-07-2020

Turakin Hadejia Mal. Dauda Yusuf yana da Matar Aure Daya da 'Ya'ya Bakwa Maza Biyu Mata Biyar da Jikokai Biyar. Allah ya tayashi riko Amin.

Daga: Suleiman Ginsau, GMNIM

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A RECOLLECTION OF THE EVENTS ON HADEJIA’S ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT

By Engr. Daudu Abdul-Aziz

The circulation of two photographs in the social media showing the 15th Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Haruna Abdulkadir leading dignitaries out of his palace to the pavilion in front of the palace, arranged for the distinguished guests to watch a durbar in their honour, brought back happy memories of the commissioning of the Hadejia Electrification Project. The guest of honour on that day, as shown in the photographs, was Mrs Victoria Gowon, wife of the former Nigerian head of state General Yakubu Gowon, who performed the official commissioning on 1st August 1973. She was accompanied by the former military governor of Kano State, Police Commissioner Audu Bako and his wife, Hajiya Ladi Bako. Regrettably, both Emir Haruna Abdulkadir and Governor Audu Bako are no longer with us. May Allah (SWT) have mercy on them and grant their souls peaceful repose in Aljannah Firdaus.

The historical background to the project can be traced to the establishment of Kano State Rural Electricity Board by the military government (of Alhaji Audu Bako), by an act of Edict (No. 1 of 1973) published in the Kano State of Nigeria Gazette No. 6, Vol. 7 of 22nd March 1973. The intention, of course, was to make power supply available to the greatest number of the people and boost the economic and industrial development of many towns and villages, as well as improve their social wellbeing as NEPA was not coping with the demands for electricity nationwide, and some stop-gap measure was needed. The prevailing situation in 1973 was, save for metropolitan Kano, only Dawakin Tofa, Tofa and Bichi enjoyed electricity from the national grid. What is more, not a single town in Kano State benefitted from the N46 million electrification programme for population centres nationwide approved for NEPA by the Federal Government in 1972, which showed how poorly Kano State had been covered by the national electricity supply authority.

By 1973, most State Governments had established Rural Electrification Boards, and interestingly, the Midwestern State was the first to do so, followed by Kano State. Talk about healthy competition between two progressive States! A competition which later transcended the realms of rivalry to that of close friendship, such that the former could assist the latter with educational manpower to help raise standard of education, particularly at the primary level.

The plan by Governor Audu Bako was to electrify all the major rural areas in Kano State within the Second and Third (National) Development Plan periods. The project started with Hadejia, while Gumel and Kazaure followed in quick succession.

How did the project begin, as witnessed by youngsters like us, then students in secondary school?

We came home for the holidays at the end of the first term in 1973 to find the town littered with wooden electric poles piled in several of the town’s open spaces. The talk everywhere in town was that Hadejia was going to be electrified at last. This was cheering news because apart from Kano, people in Hadejia could only hear stories about neighbouring towns of Azare in present Bauchi State and Nguru, the railway terminus in present Yobe State, enjoying mains electricity since the time of ECN (later NEPA).

However, locally, the newly constructed General Hospital which was commissioned in 1962 had electricity supply powered by a diesel genset. People will remember the rhythmic sound of its engine being similar to that of a pulsating heart, which could be heard a fair distance away across town at the other end. As a matter of fact, that hospital plant was extraordinary because going by today’s classification, it can qualify as a cogeneration plant—complete with a boiler to supply hot water (and steam?) for the hospital’s daily needs. The huge cylindrical boiler drums could be seen under a special canopy beside the powerhouse. It is so elaborately arranged, and something to marvel at, which is a reflection of the quality of work done by Messrs Cappa and D’Alberto, the contractor that built the hospital. Such a pity, though, that the residence of the medical officer, built by the same contractor at the Bariki, didn’t enjoy the electricity or hot water produced by this plant because the house was considered remote from the hospital to have these services extended to it!

A small generating set was later installed at the emir’s palace which also supplied the central mosque and a few of the emirate councillors’ houses. Some wealthy individuals in the town also owned private generators for their houses.

Back to the electrification project story—it was now time for work to start in earnest.

But, first, some juicy eggs had to be broken before this omelette could be made—trees had to be felled to put up the distribution network infrastructure and install power supply equipment. Hadejia was known for its beautifully laid-out, tree-lined streets and roads. The dense green foliage sheltered the town fully from the hot, sub-Saharan tropical weather, especially in the months of March to June when the scorching heat of the sun is at its highest intensity, beside serving as open sheds for petty traders of all kind to display their wares, and as a resting place for the numerous Majlis spread around the different wards in the town.

Obviously, this request to cut down trees must have presented the forestry department with a difficult decision to make. The decision must have been even more difficult because people, generally, expressed disgust at losing trees planted and painstakingly tended to maturity decades ago.

But that anger soon dissipated, and the mood quickly changed to delight when streetlights took the place where the trees once stood. The nights became lively and people could move about freely and do their business with ease, into the small hours of the night. That is the irony of modern development!

It is a pity that since the electrification project, the natural environment has continued to suffer from devastation caused by city redevelopment, the latest of which is the reconstruction of Hadejia township roads by the Jigawa State Government. The tree-population has now been reduced to a fraction of the situation in the early 1970s. Happily, though, a private initiative supported by the Hadejia Emirate Council, has carried out the planting of trees inside the town. This is commendable, but the government needs to take this issue more seriously. The annual tree planting campaigns of yesteryear should be reintroduced.

Of course, the environmental issue is a global phenomenon. While the Almighty Allah has designed a perfect ecological balance between fauna and flora, in the production and consumption of oxygen and cardon dioxide, mankind in its activity and greed to not only satisfy its essential needs but also its conspicuous consumption, is destroying that balance. The result is global warming with its dire consequences.

So much for the environment!

It didn’t take time before the project was completed, its pace no doubt, accelerated by the cooperation received from the community in the execution of the task. The whole town was flushed with excitement at the thought of having electricity in a matter of months, even weeks, which made everybody to come forward to play a part in actualising it. For once, farmers and traders abandoned going to the farms and markets and volunteered to offer their services free in any way, shape, or form desired. Able-bodied men became mobile cranes and carried electric poles on their shoulders to erection locations. The entire town turned into a project site overnight.

Although there is nothing to suggest that the quality of work was compromised in the process, “safety at work” practices were not observed, and a few injuries were recorded. In one instance, a friend sustained serious injuries in his right foot when the wooden electric pole being carried shoulder-high was suddenly dropped heavily on it. He was very lucky not to have had his metatarsal broken, but he endured many sleepless nights in excruciating pain. Another elder in the community in a similar situation was not so lucky—he fractured, and virtually lost, an index-finger.

On the whole, it had to be admitted that the technical quality of the job was very good. It stood the test of time, and would several years later pass the necessary tests for connection to the national grid. The credit must go to the contractor that handled the job and technical staff of Kano State REB, but principally the project engineer, or manager, who incidentally was no other than our very own Umaru (Mohammed) Hadejia, a.k.a. Umaru Maishadai, a proud Bahadeje.

Umaru Maishadai was a young technician at the Kano State Ministry of Works & Survey when Governor Audu Bako established the REB and appointed Ja’afaru Aliyu, a NEPA staff at the power station at Challawa, as the Board’s General Manager. Ja’afaru identified Umaru, recruited him immediately and assigned him to work on the electrification programmes of the Board.

Umaru settled down to work and quickly established a reputation for hard work and thoroughness, proving that he was not the type of project engineer who would sit down behind a desk at the site office reviewing reports and holding lengthy meetings. Umaru was dynamic and visible. He was the indefatigable engineer, always going round the project “site” to inspect work and issue instructions—the trademark VW Combi Bus project vehicle became the tell-tale sign of his presence. It is a testament to his hard work that he was able to accomplish the Hadejia, Gumel and Kazaure projects in record time and without a hitch.

It is a remarkable feat that it took only four months from the date the edict establishing the Kano State REB was published in the government official gazette on 22ndMarch 1973, to the commissioning of the first REB project at Hadejia on 1stAugust 1973.  And probably within budget too—the Hadejia electrification project cost N600,000 (in 1973 Naira). That is determination and commitment to a cause!

However, in spite of all the expectations, preparations and initial celebration in the afternoon of 1st August 1973 to welcome Mrs Victoria Gowon, the official commissioning programme  of the Hadejia REB project ultimately ended as an anti-climax; rainfall early in the evening didn’t allow people to come out and witness the cutting of the tape and switching on of the light by Mrs Gowon, but did anyone care? Once the rain stopped, people trooped out on to the streets, and that’s when the all-night celebrations started—until the early hours in the morning!

At take-off, the powerhouse at Hadejia comprised two generating units of 236kW and 312kW rating. This was upgraded with the addition of another installation in a different section of the town, comprising three units rated at 1 x 600kW and 2 x 450kW (i.e., total capacity of 1500kW), to cater for growth in demand.

Of course, the question for standalone diesel genset power supply schemes, as that of Hadejia REB, has always been for how long can it be sustained? This question was quickly answered—not very long. Luckily, power supply from the national grid came to the aid.

Events would later prove that Kano State REB had lofty ambitions. It was not content just establishing isolated REB plants serving small towns and villages. It thought of a better (and more economical?) idea to have more central and bigger power plants that could serve many towns interconnected by small distribution networks. This is similar in concept to today’s mini-grids. Remarkably, this was foreseen 40 years ago by the civilian government of Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi. Nowadays, both Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Rural Electrification Agency are promoting this idea of a mini-grid, though not as standalone diesel installations but as hybrid installations of renewables in combination with diesel gensets or as renewable energy systems alone (solar/wind/small hydro).

HAUSA DA TURANCI

Yafiya = Forgiveness

Tausayi = Pity

Tausayawa =Sympathy

Tausasawa = Compassion

Sassauci =Leniency

Rangwame = Clemency

Rahama =Mercy

Kau da kai = Overlooking

Juyayi =Empathy

Jajantawa = Condolence

Haƙuri =Patience

Alhini = Mourning

Alfarma =Favor

Afuwa =Pardon

Acceptance = Karɓuwa

Zaman lafiya = Peace

Yarjejeniya = Treaty

Sasantawa = Conciliation

Manta baya = Magnanimity

Lumana = Peacefulness

Lafawa = Pacification

Kwanciyar hankali = Tranquility

Juriya = Forbearance

Ijma’i = Consensus

Haƙuri da juna = Tolerance

Fahimtar juna = Understanding

Alƙawari = Pact

Ta’addanci = Terrorism

Samame = Incursion

Rashin-tausayi = Brutality

Rashin imani = Ruthlessness

Mamaya = Invasion

Hari = Raid

Harbi = Firing

Gaba = Hostility

Fir’aunanci = Savagery

Fatattaka = Chase

Farmaki = Attack/Assault

Dirar-mikiya = Blitz

Bara = Charge

Azabtarwa = Cruelty

Artabu = Combat

Batakashi = Shoot-out

Ɓarin-wuta = Shelling

Faɗa = Fight

Fitina = Skirmish

Gumurzu = Dogfight

Jahadi = Crusade

Karon-batta = Clash

Rikici = Conflict

Taho-mu-gama = Ram

Tarzoma = Riot

Tashin-hankali = Violence

Tawaye = Rebellion

Yaƙi = War

Zubar da jini = Bloodshed

Gaba-da-gaba = Confrontation

Kai-hannu = Exchange blows

Kai-ruwa-rana = Tussle

Karo = Encounter

Kokuwa = Duel

Rigima = Dispute

Rikitarwa = Controversy

Ta-da-jijiyar-wuya = Altercation

Ta-da-ƙayar-baya – Intimidation

Taƙaddama =Contention

Tashin-tashina = Brawl

Tirjiya =Resistance

Cacar-baki = Shouting match/Exchange words

Gardama = Scuffle

Hatsaniya = Quarrel/Row

Hayaniya = Squabble

Kyara = Bullying

Musu = Argument

Sa-in-sa = Altercation

Tsangwama = Oppression

Rabuwar-kai = Fray

Ƙyamata = Resentment

Zaman-doya-da-manja = Rancor

Jayayya = Tug-of-war

Anger = Fushi

Animosity = Ƙullaliya

Antagonism = Rashin jituwa

Bitterness = Ɗacin-rai

Disagreement = Rashin daidaito

Discord =Saɓani

Distrust = Rashin yarda

Enmity = Ƙiyayya

Envy =Kishi

Grievance =Damuwa

Grudge = Riƙo

Hate = Tsana

Malice = Hassada

Misunderstanding =Rashin fahimta

Adulthood = Manyanta

Babyhood = Jarirantaka

Boyhood = Yarinta

Brotherhood = ‘Yan-uwantaka

Childhood = Yarinta

Eldership = Dattijantaka

Friendship = Abota/Ƙawance

Girlhood = Yarinta

Manhood =  Mazantaka

Oldage = Tsufa

Sisterhood = ‘Yan-uwantaka

Womanhood = Matanta

Youth = Ƙuruciya

Bakace = Sifting

Ɓarza = Crushing

Daddage = Mashing

Daka = Pounding

Dandaƙe = Crunching

Kwankwatse = Crushing

Marmasawa = Crumbling

Niƙa = Milling/Grinding

Shiƙa = Winnowing

Surfe = Chaffing

Sussuka = Threshing

Tankaɗe = Sieving

Tata = Filtering

Tsinta = Picking

Bakace = Sifting

Ɓarza = Crushing

Daddage = Mashing

Daka = Pounding

Dandaƙe = Crunching

Kwankwatse = Crushing

Marmasawa = Crumbling

Niƙa = Milling/Grinding

Shiƙa = Winnowing

Surfe = Chaffing

Sussuka = Threshing

Tankaɗe = Sieving

Tata = Filtering

Tsinta = Picking

Anatomy = Yanayin gaɓɓan jikin

Antibacterial = Yaƙar ƙwayar bacteria

Antibiotics = Maganin kashe ƙwayoyin cuta

Arthritis = Amosalin gaɓɓai

Gynecology = Ilimin mahaifa

Histocompatibility = Dacen-jin

Laxative =Kasayau

Mortality = Yiwuwar mutuwa

Physiology =Yanayin jiki

Tumor = Ƙari

Sputum = Kaki

Sneezing = Atishawa

Pain = Zogi/Raɗaɗi

Nasal swab = Kwarfatar hanci

Nasal Congestion = Cushewar hanci

Mucus = Majina/Gamsai

Infect = Harba

Flu = Mura

Fever = Masassara/Zazzaɓi

Cell = Tantanin halitta

Bronchitis = Mashaƙo

Addiction = (Zamewa) Jaraba

Acute = Mai muni

Available = Mai samuwa

Liable = Ɗaukar alhaki

Memorable = Abin tunawa

Noticeable = Mai ban-mamaki

Objectionable = Abin ƙi

Permissible = Halattacce

Pliable = Mai tanƙwasuwa

Portable = Mai ɗaukuwa

Possible = Mai yiwuwa

Reliable = Tsayayye

Visible = Mai ganuwa

Vulnerable = Mai rauni

#MAGNITUDE

Faɗi = Breadth/Width

Girma = Size

Gwargwado = Ratio

Iyaka = Limit

Ƙarƙari = Reach

Kauri = Thickness

Kima = Rate

Kini = Equal

Maƙura = Extreme

Mataki = Extent

Matsayi = Stage

Matuƙa = Maximum

Nauyi = Weight

Siranta = Thinness

Tamka = Parallel

Tsayi= Height

Zurfi = Depth 

Antivirus = Manhajar kare cutukan kwamfuta

Antivaxer = Mai adawa da rigakafi

Antiseptic = Kare ɗaukar cutuka

Antidote = Makari

Anticrime = Yaƙar manyan laifuka

Antichrist = Magabcin Kristi

Anti-venom = Kardafi

Anti-party = Zagon ƙasa ga jam’iyya

Anticorruption = Yaƙar almundahana

Consequently = Sakamakon haka

Daily = Duk rana

Explicitly = A sarari, Ƙuru-ƙuru

Formally = Bisa ƙa’ida, A hukumance

Fortunately = Abun birgewa

Happily = Abin farin ciki

Only = Kacal, Kaɗai, Kawai

Publicly = A bainar jama'a, A fili

Sufficiently = A wadace

Timely = A kan lokaci

Agara = Achilles tendon

Allon kafaɗa = Shoulder blade

Damtse = Upper arm

Dunduniya = Sole

Haƙarƙari = Rib

Hammata = Armpit

Ijiya = Eye

Karan hanci = Nose bridge

Kunci = Cheek

Kwankwaso = Pelvis

Kwiɓi = Body side

Ƙugu = Hip

Muƙamuƙi = Jaw

Sha-raɓa = Calf

Tsintsiyar-hannu = Arm

Centre for Disease Control =Hukumar Daƙile Cutuka

Coronavirus = Ƙwayar cutar numfashi

Cough =Tari

#COVID19 = Murar mashaƙo

Social distancing = Ƙauracewa juna

Face mask =Takunkumi

Gloves = Safar hannu

Quarantine = Keɓancewa

Self-isolation =Killace-kai

Sore throat = Maƙaƙin maƙoshi

1. Tsara=Peer/Array

2. Tsare=Guard/Prevent

3. Tsari=System/Refuge

4. Tsaro=Security

5. Tsaru=Planned

6. Tsere=Race/Flee

7. Tsira=Survive

8. Tsire=Kebab/Pike

9. Tsiri=Peak/Geyser

10.Tsiro=Shoot

11. Tsoro=Fear

12. Tsura=Pure/Unmixed

13. Tsure=Scared

14. Tsuro=Sprout

15. Tsuru=Timid

To this day = Har zuwa yau

Sooner or later = Ko ba-jima ko ba-daɗe

On your own = A kan kanki

On the other hand = A gefe guda

On the contrary = A akasin haka

In place of = A madadin

In a nutshell = A taƙaice

At the same time = A lokaci guda

At the heart of = Kan-gaba

#Hausa troponyms for STEALING and CON:

Almundahana = Pilfering

Bizi = Lifting

Damfara = Duping

Fashi = Robbery

Fashi da makami = Armed robbery

Ƙwace = Snatching

Sane = Pickpocketing

Sata = Stealing

Sibaranye = Filching

Taɓargaza = Squander

Wala-wala = Swindling

Wawura = Looting 

As long as = Muddin

As such = Don haka

Directly – Kai-tsaye

Hopefully = Ana fatan

In addition = Bugu da ƙari

In fact = A zahiri

Mainly = Galibi

Shortly = Jim kaɗan 

Strenuously = Yi tuƙuru

Suddenly = Kwatsam

Unfortunately = Abin takaici

Usually = Yawanci

Voluntarily = A son-rai

All = Duka

Alliance = Ƙawance

Altogether = Gabaɗaya

Combination = Haɗaka

Concentration = Cincirundo

Crowd = Cikowa

Entire = Ɗaukacin

Entirety = Rankatakaf

Mass = Dandazo

Multiple = Mamako

Multitude = Tari

Thousands = Dubun dubata

Total = Jimilla

Totality = Kafatani

Union =Gamayya

Currently = A halin yanzu

Evenly = Daidai wadaida

Indirectly = A kaikaice

Preferably = Zai fi dacewa

Provisionally = Ƙwaryakwarya

Rarely =Da wuya

Regularly = A kai a kai

Respectively = Bi da bi

Separately = A rarrabe

Similarly = Hakazalika

Thereby = Wato kenen

Typically = Yawanci

Immediately = Nan da nan

Inevitably = Babu makawa

Instantly = Yanzun nan

Luckily = Sa'ar lamarin

Mostly = Galibi

Normally = A yadda aka saba

Obviously = Babu shakka

Periodically = Lokaci-lokaci

Permanently = Dindindin

Possibly = Mai yiwuwa

Practically = A aikace

Accordingly = Dangane da haka

Actually = A zahiri

Alternatively = A madadin haka

Carefully = Da takatsantsan

Efficiently = Cikin ƙwarewa

Entirely = Ɗaukacin

Equally = Hakanan

Exclusively = A ƙeɓance

Generally = A bai-ɗaya

Hardly = Da wuya

Honestly = a ƙashin gaskiya

Already = Ya rigaya

As soon as/Once = Da zarar

Besides = Kuma ma

But = Amma/Sai dai

By the way = Af

Even = Hatta

If = Idan

Not even = Balantana

Often = Galibi/Sau da yawa

Since = Tun da

So long = Matuƙar

Therefore = Sabili da haka

To be sure = Duk da dai

Yet = Duk da haka, Tukuna

Commute = Je-ka-ka-dawo

Ferry = Fito

Haulage = Dako

Import-Export = Shige-fice

Journey = Bulaguro

Shipping = Dakon kaya

Shuttle = Kai-komo

Tour = Zagaye

Trafficking = Safara

Transit = Jigila

Transport = Sufuri

Travel = Tafiya

Trek = Tattaki

Visit = Ziyara

Source : Hausa Language Hub

EMIR OF ZAZZAU SHEHU IDRIS 1936-2020

1. Early Life And Education:-

Alhaji Dr  Shehu Idris CFR, was born to the family of Malam Idrisu Auta who was sometimes called Autan Sambo and Hajiya Aminatu. Idrisu Auta's father was Sarkin Zazzau Muhammadu Sambo who reigned from  1879 to 1888 and Auta's grandfather was Sarkin Zazzau Abdulkarimi who reigned from 1834 - 1846. Shehu Idris started his education being tutored by two Islamic scholars in Zaria and then continued with formal studies at the Zaria Elementary School. He was at the elementary school from 1947 till 1950, during this period, the young Idris lost his father when he was 12 years old. Idris continued both his qur’anic and formal education and enrolled in the Zaria Middle School in 1950 and finished studies in 1955. He then attended Katsina Training College to become a teacher.

2. Later Life And Career:-

In 1958, he was a teacher at a school in Hunkuyi and then taught at a few other schools in Zaria. Thereafter, he left teaching. In the 1960s, he was a private secretary to Sarkin Zazzau, Muhammadu Aminu, he was also appointed as the secretary to the Zaria Native Authority council in 1965. In 1973, he was bestowed the title of Dan Madamin Zazzau and was appointed the district head of Zaria and Kewaye. Shehu Idris succeeded Sarki Muhammadu Aminu in 1975. On 10 January 2015 he celebrated his 40 years coronation anniversary, and 8th February 2020, he celebrated his 45 years coronation anniversary.

3. Death:-

Shehu Idris who celebrated his 45 years on throne in February 2020 died on Sunday morning 20 September 2020 at the age of 84 at 44 Nigerian Army Reference hospital in Kaduna around 11am. May his soul rest in Jannatul Firdausi. Ameen.

HADEJIA N.A. WORKS: PLEASE DON’T TEAR IT DOWN, RESTORE IT

By: Engr. Daudu Abdul'aziz

There have been a lot of speculations in the past couple of years as to what should become the fate of the historic Hadejia N.A. Works Department buildings and yard, or simply, N. A. Works for short. The N.A. Works is a magnificent buildings complex situated in the centre of the town at the Kofar Fada. This building had served the Hadejia N.A.  very well as the centre for the execution of public works in the days of the Native Administration of old and for several more years in the aftermath of the local government reform of 1976. It has now been left to rot away and decay; such a shame that a building of great utility value should be afflicted by the canker worm of official neglect that has become the bane of the country’s public infrastructure.

It has to be admitted that the story of the deplorable state of national infrastructure is not new or peculiar; it is a reflection of society’s collective nonchalance to maintenance and the wanton disregard for public property; this is unfortunately a common Nigerian malaise borne out of a declining quality of leadership, indiscipline and a general lack of sense of propriety. And of course now, corruption, which has eaten so deep in the fabric of society.

The large impressive buildings of the N.A. Works are comprised of offices, workshops and stores. They have been constructed with the highest standards of quality. What gives the main building housing the workshops its iconic appearance is the choice of roofing material, in consideration of the prevailing threat in the early 1940s—it is made of slate shingles to obscure it from Hitler’s bombers during the Second World War. 

Its utilitarian nature apart, the N.A. Works is an important part of the town’s colonial heritage which together with the Central Office and other  offices in the vicinity like the Emir’s Council Chambers (the Majalisa),the Alkali Courts and the Local Police Charge Office formed the central core of the old Native Authority administration. They constituted what in today’s parlance would be referred to as the township’s Three Arms Zone. 

The N.A. Works, as an imposing edifice, also adds greatly to the visual appeal of the Kofar Fada (forecourt to the emir’s palace) and modern equivalents stand no comparison. It has survived the pressures and tensions of times past and is still strong. It cannot by any stretch of the imagination be thought to have outlived its usefulness. Pulling it down will be a great mistake which will surely be regretted in the course of time. 

But why has this important building been abandoned in the first place? The ostensible reason is the building of a new local government secretariat outside the town walls in the late 1990s; it was aimed at decongesting the existing offices and also to cater for the needs of the continually expanding administrative machinery at the local level. This is logical. What is illogical is the decision to move out every department to the new secretariat and leave the existing historical offices to decay.

 To be sure, the Emirate Council later inherited part of the office complex, particularly the Central Office, but the Council simply doesn’t have the staff strength to fully occupy an office complex that served an entire local government administration. Even the Central Office which was once a magnificent semi-Moorish style building is now in a state of disrepair. It presently serves as the secretariat for the Hadejia Emirate Council. The building, constructed with the characteristic red bricks of colonial government and N.A. infrastructure in Hadejia, had effectively served as the secretariat for the Hadejia N.A. and later Hadejia Local Government.

Abandoning the historic N.A. Works Department buildings and yard when the new secretariat has provision for office accommodation only beggars belief. The importance of the works department cannot be overemphasised—as stated above, it is the local government equivalent of the public works department, the agency for executing works and providing services to the community. 

The old building complex had separate workshops for carpentry, masonry and painting; metal work, automobile workshops and garages, all equipped with the necessary tools. It also housed sections for building feeder roads and maintenance of township roads, for constructing wells and lots of other essential services. How could a yard housing such important workstations be abandoned? 

So much for the importance of this building! The question now is what to do? 

I understand there have been suggestions to have it torn down and then build, on the spot, an extension for the adjacent, albeit separated by an alley way, Hadejia Central Mosque. That would have been ideal had the present mosque been inadequate.  And besides, there are no less than ten Friday mosques dotted around the township which provide convenient alternatives to the main central mosque for the Muslim faithful in Hadejia.

Having said that, what do I recommend instead? In one word, I would say restoration; and conversion to a museum and a centre for historical documentation. 

Hadejia is a town that prides itself on its history, of craftsmanship and equestrian skills and, especially, the dogged resistance to the imposition of British colonial domination. Unfortunately, written or physical evidence of that history is scanty or not available at all.

A rehabilitated and converted N.A. Works can easily become Hadejia’s equivalent of the Gidan Makama and Mambayya House, all rolled in one.

 The workshops section can be used to showcase the town’s artefacts and other war-time paraphernalia while the offices can be turned into a centre for historical research and documentation. It is instructive that those offices originally housed the N.A. Library & Reading Room before it was moved to its present location. 

The proceeds earned from visiting tourists can be used for the maintenance of the edifice.

I use the word, restoration, deliberately to emphasise the need to restore the building to its former pristine form complete with the semi-Moorish style architecture and particularly, the arched entrance and exit gateways which carried the unmistakable inscription “1960 HADEJIA N.A. WORKS DEPARTMENT 1960” spanning full-length of the perfectly semi-circular arch.  

It is here in Nigeria that we don’t seem to cherish monuments and symbols of our historical past. Other societies do and can sometimes exert unimaginable efforts to preserve them. One such example from a different clime readily comes to mind:  the Old Bridge, built in the 16th Century, in the historic city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  The bridge was destroyed during the Croat-Bosniak War in 1993 but the multi-cultural denizens of Mostar were so determined to preserve this piece of their history that they sought for international help through UNESCO and reconstructed it. 

What makes the exercise all the more remarkable is the insistence and utmost care taken which ensured that not only the original Ottoman architectural design was maintained but that fragments of the original material were recovered from the rubble of the old bridge and reused in reconstructing the new bridge! 

There is one aspect of the preservation of historical monuments that the Hadejia Emirate Council is doing very well— the old buildings at the Emir’s Palace. The Council deserves commendation for this effort. Specifically, the old Soraye (singular: soro). These large entrance halls or lobbies are mud buildings with vaulted roofs (Daurin Guga) constructed with traditional Hausa architecture. The inside is adorned with arches (Bakan Gizo) and decorative motifs. They constitute the public area in the Palace and are actually a complex of interconnected rooms.

One particular room or reception hall, in the Hadejia Emir’s Palace, Babban Gwani, is named after the legendary Zaria master builder who is said to have built it. His real name is Muhammadu Munkhaila Dugura, and was the Sarkin Magina of Zaria. He was nicknamed Babban Gwani for his outstanding craftsmanship and was considered as inimitable. He constructed the Friday Mosque in Zaria during the reign of Abdulkarim in the late 1830s or early 1840s. He is also reputed to have built Friday mosques and palaces in quite a few Hausa towns and cities. Little wonder that he has been linked with the Hadejia Emir’s Palace in this significant way.

The Babban Gwani deft touch is obviously what the N.A. Works needs at the moment.

Sama da Shekaru 50, Marigayi Sa'adu Zungur Yayi Wannan Wa'azin a Sigar Waka

~ Matukar a arewa da karuwai,

~ yan daudu dasu da magajiya.

~ Da samari masu ruwan kudi,

~ Ga mashaya can a gidan giya.

~ Matukar yayan mu suna bara,

~ Titi da Loko-lokon Nijeriya.

~ Hanyar birni da na kauyuka,

~ Allah baku mu samu abin miya.

~ Sun yafu da fatar bunsuru,

~ Babu mai tanyonsu da dukiya.

~ Babu shakka yan kudu zasu hau,

~ Dokin mulkin Nijeriya.

~ In ko yan kudu sunka hau,

~ Babu sauran dadi, dada kowa zai

sha wuya.

~ A Arewa zumunta ta mutu,

~ Sai karya sai sharholiya.

~ Camfe-camfe da tsibbace

tsibbacen,

~ Malaman karya yan damfara.

~ Sai karya sai kwambon tsiya,

~ Sai hula mai annakiya.

~ Ga gorin asali da na dukiya,

~ Sai kace dan annabi fariya.

~ Jahilci ya ci lakar mu duk,

~ Ya sa mana sarka har wuya.

Ya sa mana ankwa hannuwa,

~ Ya daure kafarmu da tsarkiya.

~ Bakunan mu ya sa takunkumi,

~ Ba zalaka sai sharholiya.

~ Wagga al’umma mai zata yo,

~ A cikin zarafofin duniya.

Kai Bahaushe ba shi da zuciya ,

~ Zaya sha kunya nan duniya “.

~ “Mu dai hakkin mu gaya muku,

~ Ko ku karba ko kuyi dariya.

~ Dariyar ku ta zam kuka gaba,

da nadamar mai kin gaskiya.

~ Gaskiya ba ta neman ado,

ko na zakin muryar zabiya.

~ Karya ce mai launi bakwai,

ga fari da baki ga rawaya.

~ Ga kore ga kuma algashi,

toka-toka da ja sun garwaya”.

~ Marigayi Sa’adu Zungur a cikin

~ waken sa mai suna “Arewa

~ Jamhuriya ko Mulukiya”

Allah Yajikan Malam Saadu Zungur