WUSASA: Oasis of Peace in Northern Nigeria.
Oldest Church in Norther Nigeria, established since 1899 in Wusasa, Zaria
Madiba Ibrahim Lapinni
The established perceptions and narratives, within and outside the nation, on the northern Nigeria, is that the region is peculiar with ethno-religious violence, poverty and the ubiquitous out-of school children.
This may not be far from the truth. Since late seventies, till date, with little abatement, northern Nigeria has continue witness one form of violence or the other, leading to deaths of thousand innocent souls, destruction of properties worth billions of dollars and the displacement of thousands from their ancestral home. The region still remain relatively poor and educationally disadvantaged, when compared with the other regions of the country.
Wusasa,is a town, just outside the major city of Zaria in Kaduna state, northern Nigeria. Wusasa is one of the unique colonial-inspired settlement, that has continue to elicit deeper attentions from scholars and researchers all over the world, because of the relative peace which it has enjoyed and continued to enjoy, in spite of the fact that the small community is surrounded, largely by Muslim communities, reminiscence of Israel and Palestine-and its proclivity for violence, by externalizing forces and influences. Thus, past ethno religious conflicts in some part of Kaduna state, has a way of spreading to Wusasa, before containment.
Aside, some churches, like the Evangelical Church of West Africa, ECWA, Wusasa, Zaria; had been subject of coordinated attacks from the Boko Haram insurgency in the past, yet the churches are marching on gallantly and gloriously.
The uniqueness of Wusasa lies in the fact that, there had been reassuring harmonious coexistence between Christians and Muslims, despite past conflicts, of which the community was insulated from. It has become a reference point in interfaith harmony and a clear demonstration of community’s resilience against indoctrination, religious intolerance and extremism.
Aside been an oasis of peace, it is also the incubator of the first generation post independence northern leadership;The first Northern Nigerian medical doctor, Barau Russell. Dikko, was trained in Wusasa. Veteran journalists, late James Audu, iconic musicians late Bala Miller are from Wusasa
The erudite educationist, the Late Professor Ishaya Audu, and Professor Adamu Baiki, had their root at Wusasa. So also Mrs Rhoda Mohammed, the first woman Nigeria’s ambassador to United Nations, General Yakubu Gowon, former head of state and quite a number of other prominent Nigerians have their roots at Wusasa.
Christianity came to Nigeria in the seventeen century, but to Zaria in 1899, when some British Christian missionaries came to the Hausaland of Nigeria to root the faith; they found Wusasa suitable and therefore settled there. The group of five; Bishop Jugwell, the leader, Dr. Miller, Mr. Burgin, Rev. Dudley Rider and Rev. Richardson.
Wusasa area, was initially known as Wusa-Wusa. When Dr. Miller had visited many places, he was attracted by the Wusa-Wusa rock. He was said to have met some Wusa-Wusa indigenous hunters who took him round the land. After Dr. Miller had found the area suitable for his activities, since he couldn’t pronounce the name Wusa-Wusa,it was changed the name to his convenience, which is Wusasa.
Prior to their coming and eventual settlement in Nigeria, they had learnt Hausa language from itinerant Nigerian Hausa pilgrims, at Libyan capital, Tripoli, who do make stop over their caravan journey to Mecca.
In 1902, the emir of Zazzau Aliyu Kwasau allowed the missionaries to settle in Zaria city. However, the proselytizing activities of the colonial missionaries in the ancient city of Zaria forced the Emir of Zaria to request them to move outside the city’s ancient walls. The missionaries had already built a school and a hospital in the city. Dr. Miller’s school was becoming popular with each passing day.
The missionaries built a Church, hospital and school in 1929. The Church built then is still standing, though with little modernization..
Today, some parts of St. Luke’s Anglican Hospital, the second prominent hospital in Zaria after the Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital, ABUTH, are still maintaining their original shape as built in 1929 by the missionaries. The first clay building of the hospital, which consists of three rooms, had however collapsed. The hospital management had continued to retain the relics of the building despite the various expansion and development which took place in the hospital.
The missionaries were given the liberty to select any place of their choice for the continuation of their activities. He assigned two locations to them within the city; one was at Durumin Mai-Garke – Babban Dodo – and the other at Kofar Kuyanbana. Dr. Miller, who was given the liberty to choose a new settlement, opted for the present Wusasa and the Emir did not hesitate to give him the land to use on loan for 60 years.The need for space for the expansion of the Miller’s school was another reason which forced the movement.
Dr. Miller became the ordained reverend Minister of the Church, as well as the head of the missionaries team. He was ordained in 1922. Dr Miller in conjunction with J.T Umar and P.A Yusufu translated the Holy Bible to Hausa for the benefit of their evangelism of Hausa land and the Zaria area in particular.
The civilizing impacts of exposure to Christian scriptures, help to moderate the lifestyle and ideology of the Christians in Wusasa-and no doubt the level of harmonious coexistence, presently exhibited by the inhabitants of the community.
It is a community where you possibly find Muslims and Christians living together as brothers and sisters, in the same household without discrimination or resort to violent conflicts. This is peculiar to the Yoruba speaking south west Nigeria, and a big lesson to emulate by most warring communities in Nigeria. It is indeed an oasis of peace in the northern Nigeria.
In a situation where ethno religious conflicts of the past had polarized and divided the town along ethnic and religious line, this cannot be said of Wusasa, where the two major religions remained closely knitted, through evidenced interfaith marriages, and mutual or joint celebrations of festivities like Easter, Christmas or Sallah.
During the last post-elections riots that broke out in Kaduna state, both Muslims and Christians formed a strong force of youths and we stationed them at all the entries to Wusasa to prevent any mercenaries from entering our town to cause havoc.
The original people, apart from the indigenes, who settled here along with the missionaries, were Hausa-Fulani. Some of them, who resisted conversion, remain a Muslim. Thus, any Christian there that is not Hausa-Fulani in Wusasa, came from outside to settle there.
Wusasa has become an oasis of peace, where we have culturally different people living harmoniously together as brothers and sisters, especially when impunity, inequality, conflicts and partisan politics are the other of the day in some art of the day.
