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BY AYUBA BIKO & REY MOSES BIKO

THE CHRONICLE OF ABUCHI VILLAGE The village has a very long history. Present Suleja came and met the village already in existence with all it takes for self governance (administratively) chieftaincy system was there, Barde, Sarkin Noma etc were there. While ward-ward was in existence. GEOGRAPHY:- Formally the entire Abuchi was located on hills. Those hills bears the village ward names such as Buyi-pe, Yape-pe, Gnape-pe, Apugye-pe, Gbege-pe, Shezoko-pe, Ka-pe, Zhibodu-pe etc. Abuchi is a land of hills and huge outer cropping granite rocks of rivers and gorges and countless small streams of forest and of opu bush. The land is exceedingly fertile and healthy. The rivers that nursed crops and animals are river Ekpa and rushes from hills of Kpebwa (Kwamba) in between Nubum-hills. The hills which the old Abuchi was located, has a river which sprang from its hill and floored down to farm lands known as Buyidna. Abuchi is situated west of Suleja, Niger State through Suleja-Abuchi Izom road. ORIGIN OF ABUCHI: The records shows that Gbagyi people came from East. It is traceable from Egypt to Libya to Chad and Nigeria through the North East of Borno. People of Abuchi just like any other Gbagyi (Gwari) came from East. According to Alhaji Hassan and Mallam Shuaibu Naibi in the Book title chronicle of Abuja which they translated and arrange from Hausa written by Frank Heath stated clearly that Muhamman Makau the king of Zazzau came to Zuba in 1804 and met the original inhabitant already there. Such villages amongs them was Buyi which later was misinterpreted as Abuchi by Hausa man. Therefore Abuchi is dated by beyond 17th century. NAME: The name of the village is Buyi; Gbagyi language meaning white slay and white stones. Most of these precious stones were found in Abuchi (That is where it derived her name. But later Hausa changed it to Abuchi. POPULATION: Present Abuchi is population of about 25,000 people. Among these half of the people are in F.C.T. (Gwagwalada Area Council) while those in Niger occupy two local government areas, Suleja and Gurara. TRIBES: The major tribe is Gbagyi, other minorities are Koro and Fulani. OCCUPATION: All the people are farmers. It is in the records that “Gwari of Abuchi planted rice. Abuchi people used to feed Suleja Emirate with rice. As Frank Heath in his book Chronicle of Abuja narrated by Hassan and Shuabu Naibi stated that “While yams were first grown at Diko and Basan Zuba, and rice by the Gwari of Abuchi. CRAFTS AND INDUSTRY: Abuchi planted grass called Ezhi (Iwa) to make strays, sieves and cages for fowls, Abuchi people are well known in pot production. Most of their women produce pot for sale in Suleja market. Pottery was very big business for Abuchi women. Even up to now pottery makers are still doing it. In fact Suleja pottery training centre used to get their raw materials from Abuchi known as Abuchi grey clay. Abuchi men engages in cage making, Tobacco pipes, baskets, mortars, pestles, mats and local chairs but it is only on dry seasons. Crafts is not allowed during rainy seasons, the chief forces his subjects to go to farm. Suleja people do invite them to build and construct grain stores for them (Silos) also to roof their houses. Games and hunting is done by mostly youth. AGRICULTURE: People of Abuchi are predominantly farmers except their women. It’s a taboo for women to own farm. All their women are full time house wives. Is a shameful thing for a woman to feed herself while in her husband house. This discouraged divorce not to re-married. MILITARY: Abuchi are warriors there has never been a record where their neighbours ever defeated them in communal or tribal war. Like of people of Zuba and Ijah etc. RELIGION: In the past there was no single Christian and Muslim. All our parents were all idol worshippers. Gradually around 1940’S the light of Islam started shining, also Christians Evangelists started their visitations with the gospel. The two major religions have their seats in the land, happily living together without conflicts. There is an inter-marriage among Muslims and Christians in Abuchi village. Freedom of religion is allowed. TRADITION: There are special ways of doing things in this land. Marriage are not allowed in the same family, Nuclear or Extended. A groom must performed all marriage rites. BURIAL: is done in an organized way i.e. only special people are selected to bath and burial the deceased persons. THE LAND OF ABUCHI: The land is divided ward by ward (Anguwa) with ward head. All of the ward has their head. While Chief of Abuchi known as Village Head Abuchi has 3 prominent chiefs. The strongest and popular one is Sa-Gbagyi, followed by Sapoyi, and Fulani chief known as Ogosu. According to their tribes. Sa Gbagyi is in charge of almost all the wards (anguwas) prominent among the wards are Yape, Gnape, Gora Gbege Zhigbodo and Apugye. Gnape is headed by Galadima (Gaduma) Gnape is ahead by Sarkin Sabo, Gora (Godo) is headed by Madaki (Machi) Gbege is headed by Sarkin Yamma Zhigbodo is headed by Sa-Zhigbodoyi Apugye is headed by Galadima Pugye Sarkin Fulani is under Sa Gbagyi because of their nomadic life no permanent station for them. Abuchi Koro they are on their village known as Gallu in Gbagyi language while they (Koro) called it Buchi. ABUCHI GWARI OF NIGER STATE: The entire land is divided into two, one in F.C.T. while other one is in Niger state. This chronicle is limited to that of Niger state. The first Sa Gbagyi to be installed was Kaura Bako known as Bitrus Kaura Bako when he was converted to Christianity; later the name was changed to Alhaji Musa Kaura Bako when he later changed and converted to Muslim willingly. His installation was done by Sarkin Zazzau Suleja late Alhaji Ibrahim Dodo Musa in 1984 to 2015 the second person on the throne today is Ayuba Sarki his biological son was installed by the Emir of Suleja, Alhaji Mallam Awal Ibrahim in 2015 on 5/2/2015. MARKET: The main market in those days was Suleja Market, mainly on Sundays, while Wednesday was a little partial market. Abuchi community market day is Mondays. Now there are several markets around them such as Izom, Lambata etc. SOCIAL MAENITIES: Almost all the social amenities are the work of individual as the only social amenity is the Primary School that was established between 1960 and 1961.