Lubabatu I Garba
Turaren wuta is a special fragrance most people in Northern Nigeria love to use for its pleasant scent. It is a substance that is burned to produce a fragrant scent.
The history of Turaren wuta can be traced back to Arabs and North Africans such as Libia, Sudan , Chad etc But in Nigeria, it hails from Maiduguri, Borno state as it shares boarder with Chad.
From there the trend spreads to other Northern states.Maiduguri people make turaren wuta and use it constantly.
Women use turaren wuta based on their preference. While some use it twice daily that is morning and evening, others use it occasionally.
Other women don’t only use it in their houses, they also use it in their body and clothes.
Some women also believe that the conConsistent use of Dhukkan (a particular type of incense) serves as an aphrodisiac.
Turaren wuta is scented wood or blends of natural traditional spices, wood chips. It is soaked in fragrant oils and mixed with natural ingredients like farce.
These scented chips are burned in charcoal or incense burners to cover the house and clothing with a fragrant mist.
Incense is generally used every day or on special occasions. Among Northern people, it is used during weddings as a sign of blessing. It is widely used to provide fragrance and retain feminine charm and attraction.
The Incense chips burn in a traditional incense burner called Kasko (it has other names in other cultures like Mabkhara, Charcoal of wood or artificial charcoal, which is called (magic charcoal) is used in burning the incense inside the Kasko.
In recent times, using electrical incense burners to burn incense chips is faster and safer. However, many women prefer to use charcoal because it’s traditional and natural and burns the chips better.
The popularity of the use of incense has grown to the extent thatt it is not only appreciated by the Northern tribes but by almost all tribes around the country.
For the business aspect turaren wuta market is booming especially in the Northern part, as some of the ingredients needed are naturally grown there and is cheaper.
Fatima Adam ( Kaka), a Turaren Wuta vendor in Kano and owner of Dukkan Incenses and Perfumes confessed that about the business of Turaren wuta is lucrative.
A Chadian by tribe,
Kaka said that she started the business of making and selling Turaren wuta since childhood as she grew up watching her mother make the turaren wuta.
“I can say that the thing came out of a passion even though I inherited the business from my mother. I love smelling good.
I learnt how to make it from my mother who has been into the business years ago. Since when we were children my mom used to assign me to do one thing or the other while making Turaren wuta when I grew up I started making it myself and now I took over the business”
She said that there are different types of Turaren Wuta. There’s Sandal balls, Sandal sticks, Halud,, Gab-gab, as the names differs the scent also differs.
“Many people think the scent of different turaren wuta is the same. No, there are a lot of different scent of it defending on what you want’
There’s Turaren Wuta for private parts and herbs, (Dukkan) which many women used as There is also for a hair and by doing that the hair would not be grey. And it can be used in a bedroom, toilet, kitchen, even in the office. “
She added that a woman that uses Turaren wuta the scent remain in her even if she didn’t used it for a while as people may perceive that she does all the time.
Highlighting the importance and significance of Turaren wuta, Kaka said that “Turaren wuta is a signature of our people. They use it constantly as they believe it’s important to them in their marriages because men like the smell of it.
“I think one of the ways you can identify a person from Chad apart from their dressing and language is Turaren Wuta. You’ would always find them smelling nice no matter their social class. There’s this tradition of putting Turaren wuta in their clothes or homes”
“I always use Turaren Wuta whenever I am going out instead of perfumes”
“For me I think any responsible woman cannot do without Turaren wuta”
“If you burn a strong and quality turaren wuta the scent last for weeks in your house. You don’t have to do all the time”
Speaking on the business aspect of Turaren wuta, Kaka testified that there are so many business opportunities as the market for it is readily available for people to join.
The business of Turaren wuta thrives because many people now embrace the use of Turaren wuta There are so many opportunities for people who want to get into the business.
“The thing is that you have to do it perfectly to be the best by putting generous amount of the perfumes oils inside , I am sure when you do it correctly, brand it well and market it correctly people wil be rushing to buy your product”
“Another thing about Turaren Wuta is that you cannot make the same kind of scent twice; you either make it better or worse”
“ I have so many customers that used to say to me that they cannot buy Turaren wuta from any other person than me. My secret is that I make sure I make quality products and I don’t over price the products. It’s all about knowing the right people to market,” said Kaka.
She added that the price of Turaren wuta depends on the quality and quantity.
“I sell Turaren wuta from the minimum of two thousand Naira depending on the quantity. But for you to get a quality Turaren wuta you have to spend the minimum of five thousand Naira.
“If we stock up our store today by the next few days there would be nothing left. People order ahead.”
She also make Khumrah, the natural perfume which is used for body.
“I also make and sell liquid Khumrah and unlike Turaren wuta khumrah is used for body only.
“When people believe in your product they would be patronizing you wherever they go,” she added.
She affirmed that As Turaren wuta is widely used all over African countries from Chad, Sudan, Senegal etc, it can move from a small business to a big business with prospects for exports.
“Even though it is thing that is widely used all over African countries but you can still export it. The secret is that you make it strong and quality one.”
The raining season is a period that people used Turaren wuta regularly
“Turaren wuta is widely used at raining season as it curtails all the odours during raining season. I can confirm to you that we sell more of it during this time,” she revealed.
According to her the making of turaren wuta is very simple contrary to the many people perception of turaren wuta is difficult.
There is a different kind of wood which is used to make turaren wuta ranging from Alud, Gab-gab, Hawi, Kuskus, Sandal wood. All these woods have different scent. And it doesn’t matter the kind of scent oil you use as the scent varies from one different scent to another depending on the scent oil one uses. There’s also a farce.
There is also musk. And the crystal it just like a crystal white stone that brings out a very unique scent and there is sugar.
But whatever kind of turaren wuta you make one has to get a wood, oil, farce and musk.And you need to get a watery perfume not oily.
After soaking it for many days in such a way that it will come very soft . You need to boil sugar which you are going to use to fry the wood. And once the sugar is melted down and become brown in colour then you add reasonable amount of water on the sugar.
You live it untill it turn itself. After a while you turn it and allow it to become like a gum. Then you allow it to cool down. And you find another pot to fry the already soaked wood and add the sugar and allow it on the fire like two to three minutes and you leave it.
Then you bring the farce which you soaked it overnight inside detergent and you wash all the dirties from it and fry it with very soft sand till when it becomes golden brown. Then you sieve it to separate it from the sand clean it very well and grind it. If you are using it for sandal you have to grind it very well in such a way that it cannot be visible in the content.
But of you are using it for wood you have to allow it to be seen. And you mix it together. When you finished all these you put it inside a ceramic bottle not a rubber because the ceramic retains the scent of turaren wuta. Make sure you close it very well so that air cannot penetrate and enter .
After doing so, you seal it and leave it for weeks to allow the ingredients marinate and the smell become strong.”
A regular user of turaren wuta Binta Muhammad told this reporter that she uses Turaren wuta than any other perfume.
Binta urged women to imbibe the habit of buying and using turaren wuta,explaining that men like the scent.
“You should buy Turaren wuta and use Turaren wuta frequently . You don’t have to wait for your husband to give you the money.
“For me I can even spend my last Kobo on Turaren wuta and Khumrah. And because of the nice scent I don’t use other perfumes on my body except Turaren wuta. I realized that even if I do not use it people still perceive the scent from me.”