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Kanta Museum
Fish and fishermen aren’t the only attractions in Argungu, Kebbi State, north-west Nigeria. Most visitors to the town spend time watching the wonderful water sports and other contests of the fishing festival without getting to explore the less well promoted attraction — the Kanta museum.
The bungalow housing the museum is a stunning monument at first sight. You get to it and you just halt in your tracks. All red mud on the outside, it outshines the neighbouring households, which come in very dim brown. Then the substantial free ground in front of it adds to the overall charm.
Named after the founder of Kebbi kingdom, Muhamadu Kanta, who ruled for 46 years (1515–1561), the structure was erected very early in the 19th century for succeeding Sarki (kings) by Yakubu Nabame, the first Emir (1831–1836) to live in Argungu.
Twice, I tried to get inside, and twice, someone at the entrance politely turned me back. “Try again in the evening,” he suggested. I learnt President Obasanjo would be paying a courtesy visit and so the coast had to be clear. Moments after the president’s convoy sped off I was back there, and calmly talked my way in (visitors pay a token to view the artefacts).
One thing to know about Argungu (50 km north-west from Birnin Kebbi, capital of Kebbi State) is that the architecture is mostly in clay — perhaps a good thing for the…
