Kano Zoo: Meet man wey im job na to feed lions everiday
Since 1971 wen Kano Zoo open for public use, 70 year old Abba Gandu dey among di pipo wey get work for di place and e tell BBC say for 49 years im job na to feed lions wey don become like part of im family.
Mallam Abba and im favourite lion Babba "I start work 1971 after dem launch Kano Zoo andI don dey here for 49 years now, my job na to feed di lions wey di zoo get and na job wey dey sweet me pass anything." "I get name for di two lions, one na 'Babba' di oda one 'Kyauta' and anytime I bring dia food even if dem dey di oda enclosure if dem hear my smell or i call dia names dem go run come." "I resume by 8am and first thing na to go colet di cow lap for each of di lions give dem chop and I go repeat di same thing for afternoon and evening before I close." Mallam Abba say due to risk wey dey im job, im wife dey always pray for am before e leave house each morning. "Anytime I dey comot she go tok say may God protect you my husband and bring you home safely and for 49 years God dey answer her prayers." Di zoo worker say e no sweet am say none of im 9 children choose im line of work but everybody get im life to live and at di end of di day everybody suppose choose wetin go make am happy. "Even at night if I come near di lions and dem smell me e get one sound wey dem dey make to signal say yes dem know me." Mallam Abba say nothing like normal working hours for am for 35 years now because na job wey im like so e no dey close early. Di zoo worker say di lions don become part of im family "When I start di work, my off days na Saturdays and Sundays but 35 years ago I come start to work everyday because i no get any oda thing to do, any day wey i no come e mean say i dey sick." "I no fit do any oda work na only dis work I know,sabi and love. All di 10 set of lions wey dis zoo don get from 1971 till date na like family and i dey remember dem wella, even di ones wey die." Finally Mallam Abba say e dey fear say young pipo wey suppose take after am when e finally stop work no go like dis kain work. "Young pipo today na just to enjoy, dem no like work like my own, so sometimes I go just dey think say where di next generation of lion feeders go come from."