Special Report (Investigative Journalism): Kanem-Borno, Culture And The Maliki Type Of Ganga Kura Royal Musical Performance

By Daniel Ishaya

25th October, 2022

Culture and Kanem-Borno Empire are tow inseparable entities. In fact, they are synonymous. The Great Kanem-Borno Empire that is reputed for being the longest empire in Africa, lasted for about 1,000 years and covered vast expanse of territories covering some parts of modern-day Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Chad, Libya and Algeria. It takes a great culture to unite all these peoples and lands together under one emperor, the Shehu, who is the paramount ruler of the empire. Although the famous Kanem-Borno Empire has now been reduced to Borno State in the northeast part of modern-day Nigeria, its enchanting cultures and influential Shehudom still remain virtually intact.

Music, they say, is a universal language; while culture, they say, is the total way of life. Well, that is very true about the Kanuri people and their paramount rulers, the Shehus. Kanuri people cherish their culture and carries it with them wherever they go on earth. Typical Kanuri people always feel physically and spiritually attached to the Shehu of Borno, the paramount ruler of the historical empire. One unique aspect of the rich Kanuri cultural heritage is the ‘Ganga Kura’ music and ‘Dumas’ or ‘Maliki’ dances.

Ganga Kura, which loosely translates to ‘the big drum’, can be said to be the chief musical instruments of the peoples of Borno and Yobe States, especially Kanuri people. Along with ‘Arita/Arida’, which is the Kanuri-type of Flute, Ganga Kura musical performance speaks the total way of the entertaining world of most of the peoples of Borno and Yobe States, especially Kanuri people. Ganga Kura music can be played during occasions such as weddings, naming ceremonies, boys’ circumcision ceremonies, or festivities such as Eid-el-Fitr (Ngǝmǝri Ashambe), Eid-el-Kabir (Ngǝmǝri Layabe), etc.

Traditionally, there are two main categories of Ganga Kura music: (1) Maliki and (2) Dumas. Let’s know something about the Dumas Ganga Kura first. The Dumas type of Ganga Kura music may sound similar to the Maliki music but the main difference is that Dumas music can be played for anyone during any of such occasions as mentioned above – anyone, not necessarily the Shehu, or any royal person. On the other hand, the Maliki type of Ganga Kura musical performance is the exclusive preserve of the royals of Borno Shehudom and royals in Yobe State, including the Shehu of Borno, Mai’a (Emirs), Ajah-ajah (District Heads) and similar top-ranking royals in these two domains. Remember, Yobe State was extracted in 1991 from Borno State; hence the cultural similarities.

Furthermore, Maliki music has rich lyrics that are sung or recited by the Shehu’s praise singers, eulogising him and his ancestors and forefathers, including mentioning with pride and dignity such qualities of the ruler as his royal eminence, his influence, his power, his wealth, his magnanimity, his generosity, his knowledge, his wisdom, his Islamic faith, his expanse of territories and domain, his wrath, his might, his benevolence, his patience, his comely countenance, his families, etc. All these qualities of the Shehu of Borno, or any other royal on whose behalf the Maliki music is played are eulogised in both the rhythms of the royal drums, the shrill sounds of the royal flutes and verbally by the praise singers and ‘slaves’ or similar courtiers there present.

Another striking uniqueness of the Maliki musical performance is its dance. Maliki dancers would form a single file or two, or more depending on their numbers. They would dress up in traditional attires such as the red caps or ‘Darah’, bellowing gowns of ‘Dau-ngashiyo’, inner jumper ‘Gǝmaje’ or ‘Dankiki’ and ‘Kundura’ sandals or shoes to match. In unison with the rhythms of the Ganga Kura drums and Arita/Arida flute, dancers would be brandishing unsheathed swords in their hands as a sign of loyalty and allegiance to the paramount ruler.

The word ‘maliki’ was derived from the Arabic word, ‘ملكي’ or ‘malakiyy’, which means ‘royal’. So, the origins of the Kanuri royal music of Maliki may have had roots in Arabian traditional music. One can attest to this if you observed traditional palace dances in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In this video, you can see a group of young men performing the Maliki dance. They are lifting and brandishing silver swords symbolising loyalty and homage to the Shehu, or any of such Kanuri rulers. Interestingly, however, the Maliki royal music is not exclusively confined to Kanuri-speaking royals or domains alone. In fact, all other Emirs in the whole of Borno and Yobe States have the Maliki types of Ganga Kura royal music bands in their respective palaces. The Maliki music may sound across all the domains in both Borno and Yobe States but the lyrics of the drum beats and flue sounds as well as the eulogies sang by the courtiers differ significantly. Each Emir or ruler has his own unique lyrics and eulogies that are peculiar to the ruling house from which he hails.

So, as a non-African tourist whenever you think about adding colour to your summer holidays in Africa, think about travelling over to Borno or Yobe States in northeast of Nigeria and enjoy the rhythmic and lyrical beauties of the various cultural heritages of the peoples of these states, more especially Ganga Kura music and dance and their associated Durbar festivals performed during Sallah (Eid) festivals as well as the mouth-watering cuisines of the peoples of these states.

The Collaborative Media Engagement supported by Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), is aimed to strengthen media independence and presence, especially at the sub-national levels, state, local government and the private sector, in a bid to improve public awareness and the ecosystem for transparency, accountability and good governance.