Faskari
Encyclopedia
Faskari is a town and Local Government Area
Local Government Areas in Nigeria
||Nigeria has 774 Local Government Areas .Each local government area is administered by a Local Government Council consisting of a chairman who is the Chief Executive of the LGA, and other elected members who are referred to as Councillors....

 (LGA) in Katsina State
Katsina State
Katsina State is a state in northern Nigeria. Its capital is Katsina, and its governor is Ibrahim Shema, a member of the People's Democratic Party...

, northern 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 population of the LGA was 125,181 as of 2003. The current Sarkin (Emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...

) is Muhammadu Tukur Saidu, and the Executive Chairman is M. Nafiu Garba Faskari, a People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...

 member.

History

Many are the myths and legend relate to the emergence of Faskari in all, it is accepted that its origin came from famous Arab migrate " Gido" and "Wari" on transient from Alkalawa (Gobir) to Zaria who came and settled among the Mafaskara meaning the Firewood Choppers people who were then into paganism practices. Faskari town also called "Ta Dan Yabani" by the locals suggests it dates back to 1778. It was later built into a more civilized community by one of the descendants of Kaura Kuren Gumaru, during the reign of the Emir of Katsina, Muhammed Bello
Muhammed Bello
Muhammed Bello was the son and aide of Usman dan Fodio. He became the second Sultan of Sokoto following his father's 1815 retirement from the throne. Bello faced early challenges from dissident leaders such as 'Abd al-Salam, and rivalries between the key families of his father's jihad...

 1844-1886.

Faskari became a LGA in May 1989, carved out of Funtua Local Government Area; the area is located in the south-west of Katsina state, with Faskari town as the headquarters, it is bounded by Funtua
Funtua
Funtua is a Local Government Area in Katsina State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Funtua on the A126 highway.It has an area of 448 km² and a population of 225,571 at the 2006 census.Funtua became a Local Government in 1967.The chairman is the official Head of Local government....

 LGA to the east, Chafe LGA Zamfara State
Zamfara State
Zamfara State is a state in northwestern Nigeria. Its capital is Gusau and its Governor is Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari, a member of the All Nigeria Peoples Party . Until 1996 the area was part of Sokoto State....

 to the west, Birnin Gwari
Birnin Gwari
Birnin Gwari is a Local Government Area in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Birnin Gwari.It has an area of 6,185 km² and a population of 252,363 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 800....

, Kaduna State
Kaduna State
-History:The state is the successor to the old Northern Region of Nigeria, which had its capital at Kaduna. In 1967 this was split up into six states, one of which was the North-Central State, whose name was changed to Kaduna State in 1976. This was further divided in 1987, losing the area now part...

 at the north and Sabuwa
Sabuwa
Sabuwa is a Local Government Area in Katsina State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Sabuwa in the south of the area on the border with Kaduna State at.It has an area of 642 km² and a population of 136,050 at the 2006 census....

 LGA to the south.

The local government area comprises two District areas;. Faskari and Maruwa Districts with many village areas.

The historical settlement of Faskari is like any other settlement. Migration and movement of people from different locations in search of green postures, security water and alike, usually results to the settlement of people in one place. In the early stage of settlement in the area, the rulers came across such experiences of hurdles, hardships, battles and raid for slave capture and consequently they survived all due to the existence of great worries at the early age who excelled in battle field and thus it pave way to the formation of smaller formidable kingdoms which later on developed into villages and towns, among these places where Bilbis, Yarmalamai. Tsafe, Sauri, Zagami, Ruwan Godiya, Tafoki, Daudawa, Nasarawa, Yankara, Fankama, Maigora, Mechika, Sabon Layi, Birnin Kogo and Faskari. All these were settlement that later on developed to what they are currently.

In essence, feeling of safety and security encouraged people to migrate to the area under the leadership of two smaller kingdoms which the history of Faskari could not be complete without them, particularly in their great contributions, strategies and diplomacy during the period, the two settlements were that of Birnin Kogo and that of Faskari long before the coming of the colonial masters (Europeans). These two settlements were under the territorial control of Katsina from time immemorial precisely under the supervision of Galadnci. The leadership of Birnin Kogo were Barebari, while that of Faskari were of Gobir Origin. At the early stage the two settlements were separate entities, neighbouring one another on territorial lands. It was at a later period of their existence that the two were merged together and formed a District for Conveniences and smooth running administratively to Katsina Central.

Initially the Faskari ruling class were first approached and pin-pointed for the District head (During the reign of Faskari Abu and Kogo Ummaru) but later on they declined the offer in favour of “Kogawa” as a result of chain of intermarriages between the Beri-Beri and the Gabirawa. After such an arrangements Faskari became the headquarters of the district area. Going by the history, Birnin Kogo was founded by Wanke Dan Jatau in 1848 during the reign of Sarkin Katsina Muhammed Bello. Among the notable rulers of Kogo Kingdom were Kogo Muhammadu Yamaman, Kogo Ali, Kogo Umar, Kogo Musa II, Kogo Abdu and Kogo Ibrahim. The death of Kogo Ibrahim and ascension of a new ruling family of the fulani brought about the change of the District head's title to Sarkin Yamma in 1975.

The first to be appointed with the new titles was Sarkin Yamma Alhaji Saidu (father of the present District head) before his appointment as the Sarkin Yamma he was the Village head of Maigora. The current Sarkin Yamma Alhaji Muhammadu Tukur Saidu succeeded his father in 1986.

The other settlement of Gobir Origin (Gobirawa) in Faskari was founded few years after the fall/decline of Gobir empire in 1804 when the capital of the empire, Alkalawa was destroyed which let to the dispersing of the ruling families to Sabon-Birmi, Issa, Tsibiri, Ilorin, Faskari, etc. It happened that Muhammadu Gido, a descendant of Bawa Jangwarzo and his son Danyanbani moved Southward until they arrived at the old Faskari on their way to Zazzau
Zazzau
The Zazzau, also known as the Zaria Emirate is a traditional state with headquarters in the city of Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.As of 2010 the emir was Alhaji Muhammad Bello Idris.-Early Hausa kingdom:...

. They made a stop over to allow the normalization of the swelling legs of young Danyabani. It was at that spot the ancestors of Danboka (Manguzawa on the rocks) who came around the place from Daura are happened to locate Muhammadu Gido and offered him assistance in feeding his horses and urged him to stay with them. He accepted the offer and later inquired about the nature of their environment.

During the short stay Muhammadu Gido prayed and made his famous remarks that they would stay around to form a formidable community living in terms of security, social assembly, for supply and achievable to others. (Mu Faskara anan) That is indeed the originality of the name Faskari. Within a short period of time with such happening people started coming to stay from different places and continued to increase under the leadership of Muhammadu Gido. In the course of this development Muhammadu Gido decided to continue with his mission to Zazzau, leaving the rest of the people behind.

On reaching Zazzau, Muhammadu Gido was received by the Emir who took him closer and even appointed him as a councilor to the emirate. On request of Muhammed Gido the Emir of Zazzau gave him a land Northward where a new settlement was established “Giwa”. At a later period a delegation came from Faskari seeking for Muhammadu Gido’s return, but was decline until later time, this was how Danyabani resumed another leadership of Faskari community, and his descendants continued succeeding one another up to date. The present village head of Faskari is the 15th in the line of succession. The town is epithetically described as “FASKARI TA DANYABANI TABA MAISHIGA ZUCCI”(literally, Faskari of Danyabani, the Cigaratte that dominates the heart of smokers; meaning the more they see it the more they smoke) it means that the more you live in Faskari town the longer you would wish to stay. In a nut shell, Faskari local government was created out of the then Funtua local Government on 15 May 1989 by the administration of President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. The local government area comprises 2 District area i.e. Faskari and Maruwa Districts with many village areas. The local government area covers land area of square kilometers it borders Birin Gwari Kaduna State in the south, Tsafe Zamfara state in the west, Kankara and Bakori in the North and in the West.

People

The predominant ethnic groups are the Hausa and Fulani . Other ethnic groups found in the area include Igbos , Yorubas, Nupes, etc. Over the years, Islam has been the major religion in the area with people enjoying perfect peace and tranquility devoid of ethnic or religious intolerance. Furthermore, a great majority of the people are settled cultivators and traders.

Mineral Resources

The area is blessed with abundant mineral resources, both metallic and non-metallic minerals yet to be tapped. Minerals include nickel, iron-oxide, chromites, magnetite, kaolin, asbestos, silica sand, laterite clay, graphite, diamonds, potash, quartz.

Relief and Drainage

It falls under the high plains of Hausa highlands with a gently rolling terrain. The highest places are due to gneisses and porphyrobla stic granites which form a saddleback at the west. The lowlands are underlain by the more easily weathered quartz feldspar-biotite, Schist and Serpentimite of the Basement complex. The streams generally have a north-south alignment. The Ungwaguagwa-Alikeai-Yankara footpath roughly demarcates the streams flowing north from those flowing south and its watershed. Most of the stream are strike controlled (seasonal in nature) notably the River Gauri and its numerous tributaries, while others flow north-west from Kondo which is thought to be "fault" controlled.

Climate

The climate of the zone is tropical continental, having an annual rainfall of 198.3mm and a seasonal average temperature of more than 28c. Rainfall starts from May and ends November.

Soils

The Soils are largely clayey soils (locally called "Laka") and about five meters in depth, and fine in texture. The soils are occasionally difficult to work, tending to become waterlogged with heavy rains and to dry out or crack during the dry season. Though, in Faskari town and its surroundings the soils are more fertile in nature. The characteristics crops are cotton, maize, millet, Guinea corn, groundnuts etc.

Vegetation

The area falls under the Northern-Guinea Savannah Zone, with a vegetation consisting of broad-leaved species with tall tussocky grasses of guinea affinities mixed up with fine-leaved species of thorny trees with continuous short and feathery grass cover. The vegetation has largely been exploited by man for firewood, grazing and cultivation.

Ecological challenges

Like most areas in the Northern States and Katsina State in particular, Faskari LGA suffers from perennial insurgence of drought, desertification, pest invasion and soil erosion.

Towns and villages in Faskari

Sarkin Fulani, Shawu, Sheme, Tafoki, Tudun Laki, Unguwar Barau, Unguwar Diyam, Unguwar Boka, Unguwar Ganye, Unguwar Gwanki, Unguwar Malam, Yankara, 'Yar-Malami, 'Yar-Marafa, Yan-Nasarawa, Yankara, Bakarya, Bagudu, Bele, Bilbis, Birnin Kogo, Dan Baduka, Daudawa, Doma, Fankama, Faskari, Musa, Unguwar Miko, Unguwar Namand, Unguwar Sakkai, Unguwar Wakili, Unguwar Maikanwa, Unguwar Maje, Wakataba, Kadisau, Kanon Haki, Karmanje, Unguwar Bika, Kogo, Kondo, Kyaburshawa, Kwai, Kwakware, Yan Turawa, Ladan, Maigora, Mairuwa, Maisabo, Monunu, Munhaye, Ruwan Godiya, Sabon-Layin Galadima.

External links

11°43′N 7°02′E
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