Fishing > Articles > A Museum and a Compound

Fishes and fishermen aren’t the only amazing sights in Argungu, Kebbi State, northwest of Nigeria. Most visitors to the town, which recently hosted its famous fishing festival, spend time watching the wonderful watersports and other contests without as much as getting to explore the other (but less well promoted) attraction—the Kanta museum.

At first sight the bungalow housing the museum is a stunning monument. You get to it and you just halt in your tracks. All red mud on the outside, it outshines the neighbouring households, which come in very dim brown. Then the substantial free ground in front of it adds to the overall charm.

Named after the founder of Kebbi kingdom, Muhamadu Kanta, who ruled for 46 years (1515-1561), the structure was erected very early in the 19th century for succeeding kings (locally called Sarki) by Yakubu Nabame (1831-1836), the first Emir to live in Argungu.

Twice I tried to get inside and twice someone at the entrance politely turned me back. “Try again in the evening,” he suggested. I learnt President Obasanjo would be paying a courtesy visit and so the coast must be clear. Moments after the president’s convoy sped off I was back there, and this time I calmly talked my way in (visitors pay a token to view the artefacts on exhibit).

One thing to know about Argungu (50 km northwest from Birnin Kebbi, capital of Kebbi State) is that the architecture is largely in clay — maybe as much as 80 percent of it, which is perhaps a good thing for the international tourist who may be anxious to glimpse third-world rural living. The upper reaches of the houses are packed tight with hay that has turned a beautiful gold over time. And almost every household has a space for livestock and granary (Rifewa).

Having spent a couple of days charting the outdoors, I wanted to know what the interiors looked like. With a native’s help I walked into one household to find two women pounding what must have been lunch. A much older woman washed clothes in a small basin to my left. At this time of the day the men were either at the farm or fishing. There were kids about, though, but doing practically nothing.

“This is the Zaure, or waiting room,” my guide said as we stepped through the entrance into a front room without a door. “Visitors usually stay here while they wait to be attended to or for their host to meet them.” By now more youngsters had joined us. Next we were in the wife’s/woman’s room (Kudandan), then the husband’s (Shigifa).

I had seen this much of the insides of the houses until I called at Kanta, where I learnt that there were usually more structures in a Kabi (earliest known name for Kebbi) compound. This is where the museum becomes even more delightful: a section of it hosts a collection of all the structures. There’s a room (Daki) for the boys. And the Bukka is where to get a rest. Cooked food is kept in the Ambuta (serves a function similar to the kitchen cupboard), while Yakku is used to roast meals.

Now imagine that a ferocious animal races into the compound: to where does the family escape? A slightly raised booth known as the Rudu — the escapees only have to climb up a short pole and tuck themselves in. Home safe.

About seven rooms exhibited artefacts specific to the locality: hairstyles, facial markings, musical instruments, war weapons, and age-old farming and fishing implements.

In another space in the museum compound, the tombs of deceased emirs (there must be no less than nine of them) are preserved in two groups. A white platform gives details of the particular king and when he governed the kingdom. This is the aspect I consider most precious; no single heritage site in Nigeria, I am sure, can boast anything close. I later read in a magazine that, “a visit to the Kanta Museum is a visit to the history of a once-famous kingdom which is now gradually transforming itself into a modern economy.” It’s most curious that Kanta was barely promoted during the fishing festival. It should have raked in its own share of revenue.

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