Curbing Kano’s cultural paradox
For the Cultural Development Committee (CDC) inaugurated on behalf of Kano State Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwanwaso by Information Commissioner Professor Umar Farouk Jibril on March 15, 2012, the direction for social development lies in cultural rebirth. The task to do that is entrusted in a 23 – man committee led by renown academic Dr. Sule […]
For the Cultural Development Committee (CDC) inaugurated on behalf of Kano State Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwanwaso by Information Commissioner Professor Umar Farouk Jibril on March 15, 2012, the direction for social development lies in cultural rebirth. The task to do that is entrusted in a 23 – man committee led by renown academic Dr. Sule Bello and other eminent personalities as Professor Abdallah Uba Adamu, Prince Aminu Ado Bayero, Muhammad Joni and professionals Adamu Ibrahim Getso, Abdurrahman Nuraini, Mahmoud Adnan Audi, Ali Abubakar Bature among others. Other tasks confronting the committee also include preserving tangible and intangible heritage of Kano people and promoting employment opportunities, creativity and productivity.
Issues and events precipitating the social morass in Kano State are well known. Colonial phenomenon and creeping globalisation have seriously devastated traditional values, indigenous technology, arts and crafts. Not only did the historical epochs cast shadows on handicrafts, mural beautifications, pottery, embroidery, carvings, weavings and dyeing, the attitudes and behaviour, eating and dressing habits of local population alongside their fortunes all changed; for the worse.
These days, the importance of creativity and vocational pursuits is lost on significant portions of the youth population. Majority of them disdain traditional economic pursuits and chase elusive white collar salaried employments. As a consequence, local entrepreneurship in traditional medicine, leatherworks, iron mongering, soap making have been abandoned for foreign substitutes and conveniences. Great majority of Kano Youth hardly relish traditional cuisines as kwado and fate-fate and celebrate instead foreign menus like egg and chips, fast food, macaroni and other pasta varieties. The cumulative impact is that healthier, cheaper and the development of delectable local foods and cuisines remains undeveloped.
Against the background of such social stagnation, it is small wonder that Kano monuments and heritage sites lie in despicable state of derelictions. Despite their touristic and money spinning potentials, the Dala Hill, Kurmi market, Gidan Makama Museum and City Walls remain in squalid condition. The City Walls have almost vanished as a result of encroachments and the little of it still standing has been turned into public toilets and hideouts for criminals and drug users. Previous administrations in the state hardly pay deserved attention to the need to establish a living archive where say, statistical data on quantity of daily food consumption and animal slaughter, Kano emirate correspondence, court proceedings, state and local government council records could be kept. The lacuna also made it possible for earlier records in Arabic and Ajami as well as recent ones in Roman Alphabet to continue to go to waste.
In this regard therefore, the recent decision of Kano State Government to replace the Kalankuwa Cultural project earlier serving as avenue for the display of songs and dances during Sallah festivities with the Sule Bello broad-based CDC is a huge relief.
Already, the CDC has started taking commendable steps in the right direction. With temporary offices secured at Kano State History and Culture Bureau, the CDC has set about constructing appropriate sub committees and designing suitable implementation strategies to address the nuts and bolts necessary to rejuvenate cultural revival in Kano State.
A Cultural Policy Subcommittee has been constituted and assigned to compare, contrast and dovetail the subsisting Kano State Arts Council (Amended) Edict of 1987 with National Cultural Policy. It is to indicate specific differences between the instruments in terms of concept, details and areas of emphasis as well as describe the actual and specific manifestations of local historical cultural sites, monuments, events and programmes. The subcommittee is manned by Professors Abdulkadir DanGambo, Mustapha Isa as well as Dr Mansur Ibrahim Mukhtar and Dr Asama’u Garba Sa’id.
Next in sequence is the Cultural Organisations and Activities subcommittee set up to propose the activities to be undertaken by the main central committee by limiting its scope and modalities as well as identifying other relevant community organisations and cultural NGO’s especially in the local government areas. Another important task of this subcommittee is drawing a coherent plan for the promotion of all aspects of culture through the soon- to – be reintroduced Kano Festival of Arts and Culture (KANFEST). This significant subcommittee is piloted by Rabi’u Garun Danga, Binta Kazaure, Ummi Ghassan, A’isha Datti and Garba BabanLadi Satatima, Barden Madakin Kano. The KANFEST would be staged annually around the 44 LGAs and refocus on its pristine principles of fighting social ills like drug addictions and indolence as well as discovering new talents and mobilising their creativity in arts and crafts.
Third in the series is the Cultural Heritage and Preservation subcommittee under the leadership of erstwhile permanent secretary Imam Zubairu. It includes Kaltume Gana, Y’au Ya’u Dambazau, Dr Fatima Bello and Tijjani Aliyu. Its assignment involves identifying and registering historical sites and monuments, identifying important natural artistic, cultural and other tourism potentials and proposing means for their management for the maximisation of social, economic and political development of Kano State.
The fourth subcommittee is under Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero and comprises Barrister Aminu Abdullahi, retired federal service director Dr Sani Sufi, media mogul Abdulkarim Mohammed and development specialist Auwalu Hamza. They are to design cultural projects that will draw the attention and participation of local groups, foreign agencies and international organisations. Activities envisaged in this regard include craft fairs, art exhibitions, book fairs and film festivals. Other aspects of the subcommittee work involve the identification and establishment of contacts with cultural artistes and professionals in Kano State, international agencies and functional business organisations operating in the state.
The fifth subcommittee on the funding of cultural activities is to be overseen by Alhaji Turado from the Dantata family and consists of Fatima Dabo, Talatu Bashir, Muhammad Joni and Ado Yahuza. The sixth and final subcommittee on promoting culture through media programmes comprises the Managing Directors of Abubakar Rimi State Television, Radio Kano, Triumph Publishing Company and the Sports Council.
The cumulative impact of all this work is expected to be evidenced in cultural renaissance by an outpouring of public enthusiasm for local food, arts and craft as well as dressing modes. The new focus should hopefully engender a buoyant process of social cultivation, touristic industry and ceaseless flow of talents and creativity, especially from amongst Kano youth.
Sani Yola writes from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria