The lost glory of Rugu forest

Rugu is a popular name of a community leader in Katsina State. Rugu was a fearless and courageous warrior who excelled in hunting and combat during his reign. He used to be praised by his people as ‘Rugu Kan Kura Kowa ya taba ka zai kwana lahira’, which literally means Rugu a hyena’s head, whoever faces you will die.

The prominent warrior and his people lived in a forest in the present Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State. Because of Rugu’s popularity, the forest, which he occupied with his people, was named after him, and is now called Dajin Rugu.

Dajin Rugu is a thick forest stretching from Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State, passing through Katsina State, and ending in the present Zamfara State.

Twenty years ago, the famous Dajin Rugu was a home to wild animals, such as lions, elephants, hyenas, gorillas and zebras, among other wild animals. The forest was also famous for its rivers, dams and rocks which make the forest a beautiful tourist site.

However, a recent visit to Rugu forest by this reporter shows that this famous tourist attraction is diminishing, due to neglect by the government. There are no access roads to the forest, not to talk of those roads leading to tourist attraction sites within the forest.

The only road leading to Rugu forest from Tambari village is also dilapidated, causing major difficulties to motorists and visitors into the forest.

It was observed that   from being a haven to wild animals, Dajin Rugu has now turned to a camp for Fulani cattle rearers, thieves and armed robbers. Even the Fulani, Sunday Trust observed, are currently migrating from Rugu with their herds, because of lack of water and grass for their animals.

“During the dry season, it is difficult to find food and water for our cows, even for us to drink and cook our food”, said Malam Adamu Dan Tsohuwa, a herdsman who was born in the forest.

Dantsoho told Sunday Trust that, “I was born in the forest and I am still living in it with my family and animals. But I have resolved to migrate from the forest to Tiga area in Kano State, because I learnt there is water and grass over there.

Sunday Trust observed that   the only surviving dam in Rugu as at now is Kirya dam. On a daily basis about 3,000 animals go to quench their thirst at the dam.  Adamu Dantsoho told this reporter that they used to share the water with their animals. His words, “As they drink, we also drink too. I mean we drink from the same pond with our animals including dogs, snakes and monkeys”.

Like Yankari and Falgore Game Reserves in Bauchi and Kano States, respectively, Dajin Rugu is a potential tourist site,  which, if utilized, can attract tourists, not only from within Nigeria, but from all over the world .

The forest is blessed with dams and rocks as well. Kurgyel, Mai-Magurzai, Kangurtsa, Yi-Naka, Tsamre Kirya and Zobe, were among the popular rivers and dams in Rugu forest. While Kauni, Rugu and Dagwarwa are the famous rocks that beautify Dajin Rugu. This is in addition to various hills and smaller rocks, situated at different locations within the forest.

Sunday Trust gathered that   even though many wild animals have left the forest, people from all nooks and crannies do visit Kauni rock for spiritual purposes. Malam Isma’ila Muhammad Rugu is a resident of Rugu village, and he told this reporter that “people from the Federal Capital Territory, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Enugu, Imo and other states in the federation, visit Kauni rock for spiritual purposes.”

“Some of the visitors drop valuables like perfumes, kolanuts, honey and even money on the rock after observing prayers, and other forms of worship. It was believed that whatever a person prayed for, his/her prayer would be answered in a short time,” he said.

Muhammad added that they heard from their forebears that Kauni is home to a spirit called Doguwa. He said it was largely believed in Rugu village that in the past, farmers did not cultivate their farmlands, especially those located close to Kauni rock when it is noon. He said whoever took the risk of going to his farm around the rock at noon, would be stoned by the ‘spirit’, and he will probably die shortly after.

Unlike in the past, only few animals are available in the forest at present. It was gathered that apart from monkeys, jackals and reptiles, such as snakes, nothing could be found in the forest nowadays.

Observations also indicated that even the animals that are currently available in the forest are scarce.

Sunday Trust observed that   Dajin Rugu was utilised better in the past than in the present,  and this might not be unconnected with the stiffer penalty set by Government for any illegal activities,  that might affect the development of the forest.

In fact this kind of strict measure is what sustained the forest and animals in Rugu forest, for many years. Now that things have changed, wild Animals such as lions, elephants and hyenas have migrated from the forest , owing to lack of water and increasing rates of human activities in the forest. It was also noticed that most of the rivers and dams in the forest have dried up due to the lack of proper maintenance.

Sunday Trust gathered that the Emir of Katsina, the late Muhammad Dikko, had, during his time, hunted in the forest. On each visit to Dajin Rugu, the Emir used to spend some hours in Rugu village, interacting with villagers. It was also gathered that whenever he finished hunting, Dikko would have a stop-over at a place close to Kauni rock, before he commenced his journey back home.

Whatever animal the emir killed or captured during his hunting, would be taken back to his palace in Katsina town, by warriors of various communities, whose villages are located around the Rugu forest.

According to Malam Isma’ila Muhammad, it was a pride for the communities to partake in conveying the animal hunted by the Emir to his palace. It was also pride for a warrior to be among those selected for the job.

Malam Isma’ila Muhammad told Sunday Trust that “whatever animal the Emir killed or captured during his hunt would be taken first by the people of Rugu. They take it to the people of Yan-Uku village, who would then take it to Wagini people, and Wagini warriors would take same animal to the people of Bakin-Zabo, and this community would take it to the Emir’s palace in Katsina town”. It was always a festive period in Rugu village whenever the emir paid an annual hunting visit to the area.

Malam Musa Rugu, a member of a royal family in the village, said Rugu village has been in existence for the past two hundred years. The village was originally situated inside the forest, before it was relocated to its present location outside the forest. The village was relocated on the orders of the Emir of Katsina, the late Muhammad Dikko, 51 years ago.

Although the wild animals have migrated from the forest, Sunday Trust observed, there are still some Fulani people residing in the forest for rearing purposes. One of such rearers, Malam Garba Abdullahi said he has been rearing in the forest for the past 50 years.

“I was born in Rugu forest and I’m still living in it with my family and animals. I have no intention of vacating the forest, because I am enjoying my stay here, and so also my family and animals. I have no problem whatsoever in staying in Rugu forest,” he said.

“We used   to see various wild animals, including lions, elephants and hHyenas in Rugu in the past, but for the last five years we have not seen any of these animals in the forest, because they have migrated from the area. We only see monkeys and jackals, even these animals have started migrating. It is very rare to see them in the forest nowadays,” Abdulahi said.

Life in Dajin Rugu was not only difficult for wild animals, but also for human beings, so says a Fulani housewife, Malama Halima Abdullahi.

Halima confessed that, “Life is difficult in Dajin Rugu. My children and grandchildren have migrated to Chad and Cameroon Republic with their cattle, due to lack of sufficient animal feeds and water.

We that still remain in the forest are facing serious difficulties, particularly with regards to drinking water. We especially suffer more during the dry season,” she said.

“We normally leave our homes as early as 6:00am in search of drinking water, and we can’t return home until late in the evening. The funny thing is that sometimes we drink more than half of the little water we got, before reaching home under a scorching sun. We move around the forest with fear, because the forest has now become a haven for thieves and armed robbers” narrated the old woman.

Halima also complained about the incessant felling of trees in the forest, “This is what drove away the few animals out of the forest, saying “Two years ago, four elephants came to this area. When I saw them coming towards me, I started making a squeaking noise which scared them away..But when they saw me again, they advanced towards my direction, but I ran away and hid myself,”.

“We want the animals around us, I mean the elephants, the lions and others, because we are enjoying living with them. But unfortunately they can no longer live here anymore because there is no water for them to drink,  and activities of human beings have started taking over the forest,” Halima said regrettably.

Halima’s husband, Malam Abdullahi, alleged “the authorities are very much aware of the illegal felling of trees and other human activities, taking place in the forest. But they have not yet taken any measure to stop them”.

Sunday Trust also observed that the Fulani   currently residing in Dajin Rugu are not stationed in one place, rather they are scattered across the forest. Every household occupies its own settlement, popularly known as “Mashekari” in Hausa. When this reporter visited some settlements in the forest, he noticed that only elderly persons could be there, as the younger ones have left in search of drinking water and food for their cattle.

Malam Adamu Dan Tsohuwa is another settler in Dajin Rugu, and he told Sunday Trust   “nobody can tell you, how many Fulani are living here. But I believe we are more than 500”.

Now that the world is changing gradually, the people of Rugu have also transformed themselves into great farmers. Sunday Trust observed that the community is among the largest cultivators of sweet potatoes and cotton in Katsina State today.