The legendary crocodiles of Wukari – the ancient seat of the Jukuns, had been a source of guidance to the once famous Kwararafa Empire.
The crocodiles, five in number, live in a pond located south of the Aku-Uka Palace in the ancient town. The pond is said to have existed for over 400 years.
Mr. Manu Danladi Boushe – the Kinda Acio of Wukari, a member of the Wukari Traditional Council, who conducted Daily Trust round the pond, alongside the custodians of the pond, said it has been in existence since the relocation of the capital of Kwararafa Empire from the former Kwararafa town to Wukari 400 years ago.
He said the movement of Kwararfa people started in 360AD, when they left Yemen to Egypt and from there to Ngazargamu in present day Yobe State about 1000 years ago. Kinda Acio explained that from Ngazargamu, the Kwararafa people migrated westward 74 kilometers to Wukari.
The area they established their capital was named Kwararafa and is located close to Jalingo-Wukari Road now in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Mr. Manu explained that it was a tradition of Jukuns to move along with clerics who served as fortune tellers to Jukun rulers.
“Our ancestors had a practice, even before leaving Yemen, of seeking the views of fortune tellers before embarking on any expedition, war or movement and that tradition has been sustained by Jukuns till date. It was in line with that tradition that they moved with clerics who had the powers of fortune telling,” he added.
He said there are five crocodiles of different colours in the pond, with each inhabiting a hole that links the pond with Rivers Benue, Donga and Katsina Ala. According to him, the crocodiles move through the holes to the main rivers during the dry season and then return during the rainy season.
Kinda Acio, whose title is equivalent to Madaki in the Hausa Emirate, stated that the crocodiles move freely inside Wukari and had also paid homage to the Aku-Uka every Friday in the olden days.
The crocodiles are said to possess extraordinary powers, and any attack or pelting them with stones attracts severe consequences, which may even include death.
“The crocodiles live in peace. They don’t attack humans or animals. We’ve never recorded any case of attack on any person or animals by the crocodiles,” Kinda Acio said.
“There were instances where some people died after attacking the crocodiles, which is why they move about freely in the town without being attacked, even, by children,” he added.
He, however, said the crocodiles no longer go to the palace to pay homage to the Aku-Uka as the practice had stopped many years back but they still move around areas that are not far from the pond.
Daily Trust finding revealed that many years ago Jukun rulers came in contact with some Hausa people said to be from either Katsina or Zaria who were clerics in Islamic education as well as traditionalists.
The Hausas were brought to work with Jukun rulers as fortune tellers and later integrated into the society with many of them marrying Jukun women.
The Hausa clerics/ traditionalists who practiced Bori were found ideal for spiritual purposes by the Jukun rulers.
The traditionalists, it was gathered, saw the crocodiles as their deity and always consulted them whenever Jukun rulers approached them for spiritual guidance.
Alongside the Jukuns, the traditionalists offered sacrifices to the crocodiles on annual basis, during a festival called Bori and Gani, at the pond.
It was from this practice that two houses became custodians of the culture. Their permission and authority are sought before any ritual or festival is held at the pond. Malam Yahaya Usman, 69, and Hauwa Umaru, 54, who are in charge of cultural and ritual activities at the pond come from these two houses.
The pond, according to Malam Usman, is under the authority of the Wukari Traditional Council and their role was only as custodians. Both Mallam Yahaya and Hauwa Umaru whose forefathers were Hausa are called Abakwa Riga in Wukari.
Malam Usman told Daily Trust that he inherited the custody of the pond from his late father because his fore fathers had also been custodians of the pond. He said his role was to present the crocodiles with sacrificed animals and other items during festivals and when the need arises.
According to him, whenever there was any calamity, they usually assembled at the pond and appeased the crocodiles in order to seek solutions. He said he was the one who slaughters a black cow whose carcass is thrown into the pond as sacrifice.
According to him, the crocodiles have been a source of guidance to the Jukun Kingdom which is why they are dear not only to Jukun rulers but the entire Jukun and Abakwa Riga people.
He said that fishing is not allowed in the pond and any fish caught from the pond can never be cooked even if it stays on the fire the whole day.
“Water from the pond is medicinal and Jukun people outside Wukari are always referred to the pond when other means of treatment fail to cure them,” he said.
He said in the past, Aku-Uka – the supreme head of Jukuns used to visit the pond, as well as sons and daughters of Jukun living in Diaspora.
Malam Usman, whose ancestors migrated from Katsina, explains the origin of the Abakwa Riga. “Centuries ago, our ancestors were integrated into Jukun society by the Jukun rulers because they worked closely with them for spiritual purposes. They married our mothers and grandmothers who were Jukuns and that was why we are called Abakwa Riga, saddled with the responsibility of being custodians of the great crocodile’s pond.”
He said unlike in the past decades, the Bori and Gani festivity in Wukari is gradually declining because of the influence of Islam and Christianity.
The Andre Ashe Gbumkpa, fifty-four year old Hauwa Umaru, an Abakwa Riga, said she is among the female custodians of the pond with the role of appeasing the crocodiles and also preparing the food to be eaten during each ritual or festival.
Hauwa Umar whose forefathers were also from Katsina, said her main duty was to offer incantation and prayers by the side of the pond before any ritual or festival was held in the pond. She said she has been part of the ritual passed to her by her mother over forty years ago.
Outside the pond, most people interviewed said the Marmara pond which houses the legendary crocodiles was of great importance to Jukun culture and tradition.
A Jukun lady, Madam Rose Adi, told Daily Trust that she grew up and saw the crocodiles moving freely inside the town and she’s never heard that the animals ever attacked anyone.
“We used to watch the crocodiles, especially the black one, whenever it moved around about 30 years ago. The festival at the pond was also very exciting as people dressed in traditional attires and danced from the town to the pond,” Madam Adi recalled.
