Olu Obafemi

Although, the tempting dance steps of women have conservatively become part of the activities at occasions of this nature, its non-inclusion in the Auchi Day programme is not only a practical expression of the decency in Auchi people but also a manifestation of their obedience to Qur’an 24:30-31 which enjoin believing men to guard their […]

Although, the tempting dance steps of women have conservatively become part of the activities at occasions of this nature, its non-inclusion in the Auchi Day programme is not only a practical expression of the decency in Auchi people but also a manifestation of their obedience to Qur’an 24:30-31 which enjoin believing men to guard their gaze; prohibit believing women from displaying their beauty; and forbids them (i.e. women) from striking their feet (as they do while dancing) in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. As an alternative to women’s dance steps, the audience is entertained at Auchi Day by Islamic songs usually sang by children and youths. This tradition is worthy of emulation by other Muslim communities in this part of the world.
Now, we come to the contributions of the Nupe in the political, religious and economic history of Auchi kingdom. Professor Zakariyau Oseni (a First Class B. A. Arabic graduate of 1977 from the University of Ibadan) noted in his lecture at the 2013 Auchi Day that Nupe factor is exceedingly important to be ignored in the history of Auchi. He observed that African Traditional Religion was the first known religion of Auchi, and of Etsako people in general. However, Auchi people were somehow disappointed when the deities they worshipped and adored could not help them ward off the threat of Nupe forces that overran the Yagba, Ijumu, Kabba, Ebira, Akoko and Afenmai communities with relative ease. The main goal of the first generation of the Nupe who came to Auchi was economic; to capture slaves. They were followed by a generation of Nupe scholars who introduced and spread Islam in Auchi land.
After Nupe forces overran Auchi, some people especially at Aibotse and Igbliei mega quarters where a sizeable number of the Nupe resided voluntarily embraced Islam, which was the religion of the Nupe warlords. To augment this number of early Muslim converts in Auchi, some freed Auchi slaves returned from Bida after the British had suppressed the Nupe at the close of the nineteenth century. They had become Muslims and they practiced Islam in the midst of their people, the Afenmai, who were still traditionalists. Today, contemporary Auchi, like the Republic of Turkey, is predominantly a Muslim community in the Christian-South of Nigeria. Yet, that peculiarity in the political geography of Esakoland has never held up its people from the true practice of Islam. Turkey is culturally a European nation located in southern Europe.
Accompanying the conversion of Auchi people to Islam was the adoption of Muslim names. In some cases Nupe or Nupenized names such as Shaba, Dirisu, Daudu, Daniyan or Dania, Garba, and Kande were adopted as a consequence of acculturation. Even Etsako is a Nupe word by Origin.
When the Nupe, according to historical sources, came to Etsako; they mistakenly killed a lady from a prominent family in Utsagu, the leading village or mega quarters in Auchi. Her name was Aneke from Utsu’Udo family. Part of the truce which followed a long negotiation between the Nupe and Auchi people was that her son, Ikelebe, be installed by the Nupe as the first Otaru (King) of Auchi in 1860. And, that ended the old gerontocracy (rule of elders) in Auchi. 
When the Dania of Auchi, Prince Momoh Osiogbuele, became the Otaru of Auchi in 1919 sequel to the death of his uncle, Otaru Ikharo (reigned 1905-1919); he undertook the Islamization of Auchi and neighboring communities. He stationed Islamic scholars for Nupe, Hausa and Yoruba origins in the five mega quarters of Auchi. They include Malam Momoh Bida; Malam Aliu Enakhambe; Malam Aliu Idaeo; Malam Isa Muhammad  nicknamed Malam Bawa (father of Muhammad Sani Bawa; currently a Professor of Arabic Literature at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria) also form Bida; and Malam Mode.
Professor Bawa is a First Class B. A. (Hons) 1988 graduate in Arabic Language and Literature from the Islamic University in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. His great grandfather Late Malam Sulaiman Ndagi who hailed from Masaba area of Bida in Niger State came and settled in the area that is today called Hausa Quarters in Auchi. That was in the late 17th century. Hausa Quarters is in the heart of Auchi township and close to the old central mosque of the city. Malam Sulaiman Ndagi was a close associate of Shaba Mamudu in Bida.
When the British colonialists defeated the Nupe under the then Etsu Nupe Alhaji Abubakar, Professor Bawa’s grandfather Malam Aliyu, left Bida to settle in Aviele-Ubiane in 1901. His migration from Bida was based on the principle that he was not prepared to live with the Nasara (Hausa name for White men) in one place. It was at Aviele-Ubiane that Malam Aliyu gave birth to Professor Sani Bawa’s father, Malam Isa Bawa. Today, this family lives in Afipe area of Auchi.
It was actually the defeat by the British of Etsu Abubakar of Bida (who fled to Lokoja and later died there) that principally led to the decline of Nupe hegemony in its territories including Kukuruku land later to be called Afenmai when Auchi became a Native authority headquarters.
Islam over the past one century has spread and developed to become a state religion in Auchi. Although Nupe scholars and traders played their roles in this regard, Nupe in Auchi has today been successfully subsumed by the powerfully dominant culture and language of the Hausa who came to Auchi after the Nupe had establsished their influence. That is why, in spite of the historical relevance of the Nupe in Etsako, you find Sarkin-Hausawa in Auchi with nobody holding the title of Etsu Nupe of Auchi.
At this point, I suggest to HRH The Etsu Nupe Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar to relocate Katsina (an ancient colony of Nupe kingdom) or part of it to Auchi for ease of “slave” administration! This discourse concludes next week with a specific focus on the 2014 edition of Auchi Day. May Allah (SWT) spare our lives till then as we pray that He continues to keep us on the path of righteousness, amin.