LESSON FROM OKIGWE Okigwe: Igbo, Hausa in 100 Years of Brotherhood Category: Feature Published on Sunday, 13 January 2013 05:00 Written by Tony Adibe, who visited Okigwe, Imo State Hits: 1810 0 Comments Does the average Hausa/Fulani resident in the rugged, rocky and hilly Okigwe community of Imo State, in the Igbo heartland of the South- East geo-political zone of enjoy any feeling of affection, hospitality, conviviality, security and a sense of belonging? How freely does the average northerner feel in the remote part of Okigwe, surrounded by the natives? What is the level of social interaction between the Hausa community and the Okigwe people? Ask the Acting Chairman, Hausa Community at Okigwe, Alhaji Abdullahi Yahaya Biu, and with an infectious smile, he would sum up the experience of his people with their hosts, or ask the traditional ruler of Okigwe Town Autonomous Community, Eze Chuwkunyere Ugochukwu, the second, who tells you how nice the Hausa are. “We have been in this community since the past 17 years. Actually, the Hausa community came here when cattle business was moved from Umuahia to Okigwe in 1994. We settled and have been doing our business. I know we have stayed peacefully with our host community from that period up to this moment,” Alhaji Biu told our reporter at his Okigwe base. The Hausa/Fulani people at Okigwe live in the midst of the natives, and this is to enhance better understanding and feeling of affinity among them, our reporter gathered. Aside those who live around the cattle market near the Okigwe junction along the Enugu-Umuahia Expressway, there are others who reside inside Okigwe main town to do their trading. “Those ones sell radio, bangles, clothes and other items mainly used by women,” the acting Chairman of the Hausa community said. Historically, the coming of the Hausa/Fulani to settle in some Igbo communities such as Okigwe, Orlu, Umuahia or Owerri, probably dated back to about 1914, Sunday Trust learnt. The traditional ruler of Ogube-Ihube Okigwe Autonomous Community, Eze Godwin Okechi Mbabuike, told Sunday Trust at Okigwe that the coming of the northerners to Okigwe had to do with cattle trading business which began around 1914. Brandishing laminated copies of historical records he said he obtained from the British Museum Colonial History, Eze Mbabuike said on August 11, 1918, one Malam Sali Alosea was appointed by the then Emir of Kano to take care of Hausa/Fulani and Islam interests at Okigwe, Orlu and Owerri, as well as to be in charge of trade between northern and eastern Nigeria at the time. The native ruler explained that cattle and food trading had existed, specifically between Okigwe and Kano - apparently, the commercial hub of the northern part of the country - since 1914 during the First World War, and also between 1939 and 1945 during the Second World War. “This is why we have to look into history to appreciate that long before now, the Igbo and their northern counterparts had existed happily like brothers,” said the old royal father, who said he was the 7th on the royal dynasty since his ascension on the throne in 2005 till date. Similarly, the traditional ruler of Okigwe Town Autonomous Community, where the Hausa community is resident, Eze Chukwunyere Ugochukwu the Second, the Akajiofor of Okigwe, also corroborated what the Eze Okechi said about the age-long cordial relationship between the “the host community and its guests.” Eze Ugochukwu told Sunday Trust in his palace that “Our Hausa brothers and their host community, Okigwe, have been living happily over the years, and even where there is any friction, it is my own people that are usually at fault; the Hausa are very nice and cooperative.” Eze Ugochukwu further spoke on the relationship between the Hausa community and the Okigwe people. “It has taken quite a number of years since the Hausa people came here, and the relationship has been very, very cordial. To be frank, I must tell you that the Hausa are very peaceful, good people to live with,” the royal father said. It was gathered that the Hausa and the Okigwe people have mixed up so well both in the business and social circles that the young ones among them inter-marry. To further cement the relationship, the Eze said he would have no qualms giving out any female member of his family, if a Hausa man honestly wanted her as a life partner. “I will investigate and find out if the person is a good man; I will secure the marriage and administer my blessing very well. But I will give her to a reliable person who wouldn’t allow me to get frustrated before my fellow royal fathers in the north,” he said. The Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Heavy Trucks, Okigwe Cattle Market, Alhaji Murtala Muhammed told our reporter that the union controlled all the trucks that conveyed cattle from the North to the South-East and South-West zones of the nation. He said although they had been doing their business peacefully, he appealed to the Federal Government to fix the bad federal highways in the areas. He also called upon the government to build for them a befitting trailer park so that heavy duty trucks would no longer be parked on the highway. Alhaji Muhammed, who is popularly called “Alhaji Ten-ten” lamented that the pot-holes-filled roads caused a lot of accidents which affect their business adversely. But he acknowledged the friendly atmosphere that exists between the Okigwe community and the truck drivers. “I can even say that the relationship is extra-cordial. Okigwe people are giving us 100 percent cooperation. We don’t violate the people’s rules and regulations. Other Hausa communities in Nigeria should learn to live in peace and harmony,” he said. Alhaji Biu traced the secret of the peaceful co- existence between the Hausa and their Okigwe hosts to a grand understanding between them. He said the leadership of the Igbo in the area had always given them a sense of belonging by carrying them along in the scheme of things they do. For instance, when the state governor, Rochas Okorocha introduced the fourth tier of government in the state, Biu said, the Hausa were carried along by Eze Ugochukwu during the decision making on how to implement the programme in Okigwe. During burial ceremonies or other social events, the Okigwe people usually buy rams or cows from the Hausas/Fulani, according to Biu, who added that “but whenever they invite us, we go. Even we have some inter-marriages, some of our men marry Igbo girls, and they are living happily. This has helped in fostering the relationship between the two people.” Our reporter was told that the peaceful and friendly atmosphere existing between the Hausa and their Okigwe hosts even extends to the meat market at Okigwe where butchers do their trading business like siblings from the same parents. The Chairman of Okigwe Butchers Association, Mr Chukwuemeka Igwe, a native of Nkanu in Enugu State, said since he became chairman, all the butchers had been enjoying a peaceful co-existence. He said his administration did not discriminate against any member; rather he attempted to carry everybody along – both Hausa and Igbo – in the scheme of things affecting the association. Igwe said he was the person through whom the association wrote to Governor Okorocha on the need to build a model slaughter for the Okigwe butchers. The state government recently built a model slaughter that has the capacity of accommodating about 20 to 23 cows for slaughter daily. He said the only problem the butchers had were buyers who on credit who may not pay back as quickly as the sellers would want. “The problem is that the business is not the type that you must wait until you collect all the cash from your customers; we do sell on credit. But we are managing ourselves,” said Igwe, who quickly added, “We are happy with the governor and very soon we will relocate to the slaughter.” Pointing at the new model slaughter, Igwe said, “We will manage it because for many years, we didn’t have a good slaughter here. We have been living in peace here and besides if there is any problem among our members, we have a task force that sees to such a problem. If we have any problem, we report to the task force, which can settle the case. If they cannot settle it, they bring the case to the chairman, who would know how to settle it. And that’s why we have not been having problems here.” Sunday Trust was told that regardless of the peace and harmony that exist between the Hausa and their hosts at Okigwe, sometimes, frictions could spring up, especially during religious or political riots in the north in which some Igbo people fall victims, and there might be reprisals in the South-East. There may be fracas arising from people wanting to encroach on the land which the Imo State government gave to the Hausa community as cattle market. Furthermore, there might be problems on account of cows destroying people’s crops, blocks or buildings or vehicles running into a flock of cows and even killing some in the accident. These are some of the main challenges they encounter while residing at Okigwe where they have been doing business over the years. Alhaji Mohammed Tugga, who is the President of the Cattle Market, Okigwe said the cattle market was established in 1994 when they left Umuahia to Okigwe in the present Imo state. To tackle be setting problems, Alhaji Tugga said cattle dealers adopted diplomacy and compromise. “When the owners of damaged properties come with their complaints, we would tell them not to fight cattle herdsmen; that any damage incurred, would be settled,” said Alhaji Tugga. He bemoaned the fact that some people were cashing in on their liberal and compromising attitude to “extort money from them”. According to him, some owners of rickety vehicles that are no longer road worthy would deliberately ram such vehicles into cows and in the process damage the vehicles. Thereafter, such people would want cattle owners to pay them compensation or repair the vehicles. But how does the truth come out in such situation? “The whole truth is that we, Muslims, will say make we lefam for Allah; we will just repair the vehicle for the person but ask God to reward the person accordingly, in order for peace to reign. Even if the rickety car owner takes the matter to the police, we would tell the police to give us back the case to settle,” he said. Sunday Trust wanted to find out if paying compensations for the destruction cows do to people’s property could cause the Hausa cattle dealers huge loss. But Alhaji Tugga replied in the negative. “The compensation is not usually that much as to make us incur huge losses. At times, we use the money from the Hausa community coffers to settle such problem. At times, a vehicle may run into some cattle and knock some down or the vehicles may fall. In such case, we used to take the wounded passengers to hospital and pay the hospital bills,” he explained. Alhaji Tugga called for an introduction of a law that would take care of issues relating to cows being knocked down by reckless and mischievous drivers who would want to be compensated at the end. “In the north, there is a place a vehicle will hit and kill a cow, and the vehicle owner will pay for the whole loss incurred by the cow owner. But here in the southeast, if a vehicle runs into cows and kills your cow, you will still repair that vehicle for the owner. That is the difference.” How then can such sensitive issues involving man and animal be resolved permanently? He said law would apparently solve the problem. Alhaji Tugga said, “We would like South-East governments to help us include such matter in their law books because animal is animal but is a human being that drives a vehicle. When a vehicle driver sees an animal, he should slow down.” Resolving issues with local government officials who come to collect levies and other taxes from cattle dealers is another challenge. However, cattle sellers, more often than not, reach agreement with then coffers to make sure matters didn’t get out of hand. According to Tugga, “If there is anything they want to implement, they will invite us and we will discuss; if it is too ‘heavy’ for us to bear, we will tell them. So we will arrive at an agreement and the leaders will return to pass the information to the members.” At times, the council officials might mandate the leadership of the cattle traders to collect the revenue on their (council officials) behalf so that they (council officials) might in turn come monthly, weekly or daily to collect the entire revenue, according to Tugga, who added, “In a year, the revenue they collect from us will be up to N100 million.” After collecting revenues that run into millions annually, does the government provide any amenity at the market? Alhaji Tugga answered, “Yes. For instance, in the permanent site now, government has provided electricity, water borehole, road network and I think the current Imo state government is very serious about reactivating the permanent site of the cattle market at Okigwe here.” But the catttle business at Okigwe cattle market has suffered a major lull since a section of the traders relocated to Lokpanta, in Abia State, following the “in-house politics” that got into the leadership of the cattle market association. But cattle dealers at Okigwe are still optimistic that with their determination and the assistance of the Imo State Government under Governor Okorocha, the Ultra Modern Regional Cattle Market, Okigwe would bounce back. Recently, the state Government met at Okigwe with top delegates of cattle dealers from various states on the need to commence full business at the Ultra Modern Regional Cattle Market. Sunday Trust was told that the meeting was part of efforts being made by Hausa/Fulani cattle dealers at Okigwe and the current administration of Governor Rochas Okorocha, who is reportedly interested in the full reactivation of the market. Our reporter learnt that the permanent site, measuring about 110 hectres of land with a stream flowing at the back, was mapped out in 1994 as a cattle market by the then military governor, Navy Captain James Anieke. Ex- Governor Achike Udenwa commissioned it on Friday, May 14, 2004 ; it actually kicked-off but alleged bad management and needless politicking caused its sudden collapse. Addressing the meeting, Governor Okorocha said the government was anxious to make sure that the cattle business resumed in earnest at the permanent site, adding that the fact that some notable cattle dealers, including the popular Borno State-born Alhaji Ganzzaki, travelled from far and wide to attend the meeting, signified its importance. He assured the cattle traders of adequate security, and added that both the army commander at the Obrinze army barracks, near Owerri, and the Imo State Commissioner of Police, as well as other security agencies in the state had been contacted to provide necessary security at the permanent site. Some of the delegates from northern states decried the alleged illegal levies and ill- treatment, meted out to their pals while conveying their cows in heavy duty trucks from the north to the eastern part of the country. “To take cows from Maiduguri to Lagos and other western parts, we pay not more than N30,000 as levies. But to move the same cows from Maiduguri to Enugu or Umuahia, we pay N100,000 illegal levies and no receipts are issued,” they lamented. It was not only the cattle market at Okigwe that suffered a “dull moment” since the relocation of a section of the Hausa community to the present Lokpanta. The Chief Imam of Okigwe Central Mosque, Alhaji Addawai Ahmed said he lost a good number of his followers to the relocation. Alhaji Ahmed said the mosque needed rebuilding and appealed to public-spirited Nigerians, and the state Governor, Owelle Okorocha, to assist them in rebuilding the place of worship. Every Friday, not less than 5,000 Muslims go to worship at the old mosque, according to the Chief Imam, who added thus: “That is why I am pleading that wealthy people should come and help me rebuild the mosque. Where we are now is a Muslim land given to us by government since 1984.” The Chief Imam also made an appeal to Governor Okorocha to help build a mosque for the Hausa community at Okigwe. “There was a time some people wanted to encroach on our land here, but Governor Okorocha warned that nobody should do so; that each person should remain on his land. And we thank him for resolving that problem for us. But we are also appealing to him to come and help rebuild the mosque for us. A similar thing happened in Abia State during former Governor Orji Uzo Kalu who also built a mosque for the Muslims at Umuahia,” he said. Eze Ugochukwu also spoke elaborately on friction that might arise between the Okigwe and Hausa community on account of some intruders wanting to annex the land belonging to the Hausa. “Sometimes, my people do harass the Hausa. And in their normal way of life, they report to me. Sometimes, they report to the governor, and the governor would send a message to me to investigate the matter. After the investigation, I send the report to the governor. And in the normal circumstance, it is my community that often caused trouble, not the Hausa people,” the royal father said. In the case of the Hausa community being attacked during reprisals, Alhaji Biu exonerated Okigwe people from such act, explaining that whenever such things happen – which occurs once in a blue moon – it is usually masterminded by outsiders, “certainly, not Okigwe people,” he remarked. He said, “Frictions do come whenever there are religious crises in the north. It doesn’t emanate from here. But whatever happens in the north leads to reprisal here.” For now, Alhaji Biu and his people have not seen any issue that will probably disrupt the peace, love and fraternity they have enjoyed with their hosts over the years. “We have not seen anything that will bring any misunderstanding between us and the host community.” Certainly, this is why Alhaji Biu has good advice for both the Hausa and Okigwe people respectively. “I will advise them to continue to be law abiding citizens; whatever they know is not good for them or will bring misunderstanding between them and the host community, they should avoid. They should report it to the leaders of the Hausa community. If we are not around, let them move to the leadership of the Igbo community and then report it to them. But not to resort to violence.” But how has the Chief Imam ensured religious harmony between his followers and the Okigwe community? Alhaji Ahmed explained that the level of religious harmony in the area is so high that Muslims usually invite their Christian brothers during Muslim festivities. “They come and we pray and celebrate with them. And when they are doing their own, more especially during Christmas, Easter celebrations, they invite us and we go to their houses; we eat together and then enjoy together. I wish this type of peaceful co-existence will continue forever.”
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 11:50:57 +0000
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