Standing under the sweltering sun of Katsina, northern Nigeria, Luke Leyland’s hand gripped the kara tape bound around his hand — a hard rope which is said to turn a Dambe warrior’s fist into a weapon. He stood in anticipation, cheers erupting from the crowds of spectators as drums echoed in the air. In this moment, Leyland became not only a fighter, but a trailblazing pioneer for Westerners in the Dambe martial art.
Leyland, 38, an avid martial artist from Birkenhead, became the first ever white Westerner to have competed in Dambe — a Hausa martial art which originated around the 10th century. Traditionally practiced by butchers and fishermen around harvest time when exchanging meat and fish, there would be a festival followed by a fight as a trial of courage.
Dambe later became a warfare technique and sometimes a test before marriage. The sport levels as a traditional style of boxing which incorporates traditional and cultural rituals such as Juju. Dambe fights last a maximum of three rounds and the aim is to land a brutal blow that knocks the opponent to the floor through a hard punch or kick.
Despite Leyland having taken part in taekwondo in his youth and having been a professional wrestler for around four years in his early 20s, his Dambe bout was the first time he had competed in a boxing contest. Curious about finding the right martial art for him, he found the sport on YouTube.
Luke explained: “When I first came across Dambe I thought it was a scene out of an action movie. I remember thinking that if it was possible for me to take part in it, it would be an amazing journey to share the sport with the rest of the world.”
Indeed, his journey was never just about fighting — it was about breaking barriers, earning respect and showcasing a sport that had initially remained largely unknown outside West Africa. Training for Dambe was very difficult, as there were no established training centres for the sport outside Nigeria — he had to train in the UK, creating and adapting a training and sparring routine to prepare for the fight under a “great” coach called Kallum Paul.
When Luke arrived in Katsina, he was only able to procure one or two training sessions with the Dambe coach in Katsina due to the overwhelming media attention. That said, Dambe warriors are known for their agility and explosive powerful hits, as well as intense mental fortitude, so amount of preparation could have primed Leyland to step into the hot sand against a seasoned Dambe fighter.
Luke said: “I learnt there was no actual way I could have prepared for this in the UK as the sand in the arena was completely different and my opponent, Shagon Yellow, seemed to move his feet through the sand so quickly and easily like a shark in water. I just had to grit my teeth and try my best. Shagon defeated me in a fair Dambe fight and I have all the respect in the world for him and this sport.”
In the introduction to the fight, Leyland was introduced as ‘Dan Bature Kudawa’, loosely translated as the ‘White Man of House Kudu’. This fighting title later became the title to Leyland’s documentary on Dambe, which was officially selected for the AFRIFF film festival (the biggest film festival in Africa). He is currently preparing to release the documentary in the UK and is searching for a channel to release it on.
Despite his ultimate loss in the Dambe match, Luke was surprised by spectators. On his arrival, many were shocked by his participation in Dambe, with some being sceptical of his intentions. However, by the end, thousands cheered him on, with fans wanting pictures and chanting his name.
On a live phone-in TV show, more than 380 people waited to connect with him, with fans in Katsina, Kano and even in the airport supporting and wanting to meet him. “I understood that I had done something amazing for the sport. Even though I had lost the fight, I had won the hearts of the people,” he reflected.
Luke had arrived in Nigeria with little knowledge of what to expect and with many odds stacked against him. On arrival he realised his bag — and malaria medication — were missing. The fear of contracting malaria, which could be fatal if caught, was compounded with dehydration and the inability to connect with people due to initial miscommunications.
However, the knowledge of how historic his Dambe bout was fortified his will. He explained: “In the heat of any battle — physical or mental — a martial artist must stay calm. Control over the mind is the key to mastering any challenge.”
Before his fight, Dambe was a sport that largely remained confined to its Hausa roots, being practiced only within Nigeria and neighbouring states in Africa. Though its popularity had been rapidly growing, gaining millions of views online, Luke’s participation has opened the floodgates to a wave of new overseas Dambe fighters, with combatants from Poland, Algeria and Russia having begun to compete.
This is the story of how a man from Birkenhead stepped into the unknown and changed a sport forever. This is the story of ‘Dan Bature Kudawa’. Luke summarised: “The whole experience was amazing and I am extremely proud to say that the first white Western Dambe fighter came from Birkenhead”.
