Title: Mal. Surname: Alfa
Other Name: Alhaji Muhammed
Subject Taught: Chemistry, Mathematics and Computer Science
Class: SS1 and JSS 1
Describe Yourself briefly: Born at Rokota on 1st February, 1980. Attended my Primary 1 and 2 at Garrison Primary School; presently known as Umaru Audi Memorial Primary School Tunga, Minna. I then proceeded to L.E.A. Rokota Primary School for the completion and obtained my Primary Leaving Certificate in 1991. Bosso Secondary School Minna, as from 1992 to 1997. Niger State College of Education Minna (1999 to 2002), were I read Biology/Chemistry and obtained National Certificate in Education (NCE). As a Classroom teacher since 2003 at Government Secondary School Minna, Niger State, Nigeria, Iam presently on course reading B.Tech. Chemistry/Education at Federal University of Technology Minna.
I'm an easygoing person. I don't like to make plans just like to go with the flow. I'm honest to whom ever I get along with and I am also tolerance; I like giving advice to people. I'm a good listener. I also like spending time with close friends just hanging out. I'm an out going friendly person if you are on my good side that’s.... if you are real, I’m a fun and happy person who loves to have a laugh and even get up to a little mischief.
Teaching Experience: I have been teaching chemistry, Mathematics and Computer Science since 2003 to date, Also as a Class and House Master, the School Website Administrator, Head of Computer Department and also in 2010, I became the School Examination Officer.
Interests and activities: To work in a challenging environment, interacting globally and contribute to the knowledge of society by producing African Educational Content for use by fellow learners world wide.
Additional professional activities:
* Presently undergoing a web site design project for the Nupe Kingdom where everyone can explore the rich-social and cultural heritage of Nupe peoples of Nigeria, “The Nupe Kingdom Website”
* Intel Teach Program Getting Started Course (Master Teacher Certificate) July, 2007.
* Intel Teach Program Skills for Success Course(Teacher training Certificate) October, 2006.
* IEARN Master Teacher Certificate in ‘Our Science, Environment, Math Online Course. From 13th February -16tth April 2006.
* Mtandao Afrika. Basic ICT Skills Course & Web Design for Teachers (A SchoolNet Program) from 11th - 15th May, 2006.
* IEARN Nigeria Teacher’s Workshop Abuja, Nigeria. (A SchoolNet Program) from 9th – 10th March 2006.
* Global Teenager Project on "Basic ICT Skills Programmatic & Web Design Training Programme for Teachers" (A SchoolNet Program) from 6th - 9th June, 2005.
What motivates you? I am motivated by the fact that teaching is a noble profession which is only meant for people with skilled knowledge and commitment. Also being a teacher you are always popular because teacher impact knowledge to the young ones which I feel is a pride to the Teacher.
HISTORY BACKGROUND OF ROKOTA COMMUNITY
Rokota community came to being during the reign of Etsu Masaba the ruler of Nupe Kingdom in 1858, it derived its name from a big tree called “ROKO” (Iroko tree). The initial settlers were Idrisu Sonmasun and Nmadu Tsadu who migrated from a community called YETI – TSARA in lavun local government area of Niger State. The community members are easily identified by the marks on their faces. As a District Ward, the community can be accessed from Enagi headquarter of Edati local government through Dikko, Emigi, Ndayaman and Kansanagi, geographically it is located to the west of Enagi. Nearby villages are Ntacingi, Dantigi, Ndacelegbo, Gondagi, Kansanagi and Ndayaman villages. The community covers about 30 squares kilometer, with population of approximately 3,000 which comprised of 1650 female and male about 1350. The population consists of predominantly Nupe (over 99%) and few minor trading settlers of Hausa and Yoruba extraction’s the members of the community are guided by Islamic injunctions, Islam being the only religion practiced.
The major occupation of the community is farming, palm and shear nut processing into oil and black soap. Through communal effort a health clinic, primary school and teacher’s accommodation were built; this was done through community levying, contributions and donations.
THE VILLAGE HEADS OF ROKOTA COMMUNITY
His Highness Late Alhaji Muhammadu Dagaci Rokota became the first Etsu Yankpa (Village Head) of Rokota community after the then Etsu Yankpa who was residing in Gwale was deposed by the then Etsu Nupe, His Royal Highness Late Alhaji Usman Sarki in 1964. Alhaji Muhammadu Dagaci Rokota remained the most pious Village Head that ever ruled Rokota community because he was a steadfast and up right ruler. He never did anything without knowing its Islamic injunction. Under Etsu Muhammadu, Rokota became the centre of Islamic research. The Islamic law and its norms and value were all respected and people from different nearby villages, towns and cities where trooping into Rokota in search of Islamic knowledge and one of such great Islamic scholars is Alhaji Umaru Eggan. He died in 1983 after ruling for twenty years.
His Highness Late Alhaji Ahmadu Shehu Muhammadu Dagaci becomes new Etsu Yankpa (Village Head) in 1983 after Muhammadu Dagaci’s death. He was a devoted Muslim and he too helped to extend the boundaries of Rokota community. He died in 1990 after ruling for eight years and was succeeded by Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad Dagaci.
His Highness Late Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammadu Dagaci becomes the first Etsu Yankpa (Village Head) in Rokota community to acquire western education. His dynamic reign has witnessed unprecedented development in the history of the Rokota community. Not only have prominent sons and daughters of Rokota attained local and national laurels, the entire community has experienced more development than in any other decade in the past. Hence, his appointment as Etsu-Yankpa was a blessing to the traditional institution in Edati local government. Undoubtedly, his distinguished services in different local committees in the last decades have attested to this assertion. He died on the 4th April, 2006 and succeeded by Alhaji Adamu Muhammadu Dagaci.
Alhaji Adamu Muhammadu Dagaci became the 4th Etsu Yankpa (Village Head) on May, 2006 to date after the death of his predecessor, Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammadu Dagaci. It is worth every sacrifice in celebrating this illustrious and eminent personality of Rokota community. His Highness is a man of appreciable humility, kindness and godliness.
SOCIO – ECONOMIC PROFILE
The major occupation of the members of Rokota community is largely farming, the women engaged in palm and shear nut processing into oil and processing of ash into black soap. There exist different groups in the community these groups include:
i. Enan watu lo – Association that discourage idleness.
ii. Enan gaiya – This association encourages communal effort.
iii. Enan misugun – Association that preaches cooperation and peaceful co-existence among members of the community.
iv. Enan yoro – Association of self help projects.
v. Enan egbe – Association that gives humanitarian assistance to members of the community.
vi. Enan migo Soko – Association that comes up with good decisions and suggestions for the growth and development of the community.
The service rendering institutions in the community are primary school, health clinic and the cooperative societies. The community comprised of approximately 150 house hold with an average family size of about 20 people. The population of the female members higher with ages between 15 to 40 years dominating. The income earned in the community comes from the sale of agricultural produce; other sources are activities of women in processing of forest fruits as well as other petty trading and income from the few engaged in service rendering institution in the community.
The decision making processes lies largely with the Etsu Yankpa (Village Head) and community elders, sometimes input of the youths are infused. While other groups, the youth, women are followers of this decisions, brought forward. However, the Etsu Yankpa do not pass judgement on any matter without due consultation with the elders. The system of family practiced in the community is extended and the marriage type is polygamous. The level of education of the members of the community is estimated at 45% literate as against 65% illiterates, with few female members educated. The building structure in the community is made of mud and block and roof made of zinc.
There exist a single earth road that links the community with other villages and the outside world. The people of the community relied on spring (edan), rainwater, borehole, and as well as their sources of water. The chief energy source is solar energy which is used for drying both agricultural produce and other domestic activities, fuel wood for cooking and kerosene for lighting.
CELEBRATION OF SALLAH FESTIVALS IN ROKOTA COMMUNITY (NKO)
There are two kinds of Sallah festival celebrated in the land, in accordance with Islamic rites. They are the Eid-Fitr and Eid-Kabir Sallah festivals. The Eid-Fitr other wise known as Sallah gi, that is ‘Small Sallah’, is normally observed to mark the end of Ramadan, which is a month-long Muslim Fasting period.
On the other hand, the Eid-Kabir, Sallah ko, meaning the ‘big Sallah’, comes up on the 10th day, Dhul-Hijja ( the 12th) month of the Islamic calendar, also the month of Muslim Pilgrimage to the Holy land of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Muslim the world over commemorate this occasion of the sacrificial lamb slaughtered by Prophet Abraham (A.S.), as contained in their Holy Book the Qur’an, by sacrificing rams. Significantly, the Etsu Yankpa’s ram is slaughtered in the presence of all his people at the Eid prayer ground.
In Nupeland, each of the two Sallah festivals is celebrated for five days. On the first day, the people converge at the Eid prayer ground situated on the outskirts of the town to perform a two raka’at ( circle) prayer to God. After this, they return home to have their special Sallah meal with their friends, in the case of a ‘small Sallah’ festival. But if it is ‘big Sallah’ they come back to slaughter, skin and share the meat of their animals, as they are enjoined to do so by their religion.
The feast of nobility, nko, is another central part of Sallah celebration in Rokota.
The word nko signifies a gathering of any sort, but in Nupeland, it is specifically used to refer to the meeting of the nobility, especially during the traditional Sallah festivals. The meetings are usually held inside the compound of the nobles, beginning from the royal father (Etsu Yankpa) himself down to the lowest traditional title holder on the rung.
On the day of Etsu Yankpa’s nko, the people are dressed in beautifully traditional attires. This in fact is the most remarkable and colourful part of the whole festival. The people in the land (both noble and common) begin to arrive at the palace, the venue of the gathering, as early as 9:00am. The nobles come in order of hierarchy, starting from the lowest to the highest rank in the land.
Now, once all the nobles in the land have gathered and are seated in the palace for the feast of nobility, it is then time for his His Highness, the Etsu Yankpa himself to grace the occasion and as he emerges from the inner chamber of his palace and steps into his expansive living room to meet his people, all rise as a sign of respect for him and bow down with their two palms on the floor to pay him homage. "Za’aki," they chorus and this expression means the lion of all men, his highness, as the case may be.
The ruler's response to their greetings is always the customary waving of a white hand. He is escorted to his seat, which of course is the only chair reserved in the building, by his retinue of palace lords, his guards (the Tsowa) and most especially, his royal bards, praise singers, flutes and drummers, who worked themselves up to a frenzy as they strive to play all sorts of tunes on their musical instruments to eulogies the feats performed by the Etsu Yankpa's ancestors, the previous rulers of the town.Once the Etsu Yankpa is seated, the nobles begin to raise one after the other to once more pay him homage. This is done by them, as usual, by order of their importance as has been enumerated. Having greeted the King, prayers are offered by the Chief Imam before the ruler makes his speech. In his address, he first pays glowing tribute to Almighty Allah for sparing their lives to witness yet another Sallah festival, Praying to God that He also allows them more and more in future. As a typical Nupe man will put it, "in thousands and thousands of years to come".
After this, the Etsu Yankpa now seizes the opportunity to find out from the Sokyara’s of the localities in his domain if their is any matter needing his attention. If any, it is promptly addressed; otherwise he proceeds to enlighten the general public and to comment on the ongoing policies of the government, particularly those that really concern the village. Before concluding the address, he also advices the people to always obey the constitutional authorities, steer clear of vices and live in harmony with one another.
In the meantime, the refreshments, praise singing, dancing and music suspended before the commencement of the prayers and the ruler's speech, resume in earnest. The Etsu Yankpa personally order for kola nuts to be distributed to his lords and later in the afternoon, bowls of food cooked by the women in the harem are brought out to be shared among those in attendance at the feast.
Throughout the period of Sallah, the people of Rokota are seen to be in a festive mood, putting on their best and newest clothes and their is the exchange of goodwill and social visits among friends, relatives and well-wishers until the end of the festival on the fifth day, which is the day for the Nko.
INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (CURRENT AND EXISTING STATUS)
Primary School
A Block of three classes was built by the community and the other by the local government. The school is functional with teachers and few learning materials.
In 2009, with the help of Local Empowerment and Environmental Management Project (LEEMP) constructed a block of two (2) classrooms equipped with furniture’s and a VIP latrine.
Health Clinic
This is established though communal effort, although functional and has a trained personnel attached to it from primary health care department of Edati Local Government, but has inadequate supply of drugs and other health facilities not until 2009 with help of Local Empowerment and Environmental Management Project (LEEMP) that renovated, provide the equipments and drugs for the existing Health Clinic.
Bore hole
This is provided to the community by the government but other three (3) Bore holes were recently drilled by LEEMP to carter for the seasonal water scarcity experienced in the community.
Road
There exist an earth road from the community through Dikko, Emigi, Ndayama and Kasanagi. It is the only reliable road that links the community to the outside world. The road is not easily motor able particularly during rainy season, there is poor provisions for culverts and water run ways.
COMMUNITY NATURAL RESOURCES
The community is endowed with the following list of natural resources.
i. Arable land
ii. Economic trees like Palm kernel, Shear butter, Mangoes, Locust beans, Forest animals, Shrubs, Herbs, Goats, Food crops, Share nut trees, e.t.c.
iii. Clay and Sand deposits
iv. Spring and stream
Changes in the natural resources over time include decrease in soil fertility due to excessive tillage, decrease in forest areas due to population expansion and fuel wood, erosion caused by deforestation and farming. Decrease in number of livestock as a result of disease and exposure of soil due to excavation. Men in the community use the arable land for farming, the forest for hunting and the trees for carving where else the women use the forest as their source of fuel wood, the wood are burnt into ashes by women for the processing of black soap. The locust beans processed to condiment. The spring and stream are useful to both men and women in the community. The soil and stone are used by the men for road maintenance and erosion control.
The current threat to these natural resources ranges from deforestation, overgrazing by livestock’s, insect and pest attack, excavation of soil for block making, pollution of stream by excreting into the forest, reduction in the soil fertility. The check these threats a number of mitigation measures put forth by the community are; stones used for road refilling and erosion control. Fertilizer and manure application to replenish the loss soil fertility.
LIVELIHOOD PATTERN
The predominant occupation of this community is farming; other minor occupations are palm kernel and shear nut processing into oil, petty trading, and trading in agricultural produce. On average, the head of a family or a farmer in this community has the potential of earning worth the cost 22 bags of grains where as a woman, on average in this community has the potential of processing worth the cost 30 – 50 liters of palm oil, shear buster oil per week. In a whole the farming which is the major occupation in the community has the income earning potential of producing grains worth the cost of 65,800 bags of grains.
The income earned through these various occupations are spent on health related problems, ceremonies, school fees for the children and general house hold activities including manufactured goods. Threat to livelihood in this community includes sickness like tuberculosis, high body temperature, backache during rainy season, insects, pest attack on farm products, e.t.c.
(PROFILE OF ROKOTA COMMUNITY)
1841 Initial settlement at Yeti
Movement to present community site
1859 Rokota community Established
1872 Rokota Mosque built
1926 Locust Invention
1935 Serious Fire outbreak claiming the entire houses and farmland
1962 Primary School built
1976 Health Clinic built by the community
2005 Modern Mosque built
2010 Market commissioned
Compiled By;
Alfa Alhaji Mohammed Rokota, (BTECHEDU)
Government Secondary School (A),
P. M. B. 32,
Minna.
Niger State ~ Nigeria.
GSM:- +2348065810550 OR +2348022407655
