Borgu, Where Nigerians, Beninois Savour Culture

Date: 2014-03-29

BY most accounts, Gaani cultural festival has fostered relations among the residents of some border communities in Borgu, Kwara State, and the citizens of the Republic of Benin.

Borgu extends from the northeastern and eastern bank of River Niger to the rain forest in the heart of the South-West geopolitical zone of Nigeria.

Historians recall that following the 1898 Anglo-French pact, Borgu land was partitioned into British and French Borgu, which fell within the domains of Nigeria and the Republic of Benin respectively.

They note that the inhabitants of the neighbourhood are variously referred to as Bariba and Borgawa by their Yoruba and Hausa neighbours respectively.

The historians observe that the residents of the area are not a homogeneous group, adding that they are, nonetheless, brought together by their ruling class who shares the same ancestry.

These factors notwithstanding, Gaani fiesta is celebrated annually among the Bartonum of the old Borgu Empire in Baruten and Kaima Local Government Areas of Kwara, Borgu in Niger; and Nikki, a community administered by Borgou Department of the Republic of Benin.

Gaani festival attracts people from Kishi and Igboho in Oyo State, New Bussa, Yashikira, Okuta, Gwanara and Ilesha-Baruba in Niger State; and Nikki, Paraku, Kandi, Kounde and Segbana in the Republic of Benin.

Anthropologists note that Gaani, a popular festival among the people of some border communities in Nigeria, is usually celebrated during Eid-el-Fitr and Eid-el-Kabir Muslim festivals.

They, however, observe that the uniqueness of the festival lies in its ability to promote fraternal relations between some Nigerians and their kinsmen in the Republic of Benin.

According to them, wherever any edition of the festival is taking place, citizens of the two countries in the border region will cross the border to celebrate it.

Alhaji Sabi Idris, the Emir of Gwanara in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara, says that the festival remains a unifying factor among the people of the border communities.

He says that although the colonial powers partitioned Africa, making parts of the old Borgu Empire to fall within the Republic of Benin, the festival remains a potent platform for strengthening unity among the Bartonum.

According to Idris, Gaani festival begins in Nikki town, the headquarters of the old Borgu Empire, every year.

He says that other emirates under the empire, majority of which are in Nigeria, will subsequently announce their festival days based on their hierarchical positions in the empire.

Mr Garba Mohammed, a Development Officer in the Baruten Local Government Council, says that various events are usually lined up from Fridays to Sundays in any edition of the festival.

He says that the first day – the eve of Gaani festival – is usually set aside for the display of various types of drum-beating which are peculiar to the people’s culture at the emir’s palace.

“On this day, the elderly will converge on the palace and praise singers will perform; prince and princesses will also come home from their various places to meet and interact till dawn.

“The real festival day is Saturday when the emir will `visit’ the ancestors early in the morning, offer prayers and some sacrifices for the peace and development of the communities.

“Activities resume in the festival arena later in the afternoon and the monarch will deliver the message of the year to the people, while cultural activities will begin.

“The festival features horse riding skills, different cultural dances and acrobatic displays, among others.

“The third day is for the departure of guests and in some cases, some distinguished personalities are honoured with traditional titles,’’ he says.

Also speaking, Alhaji Umar Usman, the Emir of Yashikira, notes that the festival has enlivened the relations existing between the Bartonum in Nigeria and those in the Republic of Benin.

“If you look at those who are in the eastern part of the Republic of Benin and the people from Kishi, Igboho; Kaiama, New Bussa, Yashikira, Okuta, Gwanara and Ilesha-Baruba in Nigeria, they belonged to the Nikki ancestry before the colonial period.

“We are all brothers and sisters from the same family; it has been our custom wherever we are, from the east to the west, to gather at Nikki and celebrate Gaani festival.

“The festival began as a way for Bartonum people to express happiness about the birth of Prophet Mohammed; and also, in our mythology, that period falls within the period when we (the Bartonum) migrated from the east to our current location,’’ he says.

The emir, however, urges the government to support the festival, insisting that it will serve as a good platform for promoting peace and unity in the country.

Sharing similar sentiments, Sen. Sha’aba Lafiagi, lawmaker representing Kwara North Senatorial District, solicits adequate media coverage for the festival.

“This becomes imperative because of the involvement of Nigerians and citizens of the Republic of Benin in the celebration.

“The festival sends a clear message to the world on how trans-border relations could be enhanced via cultural festivals,” he said.

 


Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Tope Daramola     Lawal Jimoh     Alfa Belgore     Yusuf Mubarak     Special Agro-Industrial Hub     Balogun Ajikobi     Budo Egba     Sulu Babaita Isiaka     Amina El-Imam     Amada Jidda     Kwara TV     SSUCOEN     Saidu Yaro Musa     Rice Farmers Association Of Nigeria     Iliasu     Alumni Association Of The Federal Polytechnic Offa     Face Masks     Ezekiel Yissa Benjamin     Abdulhakeem Adelaja Amao     Ibrahim Oloriegbe     Haliru Dantoro     Firdaos Amasa     Galland Marcias     Coalition Of Kwara North Groups     Kwara Central     AbdulRazaq Jiddah     Igbomina     Diagnostic Centre     Abdulraheem Yusuf     Kolo     Centre For Community Empowerment And Poverty Eradication     Okasanmi Ajayi     Emir Of Yashikira     Ishola Moses Abiodun     Savannah Centre For Diplomacy, Democracy And Development     Valsolar-Kwara Company Limited     IYA YUSUF     Bilikisu Gambari     Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital     Apata Ajele Secondary School     Wahab Egbewole     Abdulkadri Ahmad Alaiye     PPS     Muhammad-Mustapha Suleiman     Post-utme     Osinbajo     Aliyu Olatunji Ajanaku     Maryam Ado Bayero     Sabi     Razaq Atunwa     Abdulrasheed Na\'Allah     Abdulkadir Akanbi-Oke     Olatunde Michaels     Adedipe     Ahmed Idris Mohammed     Aisha Abodunrin Ibrahim     Matthew Okedare     Bello John Olanrewaju     Olohungbebe     Yahaya Seriki     AbdulGaniyu Kareem     Issa Baba     Demola Banu     Ilesha-Baruba     Asa LGEA School     Abdulsalam A. Yusuf     Garba Dogo     Saka Onimago     Yakubu Shaaba     Minimum Wage     Okala Baba     Segun Adeniyi     Ridwan Agboola     Oju Ekun Sarumi     Saliu Alamoyo     Ahman Pategi     Raliat Islamic Foundation    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

New Nigeria People’s Party     Kwara State Council Of Chiefs     Sabitiyu Grillo     Kwara State Pension Board     Tsado Manman     EFCC     Orisun Igbomina     Tunde Yusuf     Abdullateef Abdussalam     Mohammed Lawal     Adekunle David Dunmade     Moses Afolayan     Funmilayo Zubair     Amina El-Imam     Javed Khan     Modibbo Kawu     Hussein Olokooba     Lateef Ademola Olatunji     Abdullahi Dasilva Yussuf     Isaac Aderemi Kolawole     NAWOJ     John Kehinde Salako     March 28     Halimat Yusuf     Kaiama     Oke-Ode     Saka Balikis Kehinde     Aasiyat Bello Oyedepo     Manzuma     Societe Generale Bank Of Nigeria     Yahaya Abdulkareem     Ronke Adeyemi     Code Of Conduct Tribunal     Shao     Alloy Chukwuemeka     Mohammed Abduraheem     Kubra Kazum     Old Oyo     Yemi Sanni     Oloye     CT Ayeni     UNIFEMGA     United Nigeria Congress Party     Just Law Forum     Sulu Babaita Isiaka     Ramadan     Olatunji Abdulmumeen     Tunde Mukaila Mustapha     Ilorin General Hospital     Adanla-Irese     Sunset Workers     Elese Of Igbaja     Read With Me     Abdulrazaq Akorede     Nigeria Customs Service     Okin Biscuit     Economic And Financial Crimes Commission     Daud Adeshola     JMK Construction Company Limited     HAMFAT Clinic And Maternity     Islamiya Abdulraheem     Jamiu Oyawoye     Erubu Oba Zubair     Muhammed Taofeeq Abdulrazaq     Agboola Abdulraheem     TIC     Earlyon Technologies     Taiwo Joseph     Monkey Pox     S.O. Opowoye     Kolade Solagberu     Mujtabah Bature     Niyi Ogundiran     Kwara Central     Kola Bukoye     Folajimi Aleshinloye     Abdullahi Biffo