KAGORO
...Glorious exit for North's longest ruling monarch
By MAURICE ARCHIBONG
Thursday, October 30, 2008
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Glorious exit
PHOTOS: MAURICE ARCHIBONG
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The Southern Kaduna State town of Kagoro witnessed what could be termed a splendid festival when its late monarch, HRH Dr. Gwamna Awan, the longest ruling chief in Northern Nigeria, was laid to rest. Dr. Awan was installed chief of Kagoro on April 11, 1945. Agworok, sometimes spelt Oegworok, is the indigenous name of Kagoro, and Dr. Awan was installed "Agwam Agworok" on April 11, 1945, following the passage of his immediate predecessor, Chief Biya Kaka.
The late King of Kagoro or "Agwam Agorok" (originally spelt "Oegwan Oegworok"), who was born in Kagoro's Palace area (Fadan), on December 18, 1918, died on September 30th this year after a 63-year reign.
The remains of Dr. Awan were lowered into the earth at 2p.m on Saturday October 11th.
Kagoro is part of Kaura Local Government area (LGA) of Kaduna State, and until its creation on May 29, 1989 by the General Ibrahim Babangida regime, Kaura was part of Jema'a LGA. Kaura LGA boasts of three major chiefdoms, Kagoro, Moroa and Takad.
Out, in a blaze of glory
Most of those, who witnessed the rite of passage, said they had never seen Kagoro in such jubilant mood outside January 1st before. Although, Christmas and Easter are popular observances in this Christian enclave, the biggest fiesta for the people of Kagoro is New Year Day. But in 2008, the locals apparently enjoyed a double, going by the festivities that attended the burial of their departed monarch. In fact, from the eve of the burial date, one could tell that the departed wasn't an ordinary personality. At a famous roundabout, Maraban Agban, an intersection linking the roads to Kafanchan, Gidan Waya, Kaduna and Jos in Kagoro, one saw a massive crowd gathered to witness the arrival of the late kingÕs body from a morgue in Jos. Aside the onlookers, there were performances by various cultural troupes, even as the Boys Brigade staged a colourful parade at the junction.
However, nothing could have equaled the events of the following day. For example, at five minutes to 11a.m, a troupe comprising, among others, three young men, who were stark naked danced through one street. Before the audience had time to recover, a Fulani group surged into view singing: "Baba mu Je". The chorus of the troupe's song, which translates as: "Our Father is gone," aptly described the feeling of everyone at the gathering.
Two gunshots heralded the removal of the late monarch's coffin from the palace into the ambulance that conveyed it to the palace square, where the lying-in-state took place. Several other volleys of gunshots were released as troupe after traditional troupe, the Boys Brigade and numerous other bodies and organizations graced the occasion with parades and processions. A white-painted Pregio model ambulance with registration number, Kaduna KD 182 A08 belonging to the Kaduna State Emergency Medical Services (KADSEMS) took the coffin from the palace to the Square, and later conveyed the remains from the monarch's former home to the sepulchre.
Gwamna, the first name of the late chief, is the Hausa equivalent of governor, and there is a very interesting etymology behind how he came by that epithet. Gwamna's birth took place, while his uncle, then Chief of Kagoro, had gone for a meeting with then Nigeria's Governor General Frederick Lugard in Lokoja. On being informed of the boy's birth, following his return from the meeting with Governor Lugard, Chief Biya Kaka, the reigning Agwam Agorok, Christened the baby Gwamna (Governor). It would turn prophetic.
A tribute by Chief Solomon Lar, declares: "His Majesty, Mallam Gwamna Awan was a leader in every sense." Chief Lar, "Walin Langtag," added, "It is on record that he (Mallam Gwamna Awan) was one of the pioneer nationalist leaders, who fought aggressively for the emancipation of his people."
According to Dr. Lar, a former Chairman of the ruling PDP and a former Governor of Plateau State, "He (Dr. Awan) was a detribalized Nigerian, who shunned every form of religious and ethnic bigotry." In the words of Dr. Lar, the passage of Dr. Awan "has left a vacuum that would be difficult to fill." Governor of Kaduna State, Arc Mohammed Namadi Sambo, also paid glowing tributes to the deceased monarch.
The late Agwam Agorok was also a pioneer political leader. Dr. Lar again: "Mallam Gwamna Awan with Pastor David Lot and the present monarch of Ebiraland, His Majesty Ado Ibrahim, were the pioneer leaders of the Middle Belt. It was after them that Chief J.S. Tarka and Hon. Patrick Dokotri took over the mantle of leadership".
A former Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, once described Dr. Awan as "a just and caring ruler of his people." The constellation of very important personalities who converged on Kagoro onthat day gave a clue to the stature of the late Agwam Agorok. The rollcall included Governor of Kaduna State, Mohammed Namadi Sambo; Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Architects (FNIA), Minister of Aviation, Hassan Felix Hyet; Speaker, Kaduna State House of Assembly, the Reverend Anthony O. Farinto, President of the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) as well as his COCIN (Church of Christ in Nigeria), the Reverend (Dr) Pandam Yamsat. Famous Catholic priest Father Matthew Kukah, who hails from Kagoro LGA, was also there.
Truly, Dr. Awan was also highly respected by all monarchs, which explains the presence of many traditional rulers among the human thicket that converged on Fadan Kagoro to pay their respect to the late chief. Apart from political and spiritual leaders, countless traditional rulers came from near and far to honour their late colleague. The Emir of Zaria, Alhaji (Dr) Shehu Idris, arrived with an impressive entourage at 11.55 a.m; Sarkin Saminaka, Esu Karu, HRH Kwandi Nunguruya from Guyuk, Agwam Bajju, Agwam Fantswam, Emir of Jemai, as well as the Aren Eggon, Mallam Angbazo were also in Kagoro that Saturday.
Aside the VIPs, thousands of ordinary folks were among the staggering crowd that came to Kagoro for the burial. Such was the influx of people in Kagoro that the leading lodge, Ba Shonshon, was fully booked days before the burial. The congestion even spilled over into neighbouring Kafanchan, where most hotels were overwhelmed by requests for accommodation.
So popular was the late king that everyone's desperation to get a copy of the funeral brochure led to energy-sapping wrestling contests among people eager to collect a copy. To avoid being mobbed, some ushers threw the copies they had to share at the anxious crowd.
One can, therefore, understand why, instead of a funereal mood, a festive atmosphere rent the air as the town gave a glorious exit to a leader, who made them proud. To be candid, the late King of Kagoro was a great man, who ruled his people with fairness and equity in mind. He was fair but firm, and never shied away from protecting the interest of his people. Though born into a family of traditional worshippers, the late Dr. Awan would later distinguish himself as a good Christian.
The deceased King of Kagoro was an officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) as well as a member of the British Empire (MBE). He was also a Member of the Northern House of Chiefs, aside other titles he held and various capacities in which he served his community, country and humanity. In fact, having joined that elite body in 1953, Dr. Awan saw several of his counterparts came and went. He also saw more than 12 heads of state assumed office, served their term, died there or kicked out of power.
The deceased Agwam Kagoro was married to Mrs. Talatu Awan (nee Song) in 1937. The couple had 12 children. Four of the offspring predeceased him but eight others are among the late chief's survivors, which include 35 great-grand children and three great, great grand children. Following the death of Mrs. Talatu Awan in 1986, the monarch married then Miss Ruth Gaiya in October 1987.
Governor on many fronts
The son of "Mallam" Awan and "Mallama" Koda (both deceased), Dr. Awan was nine years old, when Christianity berthed at Kagoro. He subsequently enrolled for evening lessons organized by clerics of the Sudan Interior Mission (SIM). That training lasted from 1928 to 1932. The following year, 1933, the young Gwamna was a student at Elementary Teachers Centre (ETC), Toro. He completed that aspect of his education in 1935. Thereafter, he also took courses in Administration at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) between 1954 and 1957. He also held a Diploma in Business English obtained from an overseas tertiary institution in 1975.
A retired teacher, his career began in 1936 at the Kagoro arm of the Sudan Interior Mission (SIM) School. He was Grand Patron, Kaduna State Council of the Boys Brigade and premiere Chairman of the Governing Council of Kaduna State College of Education, Gidan Waya.
A life m ember of the Bible Society of Nigeria, the Theological Seminary of the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA), Jos also decorated the chief with a Doctor of Divinity (D.D).
A Patron/Adviser of the Middle League Zone, the late Dr. Awan was also President of the Local Government Authority (Jema'a Federation) and Chairman of the Committee on Pankshin Chiefdom Dispute (1964). Interestingly, Dr Awan was also billed to receive an award in peace keeping by a U.S-based international organization on January 1, 2009.
On April 9, 2005, there were great festivities to mark the 60th anniversary of Dr Gwamna Awan on the throne. That observance also coincided with the centenary celebration of Kagoro chiefdom, according to a signboard installed by the National Action Committee on Aids (NACA). That notice stands to this day at one corner of the palace square.
Epilogue
Our Journey to Kagoro began in earnest at Keffi Motor Park near Nyanya, Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The fare was N600 per passenger but those alighting in Kwoi and Kafanchi were charged N400 and N500 respectively.
Sadly, we have to put it on record for the umpteenth time, that each of the mostly Volkswagen Golf saloons plying the Abuja-Kafanchan route carry more passengers than their normal capacity. For example, the vehicle we rode in was billed to carry two passengers on a single seat next to the driver and four people in the rear seat. It didn't seem to matter that the car was a two-door model. To avoid coming down with cramps and body ache after the journey, I opted to pay for an extra seat no one occupied. I chose to pay for this fourth seat because two of the other passengers were nursing mothers travelling with infants.
Want to know more about Kagoro? Go on a visit on a New Year Day for celebrations: You'd be glad you did. |
