A journey through Katsina’s Sallah Durbar of colour and courage
The Katsina Emirate Council was the sole organizer of the amazing Sallah Durbar with the emir spearheading Katsina durbar while his Daura counterpart leading the colourful horse-riding processions in Daura town. Unlike in Kano where four days are being set aside for the annual tradition, durbar festivities in Katsina is a two-day affairs while in […]
The Katsina Emirate Council was the sole organizer of the amazing Sallah Durbar with the emir spearheading Katsina durbar while his Daura counterpart leading the colourful horse-riding processions in Daura town.
Unlike in Kano where four days are being set aside for the annual tradition, durbar festivities in Katsina is a two-day affairs while in Daura is a three days festivity during both Eid-el Fitr and Eid-el Kabir celebrations.
While in Kano the durbar comprises of Hawan Sallah, Hawan Daushe, Hawan Nassarawa and Hawan Dorayi/Hawan Fanisau, in Katsina it is only Hawan Sallah and Hawan Bariki while in Daura town three processions of Hawan Sallah, Hawan Daushe and Hawan Magajiya are being practiced as part of the annual durbar festivities.
Hawan Sallah in both Katsina and Kano states was the first to be conducted followed by other processions. It was a kind of mini durbar on Sallah day where the emirs lead their entourage on horse-riding processions to the Eid-el prayer ground from their palaces to observe the a congregational Eid prayer.
On Sallah day in Katsina state, the emir led a colorful horse procession from Kofar-Soro (in his palace) through Bakin-Kasuwa to Kofar-Guga and finally to the Eid prayer ground for the congregational prayer.
On his journey back home after observing the two raka’ats prayer, the emir led senior councillors, traditional title-holders, district heads and princes on a horse procession to his palace through Kofar-Yandaka to Katsina Prison and finally to the palace where he discharged other horse riders and retired home for the day. This marked the end of Hawan Sallah.
The emir had a stopover at Katsina Central Prison where he briefly preached to the prison inmates before he moved to his palace. The practice was said to be introduced by the emir of Katsina, Muhammadu Dikko, a great-grandfather of the present emir. It was recorded that he made a stop-over at Katsina central prison during a similar durbar and preached to Sarkin-Yaki Danwaire, who was then kept at the prison by the British colonial authorities after he was captured.
Since then the practice became a tradition to the successive emirs of Katsina. They will stop at the prison, chat with prison inmates and preach to them against evil deeds during the Hawan Sallah durbar.
On arrival at his palace, the emir stopped at Kofar-Soro where he received the traditional homage known as Jafi from other horse riders that includes traditional title-holders, district heads, princes, among others.
Shortly after the Jafi, the emir’s mounted guards and local warriors, known as Yan’ Kwalkwali and Yan’ Sulke, draped in full military gear, took the centre staqe demonstrating their skills of horsemanship, before the emir delivers his annual Sallah message to the public.
The following morning, the emir leads another colourful horse procession known as Hawan Bariki to the Government House for a homage to the state governor.
The procession passed through Nagogo road to the Government House from the Emir’s palace and back to the palace through same routes. It has been observed that, the arrangement of the colourful horse procession, starts with the Sarkin Tuta (Custodian of the emir’s flag) the will be at the front of the procession, followed by Yan-Baka (bow and arrow warriors) then Yan-Busa (trumpeters) then Sarkin Takamar Sarki, followed by Dawakin Zage (the emir’s special extra horses), the princes and emir’s grandsons and finally the emir, who was surrounded by his local warriors, Yan-Baka and Yan-Kwalkwali.
For the journey back home however, the district heads leave government house earlier than the emir. They assembled at the emir’s palace and waited for his arrival. They will then pay the traditional homage (Jafi) to him before departing to their respective abodes.
The emir and the governor delivered their annual Sallah speeches at Government House during the Hawan Bariki. At this year’s Hawan Sallah, the emir, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman spoke on the nation’s insecurity where he urged Nigerians to promote peace and unity for the country to prosper, saying “Nigeria needs prayers from within and outside the country so that we can have peace.”
He described the present insecurity situation as unfortunate, stressing that “without peace and unity, Nigeria will not progress. Peace is a key to development and hence we have to promote it for our better future.”