200 years after, Sokoto pottery still full of life

Every Friday people, especially women traders, troop  to the Sokoto pottery centre to  purchase  wares. It is usually a herculean task moving by the many commercial vehicles loading the clay wares to different parts of the state and beyond. The moulding and baking of the clay wares at the pottery centre is a sight to […]

Every Friday people, especially women traders, troop  to the Sokoto pottery centre to  purchase  wares. It is usually a herculean task moving by the many commercial vehicles loading the clay wares to different parts of the state and beyond.
The moulding and baking of the clay wares at the pottery centre is a sight to behold, as over  one hundred potters  work at the site comprising male and female.
Despite the advance  of modern technology, people particularly  from this part of the country, use the clay wares especially for storing drinking water, beverages and for cooking.
According to Sarkin Magina, Malam Ahmadu Dan Baba, the pottery business at Tsohuwar Kasuwar Yargabas, started before the European conquest of Sokoto.
Danbaba said the pottery business was initially done within the confines of the potters residences in an area called Magina, which is not far away from the Sultan’s Palace.
He added that after the European  conquest, the pottery business was relocated to  the present site for the potters to conduct their activities.
Just like the Ladi Kwali pottery centre in Abuja, the Yargabas centre also survives the challenge of modern technology, as people from across the state and outside it, come to purchase the different types of wares which the centre offers.

The booming nature of the trade could be seen in the number of the commercial vehicles usually waiting to load the clay wares on the market day.
They include cars, tricycles and motorcycles. According to one Malam Sani, a driver, a trip from the centre to Bodinga market fetches him N700.00.
Galadima Bello Mai Anguwa, a retailer of the clay wares, who has spent  45 years in the clay business, disclosed that he usually makes N5,000.00-N8,000.00 from the sale  when the market is favourable.
According to him, customers in the clay business include Igbo, Yoruba, Fulani, and even tourists.
A petty trader, Malama Rabi from Wurno local government area of Sokoto, who comes to the state capital on Fridays just to sell the clay toys, said she only adds a little to the cost price of her clay wares  to make up for her transportation and labour. Malama Rabi buys the toys at N5 for 2 mini pots,  and sells each pot at N10.  She also uses  a local coloured substance to decorate the toys in order to make them attractive. A tin of that colour costs her N25.

However, she could not say how much she makes from the business, but at least she gets satisfaction doing what she does.  
Speaking on the moulding and baking of the clay wares, the Sarkin Magina said it takes  the potters  a week to process.
He said they commence with moulding and preparing of the clay, which is mixed with certain substances called kaikai from grains shaft to strengthen the clay. By thursday, the potters have different types of clay wares waiting for baking, and the baking is done overnight using corn stalks as a source of energy. The baking takes place in a circular open oven where the potters pack their wares in a heap, spread the stalks on them and light a fire which takes the whole night burning, and by Friday morning, the thoroughly baked wares are removed, and displayed for customers.
The potters produce  pots, tulu (a local water storage container with a small opening) a  big pot called randa, shantali, kasko for bathing and the small kasko for burning of herbs which serves as air freshener. Others include containers for the breeding of pigeons and asusu, a serving ware used by women and children.
They also make toys for children which includes mini pots, chairs, a mortar and pestle and many other domestic utensils.

According to them, the market is usually favourable especially during the hot season, and with the erratic power problem which makes many not to get cold water from refrigerators, people patronize the clay wares for water storage against heat.
“When the market is in its good season, I sell between 20-30 pots a day, and the demand is also very high,” Sarkin Magina revealed.
But the potters’ say their main challenges include the high cost of transporting the  raw materials of clay and stalks from the Fadama area by the river, and this is due to fuel problems. They add that even with donkeys as means of transport, this is now costly as a donkey costs  N15,000.00-N20,000.00 and this was just N5,000.00 previously.