Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the Kano ancient city wearing different types of attires trekked to the famous Dala Hill in Kano metropolis to commemorate this year’s Takutaha celebration.
The event took place on Tuesday following an announcement of a work free day by the state government to celebrate another Eid in addition to the two Eids of Ramadan and Adha celebrated earlier in the year.
Takutaha is the celebration of the seventh days after the Maulud Nabiy (Birthday of Prophet Muhammad SAWA) on the 19th of Rabiul Awwal, the third month of the Islamic lunar calendar.
Blueprint reports it is traditional in the Islamic religion to name a child and celebrate his birth on the seventh day after his birth.
It is celebrated big, with families in the ancient city slaughtering cows, sheep, camels, goats and chickens.
They also cook different types of foods to eat an share with family and friends during the celebration.
Also, family members residing in the outskirt of the ancient city move to the city the day preceding the event to celebrate in their ancient family houses.
One Mahud Sulaiman, an elderly man from the city, told Blueprint how Takutaha came about.
He said, from the history of the Dala Hill, several centuries ago, an ancient deity called the Tsumburbura was worshiped by the Maguzawas.
He said this was however, stopped by the then Emir of Kano and subsequently the Islamic Shari’a was put in place.
According to him, it was the remnants of the Maguzawas that referred to the event as “Wagga Idi Takuta” meaning “this celebration belongs to you Muslims”.
” The event, which can served as tourist attraction in the country, witnessed colourful display of dresses, exhibitions and dramatic displays, including horse and camel riding all across the ancient city.