I came across a write up by one Magaji Galadima Abdullahi which according to him was in response to another piece (I haven’t seen/read it). In the said article , Mr Galadima was making a point on why former Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, who happened to be a resident of Mandawari Quarters within Kano city and whom was claimed, is about to be sent on an ambassadorship appointment to bring an end to his stay in Kano after disposition.
While I do not have any interest on the gimmicks happening regarding the Kano Emirship, I am fully interested and honestly outraged by claims Mr Galadima made regarding Mandawari area, describing it as a dane of crimes, insanity and immorality in the ’60s and ’70s while “they (Magaji and ??)” were growing up. Specifically, Magaji said from his article said and I quote:
“While we were growing up in the 1960s and 70s, the Mandawari area was a flashpoint for all sorts of crimes bacause of the market and many food vendors near the house . It was like a mini Sabon-Gari within the city, an area ruled by gangsters and stubborn local folks like Namari, Danladi Mai Garara, Dadada, and Kankule.
“It was a playground for Kano’s socialites of the time, including Barau Kwallon-Shege, Nakwata, Kamal Kwara, Kassim Balarabe, Ta Gadon-ƙaya, Arbela, Uwawu, and a host of others. It was also a hub for mentally challenged individuals like Balahuru, Uwani Ware-Ware, Dolo Ina Ladi, Danger Wutar Baya and Mairagaje-Ragaje ‘Yar Barno.”
This distasteful and frankly, a disgusting comparison of this Mandawari, an ancient area with enormous history, with Sabon gari area, which has been a known area for questionable activities due to large presence of people initially not from Kano or even northern Nigeria, is what I find unacceptable.
Magaji continued that, instead, they will transform Mandawari to become “an oasis for Islamic knowledge and scholarship”. Him and who? I really do not seem to understand!
Mandawari is a suburb within Kano city, in Gwale LG of the state. According to history, the area’s story goes back to 12th century arrival of Wangarawa scholars from Mali during Sarkin Kano Aliyu Yaji dan Tsamiya’s reign (1349-1385).
According to The Kano Chronicles, these scholars and merchants included notable names such as Liman Madatai who became the first chief Imam of Kano, Malam Yakub, Malam Yallabu, Malam Nasheshe and Malam Mandawani, led by Sheikh Abdurrahman Zaite (later became the first chief judge of Kano) were instrumental in Sarki Yaji’s declaration of Kano as an Islamic state.
Thus, after the declaration and the subsequent victory of Sarki Yaji, these scholars were given places to live in and that each area was named/founded by the scholar that lived in it. For example, Abdurrahman Zaiti lived in the area known today as Zaitawa, Liman Maɗatai lived in what is known today as Tudun Maɗatai and Malam Mandawari lived in what we called Mandawari today, all within the city of Kano.
Ever since then, it rather became a hub for clerical immigrants, merchants and many other people that have constituted the Kano of today.
There was no time in history that this area, founded and established and even lived by many pious and religious people, was associated with crime, immortality and notoriety. It’s either Mr Magaji got his history wrong or deliberately lied to push his agenda.
Emir Aminu Ado has been a resident of Mandawari ever since he got married around 1993 or so. He has been living with the people peacefully and was accorded maximum respect as a prince by all people and even after he became emir (both bichi and Kano). I have never heard of anything against him in the area ever since.
In addition, his house or its environs were never reported to be a “flash-point” for insanity and notoriety. So where exactly is that place Magaji is referring to that has been a “mini-Sabon Gari” in the city? Definitely not Mandawari!
I was born and bred in Mandawari, my father too and his father, and our grandparents. We have 5-6 generations of our family that lived in Mandawari quarters. From Mandawari to Ɗandago down to Madungurin to Dausayi, Warure and Gyaranya. At no time were these places a haven for immortality and notoriety.
In fact, to go back down history lane, according to my grandfather, Alhaji Shitu Mandawari, the house itself Emir Aminu inhibits in Mandawari was built by late Emir Sarki Usman Abdullahi (1919-1926) for his brother Magajin Gari Mahmuda after his return from Sokoto. Since then, it has been inhibited by many people, including colonial government appointees, khadis and judges. In fact, at some point in history, it used to be referred to as Gidan Alƙalai. How then will such a place for noble people be in an area notable for notoriety and crime? “Anya kuwa Malam Magaji?”
I do not know the writer, Magaji, or have interest in the emirship tussle but what I find unacceptable is his decision to peddle a false narrative of an area inhibited by many humble, pious and innocent people. In fact, I was unaware that Magaji is actually a former village head in Makoɗa Local Government until his write-up which involved Mandawari.
Most people in this area will gladly welcome Emir Aminu (has he ever left?) if he decided to continue living amongst them. He will be accorded the deserved maximum respect as a former emir and one that had lived in this area for many years.
There will be no need for a bad narrative to be pushed against the area thinking it will score some points or make justifications, at least not from Mr Magaji whom someone might even ask, what a growing teenager (maybe) in the ’60s and ’70s is doing in areas of notoriety and crime and how he came to know names of such seemingly questionable people back then!
Abdullahishehushitu@gmail.com
