GWADECA (Nasarawa state chapter) – Holds Convention!

Nasarawa, been a major state with the highest number of Gwandara towns and villages was founded in about 1838 in the Afo (Afao) tribal territory by Umaru, a dissident official from the nearby town of Keffi, as the seat of the new emirate of Nasarawa. In 1976 Nasarawa became part of Plateau state; in 1996, it became part of Nasarawa state. Nasarawa chiefdom is indeed the home town of the major Gwandara villages/towns in Nigeria. The Gwadeca – Nasarawa chapter which was previously head by: Musa Dangana – Giza and other concerned Gwandara sons and daughters within the state holding the ups and downs and as well as the affairs of Gwandara sons and daughters, held a convention today dated December 12th, 2020 at Kwandere – Nasarawa state (the outskirt of Lafia, capital of Nasarawa State) under the care (host) of Sangarin Kwandere (paramount ruler), Alhaji Ahmadu Al-Makura, to ensure more effectiveness in serving the Gwandara nation – Nasarawa chapter.


Gwandara been a West Chadic language, according to Wikipedia and the closest relative of Hausa, spoken in Northern Nigeria, predominantly in the north central region of Nigeria, found in largely in resettlement towns and villages of Nasarawa State; below are the newly GWADECA Excos – Nasarawa state chapter:

Elder’s Forum:

  • Dr. John W. Mamman Dari – Chairman
  • Alh. Mohammed Musa Danazimi Daddare – Deputy Chairman
  • Hon. Jamilu Galadima Kwandare – Secretary General and other Gwandara sons and daughters across Nasarawa state.

Women’s Wing:

  • Hajiya Habiba Ibrahim Ara – Chairperson
  • Hajiya Hauwa Mohammed Bawa Daddare – Deputy Chairperson and other Gwandara sons and daughters across Nasarawa state.

Youth’s Wing:

  • Dr Umar Nuhu Giza – Chairman
  • Bilyaminu Yusuf Ara – Deputy Chairman and other Gwandara sons and daughters across Nasarawa state.

In view of the above and with reference to my earlier post or articles, the Gwandara society is a proper society that everything is anchored and confirmed to their belief and customs as well as their tradition. However, the universal and the relative nature of culture constitute a problem for some people toward a deeper understanding of it. It is a known fact within a culture, certain people act and behave abnormally as well engage in counter-cultural activities that oppose the dominant culture, therefore across Gwandara culture, there are few cases as compare to other culture within Nigeria society which issues of cultural relativism and individual experiences of culture shock and the feeling of ethnocentrism are noticed. This has not betrayed the Gwandara cultural entity in anyway, because it is human that individuals are not static or confined to their own culture as they move around from one cultural environment to another in explanation of culture with symbols, value and norms. With the strong believe that the understanding of culture among our people is not far from our authentic ancestral heritage.


Note: that GWADECA is an acronym for: Gwandara Development, Educational & Cultural Association – owns by the Gwandara speaking people of Nigeria. The GWADECA National body is chaired by Hon. Tanko Abari (National Chairman) and other concerned Gwandara sons and daughters with the primary aim of adding values to culture, education and as well as to seek for developmental strides. The Gwandara speaking people of Nigeria migrated at about 1365 from Kano state, Nigeria to escaped religious persecutions and later settled in their today’s various locations.


Reference: Hamza Muhammad-Sani | Edited by: Musa Muhammed-Mustapha.