Bida

Bida is the historic capital of the Nupe Kingdom and seat of the Etsu Nupe, the highest traditional ruler of the Nupe people. The settlement grew from a small Beni (Bini, a Nupe subgroup) village captured around 1531 by Tsoede (Edegi), the founder of the Nupe kingdom and its first Etsu; Tsoede is credited with introducing brass-casting to the area and centralising authority under the Etsu Nupe title. Bida's brass and metalworking flourished further under Etsu Usman Zaki in the 18th century, and the town is still known today for its brass and copper goblets, glass beads and bangles, raffia hats and mats, and dyed cotton and silk cloth — much of it made by artisan guilds working in distinct wards using lost-wax casting techniques passed down over generations.

Bida is reached by road within Niger State.

The town centre, including the palace area and craft wards, is walkable.

• Etsu Nupe's Palace — seat of the Etsu Nupe, the Nupe people's paramount traditional ruler

• Bida's brass and glass craft wards — artisan guilds still using lost-wax casting and traditional furnace techniques

• Watch or time a visit around the Sallah Durbar (Hawan Sallah) processions during Eid

• Visit artisan workshops to see brass, glass bead, and cloth-dyeing crafts in progress

Brasswork, glass beads and bangles, raffia mats, and locally dyed cotton and silk cloth are Bida's signature crafts, sold through the town's artisan wards.