A loud reverberating sound nearly sent my heart running to my anus.
This was followed by a serenade of gay sounds from a thousand Talking drums weaving through the tunes emanating from the Kakaki, Jembe and the Algaita. As flamboyantly dressed musicians played on, it was as if they were possessed by the heavenly beings. The musical instruments spoke different language yet the harmony and chemistry they produced together was indescribable. There was joy and unbridled excitement in the air.
Watching the Durbar festival from our seats was like watching a cornucopia of different movies unfold and not knowing which area to focus on because on every corner was a spectacle.
Without notice, a different kind of noise surged from somewhere.
It was the Emir entourage joining the celebration.
The royal horses.
A million colors of regalia.
The sight and spectacle was breathtaking.
The procession of the event started with the Emir and his close family majestically marching off into town on their horses in their dazzling regalia followed by his entourage of different tribes on horses beautifully decorated with colorful linens and metals.
Thursday morning started with an impromptu airline ticket purchase to Kano. A couple of my friends wanted to experience the Durbar festival in Kano.
You might be wondering what a Durbar Festival is?
Durbar festival is an annual festival that takes place in the Northern part of Nigeria after eid Mubarak, Eid el Kabir and Eid el Fitri, which is similar to Ojude Oba that takes place after Eid el Fitri in Ijebu Ode in the Western part of Nigeria. To put it further, Durbar Festival is a day where the Emir and his entourage parade on horses.
My explanation may sound simple, but experiencing it in person is a once in a lifetime experience that everyone in any part of the world should take the time out to do.
Let’s open a bit of the book of history.
The word ‘Durbar’ is of Persian origins and it means the court of a native ruler?
It was said that the Durbar festival had been in Hausa land for more than 600 years. History have it that the festival was introduced by Sarki Muhammadu Rumfa of Kano in the late 14th century, as a way of demonstrating military power and skills before going to war. During this period, each town, district, and nobility household was expected to contribute a regiment to the defense of the Emirate.
Anyways, that is a bit from the book of history.
Kano, however, was going to be my friends’ first time ever visiting the Northern Nigeria and I really wanted to make them spend at least 72 hours in Kano eating every possible dish local to Kano. But as luck would have it, every local restaurant was closed for Eid Mubarak and the best options were the likes of Chicken Republic and a couple restaurants serving food from the South-East and South-West. After one hour of driving in circles hunting for Northern food, we decided to settle for a plate of egwusi and akpu for lunch.
After the meal, I took my friends on a walk around the area open to guests to watch as the horses for the Emir and his family got readied for the event. With an hour to spare, we were lucky enough to snag seats in the available overlooking point for the Emir’s guests, women and children. We were also the first to arrive in the seating area and so we had the chance to pick the best seats available. Forty five minutes later, the seating area became a mad house and luckily, there was some security available to keep people in line for some time.
As the Emir was seated, different tribes on horses started to present themselves to pay respects to the Emir. Some came in spewing fire from their mouths, some showcasing their ability to command snakes to do their bidding. Many came in showing their prowess with swords and a few mock sword fights ensued during the three hours we stayed to watch the event.
As the different tribes came in to pay their respect, many moved to different corners of the open yard and continued showcasing their art; there was never a dull moment. An act worthy of note was a tribe that came in full speed and then one of the riders jumped off the horse to somersault into a bow for the Emir. It was thrilling and spectacular!
The tourists weren’t taking the back seat either.
It was Segun, my friend, who called my attention to this particular tourist couple getting henna inscription tattooed into their hand. Their dressing was on point and they could have passed for some Fulani if not that their skins were fairer, or should I say ‘whiter’ if there is a word like that.
Going by the way they were clicking away at their camera, jumping horses and laughing, you could easily tell they are having fun. Such is the experience of the Durbar festival in Kano and other Nigeria.
So where exactly does marketing fit into this Durbar festival brouhaha? How can an aspiring brand leverage this local festivity to connect with consumers in Northern Nigeria? Below are some tips to get you started on your Sallah marketing journey.
Tips On How To Leverage The Durbar Festival To Boost Sales In Business Marketing
- The Durbar celebration usually falls during the sunny part of the year and any chilled wet product that can help the thousands of spectators refresh will be highly appreciated. Even if your product isn’t a wet product, you can incorporate it as an ice-breaker to start some conversation. You could freely sample your new product on this day. You could also find out the peoples opinion pertaining your product after the sampling.
- You could liaise with the local authorities and district heads to have their horses and regalia branded or reflect your brand colors.
- You could also host the event live on at least four to five social media pages under your company or business platform.
- With branded T-shirts and other body artifacts, you can turn spectators into brand ambassadors.
- You could customize the visitors’ seating areas with your corporate brand.
- You could also provide branded agbada for all the music players as they lead the parade.
- You can brand the road sides whence the parade will take place.
I hope you could leverage two or three tips from the above for your marketing activities. If in any way you feel the need for a marketing agency to help you develop these tips into a marketing plan for the next Durbar festival, talk to Activationplus Nigeria.
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