Zaria — As it is every year, the ancient city of Zaria witnessed colourful celebrations to mark Eid-el-Fitr despite all the odds that deny most residents the opportunity to even put something on the table.

After the successful observances of the one-month Ramadan fasting, Muslims were expected to offer the two-raka'at Eid-el-Fitr prayer at various Eid grounds between 9 -10am on Monday September 29th, marking the beginning of the festival in Zaria as elsewhere in the country.

Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto, made the announcement, Sunday night September 28th, that the new crescent of Shawwal - the tenth month of the Islamic Lunar calendar - was sighted in Kaduna, Sokoto and other places, which signified the end of the holy month of Ramadan and ushered in the new month of Shawwal on which Eid-el-Fitr is performed on the first day.

Muslims faithful in Zaria trooped to the Eid prayer grounds on the outskirts of the city as early as 8am despite the light rain showers. The long queues of people attired in festive attire added colour to the streets of Zaria.

Alhaji Shehu Idris, the Emir of Zazzau, observed the Eid-el-Fitr prayer with his entourage at the Kofar Doka Eid ground. Soon after the prayers, as tradition demands, Alhaji Idris and his entourage rode round the city on horseback from the Eid ground to his palace. The horses were lavishly adorned.

Moment of apportioning blame

In his Sallah message, Alhaji Shehu Idris accused the country's local governments for failing to rise up to their responsibilities of providing social services to the people at the grassroots. This, he said, has led to the collapse of dispensary clinics which help in the healthcare of the local populace.

"It is the responsibility of the local governments to provide social services to the local communities. The neglect of this responsibility had led to the collapse of dispensary clinics where our people used to find care for most of their health problems. The dispensaries were abandoned by the local governments and there is the need for His Excellency, the executive governor of Kaduna state, to ensure the revival of such clinics and other services which the local governments suppose to offer," Alhaji Idris urged.

Alhaji Shehu Idris used the Eid-el-Fitr festival to call on his subjects to give more emphasis to their children's education and discipline. "As parents," he added, "we should watch the peers our children move with to inculcate discipline in them. We would like to use this opportunity to call on the state government to give emphasis on building vocational training centres as parts of its developmental programmes to enable our youths learn some vocations."

The emir extended his gratitude and that of his wards to the Kaduna state government for its efforts of bringing development to the emirate. Alhaji Idris sighted the dualisation of Babban Dodo - Kofar Kuyan Bana road and the contract award of Zaria water project as some of the steps the state government has taken to ameliorate the problems facing the city of Zaria.

Also present at the Hawan Sallah were members of the diplomatic corps, senators, ministers, members of the House of Representatives among many other dignitaries.

The highs

Eid prayers were offered at the various Eid grounds of Zaria. In Chikaji Eid ground, the chief Imam, Malam Sani Gumi, represented by his deputy, Imam Shu'aib enjoined Muslims to extend the lessons learnt from the Holy month of Ramadan to all the other periods of the Year.

"Sallah," he said, "is not an opportunity for committing sins but it provides an avenue for Muslims to reflect soberly to Allah."

After the Eid prayers, come the three traditional Sallah durbars, namely, Hanwa Sallah, Hawan Bariki and Hawan Daushe, which are an added attraction of every Sallah celebration in Zaria. This Sallah was not an exception.

Hawan Sallah, which took place on Monday, began from the Eid ground and passes through the city to the Emir's palace, where the Emir received homage of his districts heads and delivered his Eid-el-Fitr message. The Emir's ride from the Eid ground usually provides an opportunity for his wards to meet him face to face. Alhaji Shehu Garba Na'Allah, secretary of the Emir of Zaria and holder of the traditional title of Dokajen Zazzau, said that the essence of the Hawan Sallah is to keep the people and residents in festive mood.

"Without the traditional durbar the atmosphere would be dull. In order to keep the residents in festive spirit the Emir usually goes round the city on horseback to meet them. This usually keeps the city alive. Our people like it, and that is why it has been maintained for the past hundreds of years," the Dokajen Zazzau said.

Residents visit friends and relations on the second day, which was Tuesday, to exchange pleasantries and gifts. The traditional Hawan Bariki also took place on the same day.

"Hawan Bariki," Dokaje continued, "had its origin in the colonial days. Although the traditional ride was in place before the colonialists came, their advent changed its dimension. The Emir of Zaria would set out from his palace in the morning with most of his districts heads, drummers, and other traditional artistes cheered by a mammoth crowd all along the five-kilometre route to Government House in Zaria to be received by the colonial governor - now the Kaduna state governor."

Dokajen Zazzau added that the ride is only observed once in a year during the Eid-el-Fitr, but not during Eid-el-Kabir and this is why the ride colourfully took place Tuesday.

"The objective of the homage to the governor is to discuss the state of the Zazzau kingdom. It is a meeting during which His Royal Highness, any emir of Zazzau, presents an annual report of what happened in his kingdom, especially those things that have to do with people's welfare and the general state of the kingdom. In a nutshell, the Emir has the opportunity to discuss the affairs of his kingdom and the state when the governor grants him audience during Hawan Bariki. This is why it is done only once in a year," Dokajen Zazzau explained.

Same thing took place this year because as early as 8am, the emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris and many of his district heads began to rode to the Government Reservation Area (GRA) where the state governor, Alhaji Namadi Sambo, and many top government functionaries were waiting to receive the emir.

Many residents, however, have continued to question why an emir should pay homage to the governor instead of the reverse.

"As I explained earlier and on many occasions," Dokajen Zazzau replied, "this tradition was incorporated into the Sallah celebration during colonial rule. The Emir of Zaria had to pay homage to the colonial governor of Northern Nigeria, Lord Luggard, or his representative. Most of our people like the tradition, which is why it has been upheld."

Wednesday October 1st, which doubles as Nigeria's Independence Day, was the day Hawan Daushe took place. People from all over the Zazzau emirate gathered at the Emir's palace to witness what is regarded as the most important of the three durbars. The Emir went round the ancient city of Zaria, once more, to interact with his wards and know their problems. The emir returns to his palace in the evening, around 5pm, and witnessed the competitive ride of his districts heads who demonstrated their horse riding abilities which symbolised their competence on the war field. The way the horses were decorated and the number of people in each district head's entourage are both significant. At the end of the ride, the best district head was chosen in accordance with laid down criteria and was awarded a prize.

The various district heads parade before and salute the Emir before the competitive ride to show their loyalty to the Emir and the kingdom. According to Dokajen Zazzau, the durbars are not only for fun but to demonstrate dexterous skills in horsemanship.

"Durbars are staged during religious festivals like Eid-el-Fitr and Eid-el-Kabir or on the installation of new emirs and chiefs. It can also be staged to honour important guests," the Dokajen Zazzau explained.

The three durbars that took place during this year's Eid-el-Fitr - Hawan Sallah, Hawan Bariki and Hawan Daushe - were colourful procession of horses and their riders attired in aristocratic regalia with bugles/trumpets and accompanied by drumming and dancing.

One very important aspect of the entire durbars in this year's Eid-el-Fitr festival was the traditional Jahi, during which groups of galloping horsemen ride towards the Emir and suddenly screeched to a halt to salute him and pledge their loyalty.

Durbars in Zaria are usually a tourist attraction. This year also provides that opportunity to tourists. Many foreigners and non indigene were seen appreciating the rich cultural heritage of the Zazzau emirate and the northern Nigeria at large.

A white foreigner sighted at one of the durbars lamented that the staging of the durbar is a demonstration of one of the best cultural activities of the world.

"Sallah is always an opportunity for us to see the rich culture of Zaria," he said. "The way the horses and their riders are adorned interests me. It is indeed great and beautiful, I like it," the white man was caught by Weekly Trust snapping and recording the procession.

The lows

Nigerian Muslims faithful complain on how prices of basic commodities, especially food and clothing materials, are hiked on the offing of the holy month of Ramadan and subsequently during the Sallah celebrations. Zaria is not an exception. Prices of tomatoes, onion, cooking oil, rice, sugar, milk, millet, clothing materials etcetera, which demand highly raised, were hiked to between 30 to 150 percent.

"Ideally, I suppose to make my Sallah soup with chicken or beef. But low income earner like me could not afford chickens or beef because their prices were hiked. I therefore resorted to frozen fish, although its price was also hiked," a resident of Zaria said to Weekly Trust.

High cost of basic commodities during the festive season was a set back, despite this however; most Zaria residents were in festive mood. One Sama'ila Sa'idu was affected by the hike in prices of the commodities, but reflected as follows: "Sallah is not all about eating, drinking, wearing new cloth or having fun. It is an opportunity to reflect soberly on the Almighty. Despite all odds, I give thanks to Allah for sparing my life to witness the celebration. Many people who were with us last year but are not alive with us today to witness the festival this year."

Governor's second celebration

This Sallah is the second festival attended by Alhaji Namadi Sambo in his capacity as the governor of Kaduna state. The governor, unlike last year when his deputy represented him, grabbed the opportunity which the Hawan Bariki offered to the number one citizen of Kaduna state. The governor received the emir of Zazzau who paid him homage at the governor's official residence in the GRA Sabon Gari, Zaria on Tuesday

This year's Sallah has come and gone but its memories will continue to linger in the minds of most residents of Zaria. Some memories were not so pleasant, however. Some youths are presently on hospital beds nursing the injuries they sustained in an inter-gang fight during the Hawan Daushe despite the heavy presence of armed mobile police men through out the duration of the durbar.