Symbols and pride of Azare

Azare is a city in Bauchi State with few historical symbols. The two city gates (Kofar Gari), the central mosque and the emir’s palace are the few edifices the residents hold so dear with a lot of pride. Unfortunately, a company has stolen one of these prides from us and used it as a billboard […]

Azare is a city in Bauchi State with few historical symbols. The two city gates (Kofar Gari), the central mosque and the emir’s palace are the few edifices the residents hold so dear with a lot of pride. Unfortunately, a company has stolen one of these prides from us and used it as a billboard for their advertisement and promotion of Manchester City Football Club.

With the consent of our local government administrators, the company substituted the historic design of our Kofar Gari with their blue and white and Manchester City FC logo. This really hurts my conscience whenever I see the tampered Kofar Gari I remember the erstwhile beauties which were painted according to the test of our forefathers.

If not because of the sad fact that decrees place conventional authorities above our traditional institutions, our emirate would not have allowed such disrespect.

How I wish my voice counts, I would have ordered that if the local government needs revenue from adverts, let the chairman build billboards across the town and rent them out for whatever amount. I believe many like minds would volunteer to pay back whatever the company paid to bring back the appealing sight of our Kofar Gari.

 

Adamu Bello Mäi-Bödi wrote from Gidado Bombiyo Residence, K/Kaji Azare.