Inside Kano community, where royal regalia are made
For over 100 years, the Yalwa KulKul community of Kano State has been known for sewing royal regalia. Initially, the community sewed only for royal families, but they extended their services to notable businessmen and Islamic scholars when the trade became a major source of income for many residents.
Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that virtually every member of the community engages in one aspect of the business or another. He is either a dealer in finished products, an importer of the raw materials or he stitches.
The most popular attires they produce are Falmaran, Jabba, Zubuni and Alkyabba. According to Alhaji Danladi Kul-Kul, one of the pioneers in the business, the craft was brought to Yalwa Kul-Kul by the late Alhaji Basiru Kul-Kul when he returned from Ghana. He explained that the late Basiru was a member of the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) who was forced into exile by the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC)-led government. While he was in Ghana, he learned the trade.
Alhaji Kul-Kul said, “The late Basiru returned to Kano with this innovation and trained people like Alhaji Baba Zaran-Malam, Mallam Nasidi and Alhaji Baba Na-Keyi as pioneers. Initially, we were using the threads of unwanted soldiers’ belts to sew the clothes. We would remove the threads and sew with them. But gradually, some businessmen started importing the thread (Rumi) to Kano from Morocco and other Arabian countries.
Our correspondent gathered that Falmaran is sold at N10,000, a set of Zabuni costs between N20,000 and N25,000, while Alkyabba goes for N20,000, N30,000 and N50,000, depending on the quality of the material used.
Speaking to Daily Trust on Sunday about the origin of the trade in the community, Alhaji Yahaya Ali said, “I can recall that it was during the regime of General Yakubu Gowon that a new thread called Ilaje was first imported to Kano, followed by MaiChediya and Mai-Taba, among others. Initially, we rejected these materials because they were expensive and our customers were not familiar with them, but gradually, they accepted them. At that time, the major dealers of the clothing materials (malufi) were the late Alhaji Baba Katogo and Alhaji Mansur DanBello.
“We stitched for many emirs, including the emirs of Kano, Abdullahi Bayero, Muhammadu Sanusi, Muhammadu Inuwa and Ado Bayero and others across the Hausa land and beyond. We also sew for district and ward heads, as well as wealthy individuals and Islamic scholars.
“Regardless of my age, I still sew royal attires. And I can proudly tell you that I will not abandon this trade because it is lucrative. I sell finished products to dealers, not individuals because that was how I was brought up in the trade. In the past, the Arabs had representatives in Kano city who bought finished products for them. I can recall people like Alhaji Shehu Uban Umara, who was a dealer in Dogon Nama quarters, Alhaji Baba Na-Keyi in Lungun Bulala, while Mallam Nasidi and Mallam Usman operated as dealers in Yalwa quarters.
“The Arabs exported the materials to Morocco and other Arabian countries, while our local dealers took them to other states.”
Alhaji Yayaha said he started the trade when he was 15 years old, adding that he has practised for 66 years. The father of 24 children said none of his children is engaged in the trade. He, however, promised to train some of them before passing on.
“My parents did not practise the craft. My father and grandfather were local barbers (Wanzamai), but my father encouraged me to learn the trade. I thank God that I mastered the craft. I can proudly tell you that those who are buying these attires from abroad also bring them here for some finishing touches to make them more beautiful. This is to tell you how good we are in this trade.
“I sewed dresses for the late Emir Ado Bayero. I was privileged to be among his associates when he resided in this locality (Yalwa Kul-Kul). I always accompanied him to the palace to greet his father,” he added.
Ali further said that other communities within and outside Kano learnt the trade from Yalwa Kul-Kul.
Speaking further he said, “Most of the attires our emirs wear during Sallah festivities are produced in this community. Our products are the best. I sewed attires for both traditional rulers and wealthy individuals. But I don’t sell my products at the open markets. I have my customers that always place their orders whenever they are in need. I have many customers in Gombe, Kaduna and Bauchi states, as well as Ibadan in Oyo State. I produce all types of attires, including Jabba, Falmaran, Zabuni and Alkyabba.
“The business is profitable. To be honest with you, courtesy of this business, I am not feeling the impact of the current recession. This is because nothing has changed in my earnings and expenditure. I only feel for others. I am contented with my life. From my income, I built houses, went to Hajj and married off my daughters.
Another craftsman, Alhaji Balarabe Sule, said he had been in this sewing business for the past 50 years. “Sewing means everything to me because I have gained a lot from it. In fact, everything I have, I got from this business. I went to Hajj from my earnings, and I am taking good care of my family,’’ said.
He, however, lamented poor patronage from the government, noting that no government official, either at the federal, state or local level has ever helped to boost their business. He said although government officials had visited the area on several occasions, nothing has come from them in form of assistance.
Mallam Umar Abdulkadir, another craftsman, also told our correspondent that he had been in the business for 35 years, adding that his parents were dealers in all types of finished products.
“A friend of mine taught me how to sew. Today I have trained many people in this business. Youths within and outside Kano come for training in my shop. They come from Zaria, Gumel, Hadejia and Gombe. I always train them for free. It is my pride to train more people in this business,” he said.
According to him, Zabba costs between N7, 000 and N10, 000 for the middle class and N50, 000 for the high class, adding that the clothing material always determines the price of the product. “If you use expensive clothing materials the price would be higher, but if you use cheaper ones, it would be lower. We use both because the status of customers differ,” he explained.