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Sallah Durbar: Cancellation spikes security scare as businesses suffered setback in Kano.

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Unquantifiable economic lose were recorded in Kano over the weekend following the sudden cancellation of the historical Salah Durbar festival.

Although, the Sallah celebration was conducted largely peaceful even after the ban on Durbar, but the security alert invoked by the police had scared visitors and potential investors.

The UNESCO certified global event left about 160 foreign tourists who had flew into Kano stranded after the sudden imposition of ban on the traditional heritage, Kano State History, Culture and Tourism Bureau, confirmed.

Kano Durbar, the largest convergence of horse rides globally dated back over 500 years, attracted international recognition thereby making the UNESCO representative list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity in December 2024.

An entrepreneur, Ahmad Sarki Norma who lamented the economic lost in Kano at the weekend as a result of cancellation of Durbar worried over the overbearing influence and interest on Kano emirate.

According to Sarki Norma, besides the wreckage of profit on micro economic, the livelihood of local artisans who specialize on weaving, and fabrication of horse artifacts and horsemen costumes during Salah Durbar season have been crippled.

” I know that virtually all the costumes we wear during Durbar are 90% handmade. That means, the event usually stimulates huge business activities and opportunities for the local fabricators. So when you cancel the Durbar you are killing and sending them out of business.

” Secondly, when you look into sales of pure water on those five days it’s not an ordinary economy. People come from the villages with 5,000 naira to sell bottle water and beverages and make a lots of profits.

On traditional wears, Sarki Norma said ” a normal traditional toberida, costs at least N150,000, which is almost $80. And you’re expected to wear four of it to the right. And also the horse dress, you can get a horse dress of N4 million, you can get a horse dress of N30,000.

“I can calmly say I spend nothing less than Never2.5 million for these four rides on my own. But when you come to the horse, I have a $10 million horse, I have a $20,000 horse, which are specifically meant for just riding”.

Also speaking on the economic impact, Ahmad Abba Yusuf, Executive Secretary, History and Culture Bureau, Kano, said transport, tourism, and food industries recorded the highest lost in the wake of the Durbar cancellation.

Yusuf equally ascerted that several billions of naira have been lost in the tourism sector including the production and marketing of local materials for the horses and horsemen.

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“We do have over 74 traditional title holders that come in a cluster, in groups. So each group contains a minimum of 20 horse riders. So if you can multiply that, if you can be able to deduce the amount of materials for the horses and horsemen, this will be the cost for the Darbar.

“And other local economy, those are the indirect costs attached to it. The people, small-scale traders selling foods, drinks, and other consumables during the Darbar festivities. And also the transport and hospitality accommodation for the tourists and other local royal guests during the Darbar”. Yusuf noted.

Sharing experiences during a media interaction Kano, a tourists in Kano on Thursday, a tourist Virgil Taylor who came from United States of America expressed deep disappointment that his hope to watch the historical durbar was dash.

Taylor who is visiting Kano and Nigeria for the first time to relish the beautiful African culture, worried that after a whole year preparation for the long trip to Africa, he only got to know about the cancellation after arriving Kano.

Taylor, though believed every disappointment is for a purpose, he was delighted to have catched the glimpse of the Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II in a large population during Sallah Day, which he said remain a memorable historical opportunity for him.

“I started planning for this trip over a year ago when I was in Ghana and so I kept doing my research and I understood that there were Durbar that occurred else where throughout Nigeria, but in particular Kano.

“So I started making my preparations and I actually flew in last Friday, I think that was the 27th of March or 28th. I arrived. And until then I learned that the Durbar is not happening again. I had no idea that it had been cancelled before then.

“So yeah, I was disappointed, but I was assured that it would still be a good trip for me and it has been, it’s been extraordinary. The people of Kano have been just very wonderful”. Taylor said.

Another Tourist, a UK based, Lekan Yushau Okanlawon who also flew from London for the Durbar regretted how the cancellation crippled his plans to register the festival on the Guniess book of record for a largest horse proccession in the world besides the UNESCO’s recognition.

Also narrating disappointment, Okanlawon narrated how he had invited friends who are polo players in the UK to join the Durbar procession essentially to witness for the first time, a convergence of over 5,000 horses riding behind a single person.

“So when on the 6th of December, 2024 that UNESCO certified the Kano Durbar and incorporated it into their global heritage program, many of us were happy and we have something internationally recognized to show to our friends abroad.

” So I started discussion with a couple of my friends who have polo teams in the UK. By the way, I came in on the 23rd into Lagos and I flew into Kano on the 24th. I didn’t get to know the Durbar was cancelled until I got there. So I had to quickly send an SOS message to my friends. They don’t have to come again.

“Many of them wanted to come because the only horse riding experience many of them had prior to now has been riding horse for a bit of leisure and more polo. So they have never ride a horse in a long procession.

“So my target with a couple of other friends in Kano and outside Kano that were working together is to ensure that in the next one year we put Kano Durbar procession on the Guinness World Record because Kano has the largest gathering of horse gathering in the world”. Okanlawon added.

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2027: I Will continue distributing job offers as i did in the past – Goro

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Former member, representing Fagge federal constituency at the House of Representatives, Aminu Suleiman Goro has pledged to continue distributing job offers the way he did during his past times as lawmaker.

Goro, the candidate of National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the Fagge federal constituency in the 2027 elections, made the pledge in an interview with newsmen in Kano on Wednesday.

According to Goro, who was the Chairman, House Committee on Tertiary Institutions during his time at the green chamber, he had distributed a lot of job offers to the youths in his constituency as part of his drive to human development.

Fondly called “Mai Gonar Offer”, literally means the owner of farm that produces job offers, added that that he would continue provide a lot of job opportunities toll youths at his constituency, as he had already begun exploring ways in that regard.

“As called ” Mai Gonar Offer”, i have already begun exploring hectares of land to cultivate job offers. This is something i am known for.

” I will continue from where i stopped many of those that secured federal jobs through me have attained the level of Director as their respective places of work. We will continue to build more people because that is the ideology of Kwankwasiyya,” Goro stated.

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He expressed gratitude to the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, reaffirming his loyalty to the former governor of Kano state.

I thank Almighty Allah for giving me another opportunity under the leadership of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. I also appreciate all his associates and supporters for their confidence in me,” he said.

Reacting to rumours that he could betray Kwankwaso if elected into office, the former lawmaker dismissed the claims as baseless, saying he decided to join Kwankwasiyya when its leader lost a government from the defection of governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

“That is not true. We supported Kwankwaso even when he was not in government. Our loyalty is not because of political office or power. We joined him because we believe in his leadership and ideology. If it is for political interest, i would have rejoined with Kwankwaso at the inception of administration of governor Abba Kabir Yusuf,” he said.

Goro assured the constituents of Fagge that his political camp would not only revive its past achievements but would also improve on them while defending the interests of the local government, Kano State, and the Kwankwasiyya ideology.

“By the grace of Allah, we will not only restore what we were known for, but we will also improve on it. We will continue to protect the interests of our people and the Kwankwasiyya movement, which is a movement for the common man,” he stated.

According to him, the Kwankwasiyya movement is rooted in Kano’s political history and inspired by the late Aminu Kano, whom he described as the ideological foundation of the movement.

“This ideology was inherited from Kano State. From Kano came leaders like Malam Aminu Kano, and in this generation, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso represents that same political philosophy,” Goro added.

Goro also expressed optimism that the NDC would win elections at all levels in 2027, attributing the success to the party’s ideology and manifesto.

“We are united in Kano and fully committed to supporting Kwankwaso politically. By Allah’s grace, the NDC will form government from top to bottom,” he said.

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Eid Al-Adha Felicitations-Prof Muhammad Abbas

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From Professor Muhammad Adamu Abbas
Director General, Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC)

To:
His Excellency, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf
Executive Governor of Kano State and the Good People of Kano State

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

On this blessed occasion of Eid Al-Adha, I extend my warmest felicitations to Your Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, and to the entire people of Kano State.

Eid Al-Adha reminds us of sacrifice, obedience, and compassion for humanity. As we celebrate, I pray that Allah (SWT) accepts our sacrifices, grants us peace, good health, and strengthens the bonds of unity across Kano State.

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Your Excellency, I commend your unwavering commitment and readiness to support disease prevention, early detection, and rapid response in Kano State. Your leadership has created the enabling environment for public health institutions to thrive and serve the people effectively. The people of Kano are fortunate to have a Governor who places health security and the wellbeing of citizens at the heart of governance.

Under the guidance of the Honorable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, the Kano State Centre for Disease Control, KNCDC, remains fully committed to its mandate. I assure Your Excellency and the good people of Kano State that KNCDC stands ready, with the continued support of Your Excellency and the strategic direction of the Honorable Commissioner, to prevent, detect, and respond promptly to all epidemic-prone diseases in the state.

May this Eid bring joy to every home, healing to the sick, and renewed strength to our collective efforts in building a healthier and safer Kano.

Eid Mubarak!
May Allah bless Kano State and Nigeria with peace, prosperity, and good health.

Signed,
Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas
Director General
Kano State Centre for Disease Control, KNCDC

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Atiku Wins ADC Presidential Primaries in Kano

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By Abbas Yushau Yusuf

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged victorious in the presidential primaries of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) held in Kano State, securing an overwhelming majority of votes cast across the state’s 484 wards.

Announcing the results in Kano on Tuesday, Dr. John Ayuba, a representative of the ADC national headquarters, declared that Atiku polled 155,995 votes to defeat his closest rivals in the keenly contested exercise.

According to the official figures released at the end of the collation process:

Atiku Abubakar — 155,995 votes

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Rotimi Amaechi — 15,914 votes

Mohammed Hayatu-Deen — 9,994 votes

Dr. Ayuba stated that the primary election was conducted peacefully across all the 484 wards in Kano State, with party officials and delegates participating in the democratic process.

Speaking shortly after the announcement, he said the outcome of the Kano exercise would now be transmitted to the ADC national leadership for final collation and ratification.

“The election was conducted in the 484 wards of Kano State. We are going to forward the results to the national headquarters, and from there we will know who becomes the presidential flagbearer of the party,” he said.

 

The outcome further strengthens Atiku’s influence within the party structure in Kano, one of Nigeria’s most politically significant states with a large voting population.

Political observers say the margin of victory recorded by the former vice president reflects his strong grassroots support and established political network in northern Nigeria ahead of the next general election.

Supporters of Atiku who gathered at the venue of the announcement celebrated the victory, describing it as a sign of confidence in his leadership experience and national appeal.

Meanwhile, party officials urged members to remain united after the exercise and work towards strengthening the ADC ahead of the presidential election.

The ADC national headquarters is expected to compile results from other states before making an official declaration on the party’s presidential candidate.

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