DUNIA Magazine

BY ALI BABA YAKUBU

After going through an in-box message in my Facebook account from the Chief Editor of Dunia Magazine inviting me to write this piece, I had to climb on a “reminiscence horse” to travel back in time; to replay the past and how it has shaped my current values. An African proverb which states that “It takes a whole village to make a man,” holds true today and always.

As I reclined on my sofa, I recalled the day we were circumcised with a bunch of other boys when I was seven years old. I recalled the roasted chicken and delicious meals that our parents served us daily at our “circumcision camp”. I could still recall the burning fire made from dried stalks of millet, maize, and sorghum as well as firewood, which kept us warm as the harmattan winds continuously whistled through the trees into our camp. I recalled the tenderness in my mum’s eyes and the pride in my dad’s eye. I recalled the “painful joy” of not wearing any pants while on-lookers smiled our way, grandmothers fondly claiming to be our wives. As I started to punch the keys on my keyboard writing this piece, I couldn’t help but smile with nostalgia.

I can remember when we started wearing shorts after the wounds had healed, how we resumed our regular play times as we grew older, moving through leaps and bounds as group. It was great, especially during the Ramadan fasting period, when we dressed up in funny costumes and went from house to house acting out story lines at the end of which we “got paid”. This was called “tashe”, practiced ten days after the commencement of Ramadan Fasting.

In those days, I hated going to the farm even though our dad (who had retired from the Nigerian Army) hired a few laborers to help out. He wanted us to learn the fundamentals of farming and the discipline that goes with it. He encouraged us to open our minds up to learning our culture of productivity, probity, positivity, spirituality, conviviality, dexterity, non-conformity, originality, heroism and intellectual excellence: While mummy taught us compassion, to have a conscience and patience.

My home town Zuru, in Kebbi State, Nigeria has been a major source of military personnel from time immemorial. We have the highest number of Military Generals in the country even today. The major pre-occupations of our folks were farming and hunting. Within our culture were certain cultural practices geared to test the endurance of men called “Golmo”. Through this practice, men were engaged in tilling the land of their in-laws for a period of seven years.  At the end of every year, wrestling competitions were held at a festival called “Uhola”. Awards were given out to winners by the High Chief of the land. While those that graduated from Golmo were joined in marriage with their wives in a colorful festive funfair. Similarly, those farmers with the highest harvests were recognized and celebrated.

Today however, Islamic and Christian influences, as well as ongoing cross-cultural marriages have all combined to whittle down the vibrancy of our cultural heritage. For instance, just like in mine, many families in Zuruland are mixed up with Fulani, Hausa and indigenous Zuru tribes. Hence, Zuruland of yesterday is not the same with Zuruland of today, just like in many other African communities; even though certain similarities still remain in percussive tunes, athletic dance steps and heroic personalities.

So, what are my values, and how have they been shaped by our cultural heritage? My values can be traced to my personal mission, thus: to serve the Almighty God in total submission; to be a source of succor and hope to humanity; to live within my legitimate means; to endure hardship and learn from it; to make this world a better place by fighting negative forces through my divergent gifts; to lift humanity above its beastly nature; and to relate with humanity in mutual respect, spiritual understanding, compassion and harmony … as epitomized by my cultural heritage.

Ali Baba Yakubu blogs on www.alibyvisions.blogspot.com