Malam Jafaru told you earlier in the day that his way of preserving this heritage is by passing down the skills and crafts he inherited to his own children. You consider your way to be capturing these traditions and sharing them with others who might, perhaps, learn to appreciate not just their beauty and uniqueness, but also the practical functionality of traditional Arewa buildings. Designs with motifs like Dagin Arewa go beyond aesthetics; they serve as crucial unifying symbols for the community. The dakali, a protruding section of the wall that provides seating, enables people to sit and interact with visitors and neighbours, enhancing social connections. Traditional building methods also work with, not against, the environment; evident in the higher floor-to-ceiling heights of rooms, which promote natural ventilation. In Zaria, where rainfall patterns are heavier, dome-shaped roofs allow water to run off more quickly, whereas in Katsina and Sokoto, where the climate is drier, flat-roofed houses dot the landscape.

An architect friend, Hauwa Mahmoud, answers some of your questions about preserving traditional Northern culture amid modern tastes and demands. She explains that one often-effective approach is to use modern technological tools, such as computer-aided design and Building Information Modelling, to help document existing conditions accurately and facilitate experimentation before any restoration work begins. Technology such as 3D scanning and printing, including printers that work with clay, could also be valuable for preserving traditional buildings in a more precise yet less labour-intensive way. Hauwa emphasized that raising awareness about the benefits of traditional techniques—such as using thick walls to naturally cool interiors—could shift perceptions of what ‘modern’ should look like in Nigeria. This, combined with effective policies and investment, could ensure that traditional architecture remains not just a relic of the past, but a living, functional part of the present.

Nothing remains static in the movement of time—not people, and not the buildings they inhabit. You hope, however, that what endures is an appreciation of people’s ways of life; and that where and how they live, school, worship, and commune, reflects this eternal value. You hope they can share it with others: preserving their heritage and contributing richly to identities as they transition across generations⎈