By Ushang Ewa
The Hausa community in Cross River State has denied reports that they are leaving the state in droves due to the quit notice issued Igbos in northern Nigeria by one organization.
“It is not true that Hausa businessmen are leaving the state. Cross River remains our state and the only state we know and have,” said the leader of the Hausa and Fulani community in the state, Sarki Salisu Abba Lawan who also declared the state as peaceful and receptive.
Daily Post reports that Sarki lawan said they have been resident in the state for more than 100 years as they have dwelled in peace with the leadership always listening to them.
“The government and people of the state have made their impact felt on the Hausa community and pointed out that the governor, Prof Ben Ayade, appointed one of them as a Special Adviser for Non indigenes, a feat that has not happened before, he also inaugurated Muslims pilgrims’ board. Things are moving peacefully, no violence, no threat of any kind,” Sarki Lawan said.
Continuing he said: “Nobody has ever reported any issue of threat and no Hausa man has attempted locking his shop(s) or thinking of relocating from this state because of issues related to Biafra. People now are educated and awareness has gone deep into all spheres of life. Nobody will leave a peaceful environment just because of rumor and especially when your present landowners are very receptive.”
He called on the people of Cross River to as they have always done, “join us in our fasting and prayers which has taken 15 days already with two weeks left to round off, “adding that “most of us will celebrate the end of the spiritual program here in Calabar because we were born here.”
Furthermore, he said that; “This spot you are interviewing me was built by my grandfather, Abubakar Bogobiri, who came to Cross River in 1863. He was the one that ruled the Hausas. Since then this location called Bogobiri was named after him. He gave birth to my father, Sarki Lawan who died in 2011 and I succeeded my late father since his transition.
“A place where your grandfather stayed for over 100 years, died and you later succeeded him as a traditional leader is your home… We own our houses here, we are not in rented apartments, and we live peacefully with the people, what else will make us seek relocation elsewhere?”
For Shugaba na Nama Ragoh, (Chairman, Goat sellers association) Alhaji Bala Haikimekio; “Whatever evacuation threat so heard from other places is not and has never been heard in Calabar.”
Haikimekio who spoke in Hausa language assured that “akwai zaman lafiya a kalba. Muna zaman lafiya deh kowa anang. Suna siya dege geri mu, mu na siya dege geri nsu” meaning; “there is peace in Calabar. We live in peace with all here. The indigenes buy from our locations while we also buy from their locations.”
According to a fruits seller, Rabiu Bakwori, “If there is an eviction notice, the last place you can hear of that is Calabar, and if it gets to Cross River that means that is the end of Nigeria.”
Bakwori further explained in Hausa saying; “ba mu deh rekichi deh kowa, gaskiya lafiya a wanan geri ya fi duka,” meaning; “We have no problems with anyone here; truly the peace that exists in this state supersedes all.”