Ramin Kuri where residents make a living moulding mud blocks

Ramin Bulo, a traditional mud block making ditch, is a normal characteristic of a typical Northern Nigerian community specifically those in the rural areas.

These ditches usually start as small sites for mud digging for block moulding but over time, become large enough to serve as a source of income for hundreds of people.

One of such ditches is Ramin Kuri in Alitini village of Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State, which is said to have been in existence for more than 50 years.

It was gathered that the first phase of the ditch, which is no longer in use has been in existence for over 50 years and the second phase, which the community is currently utilizing, is over 10 years old.

A visit to the ditch revealed a very busy setting of mud excavators and block moulders. While some were seen excavating mud from the vast ditch, others were busy moulding blocks from the mud with some others loading the dried mud blocks into either vans or other means of transportation.

Besides farming, which is the major occupation in the community, mud block moulding is another occupation of the people of Alitini village.

Malam Bala Isa Alitini, one of the moulders at the ditch said the ditch was a source of block for Altini as it provides quality mud blocks for their use.

He added that Ramin Kuri was the major source of blocks for communities like Danlasan, Gogel, Danbare, Madari and Larabar Gadon Sarki among others.

“Most of us usually go out of our villages during the dry season to look for menial jobs in the city and only return during the rainy season for our farming activities. However, before going out we will make sure that we have rectified all our structures destroyed by the rain and that is why we are here today,” he said.

Another moulder, Malam Muhammed Balarabe, told our reporters that the Ramin Kuri ditch has been a life-saving place for Alitini people, adding that the site has become a ‘gold mine’ for members of the community.

It was gathered that 100 pieces of the mud block is sold at N600 and that it takes 1,600 blocks to build two rooms, meaning that with less than N10,000 one can buy enough blocks to build two rooms in Alitini and other neighbouring villages.

The houses built with these blocks have stood the test of time, according to Ibrahim Ilu, a moulder, who noted that there are houses built from the blocks in the village that are over 40 years old and are still standing strong.

It was also observed that though many people are making a living in the mud block business, the whole process remains informal as there is no formal arrangement in conducting business at the ditch and also there has not been any government involvement in the entire process.