Drum Magazine social history photographs, Nigeria edition 24

Culture – The North's Great Durbar. The Beating Of War Drums by special mallams during durbar. From all parts of the North they came. The bold cavalry-men on their fiery steeds, their swords and spears glistening in the sun. The women from the Zaria Province, tall and erect in their colourful robes. The men dancers, bursting with smiles and vitality. Such a day had not been before, the day a durbar was held to celebrate self-government in the Northern Region of Nigeria. It was enormous, vast, diverse, majestic. Taking part were over 10 000 men and women, 3000 horses. Dancing and singing crowds came from all thirteen provinces of the Northern Region.