Gaya, an ancient farming community believed to be the oldest in Kano. The town with rich traditional and cultural hub booms with various businesses but yet cannot boast of a bank. Daily Trust Saturday take a look at what it is like doing business in this modern world without banking activities.
Gaya is one of the first class emirates out of the five in Kano State and one of the oldest domains, even before the establishment of the metropolitan areas with old history in Kano.
The ancient farming community and trade route for centuries sits at the southern part of the state. It had an area of 613 km² and a population of 201,016 in the 2006 census.
Gaya is the oldest and most significant site in Kano’s history and precedes the foundation of Kano itself. It is believed to be the origin of a man named Kano who first settled in the present Kano State on his search for ironstone. The earliest known settlers of Kano were known as “Abagayawa”.
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Historians have posited that Gaya town had been a rich traditional and cultural hub for the Hausa people long before Kano was established as a city-state. However, for over 20 years now, the local government area cannot boast of a single commercial bank.
Daily Trust Saturday visited Gaya emirate to ascertain the level of hardship faced by residents of the area due to the unavailability of banks and how they deal with the situation.
It was observed that every nook and cranny of the emirate is bustling in business of all kinds as there is hardly a single street that has no shop or a business entity, either formal or informal.
This shows how the people of the area have embraced the art of business, both old and young.
Speaking to our reporter, a resident and civil servant, Usaini Tazo, said the issue of having access to a bank has since left their minds as they can no longer do anything about it as they have tried their part but all in vain.
He said, “Honestly, the issue is disturbing, especially when we get paid. One has to cross over to a neighbouring state or local government area to access banking services.
“Most of the time, you have to go out very early to Dutse in Jigawa State or Wudil Local Government, or even metropolitan Kano.
“We just hope we would have a bank soon because we have markets and businesses. At least we are an emirate with a first class emir. The development is not complete at all.
“Even the banks, when they come, will realise that they have been missing business from this place. We can’t rely on POS agents because we have to pay them but the one from the bank is less. It is something that you can buy seasoning or salt and keep at home.
“We hope all stakeholders would help in this regard because we have people that can escalate this issue and invite the banks to come over.”
For Alhaji Umaru Isah, a businessman who trades outside the state, to as far as Benue, it is always a hard slap to his face whenever he is outside Gaya.
“We once enjoyed bank services when Savannah Bank was active but was later closed. This was since the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Since then we have no bank.
“I myself have a place that can be good to accommodate a bank and was always hoping they would come and demand for the place, and I am ready to give out but nothing. They are not even making moves.
“I don’t mostly live here, I do most of my business in Benue State and whenever they want to mock me they will often tell you that they have no bank in your village. Even neighbouring local government areas like Bichi and others do that to us. We don’t find it amusing because it is very negative to us.
“It is affecting businesses honestly because many lives have been lost on the way, while they are trying to transport their money to deposit in the bank in either Jigawa State or Wudil. It is too risky these days, but we have no choice,” he said.
Also speaking, another businessman who sells sacks, grains and other farm produce, Bashir Bala Gaya, lamented that while the area is blessed with so many things, the absence of a bank has been a challenge for years.
“Our local government is blessed with businessmen of all kinds. We are facing serious challenges due to the lack of banks.
“As you know, we have Sabuwar Kasuwa held every Friday and people come from far and near. Aside from that, we have a Bagauda market known for animal trade every week. All these markets and others around in villages are doling out huge amounts of money. If there was a bank, things would have been better,” he said.
Daily Trust Saturday reports that the town has many influential personalities in all walks of lives, who have served and are still serving in both public and private sectors.
For the love of the town or better identification, many have added the name Gaya to their surnames or even adopted it as a family name.
Notable among these personalities is a former governor of the state, Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya, who is also the immediate past senator that represented Kano South in Nigeria’s Senate. Gaya represented the constituency for four terms consecutively.
The immediate former secretary to the state government, Usman Alhaji, also hails from Gaya and is currently holding a traditional title.
Also among many others is a senior special assistant to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, who also contested for an elective office to represent his constituents, among others.
The people of Gaya town are largely farmers, producing mostly farm products that are of grains and during off rainy season, they turn back to markets for trade.
Trade booms in Gaya Local Government Area, with the area playing host to a number of markets, which afford residents of the local government area platforms to buy and sell a plethora of commodities.
Districts under Gaya Local Government Area are Balan, Gaya, Garmarya, Gamoji, Gaya-Arewa, Gaya-Kudu, Kademi, Wudiyawa, Shagogo, Maimakawa and Kazurawa.
Speaking the spokesperson of the Gaya Emirate Council, Abdullahi Nayaya Gaya (Dan Galadiman Gaya), said a large number of account holders patronising banks in Wudil, Takai and Dutse are people of Gaya.
He hinted that any bank willing to invest in Gaya town would enjoy huge and juicy opportunities as there is increasing need for their services.
