Uhola: Zuru’s all-round culture and tradition

A senior palace source told Weekly Trust that apart from the grinding that was introduced this year, a fishing competition will also be featured by next year, making it the only festival in Nigeria that encompasses all agricultural shows and competitions.  The 10th annual festival celebrated last Friday and Saturday attracted a large audience from […]

A senior palace source told Weekly Trust that apart from the grinding that was introduced this year, a fishing competition will also be featured by next year, making it the only festival in Nigeria that encompasses all agricultural shows and competitions. 
The 10th annual festival celebrated last Friday and Saturday attracted a large audience from across the nation and beyond. The Chief Host and Kebbi State Governor, Saidu Usman Dakingari described the annual cultural and agricultural show as a major tourist attraction in Nigeria.
“This is a major tourism attraction in Kebbi State after the Argungu fishing festival,” he said, adding that “this is the most organized Uhola that I have seen since I started coming here.”
Dakingari further stated that the Uhola annual festival has come to stay as a national event that has showcased the rich cultural heritage of Zuru people.
“Zuru Emirate has showcased rich cultural heritage and we will improve it year in year out insha-Allah,” he emphasized.
The governor thanked the organizers of this year’s event under the chairmanship of Maj. Gen. Mohammed  D. Isah for making the state proud through effective coordination of variety of activities that were showcased.  
In his speech at the occasion, the Emir of Zuru, Maj. Gen.(Dr) Muhammadu Sani Sami said the emirate has commenced plans to construct a modern Uhola festival village at Amanawa on the out skirt of Zuru   before the next event.
“By the grace of God, we intend to have a festival village and every community will be given appropriate costumes and gear to make them look truly cultural and traditional.
 “In the real sense, Uhola is a liberal festival to appreciate the creation for safeguarding people’s lives and property as well as sending benevolence especially in harvest.
“Thanksgiving and prayers are also offered for continue protection, good life and aversion of evil and catastrophe.
“Central to the festival is the ‘Yadato’. They are the major celebrants as they observe their passage rites from teenagers to responsible adults.
“The fact remains that Zuru people are products of their own culture and tradition and one only needs to know the various aspects of their tradition to acknowledge what makes them what they are,” the emir said.
Earlier in his welcome address,   Chairman, festival   committee,  Gen. Isah said the event is an annual thanksgiving and appreciation to God for safeguarding the communities and ensuring good harvest.
According to him, “prayers are offered for protection and aversion of all forms of evil and calamities that may arise in the subsequent year.
“It is a festival that avails families, clans and communities the opportunity to express their talents and other competences including exchange of valuable gifts to friends and well-wishers.”
The former army General had during the agricultural show and archery competition described the Zuru people as best shooters especially in the military.
He also paid tribute to the state governor for his tremendous support which makes the festival success. “This is a rare gesture and most kind of you. Zuru people will never let you down. We value friendship and believe in returning a good deed,” he stressed.
Similarly, the state Commissioner for Environment, Hon Ishaku Daudu in his speech on the day of the agricultural show, said over 80 per cent of the Zuru population depend on agriculture for its survival.
According to him, “agriculture remains the best and greatest hope through which the state reduces poverty because greater number of its population draws their livelihood from it.”
 Daudu, who also doubled as chairman of the agricultural show, urged the people of the emirate to return to agriculture in the wake of the present global economic down turn.
The commissioner also lamented that 50 per cent of rural dwellers in the emirate live below the international poverty line, that is , they earn less than one American Dollars per day.
He said: “Our poverty is manifested in malnutrition, poor health, inadequate social services, poor economic infrastructure, substandard housing, drug abuse, increase in social vices and hunger.
“I firmly believe that there is no justification for the high rate of poverty and unemployment in the emirate in view of the fact that we are endowed with a lot of resources, especially agriculture.
“In order to encourage government and ensure that we get the best from agriculture, there are certain bad practices which we must be ready as a community to desist from. It has become necessary, at this point, to call on our people, particularly farmers to desist from destroying trees anyhow. This will prevent desert encroachment and improved the ecology.
“I wish to call on individuals, farmers, traditional rulers and local government councils in the emirate to assist and support government efforts towards preserving the environment by embracing the culture of tree planting as envisioned by the Kebbi state government.”
Among those who graced the festival are  the Speaker of the House of Representative, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; Senator Muhammadu Magoro, Hon Abdullahi Dan Alkali, a member of the House of Representatives, Bello Doya, Deputy State Chairman PDP, Kebbi State, representative of the Minister of Tourism and Culture, Chief Edem Duke, Speaker, Kebbi State House of Assembly, Hon Habib Musa Jega,  Emirs of  Gwandu, Muhammad Iliyasu Bashir; Argungu, Samaila Muhammad Mera; Yauri, Dr. Muhammad Zayyanu Abdullahi and that of Zamfara Alhaji Attahiru Muhammad Ahmad among others.