Wukari monarch death: Wife of Wukari horseman say she no go allow her husband enter forest again

Wife of di celebrated horseman of Wukari kingdom wey ride dead bodi of dia late king into forest alone Mrs Mercy Atobe say di kain fear wey she feel no be small and she no go allow am enter di forest again.

Her husband Sallah Atobe on Saturday 15 January, do something extraordinary after e ride alone to final resting place with di corpse of late Aku-Uka (King) of Wukari, Dr. Shekarau Angyu Masa-Ibi wey die for October last year after im spend 45 years on di throne.

Di mother of three wey land for hospital immediately her husband begin im journey into Nando forest tok about how she find herself for hospital as di burial ceremony dey happun.

“Dat day I no fit even comot for house because of how my heart dey beat and di fear, body just dey do me somehow, after I just see myself for hospital I no fit explain how e happun.”

Mrs Mercy say she happy wella as she see her husband and na wetin make her regain her health for hospital when she bin dey.

“Immediately I see am I just well one time because my mind come get dat rest say my husband don return.”

“Now I no go allow am go anywhere again talk more of forest, we go dey together.” She tok as she dey laugh.

She add say e dey sweet her bele how her husband don become hero for dia community and everybody dey hail am.

Lastly she say she get huge respect for di culture and tradition of her pipo and she no go wan make e change or end.

Small history of di Jukun pipo of Wukari

According to dia history, Jukun pipo establish demsef for Wukari as early as di 17th century.

Wukari na one of di southern centres for trading routes wey connect Bauchi, Katsina, Kano and Borno areas for northern Nigeria.

Unlike wetin some dey tok on social media say di horseman since from pikin don know say if King die na im go escort am, prince Prince Jolly Agbu Masa-Ibi say no be true.

“Selection of di horseman dey happun days before di burial rites go happun after consulting di gods.”

“So no be true say na certain family dey do di work and from childhood pesin don know say na im work.”

According to di tradition, di horseman na im go ride di Aku deep into di Nando forest wia e go jam im ancestors.

As pipo dey escort dem from di start many go begin turn back until e reach point wey be say na only di horse man go proceed to take di late monarch to im final resting place.

How di transition ceremony dey happun

So according to Wukari kingdom tradition, “Aku no dey die. E only transit to go jam im ancestors,” dat na wetin Prince Prince Jolly Agbu Masa-Ibi tell BBC News Pidgin.

Regarding di transition rites, preparation dey start from 3 to 7 months according to di prince.

Just as fotos and videos dey circulate on social media, pipo from all over go line up to pay respect to di departing Aku.

Women of power go shave dia head while di men go wait till after dem return from escorting di Aku to shave before dem enter dia houses.