Gusau | |
---|---|
City and LGA | |
Motto: Gusau Ta Sambo Dandin Hausa | |
Coordinates: 12°09′N6°40′E / 12.150°N 6.667°E | |
Country | ![]() |
State | Zamfara State |
Area | |
• Total | 3,364 km2 (1,299 sq mi) |
Population | |
• Total | 383,162 |
682,700 | |
• Density | 110/km2 (300/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+1 (WAT) |
3-digit postal code prefix | 880 |
ISO 3166 code | NG.ZA.GS |
Climate | Aw |
![]() |
Gusau is a city in northwestern Nigeria. It is the capital of Zamfara State and also the name of the state's Local Government Area of Gusau, which has an area of 3,364 km (2,090 mi)² and a population of 383,162 as of the 2006 census.
The area's postal code is 880. [2]
The current local government chairman is Yahaya Garba. [3]
Gusau City is located north of a line drawn from Kebbi to Kano in Nigeria. [4] The Hausa people are the indigenous inhabitants of Gusau.
Gusau district was one of the Districts that emerged following the jihad movement of the nineteenth century in Hausa land, led by the legendary Sheikh Usman dan Fodio. It was founded around 1799 by Mallam Muhammadu Sambo Dan Ashafa, a disciple of dan Fodio. Gusau district only became prominent after the fall of Yandoto in 1806. Since its emergence as an important settlement in the Sokoto Caliphate, Gusau town attracted attention as an important agricultural and commercial center. At any rate, the town and its surrounding areas had attracted large presence of agriculturists; farmers and livestock rearers, especially cattle owning Fulani.
Gusau before the colonial period, was an agrarian society; agriculture was the backbone of the economy of the Gusau people. The economic activity of the people during this period consisted mainly in farming with other minor supplementary occupations, although, like most other Hausa towns, agriculture remained the main activity. In the area there were builders, thatchers, butchers, blacksmiths, drummers, praise-singers, etc.
Gusau and the territory assigned to Mallam Sambo Dan Ashafa falls within the metropolitan section of the caliphate. After the consolidation of Mallam Sambo, with their Headquarters at Gusau, it had under it the territories of Wonaka, Mada, Yandoto, Samri, Magami, Marabu, Mareri, Mutumji, Kwaren Ganuwa, Wanke and a group of villages around Gusau, like other parts of the caliphate.
In territorial administration besides the fief holders in the outlying territory, the town was broken into five wards namely, Shiyar Magaji, Uban Dawaki, Galadima, Mayana and Sarkin Fada. They were the vital links between the people in their respective wards and the Sarkin katsinan Gusau (Emir Of Gusau). They are the eyes and ears of Sarki. Gusau like other parts of the Caliphate send a share of its revenue to the Sultan Of Sokoto.
The coming of colonialism brought about certain developments and transformations of the societies in Gusau. Colonial infrastructures such as tarred roads, railways, modern stores, businesses as well as modern manufactures were all brought to the town. Similarly, modern residences, offices, schools and hospital were added to the town which aided and further enhanced, its expansion and modernization process.
However, there are colonial policies that were introduced by the colonial administration which changed the system of political administration. The Gusau area is something of an anachronism. It was not a division but is treated as such in all respects politically, in which respect it has the status of a touring area. During the colonial administration 1907, they introduced cattle tax (Jangali).
During the colonial period agriculture remained the main economic activity of Gusau, with economic potentials and also is a predominantly agricultural society, Agriculture was the mainstay of the economy and was mainly undertaken in Damina with the cultivation of major crops.
Gusau covers a total land area of approximately 3469 square kilometers. The area within which Gusau is located is interrupted by few little rocky outcrops, such as hills of Mareri and Dokau.Gusau enjoys a tropical type of climate largely controlled by two masses, namely the tropical and maritime.
The Emir of Gusau is Alh Ibrahim Muhammad Bello Sarkin Katsinan Gusau who was crowned after the death of Alh Kabir Muhammad Danbaba by the former Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar in 2015.
In Gusau, the dry season is partially cloudy and hot all year round, while the wet season is oppressive and generally cloudy.
The greatest time of year to visit Gusau for hot-weather activities, according to the beach/pool score, is from late October to mid-March.
Gusau has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw).
Climate change is causing a warmer climate in Gusau, with warmer temperatures and colder conditions. [5]
Climate data for Gusau | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 39.0 (102.2) | 40.0 (104.0) | 41.5 (106.7) | 41.5 (106.7) | 41.0 (105.8) | 38.5 (101.3) | 33.0 (91.4) | 32.0 (89.6) | 33.5 (92.3) | 36.5 (97.7) | 38.0 (100.4) | 38.0 (100.4) | 41.5 (106.7) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 32.2 (90.0) | 34.8 (94.6) | 38.1 (100.6) | 38.4 (101.1) | 36.0 (96.8) | 32.6 (90.7) | 29.6 (85.3) | 28.6 (83.5) | 30.3 (86.5) | 33.4 (92.1) | 34.8 (94.6) | 32.4 (90.3) | 33.4 (92.1) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 23.3 (73.9) | 25.8 (78.4) | 29.6 (85.3) | 31.0 (87.8) | 29.8 (85.6) | 27.2 (81.0) | 25.2 (77.4) | 24.6 (76.3) | 25.4 (77.7) | 26.3 (79.3) | 25.2 (77.4) | 24.4 (75.9) | 26.5 (79.7) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 14.4 (57.9) | 16.8 (62.2) | 21.1 (70.0) | 23.5 (74.3) | 23.5 (74.3) | 21.8 (71.2) | 20.9 (69.6) | 20.6 (69.1) | 20.5 (68.9) | 19.2 (66.6) | 15.6 (60.1) | 14.4 (57.9) | 19.4 (66.9) |
Record low °C (°F) | 6.5 (43.7) | 10.5 (50.9) | 13.5 (56.3) | 17.0 (62.6) | 17.5 (63.5) | 16.5 (61.7) | 17.0 (62.6) | 17.5 (63.5) | 17.5 (63.5) | 13.0 (55.4) | 10.0 (50.0) | 8.0 (46.4) | 6.5 (43.7) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 0.5 (0.02) | 1.0 (0.04) | 1.0 (0.04) | 8.0 (0.31) | 100.0 (3.94) | 145.0 (5.71) | 253.0 (9.96) | 332.0 (13.07) | 208.0 (8.19) | 20.0 (0.79) | 1.0 (0.04) | 2.0 (0.08) | 1,071 (42.17) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.3 mm) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 74 |
Average relative humidity (%) | 28 | 24 | 26 | 45 | 61 | 74 | 83 | 87 | 86 | 74 | 47 | 33 | 56 |
Source: Deutscher Wetterdienst [6] |
Shehu Usman dan Fodio. was a Fulani scholar, Islamic religious teacher, poet, revolutionary and a philosopher who founded the Sokoto Caliphate and ruled as its first caliph.
Sokoto is a major city located in extreme north-western Nigeria, near the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River. As of 2006, it had a population of over 427,760. Sokoto is the modern-day capital of Sokoto State and was previously the capital of the north-western states. Modern Sokoto is known for trading sheepskins, cattle hides, leather crafts, kola nuts and goatskins.
The Jihad of Usman dan Fodio was a religio-military conflict in present-day Nigeria and Cameroon. The war began when Usman dan Fodio, a prominent Islamic scholar and teacher, was exiled from Gobir by King Yunfa, one of his former students.
The Sokoto Caliphate, also known as the Sultanate of Sokoto, was a Sunni Muslim caliphate in West Africa. It was founded by Usman dan Fodio in 1804 during the Fulani jihads after defeating the Hausa Kingdoms in the Fulani War. The boundaries of the caliphate extended to parts of present-day Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria. By 1837, the Caliphate had a population of 10-20 million people, becoming the most populous empire in West Africa. It was dissolved when the British, French, and Germans conquered the area in 1903 and annexed it into the newly established Northern Nigeria Protectorate, Senegambia and Niger and Kamerun respectively.
Sokoto is one of the 36 states of Nigeria, located in the extreme northwest of the country. It is bounded by Republic of the Niger to the north and west for 363 km, and the states of Zamfara to the east, and Kebbi to the south and west, partly across the Ka River. Its capital and largest city is the city of Sokoto. Sokoto is located near to the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River. As of 2022 it has an estimated population of more than 6.3 million.
Zamfara is a state in northwestern Nigeria. The capital of Zamfara state is Gusau and its current governor is Dauda Lawal. Until 1996, the area was part of Sokoto State.
Northern Nigeria was an autonomous division within Nigeria, distinctly different from the southern part of the country, with independent customs, foreign relations and security structures. In 1962, it acquired the territory of the British Northern Cameroons, which voted to become a province within Northern Nigeria.
Gobir was a city-state in what is now Nigeria. Founded by the Hausa in the 11th century, Gobir was one of the seven original kingdoms of Hausaland, and continued under Hausa rule for nearly 700 years. Its capital was the city of Alkalawa. In the early 19th century elements of the ruling dynasty fled north to what is today Niger from which a rival dynasty developed ruling as Sarkin Gobir at Tibiri. In 1975 a reunited traditional sultanate took up residence in Sabon Birni, Nigeria.
Abdullahi ɗan Fodio, was a prominent Islamic scholar, jurist, poet and theologian, and the first Amir of Gwandu and first Grand Vizier of Sokoto. His brother, Usman dan Fodio (1754–1817) was the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate. Usman, being more of a scholar than politician, delegated the practical regency of the western part of his empire to Abdullahi and the eastern part to his son Muhammed Bello, who later became the Sultan of Sokoto after his father.
Ali Babba bin Bello was the fourth Sultan of the Sokoto Caliphate from 1842 to 1859.
The Fulajihads sometimes called the Fulani revolution were a series of jihads that occurred across West Africa during the 18th and 19th centuries, led largely by the Muslim Fulani people. The jihads and the jihad states came to an end with European colonization.
Jega is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Jega.
Lere is a Local Government Area and town in the southern part of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Lere town is located geographically at the latitude of 10 degrees 39 North and longitude of 8 degrees 57 East. It is the headquarters of the Lere Emirate. The town and its environs have an estimated population of about 553,290 (2016). Lere Local Government has an area of 2,634 km2 and a population of 339,740 at the 2006 census. Its headquarters are in the town of Saminaka. The postal code of the area is 811.
Shinkafi is a Local Government Area in Zamfara State of Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Shinkafi an area of about 674mk2 and population of 135,649. It shares boundaries with Isa Local Government Area and Niger Republic from the north, Zurmi Local Government Area to the South and South-East, Maradun Local Government Area and Raba Local Government Area by the west. Distance from the State Capital, Gusau is approximately 116 km.
The Bauchi Emirate was founded by Yaqubu dan Dadi in the early 19th century in what is now Bauchi State, Nigeria, with its capital in Bauchi. The emirate came under British "protection" in the colonial era, and is now denoted a traditional state.
The Kebbi Emirate, also known as the Argungu Emirate is a traditional state based on the town of Argungu in Kebbi State, Nigeria. It is the successor to the ancient Hausa kingdom of Kebbi. The Emirate is one of four in Kebbi State, the others being the Gwandu Emirate, Yauri Emirate and Zuru Emirate.
Ummarun Dallaje was the 39th Islamic Leader of Katsina, the first Fulani emir, as well as the patriarch of the Dallazawa dynasty. He became Amirul Muminin after the Jihad of Shehu Usman dan Fodiyo, succeeding Magajin Haladu, the last ruler of the centuries-old Habe dynasty, which founded by founded by Muhammadu Korau. Ummaru was succeeded by his son Saddiku.
The Dambazawa are a Fulani clan residing mainly in Kano State, Nigeria. They were among the key promoters, planners and executors of the Fulani Jihad in Kano, which took place between 1804 and 1807 under the leadership of Shehu Usuman dan Fodiyo. The clan was said to be the top financier of the jihad because it was said to be extremely wealthy at the time of the jihad. Other Fulani Clans that participated in the Jihad included: the Jobawa, the Yolawa, the Sullubawa, the Danejawa and others, as well as a contingent of the native Hausa people led by Malam Usuman bahaushe. Together they formed a formidable force and toppled the 158 year Kutumbawa dynasty led by its last ruler Muhammad Alwali dan Yaji dan Dadi bakutumbe who ruled between 1781 and 1806.
Umaru Nagwamatse was the founder and the first ruler of the Kontagora Emirate. He was the grandson of Usman dan Fodio and the son of the second sultan of the Sokoto Caliphate, Sultan Abu Bakr Atiku.
Muhammad Bukhari bin Uthman was an Islamic scholar and a noted poet who was the first Emir of Tambawel. Bukhari was an important military commander who participated and led several military campaigns during the jihad of Usman dan Fodio.