Karofin-Kura: A tale of 800-yr-old dyeing centre

Karofin-Kura is the famous dyeing centre in Kura town, Kura Local Government Area of Kano State. It was established over 800 years ago to serve as a source of livelihood to the inhabitants of the area. Until recently, Karofin-Kura was the second source of income to many residents of Kura town after farming. Like farming, […]

Karofin-Kura is the famous dyeing centre in Kura town, Kura Local Government Area of Kano State. It was established over 800 years ago to serve as a source of livelihood to the inhabitants of the area.
Until recently, Karofin-Kura was the second source of income to many residents of Kura town after farming. Like farming, dyeing was a major business in the town for many years, as virtually every family had one or two of its members directly or indirectly involved in one aspect of the business or another.
It was gathered that many people in the town made huge sums of money from the production of colourful attires for traditional leaders and other interested buyers.
The most popular attire being produced at the 800-year-old centre is rawani dan-Kura, a local turban. This is a popular turban preferred by many traditional rulers, not only in Nigeria, but also in other countries like Niger, Algeria, Libya, Ghana, Cameroon, Chad, Saudi Arabia, among others.
Mallam Abdul Abdulmumini is the present Sarkin Karofin-Kura. He has been in the business of dyeing for over 80 years.
  “Karofi was built by our forefathers over 800 years ago. There are a total of 770 pots for dyeing, spread all over this place (pointing at some residential buildings which he claimed were built on the land carved out of the centre). Kano has many dyeing centres, but I think Karofin-Kura is the oldest one still functioning,” Abdulmumini told Daily Trust on Sunday.
He said they would not abandon the trade they inherited from their forefathers, adding that they grew up in it and their parents enjoined them to continue doing it.
“Though one cannot be rich in this job, but once you take it seriously you would get all your needs satisfied. Despite my age I still practise dyeing. And I am contented with the little money I am making from it. It is far better than street begging. I am sure many people of my age are into begging, but here I am practising what I know best.
“I have spent 60 years in this business, and I have not attempted to quit because I am comfortable. I am taking good care of my family, courtesy of dyeing. I have travelled to so many places in the name of this business. But now, due to my age, I have stopped travelling to other places. I restricted my movement to this place (Karofi). I do not have any other business apart from it. Because of my age I have retired from farming. But I will continue practising dyeing,’’ he said. 
Corroborating Sarkin Karofin-Kura’s assertion, Mohammed Tanko Abdulkadir, the chairman of the centre, said they grew up to see their forefathers practise dyeing.
He explained that people from Agadas, Yemen, Libya and the Middle East patronise their products, saying, “They come to Kura town to purchase our products. Many dealers of rawani dan-Kura (turban produced in Kura) from these countries do come and spend some days with us here in Kura and go back to their countries with large quantities of our products.
“Our products have reached places like Gadamasi, Libya, Tamarasie, Inamanas, Masaud, Wulgila, Gyardaya in Algeria and some other places in Burkina Faso, Chad, Cameroon and Ghana, as well as Saudi Arabia.’’
He added that many prominent Nigerians who have been exporting the turban to other countries have built houses in countries like Libya and Algeria, noting that “somebody like Alhaji Ibrahim Gashash, a renowned Kano businessman and a well-known exporter of our products owns a house in Libya, courtesy of the business.”
He further explained that, being a historical location that preserves the Hausa culture, students and teachers within and outside Nigeria usually visit the place for research and excursion. The place is also a tourist attraction site for foreigners from different countries.
Malam Abba Abdullahi Na-Bagagi, another resident of Kura town, said that, in addition to being a source of income to the people, Karofin-Kura also serves as a source of herbal medicine to many residents.
He said: “Many people use some ingredients for dyeing as medicine. For instance, pregnant women take ruwan baba (water mixed with some ingredients for dyeing), especially during labour. Also, katsi, another dyeing ingredient, gives pregnant women strength during birth.
“Some people also use a particular rope we use in tying a strong stick (muchiya), meant for mixing dyeing water at Karofi, for spiritual purposes. There are so many ingredients that are being used for traditional medicine. Those I mentioned are just a few of them.”
Abdullahi, who has been working in the place for many years, said his main job was to arrange things for the dyers to perform their jobs effectively, adding that though it is a small job, he is comfortable because it is profitable.
Nuhu Zaki has practised one aspect of the dyeing business for more than 25 years. He told Daily Trust on Sunday that his main job was smoothening and packaging ready-made turbans. He said although his job was hectic and time-consuming, it is paying his bills.
“I earn N1, 500 daily if the demand for turban is high. But when the market is not favourable, I can go home with N700 or N500. The most interesting aspect of this business is that one cannot spend a day without getting something to go back home with,” Zaki, a father of 12, explained
But despite its importance, this historic centre is presently witnessing some setbacks. Apart from the problem of low patronage, persistent encroachment on the land  has remained a source of concern, not only to dyers but to other residents who appreciate the value of the place.
The centre, which initially covered a large portion of land, with a capacity of 770 dyeing pots, now accommodates less than 30 pots. It was observed that residential buildings were erected on the land, leaving a small portion for the dyeing business.
Lamenting the activities of encroachers, the Sarkin Karofin-Kura said if government does not do something urgently, the dyeing business would go into extinction.
“Just recently, we heard about a plan to seize this place and hand it over to someone whom we learnt wants to erect a structure. The person claimed that the land was allocated to him by government. Some months ago, some government officials surveyed the place. We learnt that it was one of our sons that was planning to take over this place.
“But, as you can see, the place was fenced by our former chairman, Alhaji  Shehu Na-Allah 12-years ago. When we heard about the wicked plan, we set up a 10-man committee that met the councillor representing this ward. The councillor led the delegation to the local government chairman and lodged our complaint.
“After sometime, the councillor again led members of the committee to the chairman, and he assured us that he would investigate the matter and communicate his findings to us. But up till this time, we have not heard anything from the chairman,” he said.
 The chairman of Karofin-Kura, Mohammed Tanko Abdulkadir, said they had also lodged a complaint at the state Ministry of Land and the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission.
When contacted, the chairman of Kura Local Government, Alhaji Basiru Turaki, confirmed that a team of dyers had approached him with the problem, adding that based on his findings, there was no plan by the government to take over the land from them.
He said: “I have investigated the matter and discovered that government has no plan whatsoever to take over the land from the dyers. I have explained everything to them. So, as far as I am concerned, this issue is over. They should go about their normal businesses.”
Also reacting to the matter, the chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission, Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado, said after he received a complaint from the dyers, the commission sent its officials to the site on a fact- finding mission.
He said the commission also invited the person who was allegedly planning to take over the land for questioning.
“I invited him, but he swore that he did not have anything to do with the centre or its land. But despite his claim, the commission has directed the state Ministry of Land to suspend any move to take over the place, pending the conclusion of our investigation. However, one of the directors in the ministry informed me that there was no plan whatsoever on the place in question.
“The commission’s director of legal affairs has also sent an invitation to the complainants, but up till this time, they have not come. So, all I can say is that, as far as the commission is concerned, neither the government nor any individual has plans to take over the centre from the dyers,” he said.