Zazzau emirate reveals secret behind progress

The Zazzau Emirate is largely referred to as first among equals, because of the value that the emir, his counselors and other residents attach to their religion and customs.   The love that the residents of Zaria have for tradition is infectious. This usually comes to the fore when traditional gathering of any sort takes […]

The Zazzau Emirate is largely referred to as first among equals, because of the value that the emir, his counselors and other residents attach to their religion and customs.

 

The love that the residents of Zaria have for tradition is infectious. This usually comes to the fore when traditional gathering of any sort takes place in Zazzau palace. Residents usually leave their businesses and other endeavours to besiege the palace to witness turbaning and durbars, as these events attract the display of traditional values by horse riders and other custodians of the emirate’s traditions.

Perhaps, this is why despite development and modernisation, ancient structures that were made from mud and clay still dot the Zazzau palace. In fact, the inner palace of the emir, where important personalities are received, is still in its ancient form.

The traditional title holder of Wamban Zazzau, Alhaji Abdulkareem Aminu, said the emir and members of his council hold religious values in high esteem.

He added: “We also cherish our traditions. These are the secrets of our peaceful coexistence here in Zaria. Our emir is a peace-loving person. His patience and love for his subjects are second to none. These are some of the attributes that define our success and progress as a people.”

He said the fact that the emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, has spent 44 years on the throne is a testimony to the peace being enjoyed in the emirate.

He said: “despite 44 years on the throne, our people still love him. You need to be around when the emir is moving out from the palace. From the gate up to the outskirt of the town, residents leave their various jobs to greet him. This is natural love that can only be gotten from people that value the tenets of their religion and customs.

“During Sallah durbars, indigenes of Zaria from different parts of the country and even the world come down to witness this tradition, largely because of their love for it. We thank Allah for everything and we urge the coming generation to emulate the emir and those of us that are in his council.”

He said the members of the royal families are happy with the emir, because he is somebody that respects the royal rights of every family.

He added: “The emir is always after the welfare of his subjects. Not only that, the emir is a peacemaker. He assists the poor and the rich. Therefore, he is not only the emir of Zazzau, but his humanitarian and peacemaking activities spread across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria.”

As Alhaji Abdulkareem said, one of the major events that bring together residents of Zaria is the Sallah durbar. It is a tradition that unites the residents and attracts business activities to the ancient city.

Usually, the emir, Alhaji Shehu Idris, and other princes of the Zazzau dynasty through the durbar demonstrate the rich cultural heritage of the Zazzau emirate, which attracts residents and guests from far and near. Diplomats and other foreigners also view the ceremonies as recreational platforms.

Durbars in Zaria afford residents the opportunity of meeting the emir face-to-face, because the emir rides on horseback and goes through the nooks and crannies of the city. It is also a tradition that brings together the entourage of about 150 district heads with each entourage comprising of at least ten horse riders.

One of the entertaining sides of durbar is the display of royal regalia. Adorned with different royal insignia, this army of horse riders uses durbars to demonstrate their horse riding skills to the admiration of spectators.

Another tradition that Alhaji Abdulkareem made reference to, which is part of the emirate’s values, is the art of architectural designs. The Zazzau palace still maintains buildings they inherited from ancestors that passed away hundreds of years ago. The major attraction of these structures is their morals, ornate, decoration and colour that symbolise tradition, unity and even military might.

The Zazzau palace, according to the traditional title holder, is still proud of such buildings, because they portray the masterpiece that ancient architects were capable of producing. The construction and duration of these structures also reflect the talents of the builders and their deep knowledge in the science of building.

He added: “some of the morals, ornaments and decorations on the palace buildings have meanings. For example, the mat reflects unity and most Hausa palaces in the North copied the tradition of decorating their buildings with mats from Zaria. The swords symbolises warfare and bravery, among many other symbols.

“With all sense of humility and without exaggeration, Zazzau’s tradition and customs are among the best in Nigeria and the design of our palace that was borne out of our tradition makes our palace one of the most beautiful not only in the North, but in Nigeria,” he noted.