Emirate Costumes of Traditional Title Holders of Northern Nigeria Dikko H. National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS)/ABU, Zaria Nigerian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Vol. 19, Number 1, March 2018 Abstract The study was designed to investigate costumes of traditional title holders (TTHs) of Northern Nigeria. The population for the study comprised district heads and kingmakers from the seven states of northwest Nigeria. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select four states, while hat drawn method was used to select one emirate council from each state. This gave a sample size of 134 TTHs (114 district heads and 20 kingmakers). Descriptive survey research method was used to collect data using structured questionnaire. Simple frequency and percentages were used to analyse the result. Findings revealed that some of the costumes of the district heads (DH) and kingmakers (KM) of northern Nigeria include Babbar riga (80%DH, 95%KM), alkyabba (74% DH, 60% KM), hula (99% DH, 95% KM), wando (buje) (100% DH, 100% KM) and rawani (94% DH, 95% KM). The average number of the garments use for official functions for both DH and KM are six, even though only four items (babbar riga, hula, alkyabba and rawani) were given to them during turbanning. The horses of TTHs are not left out in special regalia. They have costumes like jalala, dan kai tunjimi, banten doki, suka budu, labbati and so on. The embroidery designs preferred by TTHs are farfesu, yar madaka, shabka, allura biyu, hand and machine embroidery. It is recommended that universities should endeavour to have royal costumes museum for use by students and researchers who wish to study such costumes. Keywords: Traditional title holders, emirate costumes, emirate councils Introduction Throughout history, in every country, are also spectacular which make people ethnic group or race, the existence of a accord them special respect. class of people within the community A single glance at the clothes people called traditional title holders (TTHs), also use reveals a wealth of information about known as traditional rulers, ruling class, how the people perceive themselves, each or royal class, is very well acknowledged. other and their roles in society (Susan The people within this class are assigned 1996). Clothing, like other aspects of ranks or titles and the titles are passed human physical appearance has social down from one generation to another. significance attached to it, such as Herviland (1999) stated that during conveying social messages including medieval times, majority of the stating or claiming social status, personal TTH/ruling classes/traditional rulers or cultural identification, establishing, were considered to have direct maintaining or defying social group relationship with gods. Some were norms, appreciating comfort and believed to have certain powers that made functionality. Other signals sent by them closer to the gods than other lower clothes are indications of the person’s class citizens. Part of the TTH power was gender, income, occupation, social class, said to be associated with the costumes political, ethnic, religious affiliations, they used. These costumes are rare and traditional and marital status. Because of expensive; the designs of the garments these dimensions of clothes, the human H. Dikko * Emirate Costumes of Traditional Title Holders of Northern Nigeria 100 race is inclined to go for uniform monarchy but now retains them as state garments to form an identity and be part figure) has royalty in its history, and each of a group. The costumes of Traditional royalty will have some set of garments Title Holders serve as a uniform meant only for them which is referred to identifying them to belong to a group as royal costumes. According to Sowole (royal class) and indicating their social (n.d.), the royal regalia of Northern status in the society. Nigeria are largely the same. They consist Nigeria is a Federal Republic, one of a set of grand big gown (babbar riga, composed of a plethora (excessive Plate 1), cloak (alkyabba, Plate 2), cap amount) of governorates and kingdoms. (hular nadi, Plate 3), turban (rawani, Some of the latter had a huge significance Plates 4&5), big trouser (buje, Plate 6), in the history of Nigeria before they were Staff of office (sandar girma, Plate 7), subdued by the British during the embroidered shoes (Plate 8) and umbrella colonial era. Nevertheless, even today, (laima, Plate 9). their principal rulers have been able to An important royal costume is the set maintain their religious, cultural and, to of babbar riga which is an attire a certain extent, political influence consisting of 3 pieces of highly (Boomale, 2011). The TTH/ruling embroidered garments; a pair of tie-up class/royalties in Northern Nigeria have trousers that narrow towards the ankles what is called “Emirate” and in each (known as wando by the Hausa), a long- Emirate there are the Traditional Title sleeved shirt (known as a ’yar ciki and a Holders also called Emirs, district heads, wide, open-stitched sleeveless gown kingmakers, village Heads and so on. All (babbar riga) worn over the above which the title holders have different regalia are generally of the same colour. The given to them on the day they are babbar riga is usually decorated with turbaned. Each costume has a history, intricate embroidery example is the girgen reason and or motivating factors on why Nupe babbar riga (plate 10). The size and it is used. For example the sword given to type of thread used for the embroidery the Emir of Daura was the one used by depend on the rank of the title holder (the Bayajidda to kill the snake that higher the rank the more the embroidery prevented people from fetching water and the more expensive the thread used). from the famous Kusugu well (Majalisan Hanging from shoulder to ground, the Sarkin Daura, 1991). The straw hat babbar riga is worn over embroidered (malfa) of Sarkin Kano was passed down trousers and long-sleeved shirts. from Emir Ibrahim Dabo to symbolize the Handcrafted embellished leather slippers Fulani’s as the ruling ethnic group in or boots, distinctive form of turban Kano. Another factor is to distinguish (rawani) and a cloak worn over the gown TTH from other people in the community. added by the royalties in context of The Traditional Title Holders (TTH) in this display. The above costumes are study comprised of kingmakers and particularly important in identifying the district heads of North West Geo-political TTHs of northern Nigeria. The subtle Zone of Nigeria. This research has differences in the big gown, its identified the different royal costumes, embroidery and quality of fabric are what embroidery designs and the costumes distinguished the wearers as royalty and given to the TTH of Northern Nigeria his grade (1st, 2nd, 3rd class or a royal during turbanning ceremony. guard). Multicolour robes and turbans are worn when the occasion dictates such Emirate Costumes of Northern Nigeria display. Perani and Norman (1992) Emirate/royal costumes refer to the described the late emir of Kano, Alhaji costumes worn by the ruling class people Ado Bayero, when he was a district head like kings, queens, district heads, chiefs as he appeared in robes of deep blues and their subjects. Any country with a and reds when receiving important ruling monarchy (or used to have a ruling visitors, when attending installation 101 Nigerian Journal of Agricultural Extension 19 (1) March 2018 ceremonies for emirs and important northern Nigeria; identify the type of officials, and when taking part in the costumes given to TTHs during equestrian processions that accompanied turbanning; determine the number of the two salla celebrations marking the garments used by TTHs for official palace end of Ramadan (Muslim month of functions; and identify the types of fasting) and the Eid kabir. The use of embroidery designs on the costumes of babbar riga by TTHs of is an indicator of TTHs of northern Nigeria. pride and a primary means by which difference in wealth, prestige and access Methodology to power have been visually present Descriptive and survey research methods (Takaitaccen tarihin Daura (1991) were used to collect data for the study The horses of TTHs are not left out in using questionnaire and interview the royal regalia. The body of a horse, like technique. Population for the research that of a person, can be regarded as a consisted of 551 kingmakers and district surface to be transformed through a heads in the northwest geopolitical zone process of decorative layering. The Hausa of Nigeria. The zone has seven states expect that any man who owns and rides (Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Kebbi, Jigawa, a horse in northern and central Nigeria Sokoto and Zamfara). Stratified random should dress the animal properly. Just as sampling technique was used to select the title holders have a ceremonial robe four from the seven states. Hat drawn so also do the horses. method was used to select one emirate The costumes of TTH horses are council from each state (Zazzau from unique and very elaborate. Both the Kaduna State, Daura from Katsina State, district heads and kingmakers shared the Kano from Kano State and Sokoto same costumes for their horses; the Caliphate from Sokoto State). A sample of difference is on the amount of costumes 134 TTHs (114 district heads and 20 used at a time. The kingmakers use kingmakers) was used for data gathering almost all the costumes on their horses through structured questionnaire. at a time, while the district heads use Descriptive statistics of frequency and less. These costumes includes alkashafa, percentages were used to analyse the babban sirdi, sirdi and likafa (plate 19), data collected. benten doki (plate 17), bauji, bishiradi, dan gaba/dan kiji (plate 15), dan kai Result and Discussion tinjimi, dauki saka, ja-kutiri, jalala (plate The result of findings is presented and 13), kahu/kuhu (plate 18), kalfazuru discussed based on the four research (plate 15), kayan ado which is the same objectives raised.