Alhaji Imam Idiaro (Alh. Abdullahi Abdul-Salami) was a member of a family of leatherworkers and Islamic teachers. He had himself been a leatherworker and he had become an imam in succession to his father. He informed us that his family was given its land by Magaji Seeni, who had established a compound in the same area.

     I had previously visited Imam Idiaro on a number of occasions, to collect information on leatherworking and on the history of Ile Ongaari. This time, I had prepared questions for him on saddlery and fans, and also on horsekeeping (including the use of slaves in horsekeeping), and on family and neighbourhood history. Alhaji Imam noted that his family had been both saddlemakers and Islamic teachers, which led to a discussion of charms (including those involving slaves).