We are a self-sufficient community. Within this territory, small as it may be, we have our own schools, mosques, shops. I don’t need to step out of this place for anything. There’s a tailor right behind my house. There’s a mosque a few streets away. And down the road, there’s an Arabic school where they teach English and Mathematics.— Sadia, Kano.
This interview was conducted in Yoruba and has been translated for accessibility. Our questions are italicised.
What is your favourite memory about the street you grew up on?
I was born in Dala Local Government in Kano State. Growing up there was really pleasant. One thing that always brings me joy is the memory of my friends and schoolmates. We sang, danced, and played together after school.
I left Kano over 20 years ago and I only go there to buy things for my business. Being in Kano makes me nostalgic for the times I shared with my friends. It’s not too lonely here, however. Whenever I get bored, I just go to Lagos to spend time with my sister in Ikeja.
Why did you leave Kano?
I moved to Sabo, Ibadan in 2000. This was a year after I met my husband and got married. He’s from Katsina State but he has lived here all his life.
How did you meet him?
It’s a funny story, how I met him. I used to hawk coconuts in Kano. One day, he was sitting on a bench under a tree, and he saw me passing. He called me and bought 5 pieces, I think. It was worth 100 naira or thereabout at the time. And then he said he liked me and that’s about it. We were together for a year, he used to come around a lot. Then we got married and I moved to Sabo.
What is the longest you have ever had to travel for something?
It has to be Ibadan to Kano. It takes as long as 24 hours sometimes. There was a time I spent 2 days on the road. Usually though, I leave here towards the evenings so I can travel with the night bus. This way, I can get to Kano around 9 or 10am.
I go there to buy clothes, shoes, hijabs, and niqqabs so that I can sell them here. I’ve been to most states in the North, apart from Sokoto and Zamfara, because of my business.
Do you ever feel scared about travelling at night?
Not at all. I take the bus and we are always plenty in the bus. Nothing has happened to me in the last 2 decades that I have been travelling.
I just ensure to take my bottle of water along. On the road, I look forward to the people who sell bread and fried meat. I typically spend 5–6 days in Kano, so on the trip, my mind is preparing for the food I’ll eat in Kano, especially tuwo. The only thing I don’t eat in Kano is amala. I only eat it in Ibadan.
What is a meal you always look forward to eating when you’re in Kano?
It has to be Tuwo Miyar Kuka.
What is your daily commute?
I wake up at 5:30am every morning. After praying, I ready my children for school, cook, wash clothes, and take care of the house. During the period of fasting, I go around to hawk the things I have bought from Kano. On months that we are not fasting, I go to the ile ikirun (mosque). My children close from school by 4pm and they come home by themselves. Once they arrive, I prepare dinner for them and for my husband.
Car, Okada, Bus- what do you consider the best mode of transport for getting around Kano?
Okadas are your best bet. Cars are not as common as they are here. For instance, in Birgete Kuka where my mother lives, the road is very narrow and cars cannot pass there. Of course, not all the roads are narrow, but the distance from my house to where cars are is quite far.
What is a notable difference between the Kano you grew up in and the Kano that exists today?
Kano has changed a lot, even between this year and last year. For example, the roads are much better, and everywhere is beautiful. Also, we have constant electricity all the time, as opposed to before when it was just once in a while.
Also, remember how I said I used to sing and play with my friends after school? We don’t have much of that again. Now, people are more exposed and distracted by their phones. Young people would rather talk to their friends on the phone.
What is an irreplaceable feature of Kano?
To be honest, there’s nothing in Kano that you can’t find anywhere else. Walahi, there’s nothing I can say I miss about Kano. When I first moved here, I missed the authenticity of the suya. But that was over 20 years ago. Now, the men who make the best suya in the North have moved to the West.
While I miss my friends, I have built a community here in Sabo. I have my husband and children, and in January, my mother moved here with me. I am still in touch with two of my old friends.
And I miss the weather. That is one thing that has managed to stay the same. It still gets cold around this time of the year.
When was the last time you visited a new state?
I visited Kaduna some years ago and I did not want to leave. Its a very peaceful and beautiful place. And the food is very affordable. Unlike Kano, in Kaduna, I’m free to dress how I want. I am free to express myself without people shouting at me or judging me. In Kano, the elders might go as far as asking you to go back home and change your outfit, even if you’ve already arrived at your destination.
Would you say people are free to be themselves here in Sabo?
Yes. We are a community here but at the same time, we mind our business and respect people’s choices.
What is a misconception that people have about Sabo that you want to correct?
There are a lot. People think Sabo is for beggars or that it is a slum. Most of these people have never been here. This place is home to a lot of people and their families. Even if you wake up without a naira to your name, you won’t starve. As neighbours, we care about each other’s welfare.
We are a self-sufficient community. Within this territory, small as it may be, we have our own schools, mosques, shops. I don’t need to step out of this place for anything. There’s a tailor right behind my house. There’s a mosque a few streets away. And down the road, there’s an Arabic school where they teach English and Mathematics.
Is there a criterion to meet before I can move into Sabo?
Yes, pay the landlord for a room (laughs). Anybody can live here. We have Yorubas amongst us and you’d think they are Hausa because of how they speak. Some of them were born here and have lived here all their lives. Now, I can speak Yoruba as fluently as I speak Hausa because of how well we relate with each other. There’s no difference in treatment because we accept everybody. The people here are very homely and accommodating.
How do you resolve quarrels here?
We tell the offending party. If it escalates, we call Baba Yusuf, my husband’s elder brother. He is the one in charge of this compound. Fights usually start between children and are carried by their mothers. Mothers support their children and start to fight themselves.
What is something you wish you can change about Sabo?
Nothing. Sabo is great as it is. My prayer is that in the future, when my husband makes a lot of money, we’ll move to a nicer house, still within Sabo. I never want to leave. I’m very happy to raise my children here.
How many children do you have?
3 boys and a girl.
Do you want them to remain in Sabo when they grow older?
My plan is that they move to the North when they finish secondary school. It will be hard for them to find a good job within Sabo. The opportunities here are limited. They can only thrive as tailors or bureau de change (currency changers).
My first son wants to be a soldier. The second boy wants to be a doctor. The third wants to be a policeman. And my daughter wants to be a nurse.
All my boys will go to the North. My daughter, however, is going to sit in front of me. You know she’s a woman and the men in this world are not always fortunate. I want her to remain in Ibadan so that I can watch her and guide her.
What is a route you know by heart?
Anywhere within Sabo. The roads are quite complex, almost like a maze. But when you’ve lived here for as long as I have, you can find your way in the dark.
Sadia is a trader. She moved from Kano to Sabo, Ibadan over 2 decades ago, and she lives with her family and friends.
About Routes
Routes by GatePass is mapping African stories one route at a time. This project sits at the intersection of life stories and mobility in African contexts. Through Routes, we explore how African lives are shaped by mobility, migration, journeys, and modes of transport; and how places take on the stories of the people who have visited or passed through them.
Do you or someone you know have an interesting mobility story? Do you have a hack for moving around your city, or know something about your city’s history that not too many people know? Tell your story. We’re open to submissions and looking forward to reading!
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Editorial Team
Editor / Publisher — Wale Lawal
Sub-Editor — Muyideen Dosumu
Interviewer — Ore Oyinlola
Illustrator — David Akinyemi
