Kamba: Life, culture of a border town
The Kamba people are called the people of Dandi from where its local government area derived its name. Kamba community is a very large area with many tribal groups that constitute the Dandi community. The Dandi tribe is found in Kamba, Bagudo in Nigeria, Benin and Niger Republics.
Dandi was part of the great Songhai Empire before King Kanta led Kabbi people to Surame city to establish his kingdom, which spans far into Niger Republic and a greater part of Nigeria known as Kabbi Kingdom. During the coming of the Europeans into Nigeria, the separation that was undertaken between the Anglophone and the Francophone colonialists, made the part of Kebbi State that is today known as Dandi to fall into Nigeria and a substantial part of it went to Niger and Benin Republic respectively.
Kamba is the headquarters of Dandi Local Government area. It is strategically located in such a way that it borders the countries of Niger and Benin Republic. From its southern part, one of its communities called Dole Kaina is ironically located side by side with a Nigerien community also known as Dole-Kaina. From the northern side, Kamba also borders Niger Republic through one of its villages, Sabon Birnin which is also located close to a Nigerien town called Tungajado.
At Dole Kaina (Nigeria) and Dole Kaina (Niger Republic) one could hardly differentiate between a Nigerian and a Nigerien. The communities were built in such a way that they have merged into each other, so much so that only a narrow path or a gutter is left to demarcate the boundaries between the two countries. They share the same markets, hospitals and could be seen farming side by side, yet they belong to two separate countries.
One of the community elders at DoleKaina, Musa Samaila told our correspondent that they were not aware of any differences between them. “We don’t often realize that we belong to different countries. You can see how we live together here in one community that belongs to two different countries. I have three wives and one of them is a Nigerien. We just live our life here as one community. Look at that market there.That is where we all meet to sell and buy our things. We speak the same language and do virtually everything together, yet we belong to different countries”.
The District head of Kamba, Alhaji Mahmudu Zarumai, told our correspondent that Kamba people in Niger and Benin republics do not see themselves as a different people, “To further appreciate the name Dandi which is the symbol of our unity, there is a recent grouping of Dandi Ganda formed by Nigeria, Niger and Benin republics. It is a cooperative society for the development of Dandi and its people. The collapse of Songhai Empire gave rise to Kabbi Kingdom where we belong. Culturally, our ties with Niger and Benin republics, are such that we see each other as the same family. That is why we created the Border/ Local government cooperative ,and we meet from time to time to discuss our problems, how to improve our togetherness, security and other ways of living together peacefully. Four days ago we met here with Niger and Benin republics representatives to deliberate on how to move our communities forward , and improve on the welfare of the people. We marry from among them. We cannot be living together, interacting and sharing some similarities, and not receive something from each other. We marry from each other across borders because we are one family”.
The Kebbi State Commissioner for Commerce and Industries, Alhaji Ibrahim Bawa Kamba ,while speaking on the existing cultural ties and relationship between the Kamba people and their counterparts Niger and Benin republics, said “The Kamba people are neighbours to Niger and Benin communities. We have a common platform called Dandi Association. It is a
platform where we meet regularly to discuss our common problems and how to improve on our existing relationship and ties. At our last meeting in July, 2016 we discussed extensively on the need for a border market to be sited at Kamba. We agreed to make an appeal to the governments of Nigeria, Niger and Benin to establish the market in order to boost our economies. During Obasanjo’s administration, they promised to establish the market, we even provided them with the land for it at Dole-Kaina near the border, but nothing has been done till now. Kamba by its location is very close to many Niger communities.
At Dole-Kaina you could see that what demarcated Nigeria from Niger Republic is not more than 10 yards. If anyone commits an offence in Niger he could just jump from there into Nigerian territory. Likewise, if anyone commits an offence in Nigeria he could as well jump from Nigeria into Niger, by just crossing over a narrow gutter or path. This is how it is in many of the communities at the border area .Only narrow gutters or paths ways serve as demarcations between Nigeria and Niger Republic. That is why the two countries are meeting to discuss issues of security, so that if anybody commits an offence in Nigeria or Niger he can be easily arrested. We share a common border and our people and their people live together as brothers and sisters.
We share the same entity with Niger, we marry from among them and they also marry from us. We also go there to build houses because we are of the same tribe and we share a common border. We have the Hausa/Fulani, Zabarma and others. We share the same culture and tradition. During Sallah we celebrate Zaro festival and other festivities together,” he said.
Alhaji Samaila Abdulmumini Kamba is the Speaker, Kebbi House of Assembly. The former Dandi Local Government chairman during the years 19961998, said “It is difficult to separate is a Nigerien from the Kamba people. If you try to do so, it will be a difficult task. Culturally, socially and economically every Sunday is usually lively here in Kamba because of the multinational activities here. Kamba is located strategically on the border Nigeria shares with Niger and Benin Republic. Culturally, you cannot differentiate between Gaya people of Niger Republic and the people of Kamba. The Kamba and Niger culture is interwoven and very difficult to differentiate. However, we both have our cultural backgrounds and they are being shared by both the Nigeriens and Kamba people. Whatever societal norm they have in Niger Republic is accepted in Kamba, and vice versa each other because we have a very long standing relationship with each other.
When I was the local Government Chairman of Dandi from 1996 to 1998, every month we used to have what we called the border security meeting with Niger and Benin nationals. People will come from Niger, Benin and we might decide that the meeting would be held in Kamba, Niger community or that of Benin. I am sure that cordial relationship still exists today.
We share many things together. There is the annual wrestling competition that the Nigeriens celebrate every year. People from Kamba would go there en masse and our wrestlers also participate in the competition. During our cultural festivals people from Niger do come to celebrate with us. We have a fishing festival like the Argungu festival, and they also have a minor fishing festival. When I was the council chairman they used to invite me and we would go there to take part in whatever they were doing. If they have a marriage ceremony they will invite us and if we also have, we do invite them. Many of our people here married from Niger, particularly from Gaya part of the country that is near the border. Many of them also come to Kamba from as far as Niamey to marry our women and daughters. That is why the ties and cordial relationship between us and the Niger and Benin people is strong, and it has been like that for a long time,” he said.