Gobir
Encyclopedia
Gobir was a city-state
in what is now Nigeria
. Founded by the Hausa
in the eleventh century, Gobir was one of the seven original kingdoms of Hausaland, and continued under Hausa rule for nearly seven hundred 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 ruling as Sarkin Gobir (Sultan of Gobir) at Tshibiri. In 1975 a reunited traditional sultanate took up residence in Sabon Birni
, Nigeria
, in northwestern Hausaland.
Islam
ic reformer Usman dan Fodio
. Bawa, a ruler of Gobir, appears to have invited dan Fodio
to the area in 1774; dan Fodio made his home in the small town of Degel
, and began preaching. Dan Fodio was given some role in the education of Bawa's nephew and later successor, Yunfa
(r.1803-8), but also publicly attacked what he saw as the abuses of the Hausa elite, particularly the burden they placed on the poor.
Sarkin Nafata
(r.1797–98) reversed Bawa's tolerant policy, and feared the increase of arms amongst dan Fodio's followers. The next two rulers vacillated between repressive measures and their relaxation.
When Yunfa took the throne in 1803, he soon found himself in conflict with dan Fodio, and after failing to assassinate him, exiled dan Fodio and his followers from Degel. Dan Fodio responded by assembling the nomad
ic Fulani clans into a jihad
ist army, beginning the Fulani War
. Despite some initial successes by the forces of Gobir and the other Hausaland states (most notably at the Battle of Tsuntua
), dan Fodio continued to take surrounding territory. His forces seized the Gobir capital, Alkalawa
, in October 1808, killing Sarkin Yunfa. The state was then partially absorbed into the Fulani Empire
.
the latter built a new capital of Gobir in Tsibiri, 10 km north of Maradi in 1836. Here in present Niger
the old dynasty of the Hausa rulers of Gobir is still continued today. A rival branch of the dynasty has its seat in Sabon Birni
north of Sokoto
in Nigeria
.
The former Sarkin Gobir Muhammadu Bawa ruled in Sabon Birni from 1975 to 2004.
City-state
A city-state is an independent or autonomous entity whose territory consists of a city which is not administered as a part of another local government.-Historical city-states:...
in what is now 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...
. Founded by the Hausa
Hausa people
The Hausa are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. They are a Sahelian people chiefly located in northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger, but having significant numbers living in regions of Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad and Sudan...
in the eleventh century, Gobir was one of the seven original kingdoms of Hausaland, and continued under Hausa rule for nearly seven hundred years. Its capital was the city of Alkalawa
Alkalawa
Alkalawa was the capital of the Hausa city-state of Gobir, in what is now northern Nigeria.In the early nineteenth century, Fulani jihadist Usman dan Fodio's forces repeatedly besieged Yunfa, Gobir's ruler, at Alkalawa. The city fell in October 1808, marking the end of resistance to Muslim rule in...
. In the early 19th century elements of the ruling dynasty fled north to what is today Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
from which a rival dynasty ruling as Sarkin Gobir (Sultan of Gobir) at Tshibiri. In 1975 a reunited traditional sultanate took up residence in Sabon Birni
Sabon Birni
Sabon Birni is a Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Sabon Birni.Sabon Birni shares a border with the Republic of Niger to the north. It has an area of 2,354 km² and a population of 207,599 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 842....
, 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...
Early history
Gobir was one of the seven original kingdoms of Hausaland, tracing a lineage back to the 11th century. The seat of the dynasty was at AlkalawaAlkalawa
Alkalawa was the capital of the Hausa city-state of Gobir, in what is now northern Nigeria.In the early nineteenth century, Fulani jihadist Usman dan Fodio's forces repeatedly besieged Yunfa, Gobir's ruler, at Alkalawa. The city fell in October 1808, marking the end of resistance to Muslim rule in...
, in northwestern Hausaland.
Fulbe Jihad
Gobir is particularly remembered as the chief opponent of FulaniFula people
Fula people or Fulani or Fulbe are an ethnic group spread over many countries, predominantly in West Africa, but found also in Central Africa and Sudanese North Africa...
Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic reformer Usman dan Fodio
Usman dan Fodio
Shaihu Usman dan Fodio , born Usuman ɓii Foduye, was the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate in 1809, a religious teacher, writer and Islamic promoter. Dan Fodio was one of a class of urbanized ethnic Fulani living in the Hausa States in what is today northern Nigeria...
. Bawa, a ruler of Gobir, appears to have invited dan Fodio
Usman dan Fodio
Shaihu Usman dan Fodio , born Usuman ɓii Foduye, was the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate in 1809, a religious teacher, writer and Islamic promoter. Dan Fodio was one of a class of urbanized ethnic Fulani living in the Hausa States in what is today northern Nigeria...
to the area in 1774; dan Fodio made his home in the small town of Degel
Degel
Degel is a town in northern Nigeria. Once a part of the Hausa city-state of Gobir, Degel is particularly noted for being the home of Fulani Islamic reformer Usman dan Fodio from 1774 to 1804. Dan Fodio built a large following in the area until, fearing his growing power, Yunfa of Gobir ordered...
, and began preaching. Dan Fodio was given some role in the education of Bawa's nephew and later successor, Yunfa
Yunfa
Yunfa was a king of the Hausa city-state of Gobir in what is now Nigeria. He is particularly remembered for his conflict with Islamic reformer Usman dan Fodio....
(r.1803-8), but also publicly attacked what he saw as the abuses of the Hausa elite, particularly the burden they placed on the poor.
Sarkin Nafata
Nafata of Gobir
Sultan Nafata of Gobir , one of a series of rulers of the small Hausa state, today in northern Nigeria. Best remembered for his opposition to Fulani Islamic reformer Usman dan Fodio, who later led a popular uprising against the Gobir rulers, and established the Sokoto Caliphate.-External links:**...
(r.1797–98) reversed Bawa's tolerant policy, and feared the increase of arms amongst dan Fodio's followers. The next two rulers vacillated between repressive measures and their relaxation.
When Yunfa took the throne in 1803, he soon found himself in conflict with dan Fodio, and after failing to assassinate him, exiled dan Fodio and his followers from Degel. Dan Fodio responded by assembling the nomad
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
ic Fulani clans into a jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
ist army, beginning the Fulani War
Fulani War
The Fulani War of 1804-1810, also known as the Fulani Jihad or Jihad of Usman dan Fodio, was a military conquest in present day Nigeria and Cameroon. Expelled from Gobir by his former student Yunfa in 1802, Islamic reformer Usman dan Fodio assembled a Fulani army to lead in jihad against the Hausa...
. Despite some initial successes by the forces of Gobir and the other Hausaland states (most notably at the Battle of Tsuntua
Battle of Tsuntua
The Battle of Tsuntua, fought in December 1804, was one of the largest battles of the Fulani War.In 1804, Yunfa of Gobir realized the growing threat that his former teacher, Fulani Islamic refomer Usman dan Fodio, posed to the Hausa city-states. Appealing to the other Hausa rulers for help, Yunfa...
), dan Fodio continued to take surrounding territory. His forces seized the Gobir capital, Alkalawa
Alkalawa
Alkalawa was the capital of the Hausa city-state of Gobir, in what is now northern Nigeria.In the early nineteenth century, Fulani jihadist Usman dan Fodio's forces repeatedly besieged Yunfa, Gobir's ruler, at Alkalawa. The city fell in October 1808, marking the end of resistance to Muslim rule in...
, in October 1808, killing Sarkin Yunfa. The state was then partially absorbed into the Fulani Empire
Fulani Empire
The Sokoto Caliphate is an Islamic spiritual community in Nigeria, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’adu Abubakar. Founded during the Fulani Jihad in 1809 by Usuman dan Fodio, it was one of the most powerful empires in sub-Saharan Africa prior to European conquest and colonization...
.
Flight
Resistance against the Jihadists was continued in the north-east by Sarkin Ali dan Yakubu and Sarkin Mayaki. With the help of the Hausa ruler of KatsinaKatsina
Katsina is a city , and a Local Government Area in northern Nigeria, and is the capital of Katsina State. Katsina is located some 160 miles east of the city of Sokoto, and 84 miles northwest of Kano, close to the border with Niger. As of 2007, Katsina's estimated population was 459,022...
the latter built a new capital of Gobir in Tsibiri, 10 km north of Maradi in 1836. Here in present Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
the old dynasty of the Hausa rulers of Gobir is still continued today. A rival branch of the dynasty has its seat in Sabon Birni
Sabon Birni
Sabon Birni is a Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Sabon Birni.Sabon Birni shares a border with the Republic of Niger to the north. It has an area of 2,354 km² and a population of 207,599 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 842....
north of Sokoto
Sokoto
Sokoto is a city located in the extreme northwest of Nigeria, near to the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River. As of 2006 it has a population of 427,760...
in 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...
.
The former Sarkin Gobir Muhammadu Bawa ruled in Sabon Birni from 1975 to 2004.