How Jega became kolanut trading hub
The Jega kolanut merchants are one of the earliest traders to have trading contact with some of the communities in the south west during kolanut trading expeditions ,in those days when the only means of getting to the Yoruba land from the North, was by canoe through the River Niger from Yauri area of Kebbi […]
The Jega kolanut merchants are one of the earliest traders to have trading contact with some of the communities in the south west during kolanut trading expeditions ,in those days when the only means of getting to the Yoruba land from the North, was by canoe through the River Niger from Yauri area of Kebbi State. The traders from the ancient town of Jega in the days of kolanut boom constantly embarked on a long journey and spent several days on water to reach communities such as Ifon, Ore, Ikirun, Abeokuta,Ondo and Kajola both in the present day of Oyo, Ogun,Ondo and Osun States in the South west area of the country.
Because of the exceptional mark the Jega merchants have made in Kolanut trade ,the town was soon the centre for kolanut trade in the North. Whenever the traders return from their kolanut business trips ,traders from Birnin Kebbi, Argungu,Yauri ,Ambursa,Tambuwal in Sokoto, Kamba, Kangiwa, Zaria, Kano, Katsina, Beriberi and other traders from Niger Republic ,would come to Jega to buy kolanut. Soon the Yoruba traders from the South west also started to bring kolanut to the town. From there some of the traders started to take kolanut to other towns and communities in arewa (North).
One of the oldest kolanut merchants in Jega, Alhaji Ahmadu Barmu Jega who said he was following his late father on kolanut trading expenditions to Yoruba communities, spoke to our correspondent on behalf of the chairman of the Jega Kolanut Sellers Association. Alhaji Barma recounts how he started following his father to Ile-Ife, Abeokuta, Ondo and Ibadan by canoe to buy kolanut.
“I started the kolanut trade over 50 years ago. It was the trade of my father when he was alive. I used to follow him to buy kolanut in the south west communities of Abeokuta, Ondo, Ifon, Ore, Ikirun and Kajola. When he died I took over the business .I used to travel a lot to different communities within the country, and outside the country to places like Ghana and Abidjan to buy Kolanut ,like my father was doing during his days. Whenever we return from the kolanut business trip people from Birnin Kebbi, Argungu,Yauri ,Ambursa,Tambuwal in Sokoto, Kamba, Kangiwa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Beriberi and people from Niger Republic would come to us in Jega to buy kolanut. The Yoruba from the South west also use to bring the kolanut here for us to buy, and from here in Jega many of the traders would take their kolanut to other towns and communities in Arewa (North).
“After the death of my father I used to go to these places to bring kolanut to Jega. At that time Jega had become a centre for trading and distribution of kolanut to other communities in the North. At that time there was no access road to the south west from many of the communities in the north. We used to travel from here on water using canoes. We would go from Yauri through River Niger and return here through same route. It was a long and difficult journey, but we had no option because we have to move on with our trade. From Yauri we would enter Kalgo by water and from there to Jega with our load of kolanut. Whenever we arrived from our journeys we always required up to six or seven strong men to offload our goods from the canoes. We usually come back with large quantities of Kolanut. Before our arrival people from different communities in Birnin Kebbi, Argungu, Ambursa, Kamba, Katsina, Kano, Kangiwa,Tambuwal and others would have gathered in Jega. We would unfold the kolanut in their presence and they would buy and return to their respective places”.
Till today, Jega remains one of the major centres for Kolanut trading and distribution in the North. The Yoruba from the southwest and other foreign nationals from Ghana and Abidjan are still bringing Kolanut here. Look at the consignments in those shops ,they were brought to Jega yesterday from Ghana. The countries we don’t take kolanut to are Ghana and Abidjan. They have good kolanuts in their countries and they bring them here. But we do take kolanut to Sudan, Mali, Niger and Benin republics. These days Kolanut is everywhere and a lot of people are into the business. We now have people in the various communities that are dealing in kolanut. They have taken kolanut into several places even to the remote areas.
Kolanut trade has its peak and low times. We make good profit during its peak time, because it is costlier then. We sell a wrap of kolanut sometimes for as high as N7,500. The white kolanut sells for as much as N6500 in this town. The price of the red type has come down now, it is being sold for N4000.Sometimes the price of kolanut could come down to as low as N4000, N3500,3000 and even N2500. When at its peak it can be as costly as N7000 to N6500. We have different types of kolanuts. There is the white and red, goriya and wantan feri types. The most preferred are the white and red and the white types of kolanuts. The Goriya type is the one people take to Saudi Arabia. Those who are into the business of taking kolanut to Saudi Arabia, come here often to buy the Goriya type of kolanut. Even though they have banned its export to the Holy land ,people are still coming to buy it. The Nigerian kolanut is more fanciful and has beautiful appearance than those from Ghana and Cote D voire. But when it comes to taste, the kolanut from Ghana has better taste”.
Alhaji Barmu said there had been several attempts to grow kolanut in Jega and other areas of the state ,but it didn’t survive. “We have tried to grow kolanut trees in different areas of Kebbi State ,but much as we tried they do not survive. When the plants develop up to some point they used to die. Apart from Jega the kolanut business is also thriving in Yauri, Koko, Argungu and Birnin Kebbi ,but many of them still come here to buy from us at Jega. People from Lolo in Bagudo, Dole Kaina and Kamba also come here ,every Friday they will park their vehicles everywhere here to trade.
The kolanut market in Jega is a big one. We have an association with over 500 members and we are disciplined. Through this business I have gone to mecca, after me my wife went with other members of my family. I bought a building and I gave my daughters out for marriage”.
Another trader, Malam Ibrahim Inuwa at the Jega kolanut market said “I will say that kolanut business has been profitable. Though sometimes its price falls , it has been good. Its price ranges from N4000,N3500 and N3000. The only challenge we often encounter in the business is that despite the long journey it involves to bring kolanut here ,we still have to sell on credit to people who come here to buy from us. Sometimes we don’t get back our money, and it leads to a bad loss to some of us”.
The head of the Yoruba Kolanut market in Jega, Madam Aishatu, popularly known as ‘Mama Taofik’ at the market ,told our correspondent that she started the kolanut business over 20 years ago ,and has been going to Ile-Ife, Ondo,Ore, Ifon and Ikirun areas of Osun and Ondo States ,to bring kolanut to Jega. She said “From Jega we also take kolanut to Sokoto, Zaria, Kano and Maiduguri. The price of our kolanut ranges from N4000, N4500, N3500 and N2500. We bring different types of kolanut to Jega. The preferred ones are the White kola, Red kola, Gbanja and Abata. There are other ones such as Goriya- (Heavy kolanut) and Minnu-(smaller ones). I don’t go to Ghana to buy kolanut, but some of our traders bring kolanut from there to this market”.