Yar-Kutungu:How ‘lepers market’ went mainstream

Better known as Yar-Kutungu Kasuwar Mata, which literally means a divorcees’ market. The market, Weekly Trust learnt, was established by some lepers about 40 years ago. They were exchanging commodities among themselves at the place whenever they came to Katsina city for medication. Within a short time, their activities began to attract more patrons especially […]

Better known as Yar-Kutungu Kasuwar Mata, which literally means a divorcees’ market. The market, Weekly Trust learnt, was established by some lepers about 40 years ago. They were exchanging commodities among themselves at the place whenever they came to Katsina city for medication. Within a short time, their activities began to attract more patrons especially divorcees from various quarters of the state capital. That was why the market is popularly known as Yar-Kutungu Kasuwar Mata.

The lepers, Weekly Trust gathered, were importing grains, potash and raffia to the place from their respective villages on Tuesdays and Fridays. So when some women discovered their activities, they began to  patronise the place by bringing their goods as well as buying other commodities from the visiting lepers.

It was also gathered that  among the pioneer patronisers of the market were late Hajia Yar-Mowa and late Hajiya Ayyala among others.

Later their counterpart men joined the trend by engaging in buying and selling in the market. Late Alhaji Mani was among the pioneers who made Yar-Kutungu a boosting market.

Business activities in the market continued with more patrons coming from all nocks and crannies of the state metropolis. Although the market was established by lepers, Yar-Kutungu was not restricted to them alone. In fact, the market has for years been taken over from the original owners, the lepers. Weekly Trust discovered that presently lepers had been relegated to the background.

In Yar-Kutungu market, virtually all types of goods are being sold. There are sections for grains, household items, livestock, potash, raffia, provisions, second-hand clothing, wax materials and vegetables, among others.

Patrons from within and outside Katsina state do come to the market twice in a week. The market attracted people from all the 34 Local Government Areas of Katsina State. Businessmen and women from Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Niger, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi states as well as far from Niger Republic do also come to Yar-Kutungu market for business transactions Tuesdays and Fridays.

It was gathered that  about 1.5 million businessmen and women from within and outside Katsina patronise Yar-Kutungu every week. As its name (Yar-Kutungu Kasuwar Mata) implies, Weekly Trust observed that, over 80 per cent of the market’s patrons are women.

However, due to the increasing number of patrons, traders have over taken the market capacity. The present location of the market was temporary and is too small to accommodate patronisers of the market.

Although successive local government authorities have severally attempted to relocate the market to another place, it was gathered that their efforts were unsuccessful as the market remains at its original place.

Additionally, the present location of Yar-Kutungu was not suitable for business as it was surrounded by Katsina General Hospital, Girls Day Primary School, Katsina, Qur’aic model school, Katsina and Government Teachers College, Katsina.

Weekly Trust gathered that academic activities are being disrupted in the three schools by the activities of the market. It was also learnt that activities at the General Hospital are also being affected negatively.

This was among the major reasons why the Katsina local Government attempted to relocate the market from its original place. The former Chairman of Katsina local Government, Alhaji Bala Saulawa and several others have attempted to relocate Yar-Kutungu to Filin-Samji.

Hajiya Safiya Hamza Saulawa, a patron of the market told Weekly Trust that she has been coming to Yar-Kutungu for about 14 years now. Safiya said she was introduced to the market by her best friend, Hauwa Bello.

“I use to accompany her to the market every week to buy second-hand clothes. She was a successful businesswoman. So after spending about six months coming to the market, I then joined her in the business after I consulted my husband and parents,” Safiya said.

She explained that “I am now conversant with the market. I do visit Yar-Kutungu twice in a week, because I have a lot of customers who are buying my goods at home. Presently I have a capital of over N100, 000”.

Another patron of Yar-Kutungu, Hajiya Hassu Yahaya said she has been selling groundnut oil in the market for over 15 years now. She added that, “I do brought groundnut cake (Kuli) to the market from Daura every week. Business at Yar-Kuntugu is profitable.”

Hajiya Hassu said she is enjoying her coming to Yar-Kutungu, because she do get all she needed for her groundnut oil business without hindrance, adding that “the market eases our business greatly. I have introduced three of my friends to the market for similar business.”

Alhaji Bashir Sani is the present Sarkin Kasuwa of Yar-Kutungu. He told Weekly Trust that  he was initially the Waziri of Sarkin Kasuwa before he later succeeded the former Sarkin Kasuwa, late Alhaji Garba Dan-Uwa.

Sani said he was appointed   Waziri about 10 years ago by the present Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir when he was the Magajin-Garin Katsina.

He explained that  he started his activities in the market as a revenue collector for Katsina Local Government. When he resigned from the local government service, he was then taken to Magajin-Gari by late Alhaji Ali Ja to be appointed as the first Waziri of Sarkin Kasuwa of Yar-Kutungu. After the demise of the former Sarkin Kasuwa, late Alhaji Garba Dan-Uwa, he was appointed the new Sarkin Kasuwa of the market.

He, however, said the major problem bedevilling business  in the market is congestion. “The market needs expansion at present. We have discussed with the government severally, but nothing is done yet. We are hoping that the government will do something urgent in that respect.”

“We have been invited by the state  and a directive was given to us to compile all our demands. We did it and submitted our report to the government but nothing comes out from the government,” he said.

Alhaji Dahiru Mai Atamfa is the Chairman, Yar-Kutungu Traders Association. He has been running the affairs of the association for eight years now. Mai Atamfa said he has been conducting his business in the market for over 20 years.

The chairman said he started business in the market as a trader before he transformed into the business of wax materials, adding that, he owned many shops in the market that are being manned by his subordinates.

Alhaji Dahiru told Weekly Trust that, Yar-Kutungu is expanding, noting that, presently the market has three branches within the state metropolis. The branches are Hi-Mata market at Filin-Bugu, Kofa-Guga market and Kofar-Marusa market.