THE CROWN: Showcasing the Nupe Kingdom and her 13th Etsu Nupe. Meet Alhaji Dr Yahaya Abubakar, CFR

THE CROWN:
Exploring the conquest of kings; Showcasing Royalty, Kingdom and its Rule, the tales of their Reigns; telling historical tales of Kings and Queens, and Sharing the journey through Royalty.

Exclusive session between Alhaji (Dr) Yahaya Abubakar, Etsu Nupe and the VIP magazine media team headed by its publisher, Talabi Taiwo O. Michael(Hassan)

Nupe Kingdom - Rich Culture, Beautiful People*

Among the over 500 ethnic groups in Nigeria, the Nupe people stand out with their rich history and unique cultural heritage. With communities across several states in West Central and Northern Nigeria, stretching along the banks of River Niger, the Nupe Kingdom is one that elicits much-deserved respect among Nigeria’s long-standing traditional institutions.

The origin of Nupe dates back to the 15th century with Tsoede as the founder of the Nupe Dynasty. Born in 1465 to an Igala father and a Nupe mother,  he was raised in the Igala court in Idah (present-day Kogi State) but later returned to his maternal home in Nupe land where he gained control over the vast area with the magical and symbolic regalia bestowed on him by his father, the Igala king.

Tsoede expanded his kingdom by conquering the lands of neighbouring Yorubas in the south and the Kamberi and Kamuku in the north. After establishing Nupeko as his administrative capital, he asserted his political might and authority throughout the Nupe kingdom. He died in one of his military imperialistic missions north of the Nupe kingdom in 1591. To this day, Tsoede is regarded as the Nupe kingdom's cultural hero and mythical founder.

The Nupe people are indigenous to Nigeria's Middle Belt. They are the dominant ethnicity in Niger State and an important minority in Kwara and Kogi States as well as in the Federal Capital Territory. Lingual evidence suggests that the Nupe language is a branch of Nupoid, a Benue-Congo language family consisting of Igbira (Ebira), Gbagyi (Gbari), Gade, and Kakanda among the other languages in the group. Many Nupe people have tribal marks on their faces (similar to an old Igala tradition), some to identify their prestige and family, as well as for protection and jewellery adornment.

The historic city of Bida sits as the capital of Nupe land in Nigeria, with a rapidly growing population of over 600,000 people and a following of approximately 3.5 million Nupes, primarily in Niger State.

The city is renowned for its Popular crafts which include blacksmithing, brass and silver smithing, glassmaking, weaving, beadwork, building, woodcarving, and carpentry. Bida craftsmen are organised into similar guilds and ply their crafts using mainly traditional tools. Their products and artworks are frequently abstract and well-known for their intricate hand-made patterns.

Traditionally, the Nupes are farmers and their cash crops have primarily consisted of foodstuffs for the Nigerian market, making the region a key contributor to national sustenance. It is interesting to note that Nupe land was an important trade route and market centre during the pre-colonial era however, motorways and railways have replaced those ancient trade routes.

The Nupe people celebrate the “Nupe Day” cultural festival which commemorates the day on June 26, 1896, when the British Army was defeated by a native African army. The annual celebration was founded by Nupe elders across the tribes. The festival begins with prayers in mosques and churches on the first and last days of the event, respectively, on Sunday and Friday.

This festival was restored by the 13th Etsu Nupe and  Chairman of the Niger State Traditional Council of Rulers, Alhaji (Dr) Yahaya Abubakar. The event is hosted by the monarch to celebrate and preserve the tribe's rich cultural heritage.

Recently, Bida was announced as the first Nigerian city to be accepted into the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Creative Cities Network. It is also designated as the city of crafts and folk arts. This was due to the need to protect Bida's cultural property, which had survived several armed
conflicts dating back to the 11th century.

Throughout history,  the city's traditional institutions protected its cultural property from destruction or damage. through the use of indigenous measures such as community networking, local practices of artefact preservation, generational knowledge transfer, festivals, and a tradition of creativity.

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