BIU: A Visit to a City on a Plateau (3)
Bashir Yahuza Malumfashi
My Encounter with a Muslim Enthusiast
I settled in my hotel room after bidding farewell to my friend Malam Umar Mohammed Midala. The next thing to do before I retired to bed was to observe the two-night prayers I missed on the road – Magrib and Isha. There was no mosque in the hotel and I didn’t want to observe the prayer in the room. After performing ablution in the toilet, I came out from the hotel and located a medium, well-furnished mosque some few meters away.
The time was 9:15pm, I found the mosque securely locked but its veranda was clean. I was in hurry and didn’t cross-check the right qibla direction. I just started the prayer after dropping my handset on the floor.
I was on second raka’at when I heard footsteps at my back. I thought it was another worshipper that wanted to join me. I adjusted my right leg for him to join me in comfort. Instead of him to join me in prayer, he rather grabbed my shoulders, trying to turn my body to another direction.
At that moment, as a stranger two things came to my mind. Firstly, considering the issue of Boko Haram, I thought it was one of their members trying to harm me. I was all alone praying, though there was light and the mosque was situated along Damaturu road, a sort of busy area. I recalled that Biu is part of Borno State where the activities of the deadly group unleashed terror in recent past though peace was being restored lately.
Another thing that flashed my mind about the person was whether he was trying to steal my handset that was kept by my right-hand on the floor. I thought about how armed young men were snatching handsets in Kano. Therefore, I thought the ugly trend had reached Biu town.
I quickly stopped the prayer. Swiftly bent down and grabbed my handset. I swung to action, deploying my previous Judo and Karate training skill to use. I buckled my arm, trying to hit his mouth. “Hey man what are you up to?” I shouted on top of my voice.
I later realized that he meant no harm to me because I heard him bust with laughter, while at the same time dodging my hand that was trying to hit him. In a quick response, he said “please l’m sorry. You were facing a wrong direction and I wanted to drag you to the right one.”
I heaved a sigh of relief and calmed down. “Thank you very much.” I replied, at the same time placing my handset into my trousers’ pocket. I turned to the right direction and restarted my prayer.
Biu People Have Regards to Religion:
In my seven-day stay in Biu and by the interaction I had with the tribesmen, women of Babur/Bura and their neighbors, I came to understand that they loved and have regard for whatever religion they profess, be it Islam or Christianity. For instance, most of their people I met either in the course of my job or other matters, I normally see in them having high regards to their religion and tolerance of other people’s creeds.
Let me make reference with Mrs. A’isha Umar Yusuf, Musa Salihu and Malam Gambo Isa Miringa. I met them as colleagues at Media Trust Limited (Daily Trust newspapers) and Zainab Musa at Public Agenda newspaper. All of them are Muslims and by their behavior they respect and tolerate their Christian colleagues. Likewise, Dr. Bukar Usman, whom I regard as the father of all, he embraces all that comes across him without any segregation. More so, I have never seen or heard him committing anything contrary to Islam. Another figure of Babur/Bura extraction is Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai (rtd). I took notice of his passion for Islam, more especially in his routine life as I read in his biography. He is committed to the worship of Allah and very tolerant of people of other religions.
Another spectacular thing I noticed from people of Biu is the way and manner they keep their mosques. Most of the mosques I saw, big, medium or small in Biu and its environs were neat. Even the almajiris I saw were neat unlike their counterparts in other towns of Northern Nigeria. One hardly sees them roaming about on the streets.
Biu people are tolerant and peace-loving. One can find two or more siblings in one family but practicing different religions. Some are Christian others Muslim yet they live in peace, tolerance and harmony. I met a man of Kano origin living in Biu. His name is Malam Jafaru Babban Yaya. I came across him at a tea-joint at Damaturu road quarters. He told me that he has lived in Biu continuously for more than 25 years and he’s one of the vigilante members that offer voluntary security services in their area.
As a non-indigene, he narrated how people of different faith live and interact with one another in peace. As he said, “in all my stay in Biu, I have never for once witnessed any crisis or misunderstanding between Muslims and Christians. Sometimes, you may find in a single-family people professing different religions.
“Let me give you an example how Muslims and Christians live in tolerance, peace and harmony in Biu. I could recall when the Boko Haram menace was intense in Biu and its environs. We united and protected one another. Every Friday our Christian-brothers used to come and guard our mosques till we concluded the congregation. Vice versa, on Sundays we Muslims do the same to their churches.” Narrated Malam Jafaru, who added that there was a certain pastor that gave him money in appreciation for what they were doing as Muslim vigilantes.
The Marvelous Town Planning of Biu Town:
According to an epithet, Biu is referred to as “A City on a Plateau!” And that’s apt because from whatever angle one approaches the town, one can sight its landscape. The town planning is marvelous geographically. The roads are wide, majority of them tarred, while others in the remote parts of the town though small and untarred are very clean with drainages. Most of the drainages I saw in Biu are clean and tidy. One cannot see heaps of refuse dumps in it as in some towns and cities in Nigeria. People in Biu are disciplined in terms of cleanliness and hygiene.
Another issue worthy of note is how Biu enjoys efficient electricity supply. Unlike many areas in the Northern Nigeria that experience epileptic electricity services, in Biu light is available almost 24/7. Even if occasion warrants power outage it hardly subsists for an hour or two. Alarmed and curious, I asked Malam Midala whether the efficiency in power supply was due to the turban ceremony happening in the town. He confirmed to me that the service is constant in every season.
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This is part 3 of my travelogue to Biu. Part 4 will focus on important places of history I visited and these include traditional institutions like Biu emir’s palace, educational institutions, the issue of agriculture, trade and entertainment etc.
You are an exceptional journalist With a difference. Thank you very much for the vivid story
My dear Dan kishin kasa, Mr. Dibal Dandali, thank you very much for the commendation. I’m grateful for the support and encouragement.
My best regards.
Bashir Yahuza Malumfashi
Editor-in-Chief,
Taskar Gizago Magazine (online)