In the heart of Kaduna, a bustling city in northern Nigeria, lies Bala Muhammad’s quaint watch-repair shop, where the steady ticking of numerous clocks fills the air. A time capsule from a bygone era, the shop is adorned with clocks adorning the walls and tables cluttered with tools and watches in various stages of repair. Nestled on one of Kaduna’s busy shopping streets between suppliers of building materials, Bala Muhammad, known as Baba Bala, once welcomed a constant flow of customers seeking to have their watches fixed or batteries replaced. Recalling the thriving days when he juggled over a hundred wristwatch repair jobs a day, the 68-year-old now laments the decline in business, attributing it to the prevalence of mobile phones for timekeeping. Despite the sadness of his once-thriving trade dwindling, Baba Bala fondly reflects on over five decades of supporting his family through the art of watch repair, a craft passed down from his father.
Baba Bala’s father, Abdullahi Bala Isah, a renowned horologist, traversed West Africa, fixing timepieces in countries like Senegal and Sierra Leone. Following in his father’s footsteps, Baba Bala found success attending to the watches of Nigeria’s elite, including top officials of the state-owned oil company NNPC who flaunted exquisite Rolexes. His love for Swiss watches, exemplified by his cherished Longines timepiece, underscores a deep-rooted passion for horology. A framed photograph of his father adorns the shop, a tribute to the legacy of expertise passed down through generations.
The origins of his father’s craft remain shrouded in mystery, likely rooted in the era of British colonial rule. Baba Bala, who began honing his skills at the age of ten, recalls how his proficiency in watch repair not only earned him pocket money but also garnered admiration from peers and teachers alike. His dedication to the intricate mechanisms of timepieces paved the way for a lifelong commitment to preserving a timeless art form. As Baba Bala navigates the ebb and flow of an evolving industry, his unwavering pride in continuing his family’s tradition shines through, a testament to the enduring legacy of craftsmanship and dedication.
In Nigeria, wristwatches held a significant place in society, considered as essential as clothing by many individuals. The importance of having a watch was deeply ingrained in the cultural fabric, to the extent that people often felt disoriented without one. Kaduna, a city in Nigeria, once had a bustling area dedicated to watch sales and repairs, where numerous vendors and technicians operated their businesses. However, the landscape has dramatically shifted over the years, leaving behind a poignant tale of decline and transformation.
Reflecting on the past, Baba Bala reminisces about the vibrant watch market that once thrived in Kaduna. He sadly remarks that the once-bustling space has now been reduced to emptiness, a stark reminder of the bygone era. Many of his former colleagues have either passed away or abandoned the trade, leaving a void in the once-lively marketplace. Among those who chose to walk away from the fading industry is Isa Sani, who candidly shares his decision to bow out gracefully. The 65-year-old explains that the lack of business and dwindling customers prompted him to shutter his repair shop in 2019, shifting his focus to agricultural pursuits aided by his children.
Expressing his doubts about the resurgence of traditional wristwatches, Isa Sani ruefully acknowledges that the heyday of wristwatches may be a relic of the past. The sentiment is echoed by the younger generation working in the vicinity, such as Faisal Abdulkarim and Yusuf Yusha’u, both 18 years old. These digital natives have never felt compelled to own a wristwatch, citing the omnipresence of smartphones as a convenient timekeeping alternative. Their nonchalant attitude towards traditional timepieces underscores a generational shift in timekeeping preferences, veering away from the conventional accessory.
Offering a glimmer of hope amidst the prevailing nostalgia, Dr. Umar Abdulmajid, a communications lecturer at Yusuf Maitama University in Kano, posits a potential shift in the horological landscape. Dr. Abdulmajid contemplates the gradual decline of traditional wristwatches alongside the vanishing craft of watch repairs, attributing the phenomenon to advancing technology. However, he remains optimistic about the transformative potential of smartwatches in reviving interest in wearable timepieces. Dr. Abdulmajid underscores the multifunctional capabilities of smartwatches, emphasizing their capacity to offer more than mere timekeeping. He speculates that the allure of smartwatches, with their diverse array of features and connectivity options, could pave the way for a resurgence in the watch industry.
As the debate between traditional wristwatches and smartwatches unfolds, the narrative of evolution and adaptation emerges as a central theme. The juxtaposition of nostalgia for the past and anticipation for the future encapsulates the dichotomy inherent in the evolution of timekeeping technologies. While the older generation mourns the waning popularity of wristwatches and the fading art of repairs, the younger cohort embraces
