August 2010

After several years during which I have been busy with other things and various changes have taken place on the server, sometimes unfavorably impacting the site, I am beginning a general repair. Please bear with me during this tedious process.

November 2007

We have received a message from Éva Faragó, a geologist working for the Borno State Rural Water Supply Agency, which provides useful information for visitors.

The tarred road passes Mefir Suku and leads to Rugudum, where one can stay at the newly built "Sukur Tourist Haven" in one of the five chalets. A chalet is a double room with bathroom (shower) and TV. Water from a borehole and AC electricity from a generator is available. There is no restaurant; however a cook can be mobilized from Madagali when previously ordered. The chalets are in different price categories costing between N3000 and 5000 a night.

The chalets are situated at the foot of the paved way leading up the mountain. From the chalets, it is a distance of about 4 km and an elevation gain of about 400 m to climb to the Chief's house on the hilltop. It is recommended to start climbing early in the morning. Good shoes are recommended.

Reservation: by Alhaji Saleh Kinjir (owner), Yola, +234-(0)8036080099 or +234-(0)8053274432

Mobile phone coverage: In Rugudum, Celtel has a low coverage.

We welcome such information. Nic David wishes also to apologize to the person who sent him an interesting email about a visit to Sukur -- one which sadly ended unhappily when he was robbed when on the main road on the way home. Unfortunately I deleted the message by mistake and could not retrieve it.

August 2006

Also on the Authors page, we have added a link to ND's by now somewhat dated PowerPoint presentation on "African development: the view from the grassroots" presented at the 2002 G8 Pre-Summit conference: Sustaining Global Growth: Prosperity, Security and Development Challenges for the Kananaskis G8. http://www.g7.utoronto.ca/conferences/2002/calgary/program.html

December 2005

We have added a link on the Authors page to our proposal for an International Peace Park extending on both sides of the Nigeria-Cameroon border and extending from Sukur and Rhoumsiki in the south to the northern tip of the western Mandara mountains.

June 2005

A .pdf version of Anthony Kirk-Greene's (1960) seminal paper "The kingdom of Sukur - a Northern Nigerian Ichabod" has been added to the Library page by kind permission of the author and the editorial board of the Nigerian Field.

May 2005

The archive of Sukur images previously promised has been initiated by the presentation of David C. Woolman's photographs and account of his visit to Sukur in late 1966.

November 2004

A substantial new page has been added describing the institution of title holding in Mandara montagnard societies and its expression at Sukur. This is supplemented by another more analytical page on the origins of titles, how title holders are appointed at Sukur and the benefits that accrue to them.These pages constitute some of the material required for a study of Sukur politics present, and more especially, past.

June and July 2004

We were in the field during this period in Cameroon but were able to visit Sukur and will, when time allows, be reporting on that trip. Following on the World Heritage citation, there have been developments that are both consistent with the nature of the site and that benefit the Sukur. I doubt I will be able to do much more before November though I hope to make some corrections to the music page suggested by Roger Blench.

May 2004

A first version of the Music section has been completed; this links to three pages on different kinds of instrument and singing. These are illustrated with audioclips. Later versions will exploit materials in our video recordings.

April 2004

A page on the clans of Sukur emphasizes that they are institutions in process; nonetheless there is essential continuity from the first records of 1935 to the 1990s. Another page deals at length with clan histories from which and from other data is inferred a four phase scheme of Sukur historicl development. These pages are supported by a map showing Sukur wards and neighborhoods and a table of Sukur households by clan and ward.

March 2004

I have added a large scale map showing Sukur and its neighbors. This is accessed through the map on the home page. As it takes time to load, you are advised to leave it open for easy reference during your visit.

February 2004

We have recently added an account of three legends that are important in Sukur's history, and a lengthy piece on the sequence of Dur chiefs from the edge of legend to the present.

I hope soon to be able to add something on the geography of the plateau.

If there is anything you would particularly like to see or learn about, let me know.