Katsina: Hospitality at its best

Katsina is being described as Home of Hospitality, but you need to be in Katsina to understand that the statement is not just an empty slogan. I have never been to Katsina town all my life until last week. One of my greatest challenges was that, I was visiting a town, for the first time in my life, where I knew nobody, not that I don’t have Katsinawa friends, but most of them are mainly from other towns like Kankara, Kurfi, Dutsimma, Daura, Sandamu and Funtua.

I left Abuja on Wednesday heading for Katsina for a special assignment with so much in my mind, where I was to start? And the most challenging aspect of the work was that, I needed somebody to be my guide, but in reality there was none. On my way I made desperate calls to old friends, however, after exchanging pleasantries, if I present my case, they would tell me that they are not living inside Katsina town.

It was until few kilometres to Katsina that an old friend text me Kankara’s number and told me that he is lecturing at the Katsina State University. I heaved a sigh of relief and started trying Kankara’s number, trust our GSM service providers; it was not until after like thirteen minutes that I reached Kankara. I told him my mission to Katsina.

Upon reaching Katsina I lodged in a hotel and called my friend. He told me to take an Okada to Geography Department, Katsina State University. Thank God, Okada riders are still operating in Katsina town. It was from there that I started experiencing the hospitality of the people of Katsina. After like a thirty minutes ride on okada to the state university I was told to pay sixty naira. That was rather surprising to me, because if not Bauchi town I would have said, Katsina has the cheapest fares for okada.

My friend took time throughout that evening to introduce me to the people he felt could be helpful to my work. First he took me to NAN office where I met Lawal Saidu and other journalist friends. However, Saidu told us why not see the SA media to the Governor.

We headed for his house inside town, (pardon my not mentioning the name of these places). There we met a humble and religious man who offered us dinner, after the dinner I present to him my mission. Having work with press secretaries and SAs Media in some places, it was rather surprising for me to have access to this man without much difficulty. First he answered my call without knowing my number. I worked in a state where the press secretary does not pick calls and find it very difficult to mingle with people. Some people call it arrogance while I prefer to call it lack of exposure or having little knowledge of publicity.

We discussed at length on so many national and international issues and our discussion were very interesting because my host is a well read journalist and has worked for various media organisation including the News Agency of Nigeria.

After hours of discussion he politely told me that he was to leave on a mission to somewhere the next day but he sent me to somebody to assist me to carryout my mission.

The man told him that they were to travel to Jibiya with the Governor the next day but I should try to make it to the Government House before 10:00am. I was on time, where at the gate I was warmly welcomed by one Shehu, who directed me to his office. He was not in the office but called me to tell me to wait for him at the Press Centre. He came in some few minutes after 10:00am and he called me to his office. We discussed and the gentleman called his aide to take me round all the places and ensure that I get all what I needed. These people were kind and wonderful. Home of hospitality is not jus an empty slogan to Katsina, but a statement that described people so friendly, so courteous and always willing to assist their guest. My sincere thanks to the Sa’in Katsina, Alhaji Ahmadu Na Funtua, the SSA Media, Government House Katsina, SA Media to the Governor, Officials of the Ministry For Rural Youth Development, Secretary of the CDC Committee, also I would like to thank the person who took it upon himself to take me round Katsina and my friend Aliyu Ibrahim Kankara.

Barrister Danlami Alhaji Wushishi I have to apologize that I dwelled so much in thanking iyayen gidanka, but it has to be so. I have the intention of writing a piece on the Katsina State University may be next week. But as I leave Katsina this evening, I told myself I pray that I will be back again may be that time to do what Yuguda has done, not in strict sense of the word but something similar.

Katsinawa nagode.

Kabiru Danladi,

Lawanti Village, KM25,

Along Gombe-Bauchi Road,

Akko LGA, Gombe State

kblondon2003@yahoo.com

08054546764, 08035150369