Hausa in Burkina Faso

Introduction / History

The Hausa in West Africa have been heavily involved in long distance trading for centuries. Traders exchanged gold from the Middle East for leather, crafts and food.

Some have wrongly assumed that Boko Haram comes from the Hausa because the term itself is from the Hausa language. But Boko Haram is mainly from Kanuri and Fulani as well as other tribes.

Where Are they Located?

Hausa people are prominent in Nigeria, but there are many of them in other West African countries including Burkina Faso.

What Are Their Lives Like?

There is inter-marriage between the Hausa community and the peoples of Burkina Faso. Today members of the Hausa community are highly trained, educated, and assimilated into the political and social life in Burkina Faso. Some of the Hausas have become very rich. They are deeply involved in the politics of their communities.

Hausa buildings are characterized by the use of dry mud bricks in cubic structures, multi-storied buildings for the social elite, the use of parapets related to their military/fortress building past, and traditional white stucco and plaster for house fronts. At times the facades may be decorated with various abstract relief designs, sometimes painted in vivid colors to convey information about the occupant.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Hausa culture is strongly linked to Islam, which makes it difficult to reach this people group with the gospel. There has been intense persecution of the Christian Hausa.

Because Islam has been carried throughout West Africa by Hausa traders and priests, nearly everyone expects a Hausa to be Muslim. This could be one of the main reasons why the Hausa stay so resistant to the gospel and have difficulty leaving their Islamic faith.

What Are Their Needs?

Adequate Christian resources are available in the Hausa language; but they are still an unreached Muslim people group. The Hausa people need to see their critical need for the Savior, who loves them and desires a personal relationship with them. They need to see past their worldly success, and see that they will not be accepted by the Creator of the universe except through His son, Jesus.

Prayer Points

Pray that the Holy Spirit will allow circumstances into the lives of these people that will point to their sinfulness and their need for the Savior.
Pray that they will see that their Islamic religion is not working.
Pray that there will soon be a Disciple-Making movement among Hausa people that will spread throughout West Africa.

Text Source:   Keith Carey