Historical Market Days: Matrix of Cultural Heritage, Center of Information and Social Interactions

By: Balami Lazarus

As the wind blows in the savannah through the rural town of Kamdadi somewhere north of the Niger, whispering scents and particles of cultural heritage on a certain faithful market day. A day notable for the buying and selling of a rural economy with a matrix of cultures, information, and social interactions that are part of our history.

As the sun begins to go down in the west to fall, rest and close the day. The old and young are seen walking in file along the rugged narrow paths with no innovation that had felt the feet of sages on hundreds of historical market days.

With volumes of literature on Nigerian history, where true and untrue have co-joined to live together, becoming a confluence in our socio-cultural heritage, hook, sinker, and liner.

However, with the reconstruction of Nigerian history, an attempt by the Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN) is part of historical engineering for a new version of historical knowledge of our history.

The emergence and the torrents of Western civilization have not been fair to our history, cultures, and traditions, which came with the subtleness of modernization that attacked, destroyed, and gradually killed our rich cultural history.

And whether we believed it or not, these changes were aided by deponents who signed off on our cultural heritage, some out of ignorance, others out of an inferiority complex. This has brought gross and grievous historical harm to the body politic of our nation, Nigeria, causing radius lines in our cultural heritage with a wider circumference gap among the people, where historical market days have become a near-forgotten history.

As a historian, I was long taught by my teachers that in any human development there is history in such endeavors. Historical market days are such. Therefore, our historical market days are not a carnival of buying and selling but a documentary of cultural heritage and a body part of our economic history that cannot be put away in the dustbin of Nigerian history because it is a source material of our historical identity.

Long before now, I noticed there was not much work on historical market days in our history.Notwithstanding the gap, the history of the Igbo people has lightened this stage of our cultural history through some recent works on the four (4) Igbo historical market days: Eke, Orie, Afo, and Nkwo, in line with their traditional calendar. These market days serve not only as commercial hubs but also as matrices of cultural heritage, information, and social interactions. For the Igbo people, these market days are part of their history, cultural heritage, and identity.

Similarly, towns and cities have since succumbed and stooped to the pressures, demands, and challenges that came with urbanization that has made it possible for daily market activities for the dwellers. Moreover, most urban dwellers are unaware that the daily market operations/activities they patronize for their daily needs/services have their historical market days; some are oncea week, others twice. The Biu central market is an example. While the Monday Market in the city of Maiduguri has its market day on Mondays, which was its historical market day. That is why today is known, called, and addressed as Monday Market Limited, her corporate name.

Historical market days have heralded diverse cultures, styles, and different ways of social interactions brought in by traders and strangers from other places. It has further increased population growth in most towns and cities, making them commercial and industrial centers with strong economic and educational bases.

This discourse, hopefully, might be an inroad for intellectual historians, researchers, and students to begin to develop a template on the significance of historical market days as cultural source material of our history. And likely, someday it shall be an academic field of study in our educational institutions.

Balami, a Publisher/Columnist 08036779290

Historical Market Days: Matrix of Cultural Heritage, Center of Information and Social Interactions

UMTH: Fakeeh University Hospital Dubai commended Professor Ahidjo and the management team for uplifting hospital standards beyond national boundaries

By: Balami Lazarus

In a recent workshop organized by the management of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital in collaboration with Fakeeh University Hospital of Dubai on ‘Advances in Kidney and Neurosurgical Management’ in Maiduguri, experts within and without spoke on the latest advances in kidney diseases and neurosurgical treatments/management and their remedies. While some made presentations on advances in neurosurgical management.

Dr. Omer Mohammed Al-Derwish, a urological surgeon/consultant from the Fakeeh University Hospital in Dubai, has commended the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Professor Ahmed Ahidjo, and his management team for uplifting the standard of the hospital, stating that ‘Your capacity in both human and medical materials/equipment is of global standard.’ 

Al-Derwish made the observation while giving a talk on ‘Overview of Advances in Urology’ recently at the Babagana Zulum Conference Hall UMTH, medical

Speaking on urinary tract stones, urological cancers, bladder dysfunction, and urodynamics, among other related ailments. Al-Derwish drew the attention of his colleagues to the advances in the treatment and management of these diseases. He also stressed the need for UMTH to replicate Fakeeh University Hospital methods. 

Also in his paper, Dr. Tommaso Tufo, a neurosurgeon/consultant, spoke extensively on ‘Overview of Advances in Neurosurgery,’ paying more attention to advances made in neurosurgery. He said that neurosurgery is more scientific than what was obtainable in the past, where death mortality was high in the course of surgery. ‘Today medical neuroscience tools and materials/equipment have heralded a new chapter in neurosurgical treatments and management.’

The Fakeeh University Hospital experts said that CMD Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo and his management team are to be commended for their efforts. Adding that those at the helm of affairs for the day-to-day running of the hospital are to be applauded in no small measure.

During the workshop, Dr. Hassan Dogo of UMTH spoke on ‘Update on Infrastructure/Equipping of Kidney/Urology Centre of UMTH.’ Dr. Dogo informed participants on the available advances in medical tools and equipment at the center, which are of international standard, and these are being utilized in medical treatment of kidney/urology. He, however, said that the center needs more tools, materials, and equipment to meet her patients medical demands. He further said that the center is making progress in the treatments of kidney/urology using the latest medical methods.

In a similar vein, Dr. Babagana Usman, also of UMTH, made a presentation on ‘Update on Infrastructure/Equipping of Stroke and Neuroscience Centre of UMTH,’ making clear that the Stroke and Neuroscience Centre has first-class modern medical materials and equipment for the treatments of stroke. He called for more additional tools/material to achieve her aims.

“Patients and visitors to the hospital are witnesses to all this progress made by the CMD, Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo, for putting the hospital on the medical world map as being the best in Nigeria.” He said,

NEWSng reports that both experts gave UMTH a pass mark on her medical services, teaching, and research facilities. They promised to initiate the processes of partnership between Fakeeh University Hospital Dubai and UMTH.

UMTH: Fakeeh University Hospital Dubai commended Professor Ahidjo and the management team for uplifting hospital standards beyond national boundaries

BRIGMASSOSA: Friendship/Relationship Through Alma Mater

By: Balami Lazarus

Growing up for many of us was interesting because for some of us that had the privilege of time and space provided by our parents, and our stubbornness as kids has helped us to explore our environment far and wide, having a range of friends.

Primary school was the beginning of our friendship and relationship through secondary school—Brigadier Maimalari Secondary School Maiduguri. These stages provided us with both childhood memories and those of secondary school. Giving us a strong and standing relationship through our alma mater. Where both senior and junior students are members, some by default with absence from the association register.

The old students association is one place where memories are recalled and remembered by the mere presence of classmate(s) or sets of groups valued by those who appreciate the alma mater relationship.

I pity those old students that take alma mater relationships for granted. I believe as we are growing older, we need more of such associational relationships, including that of childhood.

Samaru Nostalgia Group (SNG) Zaria is my childhood group, where we addressed ourselves as brothers and sisters because our relationship is far over and above us; it has its origin from our parents when living was communally bounded. For some, such childhood relationship and connection is lost. Why are some deliberately depriving themselves of the good opportunity of a lifetime friendship/relationship?

The benefits derived from this relationship are above penny and kobo. While many out there are refusing to take a position and ownership of such a union of their alma mater to harvest the pros.

Recently there was an overflow of condolences when we lost a committed member, a fine gentleman. What caught my attention were the tributes by Pastor Ngale Lautong and that of Dr. Edmund Richard Egbe. These tributes say it all about the deceased. And it reads in parts: ‘You responded to a call placed on you. You have shown commitment to the Association and its members in terms of contributions and assistance.’ On the other it reads, ‘We have indeed lost Luka, a gentle soul, a bridge builder, and a peace-loving brother.’ These testimonies will be engraved in the annals of the Brigadier Maimalari Secondary School Old Students Association (BRIGMASSOSA).

No individual can have it all. We need to lean on each other as a fraternity to accomplish some goals and objectives. There is strength in numbers.

Balami, a publisher/columnist. 08036779290

BRIGMASSOSA: Friendship/Relationship Through Alma Mater