Dikwa Emirate
Encyclopedia
The Dikwa Emirate is one of the successor states to the old Bornu Empire
, a traditional state within Borno State
, Nigeria
. It was established in 1901 at the start of the colonial period after the Bornu empire had been partitioned between the British, French and Germans.
.
After the French, then expanding in West Africa, defeated and killed Rabih they installed Shehu Sanda Kura, a member of the old Bornu dynasty, as the first Shehu of Borno in Dikwa in 1900. In 1901 they replaced him by his brother Umar Abubakar Garbai, ancestor of the current Emirs of Borno. Based on a treaty between the French, Germans and British, the old Bornu was split up and Dikwa became part of the German colony of Cameroon. The British invited Umar Abubakar Garbai to become ruler of the British portion, and he moved in 1902 first to Monguno
and later to Maiduguri
.
The Germans installed Abubakar's brother, Shehu Sanda Mandara, in his place in Dikwa. On his death in 1917 he was succeeded by Shehu Sanda Kyarimi.
Dikwa was transferred to the British in 1918 after the German defeat in the First World War.
Shehu Masta II Kyarimi was appointed the Shehu of Dikwa in 1937 with his palace in Dikwa
town, but moved the palace to Bama
in 1942 on the request of the colonial administration.
Until recently, the Dikwa Emirate was one of three in Borno State
, the others being the Borno Emirate and the Biu Emirate
.
In March 2010 the Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff
split the old Dikwa Emirate into the new Bama and Dikwa Emirates.
The new Dikwa emirate was made up up three local government areas, Ngala
, Dikwa and Kala Balge, with headquarters in Dikwa town.
The Bama emirate retains the Bama local government area, and retains the old Dikwa Emirate palace in Bama.
Alhaji Abba Tor Shehu Masta II, son of Shehu Masta II, was appointed the emir of the new Dikwa Emirate.
Mai Kyari Elkanemi, emir of the old Dikwa continued as the new Emir of Bama.
Bornu Empire
The Bornu Empire was an African state of Nigeria from 1396 to 1893. It was a continuation of the great Kanem Empire founded centuries earlier by the Sayfawa Dynasty...
, a traditional state within Borno State
Borno State
Borno State is a state in north-eastern Nigeria. Its capital is Maiduguri. The state was formed in 1976 from the split of the North-Eastern State...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. It was established in 1901 at the start of the colonial period after the Bornu empire had been partitioned between the British, French and Germans.
History
The old Bornu Empire, weakened by the Fulani jihad, collapsed in 1893 when the Shuwa Arab Rabeh Zubayr ibn Fadl Allah seized power and transferred the capital to DikwaDikwa
-History of Dikwa:Dikwa used to be part of the kingdom of Borno before being captured by Rabih in 1893. The latter had the place fortified and Dikwa became the capital of his kingdom from 1893 to 1900.In 1900, the French defeated Rabih and captured Dikwa...
.
After the French, then expanding in West Africa, defeated and killed Rabih they installed Shehu Sanda Kura, a member of the old Bornu dynasty, as the first Shehu of Borno in Dikwa in 1900. In 1901 they replaced him by his brother Umar Abubakar Garbai, ancestor of the current Emirs of Borno. Based on a treaty between the French, Germans and British, the old Bornu was split up and Dikwa became part of the German colony of Cameroon. The British invited Umar Abubakar Garbai to become ruler of the British portion, and he moved in 1902 first to Monguno
Monguno
Monguno is a Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Monguno.It has an area of 1,913 km² and a population of 109,851 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 612....
and later to Maiduguri
Maiduguri
Maiduguri, also fondly called Yerwa by its locals, is the capital and the largest city of Borno State in north-eastern Nigeria. The city sits along the seasonal Ngadda River which disappears into the Firki swamps in the areas around Lake Chad...
.
The Germans installed Abubakar's brother, Shehu Sanda Mandara, in his place in Dikwa. On his death in 1917 he was succeeded by Shehu Sanda Kyarimi.
Dikwa was transferred to the British in 1918 after the German defeat in the First World War.
Shehu Masta II Kyarimi was appointed the Shehu of Dikwa in 1937 with his palace in Dikwa
Dikwa
-History of Dikwa:Dikwa used to be part of the kingdom of Borno before being captured by Rabih in 1893. The latter had the place fortified and Dikwa became the capital of his kingdom from 1893 to 1900.In 1900, the French defeated Rabih and captured Dikwa...
town, but moved the palace to Bama
Bama, Nigeria
Bama is a Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Bama.It has an area of 4,997 km² and a population of 269,986 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 610....
in 1942 on the request of the colonial administration.
Until recently, the Dikwa Emirate was one of three in Borno State
Borno State
Borno State is a state in north-eastern Nigeria. Its capital is Maiduguri. The state was formed in 1976 from the split of the North-Eastern State...
, the others being the Borno Emirate and the Biu Emirate
Biu Emirate
The Biu Emirate is a traditional state based in Biu in Borno State, Nigeria. Prior to 1920 it was referred to as the Biu Kingdom. The current ruler is Maidalla Mustafa dan Aliyu who became Mai Biu, also styled Kuthli, in 1959....
.
In March 2010 the Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff
Ali Modu Sheriff
Ali Modu Sheriff was elected governor of Borno State in Nigeria in April 2003. He is a member of the All Nigeria People's Party .Ali Sheriff was the first governor in Borno state to win the seat two consecutive times.-Background:...
split the old Dikwa Emirate into the new Bama and Dikwa Emirates.
The new Dikwa emirate was made up up three local government areas, Ngala
Ngala
Ngala is a local government area of Borno State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Gamboru Ngala.It has an area of 1,465 km² and a population of 237,071 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 611.- Geology :...
, Dikwa and Kala Balge, with headquarters in Dikwa town.
The Bama emirate retains the Bama local government area, and retains the old Dikwa Emirate palace in Bama.
Alhaji Abba Tor Shehu Masta II, son of Shehu Masta II, was appointed the emir of the new Dikwa Emirate.
Mai Kyari Elkanemi, emir of the old Dikwa continued as the new Emir of Bama.
Rulers
Rulers of the Dikwa emirate, with the title of "Shehu", were:| Start | End | Ruler |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 1902 | Umar Abubakar Garbai ibn Ibrahim |
| 1902 | 1917 | Shehu Sanda Mandara |
| 1917 | 1937 | Shehu Sanda Kyarimi |
| 1937 | 1968 | Shehu Masta II Kyarimi (b. 1872 - d. 1968) |
| March 1968 | September 1974 | Umar IV ibn Abi Bakr Jarbay (d. 1975) |
| September 1974 | 20 February 2009 | Masta ibn Umar Kiyari Amin (b. 1924 - d. 2009) |
| 4 March 2009 | Mai Kyari Elkanemi (b. 1957) | |
| March 2010 | Alhaji Abba Tor Shehu Masta II (b. 1946) |