The Gambo Sawaba Story

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2 THE GAMBO SAWABA STORY Echo Communications Limited First Published 1990 Second edition 2004 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means: electric or mechanical including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher. 2

3 The Gambo Sawaba story ISBN Echo Communications Limited, Suite One, Inwade House Plot 1331, Jere Street, Garki Two PO.Box 9476 Abuja rshawulu@rimashawulu.com ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. A project, such as this one, with all its complexities, depends essentially on the good will of people. 3

4 We acknowledge the patience of Hajiya Gambo Sawaba, who not only accepted the project without second thoughts but on several occasions, stopped attending to her numerous friends and associates to go through the rigorous interview sessions which seemed so unending. To Mohammed Alangade and Lawan Danbazau who gave us attention those times we knocked on their doors, Baba Bida, Mudi Spikin, Abubakar Rimi, Solomon Lar, Hajiya Hussaina, Baba Amartey and Mrs. Ladi Shehu, we are very grateful. Of course, we can hardly forget Ayodele Abubakar, Danjuma Sani, Abdulkareem Danladi Lawal, Captain John Franklin, Danjani Hadeija, Lili Gabari, T.I.A. Ojelade, Bilkisu Ojelade, Dr Tegbo, Adaman Kandawaro, Habiba Adamu, Haruna Jibrin, Binta Buredi, Baba Keffi, C.E. Nwaolori, Fati Misisi and the Kuti family. There are many more whose invaluable contribution to the success of this project cannot be overemphasised. We are also very indebted to Abubakar Sokoto Mohammed, Dung Pam Sha, Thomson Adanbara, Emmanuel Gogwim, Franklin Samuila Kure, Titus Mann, Chris Abashi, BaIa Takaya, and Mrs. Ladi Shehu for the pains they took in going through the script and making valuable comments. To those such as Toure Kazap 4

5 and Aminu Yusuf who lent us their books, we say a big thank you. To Habu Dauda, Daniel Patrick Bawa, Bagauda Kaltho and Joseph Miapyil who dedicated themselves to research, words can hardly express our gratitude. Nor can we forget Louis Nwankwo, Hussaini Suleh and Celina Yaro We also wish to acknowledge the use of photographs from sources too numerous to mention here. Echo Communications Limited, P. 0. Box 7534, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria 5

6 1 FOREWARD I eagerly await the public outing of this material in a book form. For, here is the unveiling of a living legend: GAMBO SAWABA! Truly, Gambo Sawaba is a household name, not in vain. She is everything that is ENIGMA. Why? Imagine an uncompromisingly radical Woman Political Activist in the glorious era of emirate hegemony, a hegernonic era that represents the epitome of male chauvinism reinforced by an orthodoxy of anti-feminine Islamic darika dogma! At once you get the feel of a woman Don Quixote riding out against the windmills. Yet, not so vulnerable this young quixotic Gambo; for, unlike old Don, she is a sure signal-flash of a new era threatening those towering anachronisms! Is she super human? Where does she derive her ideas? How come she has got such boundless energy? How come her thoughts are several generations ahead of her contemporaries, uneducated though she is? Does 6

7 she possess mystic powers and super-natural abilities? These are some of the questions that engage the minds of Gambo s admirers and adversaries alike, now put to rest in this book. Right from the start, the major aspects of Gambo s character emerge very boldly. To Gambo, oppression is unbearably revolting; hence she stoutly defends the rights of the weak. She does not brook undeserved wealth and even shares every kobo of hers with the poor. Deeply nationalistic, she abhors ethnicism, regionalism or any forms of discrimination based on primordial factors. She is always humble and unassuming but prides herself of having borne the negative consequences of defending the rights of the oppressed. Hear her: If I don t know book, I know rights... I have not been a member of any House of Assembly (legislature). I have not held any office except that I was a member of the House of Prison. That is your enigmatic Gambo Sawaba, the natural champion of Human Rights and a symbol of women (nay, human) liberation. The scourge of oppressors this Gambo who, though a poor talaka, would not give up the struggle even in the face of temptations and pressures. Indeed when her 7

8 comrades-in-arms sell out and grow rich, Gambo would rather, she grew poorer; being contented, even punished as example for other non-compromising activists. Gambo is truly the living embodiment of A Luta Continua and you can see, radiating in her, even in old age, the absolute confidence that Victoria A Certa! B.J. Takaya University of Jos, Nigeria May,

9 1 IN THE BEGINNING Between 1900 and 1910, a young man came to Zaria; one of the thirty Emirates in Northern Nigeria1 He was one of the thousands of immigrants who came to the ancient city. His accent was Ghanaian. He was a Christian. As an educated elite from Ghana, he was clad in a well-tailored suit. A surveyor, who graduated from the Ghana School of Survey in Accra, he sought for employment with the Nigerian Railways Corporation. He thus became one of the pioneering staff of the nascent railway corporation. The name of the young man was Theophilus Wilcox Amartey Amarteifio. He had traveled all the way from Tudun Matan Fada near Accra to Zaria. Of course, he was not a complete alien. For such migrations and settlement were very common in the West African region, especially those that were under British sovereignty. Besides, migrations and resettlements had predated the coming of the British. The people of the region had lived 9

10 together, migrating from one area to another for hundreds of years. Further, British rule only imposed artificial borders, often splitting tribes into different countries. However, Amarteifio s case was a peculiar one. His people, then living in Ghana trace their roots to Nigeria. Though there are two conflicting accounts of their first home of origin in Nigeria before the migration to Ghana, the two accounts are agreed on the fact that the Amarteifios presently living in Nigeria and Ghana, began their migration from Nigeria. The first account has it that the Amarteifio family first began its journey from Benin in the present day Bendel State of Nigeria. From there it was believed to have traveled along the coastline to where it is presently settled in Ghana2.The second account, however, has it that the Amarteifio family started its journey from Argungu in Sokoto3. Both accounts are agreed that the family was a fishing family and has remained a fishing family in Ghana. When Theophilus Wilcox Amarteifio arrived in Zaria he was not a complete alien. He felt at home and went about his activities without inhibitions. 10

11 However, the Nigeria, which his great grand parents knew, particularly the Northern parts of the country, was quite different from the one he met. Several changes had occurred. The land mass then, known as Northern Nigeria, was not the one political entity the British colonialists were trying to create out of it. There was neither a centralized political authority nor a dominating economic power. There were, however, various independent political Kingdoms, which were at different stages of development. The most prominent of them was the Sokoto caliphate whose headquarters was in Sokoto. It was headed by the caliph, the descendants of Usman Danfodio who led the very formidable revolt of the early nineteenth century against oppressive material conditions and spiritual degeneration of the Hausa States. Next to the caliphate was the Borno Kingdom. Led by the Shehu of Borno the people had stoutly and successfully resisted the onslaughts launched against it by the caliphate. Borno was, and still, is known today as a seat of Islamic learning. Besides these two, there were also other independent kingdoms, which were not under the control of either Borno or Sokoto. There were the 11

12 Hajiya Gambo Sawaba (left) with a friend when she was twenty one years old 12

13 Hausa States of Abuja, Kebbi and Yawuri. There were also numerous other groups such as the Kaje, Tangales, Bachamas, Kilbas, Kutebs, Jukuns, Birom the Tivs, the Nupe among hundreds of others. The latter were largely non Islamic. On the eve of the intervention of colonialists, Islam was the single most prominent religion. Majority of the people still adhered to their different deities whose mode of belief and worship differed from one area to the other. Christianity, which arrived before effective colonial rule, was also growing in influence at this time. The advent of colonialism, which was strongly resisted by the people, was, however, to change this picture. Propelled by the need to get market for their finished goods and room for new investments, Africa was invaded by Europeans in what is today known as the scramble for Africa. Due to the superiority of European weaponry and the weakening African States suffered as a result of the several centuries of slave trade and the legitimate trade, among other reasons4, Africa fell to the invading Europeans. When the conquest of Africa had been completed, the colonial masters set about organising the society in a manner that suited the objectives for which 13

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15 they invaded the continent. For instance, Sa ad Abubakar5 records that during the process of occupation of Nigeria, several Emirs and Chiefs in Northern Nigeria were deposed or forced to abandon their capitals. By 1906, at least, ten of them had been deposed or replaced by men chosen by the British. Earlier in 1903, the British had crowned a new caliph of Sokoto - the head of the caliphate with the title Sultan - who then ceased to be the political head of the emirates. Appointments and deposition of Emirs became the prerogative of the British overlords. Indeed, all independent kingdoms were now brought under one central authority - which was the British colonial machinery. Resistance to British occupation, however, did not cease. For up to the end of the First World War, armed resistance against British occupation continued. For instance, at Gwari of Gussoro, the people, in 1903, attacked a British political officer and released some prisoners from custody. In 1908, the Dakarkari assaulted a British military team on patrol. Administrative reforms, as introduced by the British also drew the ire of the people. In 1916, for instance, because of the subjugation of the Montol 15

16 (left to right) Hajiya Hussaina Ibrahim, Baba Amartey and Gambo Sawaba Hussaina and Nnanusa, Gambo s senior sisters 16

17 people in the present day Plateau State, to the Ankwai, also of Plateau State, the Montol people, for the seventh time, on July 30th, 1908, attacked and killed Rapman, the Chief of Ankwai along with two of his brothers. Mr. M.F.F. E. Maltby, the Assistant District Officer and 50 others were also killed. In one of the Emirates, Zaria, the people refused to pay taxes to the Emir after the British occupied it in The refusal of the people to pay tax is said to have been as a result of the British propaganda, which had it that the British were fighting to rescue the Hausa people from their Fulani overlords. Resistance also took the form of Mahdism. This was especially in Katsina, Hadeija and Fika. Indeed, at Nunku in Akwanga area of present day Nasarawa State, the protest was led by a man known as Mai Rigan Karfe. Pockets of resistance also continued in Tivland, Egbaland and lgboland. While the resistance of the people was still going on, the British colonial authorities continued with their plans. To achieve their objectives they decided to harmonise political developments in the country. In May 1906, 17

18 the Lagos Colony and protectorate of Southern Nigeria were amalgamated. In 1914, the North and Southern protectorates were amalgamated. In fact, due to the agitation of the educated elites, Lagos colony, as far back as 1886, was separated from the Gold Coast and given a separate government of its own. Its administration was vested in the Governor who had an executive council as well as a legislative council, which comprised of the Colonial Secretary, the Queen s Advocate, and three unofficial members. The number of unofficial members rose gradually until 1922 when four of the unofficial members were elected to represent Lagos and Calabar. This was the situation Amarteifio found when he arrived in Zaria. He quickly reconciled himself to the situation and joined the efforts to create a railway line - which was part of British efforts to re-direct the economy of the country in line with its objectives of finding new markets, new room for investments and raw materials for its industries. When he got to Zaria, he could not settle within the city. The city was meant exclusively at that time for the indigenes of Zaria. At first, he settled at a spot near the city, at the present site of the Barau Dikko Campus of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 18

19 Later, he moved into Sabon Gari and settled at a spot known as Layin Yan Jirgi street where people working on the rail line live. He might have moved, as a result of the need to live near his place of work. As one of the earliest settlers, he, as others, set about the task of clearing Sabon Gari of its thorny bushes. The plot allocated to him then, is now number forty three Benin Street. One change, which he underwent when he got to Zaria, was his conversion from Christianity to Islam. After his conversion his name was changed to Isa. He dropped Theophilus Wilcox and became Isa Amartey Amarteifio. Upon his conversion, he devoted himself to the task of learning all he could about his new religion. Though he was an educated man, he did not feel slighted devoting himself to Koranic education. He became so devoted to his religion that when he had children, he compelled them to follow his footsteps. Then he met Fatima, a Nupe woman from Emigi Lali in Lavun Local Government Area of present day Niger State. It is believed that the great grand parents of Fatima had migrated from Borno. Originally Beri Beri6, they had migrated to Bida where they settled at Chanchamugu - a settle- 19

20 ment of blacksmiths. Her great grand father was a blacksmith as well as a warrior who gave birth to Mamman Dazu, their grand father. Mamman Dazu is said to have been a great warrior often consulted by the Etsu Nupe. When Amarteifio, now Isa, met Fatima she was a widow with children. She had three children with Mohammadu Alao, her then deceased husband, namely Safia, Kaduna and Aishatu. As at the time Isa married her, she hawked oil, firewood and pots for a living. The marriage was performed in accordance with Islamic rites. The result of the marriage was seven children: six female and one male. Among them are Hassan (deceased), Hussaina, a housewife living in Zaria and Nnanusa, a politician who pitched her camp with the Action Group. The others were another set of twins who died in their infancy. The only male child of the marriage is Baba Amartey, a legal practitioner living in Zaria. He was not only the only male child, but also the last of the children. Born on February 15, 1933 was a female child. Immediately before her was a set of twins, Hussaina and Hassana. The new female child was given the name Hajaratu. But because she was born immediately after twins, she was called Gambo, in accordance with the custom of the Hausa peo- 20

21 ple. By the time Hajaratu was born, the Amarteifio family was already a big one. The house they lived in had about forty rooms. The religious fervour of her father had made him very accommodating to strangers and the needy. And so, AImaiirai from Maiduguri and elsewhere as well as peoples of different ethnic belongings such as the Igbos, Yorubas and Baburawa lived with them. Though, he married a second wife, a Fulani woman from Sokoto by name Hastawabi, who took care of his children after he and Fatima had died, he so loved Fatima that he called her Iyawo, my woman. Hajaratu, who is now known as Gambo, grew up to be well liked, especially, by her mother. Indeed, so well did she like Gambo that whenever she was asked by Gambo not to do anything she would comply. This, however, could be explained by the fact that Gambo was believed to have possessed certain supernatural powers. One day, when, as usual, the song A chire de, A chire de, Achire Kashin yawo 7 was being sung to call people out to clean their surroundings of thorny bushes, Gambo had stood at the door and prevented her mother from coming out. She simply went 21

22 back into the house. At this time, she had begun to manifest certain character traits, which came to be associated with her. She was involved in street brawls - and often went out of her way to seek to fight. Today, in her reminiscences, she rationalizes what she did as standing in defence of the weak. According to her, she could not stand by to watch a weak friend or relation being molested. She used to take over such fights. Whenever she got to the scenes of such fights, she would immediately say OK, I have bought the fight from you to the weaker person and take over the fight. She also used to walk about with guru - a supposedly charmed rope. Anytime she lost it, she would look for money to buy a new one. The guru was always tied to her waist, and was meant for girls that were stronger than her. By this means, she used to turn an unfavorable fight to her advantage. An immediate result of her fights was the fact that her clothes, almost always, did not last long. Her mother had to stop buying ordinary cotton clothes for her dresses. She resorted to tarpaulins, which withstood the rigours, which her restless nature necessitated. Once, she had gone out hawking with her friend, now Hajiya Fatima. 22

23 As they combed the town trying to sell off their wares, they met a certain girl. She was one of the royal households, for her father was the Iyan Zazzau. She teased them as they went about their duty. As if that was not enough, she started insulting them, and they viewed the girl s utterances seriously insultive. They pounced on the girl, beat the day light out of her and got one of her hands fractured. Then they fled. A search was ordered for her and Fatima. When they got to know of the danger that awaited them, they went into hiding. This time, thanks to Gambo s mother, Fatima, who locked them up in one of their numerous rooms. When tempers had cooled down, she released the two friends with a warning that they should not repeat their action. This was not to be. The following morning, Gambo gathered some of her friends and asked them to follow her to one Mallam Musa Ganga s house. At the house, she told them to climb the wall of the house. They refused. Her pleas did not impress her friends, as they would not heed her. She then removed the rope she had tied round her waist and forced the girls to climb. After she had forced the girls to climb, she followed suit. As she did, her leg slipped and she fell very badly to the ground. Her dental 23

24 formular was distorted. One of her teeth was forced by the hard fall, to stay on top of another. Another early trait was her forthrightness. She was also reputed to be very forthright. She was not given to telling lies. This made her particularly popular with elderly people. Whenever they wanted to verify whether or not someone was could lying they would seek out Gambo, whom they believed could always be relied upon to tell the truth. This virtue seemed to have been an influence of the mother. According to her, whenever anybody gossiped to her mother she would invite the person against whom the allegations were made and reveal it in the presence of the person who made the allegation. In this way, people feared to tell lies in her presence. She was not only stubborn and forthright, but her anger knew no bounds. Even when she had grown matured she remained stubborn. She recalls today once when both herself and Hussaina, her elder sister, were divorced and stayed at their family house together. Something had happened which both are yet to forget. Baba, the youngest of the children, who was then doing his Higher School Certificate studies, was at home. Baba and Gambo were quarreling. Hussaina, as an elder sister intervened 24

25 but Gambo would not have it. She threw out belongings of Baba and Hussaina from the house, and shouted at them to get out of the house. When Gambo became uncontrollable, Hussaina with a baby on her back, hurried to the Sabon Gari Police Post. There she met one sergeant Makama, now deceased, to whom she presented her case. Now, who are we going to arrest? sergeant Makama queried Hussaina when she finished narrating her story. Of course, Gambo; she is the one causing the trouble, she replied. After thinking for a while, he decided on a course of action, which seemed very strange to Hussaina. He knew Gambo was stubborn and that bringing her to the Police Station would only cause more problems. Okay, go out and invite any policeman you see to go with you. Which one? There are several of them, said Hussaina. No. Don t worry. Just pick anyone you see, Sergeant Makama said. Thank you very much, Hussaina said and walked out of the station. Hello sir, she greeted when she saw a policeman. Hello, what can I do for you? Hussaina then went on to relate her 25

26 story. As she did, the enthusiasm of the police constable began to wane. I am sorry. I can t help you. I am in a hurry. I am going to report to duty. Sergeant Makama is waiting for me. He told her. I am just from the station. He said I should go with any Policeman that I meet, she said. Please, look for another one. I have to report, he said and walked away. She hissed and continued her search for a policeman who would arrest Gambo. To her dismay, she walked round the whole of Sabon Gari, without finding any policeman who agreed to arrest Gambo. Exhausted Hussaina walked back home. When she got back she found a very large crowd. The crowd was so large that it would have appeared to anyone who did not know what was happening that there was either a big fight going on or some form of celebration. Gambo was at the door. She refused to let anyone enter or go out. She was, however, prevailed upon by the people who had gathered there to let her relations pack their property back into the house. Then she suddenly burst out crying and apologized for her actions. After this, she went into her bedroom and brought out 26

27 Hajiaya Gambo Sawaba, with her fourth husband, Abuabakar, a business man 27

28 all the money she had, which amounted to five shillings. With it, she asked Hussaina to accompany her to the market where they bought meat and other food items, which they cooked and ate, as a mark of reconciliation. References and Footnotes. (1) Y.B. Usman (Ed), Studies in the History of Sokoto Caliphate: The Sokoto Seminar Papers, 1979, ABU and Sokoto State History Bureau. (2) Interview on January 17,1990, with Dr. Emmanuel Nikojo Ama Tegbo, cousin of Hajiya Gambo Sawaba. Dr. Tegbo who practices at the Clinic Nursing Home in Wusasa, Zaria, said that his elders told him that the family migrated from Benin City in Nigeria to Ghana. We are the Ga, and our family house is the Amarchire. Amarchire is in Gbese. (3) Interviews on November 25,1989, with Baba Amartey, immediate younger brother of Hajiya Gambo Sawaba. He insists that, his account was handed down to him by one of his uncles. Hussaina lbrahim, Gambo s immediate elder sister, gave the same account (4) See Walter Rodney, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, Tanzania publishing House, Dar es Salam,

29 (5) See Sa ad Abubakar Northern Nigeria Under Colonial Rule, in Obaro Ikime (Ed), Groundwork of Nigerian History, Historical Society of Nigeria Heinemann Educational Books, (6) Interview on November 25, 1989, at Sabon Gari, Zaria, with Hajiya Hussaina lbrahim. (7) The song means come out please, come out and remove thorns. 29

30 2 CHILDHOOD, EDUCATION. The Hausa community, into which Gambo was born, like other Nigerian communities, is one in which certain beliefs of supernatural powers and qualities abound. Among the beliefs is the one in which a Gambo, a child that is born after a set of twins, possesses supernatural powers. A Gambo is sometimes believed to be more gifted than his seniors, the twins, and can, when angered, prevent food on fire from being done on time. When this happens, the only way out is to plead with the Gambo to change his or her mind. A trait, which was noticed in Gambo Sawaba when she was a child, was her unusual interest in mentally deranged people. Once when she was still a child, a certain woman said to be mentally ill had gone to her parents 30

31 house and taken her away. She stayed with the woman for one week at her residence along Cemetery Road in Sabon Gari, Zaria. After the one week she grudgingly left the woman s abode. This queer behaviour, which she rationalise as her love for mad people has remained with her over the years. People believed to be cracked upstairs, both male and female, still visit her. There is a particular one who, on coming near the house, starts calling her name, Gambo! Gambo!! He never accepts explanations that she is absent. She gives him money, clothes and food. He never accepts gifts from anyone in the house except Gambo. Habiba Adamu, a friend and tenant, recalls that when she packed into Gambo s house she met a resident there, a mad woman known as Tambaya, who had a room to herself. Every day she was bathed, given food and clothed. For six years that Habiba stayed in the compound, Tambaya was bathed, clothed and fed. She made so much noise in the evenings that those living in the compound, could not go to bed on time. For this reason several of them formed the habit of going to cinema houses. By the time they came back she would have exhausted herself and gone to sleep. One 31

32 day, she disappeared without a trace. When Gambo got to know of it she wept. She sent people round to search for the missing woman. She did not sit idly by. She also went out searching for Tambaya but the search turned out to be fruitless. One day, someone came to the house and said that Tambaya had died. He said he had seen the corpse. Another search was ordered. Gambo went to the area where it was reported that Tambaya s corpse had been sighted. This second search, like the first one, turned out to be a futile one. Again, it was, and is still being strongly held by those close to her that she could foretell the future. She remembers that it all began when, according to her, she used to meet strange people who looked like Islamic clerics, who told her that she would become great in future, so she should not be frightened. They also used to tell her that if she embarked on any course of action she would succeed. For instance, that should she tell any person what he or she would be in future, such would turn out to be true. However, anytime she went back to those places to see those strange people she would not see them. Mallam Mohammed Alangade, NEPU president in Zaria and a very 32

33 close ally of Gambo believes that she was a fortuneteller - one who correctly foretold the future. According to him, children, youths and women, mostly those married to soldiers who were fighting at the war front consulted her. He said that these worried women would give her either one or two shillings; after which they would narrate their problems to her. For the women, their problems were usually the need to know what had become of their husbands at the war fronts. She had certain objects, which she used to cast after which she would tell the worried woman whether her husband was dead or alive. Alangade says that whenever these predictions were cross-checked, they turned out to be correct. A close friend of Hajiya Gambo, Hajiya Binta Buredi also recalls that Gambo could recommend certain local medications, which, if taken according to her directions or prescription, always helped to restore the health of the sick. Gambo was also believed to have been accessible to invisible spirits, Kwan Kwamai - which protected and influenced her. These spirits, which she said, looked like Europeans used to play with her. Times without number she would disappear into a stream in Zaria, said to be dangerous. Some- 33

34 times, even when she went with her friends, she used to disappear once she had jumped into the river. According to her, she used to, on those occasions, stay in the stream for one week. The spirits also came for her. They would rouse her from sleep and take her to the stream to commune with them. Whenever they finished playing, they would lead her back to the bank of the stream. Not once was she ever harmed. As a result of this, she was feared. Whenever she got into the water, her spirit friends whom she said were female and kids like her, would lead her to a certain place within the water where they would play. Though she said she liked them, she could not understand what was happening. When this started her parents and relations were worried. But as it continued and she was not harmed, they ceased to worry. Her mother, however, as mothers are generally wont to do, continued to worry. So worried and concerned was she that she accompanied Gambo out when she went out with her friends to play lest the spirits seize her prized daughter away. Gambos, in Hausa land are also believed to possess powers, which enable them to hold scorpions or snakes without being stung or 34

35 bitten. If anyone offends them or makes them angry, Gambos are said to have the power to direct the scorpions to sting such person.hajiya Buredi narrates that once her father had refused to buy a tray for her, with which she wanted to hawk her wares. She had taken her problem to Gambo. No problem. Come along with me to St. George Primary School. Young Gambo Sawaba had told her friend when she had finished stating her problem. OK, lets go. Buredi said and stood up. Gambo Sawaba led the way. Buredi who was sulking from the disappointment she received walked along hoping her problem would then be solved. When we get to St. George, I will give you the tray, Gambo had said, as if she was replying to the unspoken hopes of her friend. Buredi, she called when they got to St. George. Yes, replied Buredi. You see the hole over there? Go and dip your hand into it and bring out the tray that is inside, said Gambo. When Buredi hesitated, Gambo dipped her hand into the hole, and brought out a tray, 35

36 which she quickly dropped back to the hole. Hopefully, Buredi dipped her hand into the hole in search of the much-needed tray. When her hand got inside, she felt something slippery. As she continued to search, she felt and saw a snake trying to use her hand as a wedge to come out of the hole. She screamed and tried to shake away the snake. Don t do that; the snake will not harm you, Gambo had pleaded with her friend. But Buredi was too scared to heed the plea. She flung away the snake and took to her heels. Not long after this incident Gambo went to school. It was to the Native Authority Primary School at Tudun Wada that she was taken to. She then, was nine years old. The decision to take her to a Western school, curiously, did not come naturally to her parents. The fact that her father, Amarteifio, a Surveyor with the Nigerian Railways Corporation, was educated notwithstanding. Pressure was piled on her parents by an lgbo man who was called Babban Baba, to send her and her younger brother, Baba, to school. At the time she was in school, the Second World War was raging. The attention of the Colonialists was on the war against Hitler, to which hundreds of Nigerians were drafted to participate. It was also at a period 36

37 Hajiya Binta Tirbigidi 37

38 when the distrust for Western education in the emirates had waned considerably. Products of Western education had become very popular within their communities. But the British overlords were apprehensive, as they did not want to complicate their problems by creating educated elites who will give them problems as those in the Southern part of Nigeria, and as elsewhere in Africa, who were constantly seeking for a role within the colonial system, and even for independence. The first public schools that were opened in the then Northern Region of Nigeria were for sons of the nobility - who were required to learn some skills to man the Native Authority offices. Thus, by 1913, only four schools had been established. One was exclusively for the chiefs and one for the training of mallamai. Earlier in 1910, when the department of education was set up, the colonial administration and the Native Authorities were not enthusiastic about it. While the British were fearful of creating agitators, the emirs and chiefs saw Western education as a threat. As at this time too, , on the eve of the amalgamation, there were over 1900 Koranic Schools with over 143,000 students in the Northern Region. These Koranic Schools have co-existed with Western 38

39 Alhaji Gambo Sawaba, gave Hajiya Sawaba Gambo, the name Sawabiya 39

40 educational schools to date. In fact, many students had to combine the two systems. In other words, they would attend the Western school in the morning and Koranic in the evening or vice versa. By 1935 when Gambo was two years old, the parts of Nigeria today known as Northern Nigeria with its eleven million people had only 134 Native Authority Education schools with 6,060 pupils while the 253 Mission Schools had 12,037 pupils. The language of instruction in the public schools was Hausa, up to certain levels. Islamic Religious Knowledge was also part of the curriculum. The major concern was character development. The day Gambo got to school she could hardly contain her excitement. Indeed, so excited was she that for some reasons, which she insist consist partly of her seriousness to her work, she was made the leader of the class - and was often asked to undertake certain chores. For instance, on her first day at school, she was asked to bath a certain pupil who did not have his bath before coming to school. Her class teacher was MaIlam Jummare, who often asked her to bath and shave the hair of pupils who did not cut theirs to shape. Cold water, she said, was often used. This fright- 40

41 Malam Aminu Kano 41

42 Malam Lawan Danbazzau Shehu Santanmi 42 Joseph Tarka

43 ened the pupils who began to take personal hygiene seriously. Mallam Jummare, according to her, discovered that she was stubborn and serious. So he decided to use these attributes. Any time he wanted to call her attention to something important, he would call out Wo Gambotu. She would then reply Hello Sir. Then he would say Gambo come and do your duty. She would then proceed to inspect the class. If, and whenever, she saw anybody, however, big, with dirt, she would pull him out of the class and have him bathed. With a razor blade, she was also charged with the responsibility of barbing those with unkempt hair. While she was a pupil she also engaged in pranks. Once, this prank was burst and she had to pay for it. That day, while returning to Sabon Gari from Tudun Wada, she had decided along with her friends, such as Bako Abubakar, Audu, Lawal Dangaji, and Usman her brother-in-law, to enter the farm of Baba Rabo. When they got into the farm they decided to help themselves to cobs of maize. Everything had gone on well till she got home. Welcome my daughter, her mother, Fatima, greeted when she entered the house and had pulled out of her school uniform. Mother, here is maize, she had excitedly announced to her mother 43

44 who had not yet seen the maize. Thank you, my mamma, her mother said. But she could not understand how Gambo could have had access to fresh maize cobs. Did your teacher distribute maize to you at school? she asked. No, Gambo answered. Then, where did you get these ones? We got them from Baba Rabo s farm Did he give them to you? she asked, as she got more suspicious about the source of the maize. No, when we were coming from the school, we decided to get into the farm. Was he there? No, eh... Before she could say another word, Fatima dropped the maize cobs she was holding, seized Gambo and gave her the beating of her life. After closure from school each day, Gambo would proceed after her lunch for Arabic lessons. Her teacher was Mallam Mohammed Sabo, a Nupe man. Her father, Wilcox Amarteifio, who since his conversion to 44

45 Islam had remained faithful to it, and worked towards bringing his children up in accordance with Islamic principles. He, therefore, insisted that besides the regular prayers, his children had to acquire Islamic Religious Knowledge. Among the subjects, which they were taught at the NA school, were Reading and Writing. The books she used were Tasa Masara, Waziri Aku and Samun Bukin Maciji yafi Samun na Kwado. All these in Hausa. Handcraft skills were also imparted and pupils were expected to learn certain crafts such as knitting and performance of domestic chores. They were expected to be of good behaviour, as accepted then by the society, and to imbibe morals as enunciated by lslam. Her close associates and classmates at the primary school included the first daughter of Baba Ahmed, presently in Libya. There is Uwani who resides presently in Zaria and one Saude. These four were always together. For, besides the fact that they enjoyed each other s company, Gambo was looked upon as a protector of her friends. Her other friends were, Mallam Bako Abubakar, now deceased and Group Captain Lawal Dangaji. However, three years into the primary school programme Gambo 45

46 had to withdraw. This was due to factors well beyond her control. First, in 1943, her father, who had worked in Kano, Sokoto and Zaria at different times died. He had died in Kano while prospecting for gold for the Abdullah Company - whose services had taken him to Gusau and other places. While in Kano, he died not quite long after he complained of headache. The responsibility of taking care of the children, their feeding and school fees fell on Fatima, their mother. When her father died, Gambo had only begun her educational career. Three years after, Fatima, too was cut down by chicken pox and was confined to her room. Not long after, she too died. Then, Gambo withdrew from school. This effectively ended her formal educational career. 46

47 Well, what is behind this but oppression? because if the Emir dies or is deposed it is the Europeans who appoint him. Does a man who has a guest ask his wife if she will agree to the guest being given food? What is behind this but oppression? 8. From today, if any member of N.E.P.U. sees a collection of people working and asks Who told you to do this work? and is told the Emir and if he hears they have not been paid he must tell them to leave the job. And if anybody asks him why he did it let him say, that I, Mallam Aminu Kano, told him to. The meeting took place at the Moonshine Hotel between 5,30 and 6 p.m. The audience numbered about 100. They said that there would be further meetings in the Sabon Gari but that they would be held on the roads only. (Sgd.) Sgt. Makama Yandoka (Sgd) CpI. Usman Zango Sgd.) L/Cpl. Adamu Doro 47

48 Rima Shawulu Kwewum, was born to Evangelist Shawulu Kwewum and Mrs Hanatu Gasuwa Kwewum in 1961 in Lupwe in present day Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State in Nigeria. He obtained a bachelors of science degree in International Studies from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in and proceeded to work with saveral newspapers and magazines. He was news editor of the Nigeria Statndard Newspaper, editor free Nation magazine and associate editor Viva magazine. Kwewum was also editor in chief of the Northern Nigeria in Perspectives (NNIP) and footsteps a christian magazine. He also reported for the African Service of the British Broadcatsing Corpoaration (BBC) Mr. Kwewum who was a special adviser to the Speaker House of Representatives Nigeria ( ) is a prolific writer. He is the author of saveral books including The story of Gambo Sawaba (1990) and Nothing More to Sacrifice (2004). He is also a webdeveloper.and Internet Consultant. 48

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