Potiskum is not Fika

Oral and Documented Testimony of the Ngizim Community 

By F. Leku
Residents Researcher and Writer
The Typewriter Network

The Nigerian Human Rights Commission held a session in Abuja on 4th November 2020 relating to the colonial era. Members of the Potiskum Emirate Council have long been fighting over suppression within Potiskum and are seeking custodianship of the towns old prison established in 1912. This was built by the colonial regime using their grandparents as the workforces. While still, the community income was extracted in surcharged taxes and incomes sometimes taken in silver from the markets and local products from farmlands the community produced.

Potiskum Old Prison: Establised in 1912

The current Governor of Yobe State has in lieu sought The National Commission for Museum and Monument to look into the case in regards to the Potiskum community appealing for indefinite custody of the old prison and site against Fika Emirate. Due to this factor we therefore, look closely at some of the impacts of colonialism meted to the people of Potiskum (Pataskum) in the turn of 1915 and why the Potiskum Emirate is appealing for this community monument as an access point to educate people, about the importance of learning and looking after their heritage. 

For the sake of clarity, as things stand today, Potiskum town is divided into almost two equal halves- Pataskum Emirate occupying the eastern half and Fika Emirate occupying the western half in which the old prison facility and two other cultural Ngizim are located. Fika still uses Potiskum as a headquarters imposed by repression during the colonial regime; a classic bicultural interplay of the colonialists to use alien communities into another to achieve their aims. The settlement of Fika Headquarter position in Potiskum was however reversed, thereby Fika council location within Potiskum is temporary. Given both towns' geolocation by travelling distance from Potiskum to Fika is approximately 50min drive via google map.

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