Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, in an effort to sustain the Traditional cultural Heritage of the City, has signed an Executive Order permitting the four Emirates Councils to conduct annual Durbar Sallah Festivities.
Governor Yusuf, who was speaking while declaring open the maiden Kano Festival, KANFES, on Saturday, said, “We are also proud that the famous Kano Dubar, which has been inscribed by UNESCO among the world’s intangible cultural heritage.
He said this republishing by UNESCO places Kano on the global stage and reinforces the importance of the traditional institutions in promoting peace, unity, and cultural identity.
“In celebration of this honour done to the good people of Kano state by UNESCO and in recognition of the Dubar’s significance to our socio-economic and intellectual life, I hereby grant an Executive Order to the four Kano Emirates, namely Kano, Rano, Gaya and Karaye, to continue organising the annual Daba festivals in their respective Emirates.”
He notes that the Kano state government, as well as all the chairmen of the 44 local government areas, will continue to support you fully to ensure all the tradition is preserved and can be showcased to the world.
He said, “The craftsmanship of our people, the richness of our traditions and the resilience of our forefathers are what made Kano the pride of the Sudan region and a reference point in Africa’s map. As you can testify, even prior to our election, we made it clear that in our blueprint we made a commitment to revive and reposition the culture, information and culture not merely as a matter of right but as a means of restoring the dignity of our people, strengthening our identity and recreating economic opportunities through cultural interfaith.
“In line with that commitment, our administration has embarked on several projects and programmes aimed at reviving Kano’s lost glory and guiding its ongoing heritage.
“To begin with, we have revisited the long-affronted Ministry of Culture and Tourism of this complex, which had been left unattended by the previous administration.
Governor Yusuf said today that the evidence is about to be completed. It is a pleasure to provide the beating heart to the Ministry, symbolising our administration’s efforts for continuity, accountability and commitment to institutional growth.
“We also undertake a comprehensive upgrade and remodelling of the History and Culture Bureau, transforming it into a world-class centre for historical research, documentation, as well as cultural preservation.
“I am happy to say that by the grace of Allah, when completed, the Bureau will serve as an intellectual and administrative hub for managing Kano’s history and tradition as well as preserving our collective memory and heritage.”
The Governor equally said, they have resuscitated the dilapidated Gidan dan Hausa Monument, one of the oldest and most symbolic historical structures in Kano. This ancient building, which is the first western school in the entire northern Nigeria, indeed refers to its original spelling-book that Researchers, Tuareg and the students of African civilisation from across the world. ”
“We have also successfully restored the historic Gidan Dan Hausa Monument, the first colonial residence office in Kano, which is located within the Government House. This structure is a living testimony of the early interactions between traditional authority and colonial administration, as well as its re-preservation, which is crucial to understanding Kano’s political and administrative history.
In the same vein, we undertook the general renovation of the ancient open Martial-Dyed Pits, one of the oldest surviving traditional dying centres in the world.” These dying pits have existed for centuries and are still in use today, attracting visitors and tourists from around the world.”
I am happy to say that by renovating and modernising those dying pits, we are preserving and filling all the cracks by supporting the local economy and cultural heritage. Another milestone is the ongoing renovation of Maginot, the Tunnel Channelling, which has served as a vigorous hub for our traditional leather industry for generations upon generations.
“We deliver by combining traditional knowledge with modern techniques so our artisans can compete cooperatively with their peers anywhere across the globe. This initiative is part of our broader vision to make culture not only a heritage to preserve but also a viable industry to develop
“As we officially flag up the first edition of KanFest, publicly known as Kalanguwa, let it serve as a platform to celebrate who we are, a proud people of history, proud people of culture, proud people of creativity.
“Let it also remind us that our heritage is not a relic of the past yet a living asset for the future generations yet to come we live like a people without culture or a people without identity while a nation will therefore continue to massively embrace the promotion of arts, culture, tradition as vital instruments of social cohesion and news engagement and economy that was special together by the grace of Allah we shall let come once again the cultural heartbeat of Nigeria and indeed the pride of the African region.”
