Sallah celebration: Adamawa wears festive mood

Already, the Muslim faithful are preparing for the religious rites, after the successful observance of the one-month Ramadan fasting, Muslims are expected to offer the two-raka’at Eid-el-Fitr prayer at various Eid grounds. Annually, Muslim faithfuls in Yola troops to the Eid prayer grounds on the outskirts of the city as early as 8 am regardless […]

Already, the Muslim faithful are preparing for the religious rites, after the successful observance of the one-month Ramadan fasting, Muslims are expected to offer the two-raka’at Eid-el-Fitr prayer at various Eid grounds.

Annually, Muslim faithfuls in Yola troops to the Eid prayer grounds on the outskirts of the city as early as 8 am regardless of the weather. The long queues of people attired in festive dresses add colour to the streets of Yola.

During the Muslim Eid-el-Fitri, traditional hawan sallah celebrations are held in the main polo ground and the Lamido palace. Villagers from a large area join in the one to two day celebrations consisting of colourful parade, charges by brightly adorned armed horsemen, dancing and entertainment.

The Lamido of Adamawa Dr.Aliyu Mustafa,Governor Murtala Nyako and other  dignitaries  observe the eid-el-fitr prayer with their entourage at the Massalacin Eid  ground, at Yola bye pass. Soon after the prayers, as tradition demands, the Lamido and his entourage rides round the town on horseback from the Eid ground to his palace. The horses are lavishly adorned.

After the eid prayers, there come three traditional hawan Sallah durbars, namely, Hawan Sallah, Kilisa and Hawan polo, which are an added attraction to every Sallah celebration in Yola. This Sallah could not be an exception.

Hawan Sallah, begins from the Eid ground and passed through the town to the Lamido’s palace, where he receives homage from his districts heads and delivers his Eid-el-Fitr message. The Lamido’s ride from the Eid-ground usually provides an opportunity for his wards to meet him face to face.

Alhaji Adamu Aliyu Mustafa, who is a holder of the traditional title of Sarkin Dawakin Adamawa, said that the essence of the Hawan Sallah was to keep the people and residents in festive mood.

“Without the traditional Hawa the atmosphere would be dull. In order to keep the residents in festive spirit, the Lamido usually goes round the town on horseback to meet them. This usually keeps the town alive.

Our people like it, and that is why it has been maintained for the past hundreds of years,” the Sarkin Dawakin Adamawa said.

Residents visit friends and relations on the second day, to exchange pleasantries and gifts. The “Hawan Kilisa,” the title holder continued, “has its origin in the colonial days. Although the traditional ride was in place before the colonialists came, their advent changed its dimension. The Lamido would set out from his palace in the evening with most of his districts heads, drummers and other traditional artistes cheered by a mammoth crowd .’’

As with Christmas time for Christians, cards are exchanged during Eid-el Fitr and gifts and new clothes are given.

In facts, in spite of the socio-economic hardship being experienced the events are packed with more activities. It is akin to a carnival complete with processions and brightly clothed horsemen parade.

At home the occasion is marked after careful planning. Long before the d-day families budget the gifts to distribute, who to invite, the clothes to wear and the food to prepare. Relations coming down for the event are also ascertained.

Malam Zubairu Iya is a civil servant in the state he told Sunday Trust that “gift giving has become a norm but with apparels dominating the budget. Relations and family members form the bulk of the beneficiaries.’’

He maintained that high cost of basic commodities and reported cases of car thief could likely lower the morale of residents and this generally dampened the characteristically high Sallah spirit in the ancient town.

Children have clothes sewn for them as a rule and except for the fancy kid glasses or kid wrist watch; toys are out of the question. Wives too would have clothes given out to them long before the event and husbands will sew for themselves.

A visit to Jimeta shopping complex showed working hard to meet datelines. Malam Suleiman Umaru rhetorically told Sunday Trust that despite the economic meltdown this year’s event was fruitful to them as they (tailors) made brisk business.

“You see even as people celebrates, many are trooping to us to get their clothes sew and we are really making profit, though one has to work hard to meet datelines been given.’’

Investigations revealed that some tailors worked till day break while others have to run away from their families all in a bid to satisfy their customers. Though in spite this customers were disenchanted with their tailors who could not meet their obligations.

Alhaji Dahiru Haruna a resident of Yola town could not hide his displeasure, “My tailor has really disappointed me for not sewing my children’s clothes. I brought the clothes barely a month now but up to this time he is yet to finish the work. I paid him his money, but all to no avail; I don’t bother about my clothes all my concern is about my children’s clothes.’’

In the area of food every house cooks variety of dishes to fit the occasion. Most of the night will be used to do the cooking but normally with the help of those relations who have arrived for the occasion. Rice dish features prominently in various forms ranging from plain white with stew to jollof and tuwo balls. Meat range from beef to chicken in roasted form and cooked in stew varieties. Cakes, donuts, spring rolls, meat pies and other snacks will also be prepared. All these will be laid out along with the fruits in season.

No one eats in the morning until after people return from the praying ground. The food is then laid on the carpet for the family to sit down and eat. And then the banter starts with relations and friends.

Immediately after the meal those wishing to watch the parade and the horses will leave the house for strategic locations that provide a good view. This is called Kilisa and it is the main attraction for Sallah.