This year’s Sallah durbar in Kano State will remain historic, especially to the people of Karaye, Rano, Bichi and Gaya emirates, as the four newly-created emirates conducted their first Sallah durbars in their respective domains.
The traditional Sallah durbar in Kano, which comprise of Hawan Sallah, Hawan Daushe, Hawan Nassarawa and Hawan Dorayi or Hawan Fanisau was hitherto organized by the Kano Emirate Council.
In Kano Emirate, Emir Muhammad Sanusi II was able to conduct only the Hawan Sallah and Hawan Daushe while Karaye, Gaya, Rano and Bichi emirates conducted Hawan Biriki on Thursday, Daily Trust Saturday learnt.
The Hawan Nassarawa and Dorayi were cancelled in Kano emirate for security reasons.
Kano Emirate
During the Hawan Sallah, Emir Sanusi trekked to the Eid ground and returned to his palace on a white horse, while during the Hawan Daushe, which was held on Wednesday evening, the emir rode on his camel. He commenced the procession from Kofar Kwaru and returned to Kofar Kudu after a brief stopover at Babbandaki where he normally pays homage to his mother who resides there.
On Wednesday evening, the Yan-Bindiga led by Maitafari, the Sarkin Yan-Bindiga fired series of gunshots, signifying the commencement of the emir’s procession for the famous Hawan Daushe. The emir met other horse riders who had converged on KofarKwaru for the durbar.
Hawan Daushe was introduced in Kano during the regain of Muhammadu Rumfa in the 1400s. This particular durbar gives the residents of Kano city an opportunity to see the emir during Sallah festivities.
Emir Sanusi led other horse riders to BabbanDaki from KofarKwaru in procession. His first stop was at Asiya Bayero Hospital to acknowledge greetings from his district heads who later joined the procession according to their hierarchies. The emir and his entourage passed through Sabon-Titi, Galadanchi, Diso, Tudun-Wazirchi and then stopped at Babban Daki where the emir disembarked to pay homage to his mother.
The district heads and other horse riders moved on to Kofar-Kudu to await the emir’s arrival. After spending sometimes with his mother, the emir proceeded to Kofar-Kudu where dignitaries, top government officials, visitors and residents had converged to witness the durbar.
At Kofar-Kudu, the emir received the traditional homage called Jahi from the district heads and other horse riders.
Bichi Emirate
In Bichi, the emir conducted his maiden edition of the traditional ‘Hawan Daushe’ on Wednesday and the ambience was that of merriment. The emir came out from the palace at 4:35pm, adorned in his royal finery which was a combination of shiny coffee-coloured material with golden embroidery.
His procession went through Prisons, Yarkasuwa, and then through Sidi Ahmad city gate. He took the Kano-Katsina Road to the local government secretariat where he met and exchanged pleasantries with the Kano State governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
After the brief meeting, the governor proceeded to the emir’s palace while the emir continued with the durbar procession, and then back to the palace, where district heads and other subjects came to pay homage.
People trooped out to all the streets through which the emir’s procession passed, greeting and cheering. Before the return of the emir, the governor had addressed thousands of residents who came to witness the historic occasion.
In his address, Ganduje described what he saw in Bichi as “the return of late Ado Bayero”, adding that the mammoth crowed gathered at the palace was an indication of the acceptance of the new emirates.
The governor further explained that there was a plan to engage the traditional institutions more in the developmental projects of government, rather than relegating them to mere custodians of culture.
Malam Umar Haruna, 70, told Daily Trust Saturday that the last time Bichi saw a mammoth gathering close to what they saw that day was during the visit of the late premier of defunct northern region, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto.
Another resident, Alhaji Musa Yahaya Bichi, expressed gratitude to Almighty Allah: “Many years ago, it was only few people who could afford the means of transportation to go to the city to watch Sallah durbar, but today it has come closer to us, such that even our children can come and watch.”
While Governor Ganduje was in Bichi Emirate, his Deputy Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna attended similar durbar in Rano Emirate. Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Alhaji Kabiru Alasan Rurum, was in Gaya Emirate and Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Usman Alhaji, attended the durbar in Karaye Emirate.
All durbars were attended by district heads, village heads and ward heads of various local government areas as well as other traditional title holders.
Rano Emirate
For the people of newly-upgraded Rano Emirate, this year’s Sallah was a historic one, being the first after the upgrading of the emirate to first-class category. The emir’s palace, as well as the Eid ground became crowded as early as 6.30am because many were eager to be part of history. After the Eid prayers, the Emir of Rano, Alhaji Tafida Abubakar Ila, thanked the Ganduje-led administration for restoring the emirate’s historic virtues.
On Wednesday, Kano State Deputy Governor, Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, graced the traditional Hawan Daushe in Rano Emirate. Five out of the 10 district heads under the newly-upgraded emirate also graced the first Hawan Daushe.
The maiden Hawan Daushe in the emirate comprised paying a visit to the local government chairman at the secretariat and going round the town of Rano by the emir and his entourage. The emir, adorned in white regalia decorated with gold designs, rode on a horse through Rano town, as hundreds of residents lined up along major streets to pay homage.
Gaya Emirate
In Gaya Emirate, thousands of people trooped to the Eid ground as early as 7am to observe the 2-raka’at prayer. Shortly after, Emir of Gaya, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulkadir Gaya, addressed the crowd, and charged his subjects to sustain the virtues of Ramadan, which promotes patience, unity and generosity among Muslim Ummah.
On Wednesday, the emir’s entourage kick-started the traditional Hawan Daushe in Gaya as was the case in the other emirates. In Gaya, hundreds of horse riders converged on the emir’s palace around 3pm. Unlike other emirs, the emir of Gaya came out from his official residence in his car around 4.30pm and joined other horse riders for the commencement of
the first Hawan Daushe in the emirate. The emir was unable to ride on a horse due his health condition and age, Daily Trust Saturday gathered.
The emir led other horse riders in the Hawan Daushe procession and went round Gaya town, acknowledging cheers from thousands of people.
Alhaji Aminu Auwalu Gaya, who spoke to Daily Trust Saturday during the procession, expressed happiness for the Hawan Daushe. “I thank Almighty Allah for sparing my life to witness this historic event. Since the upgrading of Gaya to an emirate, this is what I’ve been aspiring to witness. This is the first time my 9-year-old is witnessing this kind of durbar in his life.”
From where she was watching, Hannatu Isyaku, 12, told Daily Trust Saturday that she had never witnessed a durbar in her life. “I’ve never seen so many horses; It’s such a beautiful event, and I’m so happy!”
Karaye Emirate
The Emir of Karaye, Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar ll, joined other Muslim faithful at the Karaye Eid prayer ground as early as 7am for the congregational prayers. Dressed in all-white attire, the emir rode a white horse to the prayer ground. He was accompanied by hundreds of other horse riders, who wore colourful regalia. Shortly after the prayer, he led his entourage back to the palace, where he received traditional homage from traditional title-holders, marking the end of Hawan Sallah.
Also, on Wednesday evening, the emir came out from his official residence, riding a horse and joined other horse riders for the first Hawan Daushe in Karaye following the upgrading of the district to an emirate. It witnessed large turnout of people.
Alhaji Ibrahim Garba Shu’aibu, a resident of Gwarzo town, told Daily Trust Saturday that he was impressed with the first Hawan Daushe in Karaye Emirate. “I deliberately decided to come to Karaye for the first Hawan Daushe, and I was impressed because it was beautiful,” he said.
A resident, Malam Nasiru Ahmad Karaye, said: “Apart from the Hawan Daushe, the Emir of Karaye also conducted Hawan Bariki on Thursday, and it was fantastic!”
