Gates of Hausa kingdoms

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Gates of Hausa kingdoms are gates (Hausa: kofa) or walls (ganuwa) that formerly enclosed Hausa kingdoms. [1] In ancient times, each kingdom was enclosed with a wall that contained various gates. During battles, the gates were closed as a war strategy. Each gate has a name and a gatekeeper (Sarkin Kofa, lit. "King of the Gate"). In the past, especially at night, the gatekeeper was in charge of a single gate at all time. All of the gates are assigned to a single person today.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Architectural concept

In Hausa Kingdoms, gates were built from mud, dried grass, timber, metals, stones and other traditional building materials suitable for the building. The gates are designed based on Hausa culture and depict Hausa traditional architecture using burn bricks and traditional colors of the Hausa region. On average, the gates reach a height of about five meters with a length of about ten meters. They are illustrated with patterns, marks, symbols and Hausa design, such as a tambarin arewa, a logo frequently used in Hausa buildings which serves as an emblem or flag to Hausa people. When the structure of the gate is completed, the entire gate is painted in a traditional style while some gates are left brownish with the natural color of mud, like the Gate of Marusa in Katsina.

Hausa traditional dressing Hausa royal dressing 04.jpg
Hausa traditional dressing

Overview

In ancient times, every gate was allocated to one person. It is his duty at all times to protect and maintain it by providing administrative records of every movement of people passing through the gate along with foreign record affairs for self-defense. Every gate has a key for opening and closing; the keys are allocated to Sarkin Kofa. Usually, there is a fixed time for closing and opening of every gate but today the gates are open without the need for keys. Traditionally, during wartime, orders only came from either the emir of the kingdom or his war counselor, the Sarkin yaki'. Out of wartime, orders and control of the gate are left to the Sarkin Kofa. It is an order that entry into the city may only be done through those gates. When the gates are closed at night, they do not reopen until dawn. The post of Sarkin Kofa is inherited generationally in the Hausa Kingdom, from a Sarkin Kofa to his children. The gates also serve as a tourist attraction nowadays in Hausalands. [2] [3]

Gates

Bauchi Emirate

Gate of the palace of Bauchi Bauchi Emirates Palace.jpg
Gate of the palace of Bauchi

In Bauchi Emirate there are nine gates. [4] [5]

Kano Emirate

The kingdom Kano has 15 gates. Some of its wall has eroded due to poor maintenance. [6] [7] [1] [2] [8] [3] [9]

Katsina Emirate

Gate in Katsina Keke in Katsina.jpg
Gate in Katsina

The palace was surrounded by a rampart wall called "Ganuwar Gidan Sarki", which is now gone. The main gate that leads to the palace is called "Kofar Soro", meaning Gate of Soro, while the gate at the backyard of the palace is called Gate of Bai, which is now gone. In the city of Katsina, there are almost 7 gates at every corner of the kingdom. [10] The gates were constructed to enable movement in and out, there are some gates that are no longer in existence, these gates are; The Gate of Turmi, Gate of Keke, Gate of Angulu, Gate of Gazobi and Gate of Waziri. [11]

Zazzau Emirate

The Gate of Fada Zaria Emir's palace gate.jpg
The Gate of Fada

The city of Zaria has seven gates that were originally erected after the wall of the city was constructed. The gates included the following except the gates of Jatau and the gate of Galadima. The current Sarkin Kofa of Zazzau is Alhaji Mansur Dambo Mai-Sa’a.[ citation needed ]

Maintenance

The gates were formerly the responsibility of traditional rulers known as emirs who assigned maintenance duties to the Sarkin Kofa. In 1959, the Federal Government of Nigeria declared the gates to be national monuments and the responsibility transferred to the Federal Government. Some gates are falling into disrepair due to lack of maintenance. [6] [7] [9]

See also

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References

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Further reading