Sallar Gani is an age old festival observed in Daura emirate. Every year during the Eid Maulud celebration, precisely on the 12th Day of Rabiul Awwal in the Islamic calendar, sons and daughters of Daura emirate origin, from all walks of life return home to take part in the prestigious festival.
‘Gani’ is a Hausa word meaning ‘here I’m’ from which the festival took its name. The festival has over the years become a hub for tourist attractions, with people coming from all over the world to catch a glimpse of the fanfare.
During the festival, a special durbar is observed which is the climax of the event. In the past between 10-14 days were spent celebrating the festival, but nowadays between two to three days are used.
There are other side attractions like traditional sports which include local boxing and wrestling, traditional drummers, artistic displays of acrobatic performances, as well as special prayer sessions, amongst others.
The festival is also an avenue for a reunion where the emirate indigenes come and reunite with old friends exchanging pleasantries, make new friends to boost their harmonious coexistence. It is a homecoming and thanksgiving period.
This year’s event held on 3rd December, was no different from all the glamour and fanfare. A spectacular durbar was held. About 16 district heads of the emirate took turns to display cultures and traditions of the emirates. Men on horses, gun men shooting in the air intermittently, to the admiration of the spectators adorning major roads of the town, sword display, and there were traditional drummers and dancers entertaining the crowd. Cheers and jeers greeted each display.
The History and significance of the festival according to Lawal Saidu, the Daura palace historian, is rich and cherished by all sons and daughters. It is our heritage and we are very proud of it.
In a chat with Daily Trust, Saidu said the festival started with the assumption of males at the helm of affairs of the Daura Kingdom. Hitherto, females had ruled the kingdom before the 17th female, who gave birth to the first male king called Bawo.
He said, since Bawo’s reign, the festival began and has been observed ever since, saying “Bawo gave birth to six sons who later established seven other dynasties’
“These six sons, every year which coincides with the Maulud celebration, do return home to meet their father and share experiences and challenges of their respective kingdoms, with a view to finding or cross fertilizing ideas,” he said.
Whenever they come they normally say in Hausa ‘Gani na zo’ meaning here I’m or I have come also so that it can be recorded, so that’s how the name came into being, he added
“Since Daura of then used to be the capital, they have come to share issues and get solutions, Bawo is a skillful leader who learnt all modes and style of leadership from his mother and father, Abu Yazid or Bayajidda in Hausa. Yazid is an Arabian, having come down to Daura and married off Daurama. He has good leadership skills,” he said.
However, he said, with years gone by and following the Usman Dan Fodio jihad that conquered most Hausa states, Daura not left out, the festival suffered some shortcomings ,as it was not fully observed. Habe ( Hausa’s ) clan rulers were replaced by the Fulani.
With the return of Habe as leaders after the colonial masters took over, the festival returned , the colonial masters restored the past Habe leaders in Daura and some other kingdoms, he said
“The festival was revived but with some modifications, because the colonial masters gave autonomy to some kingdoms who were under Daura ,thereby the festival was narrowed down to the Daura kingdom,” he added.
He said, instead of the rulers from the past kingdoms coming to pay homage and say Gani nazo’ it turned out to be District heads and other title holders from the kingdom, that will come to meet the Emir and say so.
“It was also modernised with Durbar sessions, aside the normal Qur’anic recitation and traditional games being observed,” he said.
Saidu said this history was given from generation to generation, the grand father of the present emir, Sarki Abdurahman used to pass on the tales to us
This year’s event was no different. A mammoth crowd adjoined major streets to watch the fanfare. It was not short of the needed entertainment as families, friends, women and children came out en masse, to watch the horse riding men fully dressed in traditional regalia.
On the first day which is the Maulud day, the Emir of Daura Umar Faruk left the palace through Kafar Arewa to motel junction, then he proceeded to Kofar Sarki Abdurahman before returning to the palace, amidst cheers from the populace who thronged the road to pay homage to the emir.
The next day otherwise called Hawan Magajiya, saw the emir leaving the palace to Gidan Magajiya where he distributed Kola nuts, then headed to Kofar Sarki Musa through Shaiskawa and Tone quarters, before terminating at the palace.
In his message at this year’s festival, the Emir stressed the need for people to be security conscious and report to appropriate authorities ,suspicious people and movements.
He equally called on all to desist from unnecessary tree felling, given the alarming desertification facing the Emirates, as well as ensure that children are enrolled in schools for both western and Islamic knowledge.
Umar Faruk then used the occasion to intensify prayers for the administration of their son, President Muhammadu Buhari.
In his remarks, the state governor Aminu Masari took time to list the achievements of the APC government at both national and state levels. Top on this list was the restoration of peace and security,the fight against corruption, and provision of quality education.
He said, what is more important is to support the crusade to ensure greater development and prosperity, for the nation and state.
