Sweet story of Kano’s sugarcane festival

A new ceremony debuted to mark the New Year in Kano has caught the city in its grip, drawing laughter, fun and an insane amount of sugarcane consumption. Kano is known to be one of the states with longstanding traditions and ceremonies. The popular slogan of the state, ‘ko da mai kazo anfika,’ is said […]

A new ceremony debuted to mark the New Year in Kano has caught the city in its grip, drawing laughter, fun and an insane amount of sugarcane consumption.

Kano is known to be one of the states with longstanding traditions and ceremonies.

The popular slogan of the state, ‘ko da mai kazo anfika,’ is said with pride by all Kano natives. Anything you come with, we are better at it!

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Recently, the state, made a fresh claim to this name when it initiated a new tradition, Bikin Shan Rake, a ceremony organised to celebrate the New Year with a sugarcane consumption contest among the youths.

Initiated by the Association of Sugarcane Drinkers in Dorayi last year, this year’s event was marked on Friday, January 1, 2021, at Unguwar Bello, Dorayi area of Gwale Local Government.

In a seeming expansion of last year’s ceremony, this year also marked the wedding of some of the organisers.

This year’s event was also witnessed by the Ward Head of Unguwar Bello, other elders, journalists, and women.

Many participants dressed in different comical attires that drew laughter from the audience.

Abba Ishak Dansoja is the leader and founder of the association.

He said the main purpose behind initiating the ceremony was to strengthen relationships and unity among youths and to entertain people.

He said another purpose of the event is to celebrate the coming of a New Year and to show to the world the value of sugarcane which, according to him, will surprise many people.

“We are youths in the association as you can see. But this year is a very special one with many people in attendance. People come from different parts of Kano because we spread the invitation to Social Media.

“Last year, it was not fully attended like this, so we are very happy and excited.

“The main purpose of this is to promote peace and unity among ourselves.

“We live in this place together and decided to come up with something that will entertain us and even other people.

“Even though the sugarcane is expensive this time around, we still managed to provide enough so that people would drink to their satisfaction,” he said.

With the kind of attendance this year, according to him, they are motivated to plan for next year’s event, which will be more organised and entertaining.

Zainab Umar is a lady who attended and participated in the event and she revealed how she felt being part of the celebration.

“Honestly we are entertained here and it is a very good activity.

“By now, I have finished almost two sticks of sugarcane.

“If someone has blood pressure, I am sure it would go down when he or she comes to this place.

“So I am happy to be here and I will come back next year,” Zainab said.

Another participant who used chicken feather as his beard said his unique style attracted the attention and amused a lot of people.

He said sugarcane has been his favourite and he derives a lot of pleasure from taking it, adding that he sometimes loses control.

“I can’t afford to miss this event because sugarcane has been my favourite since.

“I am also a member of the association and we are determined to entertain people here.

“Sugarcane has a secret that many people have not noticed.

“Whenever I am taking sugarcane, I feel happy and fresh to the extent that sometimes I do something out of sense, but not rubbish; just a little thing that could make people laugh,” he said.

Speaking to our correspondent, the ward head of Unguwar Bello, Alhaji Sunusi Gaya, said they would continue to support youth in their activities in as much it would bring unity to the community.

“We learnt that this event will bring unity among the youths.

“It would also promote peaceful coexistence in the community and that is why we are supporting them.

“Whatever they have done so far, it hasn’t gone contrary to our religion and tradition. We will support them,” he said.