By Muhammad Ibrahim,Sokoto
Kilishi is a popular sun dried beef found in almost all the upper or far northern States of Nigeria and originated from Dange, the present headquarters of Dange Shuni local government area of SOKOTO state, closely followed by Achida – a town in Wurno LGA of SOKOTO state then Bauchi, a state in Middle Belt, Nigeria.
This notwithstanding, it is also believed in some quarters that the idea of using Sun rays or heat to dry Beef for Kilishi started in Bauchi, a state in the present North Eastern Nigeria, many years before Dange and or Achida.
Kilishi the local specially dried beef through the use of sun rays and frier or heat after being sliced as if Onions for cooking delicacies, it then mixed in stew made of branded groundnuts, pepper, crayfish and any seasoning, especially magi-cub.
Abubakar ABDULLAHI, a native of Ruga Fako in Dange Shuni LGA of Sokoto state when accosted said, Kilishi remains the only business he Cherish so much that he is planning how to modernize its system of production in terms of quantity, marketing and distribution net work nationwide.
That, this informed his decision to start exporting the product to as far as Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, Lokoja of Kogi state and Uyo of AKWA Ibom State.
Abubakar ABDULLAHI who, research indicate that he inherited the business from his father, Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammed a.k.a. Dan Maigwandu, about 20 years ago after being coached on the methodology, especially, how to slice the end product for sell, avoiding loss of profit and attracting customers from far and near large towns and cities.
Abubakar’s father who is, though weak but still in the business also inherited it, but from his great grand father more than 60 years ago, when contacted, expressed fulfilment and additionally thank God for making it possible for his son Abubakar to embrace the Kilishi business which indicate that its candles will not go off, but, will continue flourishing.
Least we go out of context, Abubakar ABDULLAHI, the Kilishi production expert, after being trained by his father started his own centre with fund given to him by his father, ABDULLAHI as he stared producing at Kwanawa, a little town in Shuni of Dange Shuni LGA and going to Sokoto metropolis to hawk the product on daily bases.
This, according to available facts and figure attracted many after eating, that most of his customers started placing orders while some prefer going to his production centre in Kwanawa to buy in large quantity.
Kwanawa being a stop over for commercial Trucks that carries goods such as Onions, Tomatoes and grains from Sokoto to Eastern and Western parts of Nigeria after offloading what they brought to Sokoto, such as Palm Oil, Garri and Yam etc, it was very easy for the traders to notice Abubakar Production Centre and within a short time, the Traders including the Truck Drivers started queuing to buy the Kilishi and taking them to their homes spread across all nooks and crannies of the Eastern and Western Nigeria.
Of course, what followed was the materialization of Abubakar Abdullahi long time hearts desire to increase the production, expand the business through Exportation which he did not allow to sleep away as he immediately planned and started Exporting Kilishi to Cross Rivers, AKWA Ibom and Kogi States after entering into agreement with some of the Traders that do take goods to Sokoto and Eastern/Western parts of the country, Nigeria.
Presently, Abubakar Abdullahi Kilishi Depot at Calabar, the capital of Cross Rivers State is being maned by Mallam Aminu and Kabiru Muhammed while Mallam SANUSI handles that of Uyo in AKWA Ibom State and ALIYU SANUSI is taking care of the Angwar Sarkin Norman Natako Junction in Lokoja of Kogi State.
Abubakar Abdullahi did not omit Transportation and Method of Payment for both transporting and channels of cash remittance of all the Money and money’s worth revolving around the Kilishi (Sliced Sun Dried Local Beef,) Business as he contracted the transportation to the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) for N2,500 – Sokoto to Lokoja, Kogi state; N3,500 to Calabar, Cross Rivers state and N3,000 to Uyo, AKWA Ibom State, all paid on arrival to the point of Destination by the Abubakar Abdullahi Depot Manager.
As for the amount involved concerning the Kilishi, Abubakar Abdullahi do despatch Kilishi Worth about N150,000 Daily to Kogi; N250,000 Weekly to Calabar, Cross Rivers State and N200,000 to Uyo of AKWA Ibom State, Twice a month and the Remittance of the selling products are all done through Banks, but, the total quantity had to be cut down by 50% immediately he noticed Pop Ups of some people in those areas and even planned to stop the Export Business but was advised to continue for the fact that his product remains the best, considering its Originality and Expertise Tourch.
It will be of interest to note that Abubakar Abdullahi only attended Islamiya school, Gidan Giye Primary School, Shuni Ward and Army Day Secondary School, Kwanawa from where he dropped out after some years and decided to face the Kilishi Business Head long till this Day.
Abubakar Abdullahi, according to him, never enjoyed anything from the Dange Shuni Local Government Council even as they do use the local Media to make people believe that schooling is free which has never been true right from Uniform through Exercise Books to Transport Fare to and from Schools and this made most to drop out out of places Western Education.
Abubakar Abdullahi currently is planning to marry 3rd wife even as he has two already with 5 Children, 3 Boys and 2 Girls having married the first wife at the age of 25 years and 28 years when he married the 2nd wife even as the 3rd wife will be possibly this year 2018, according to him, this, he said will prove that he is making it/doing well in the Kilishi Business happily with passion hence his call for others to drop all about idleness caused by Government through its always faulty policies, programs and ineptitudes services of the Ministries, Paramilitaries (customs, immigration, agriculture/health employment, social and economic) Agencies of Government.
As for the sad period of his life which was when he dropped out of School although it did not last long because his father, Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammed a.k.a. Abdullahi Dan MAIGWANDU quickly turned up to erase the sadness by giving him large quantity of Kilishi to go and sell at Kotangora, now in Niger state where he use to stay up to one month before going back to Sokoto for more and what gladdened his mind was that after all the training huddles given to him by his father, he was surprised when unknown to him, his father has calculated all the profit he has been making during the training exercise, took him to a place known today as and called “Gidan Kilishi Dan MAIGWANDU, Kwanawa, his current Kilishi Business Centre, handed the large structure space to him with the cash profit and then said, ” Ga Wurin Nka, Data Yau” which is being interpreted in English to mean “This Place Is Yours Including This Cash, From Today”.
He was dumbfounded while looking at the large shade, the huge amount of cash in his pocket and what came out of his mouth there and then was “Daddy, I Will For Ever Remain Indebted To You, Even As You Are My Dad, Am Great full, Thank You.
