Gumel
Encyclopedia
Gumel or Gummel is a town
and traditional emirate
in Jigawa State
, Nigeria
.
, and lies about 20 km south of Nigeria
's northern border with Niger
. As of 2007 the estimated population of Gumel was 44,158.
city and his followers from the Mangawa tribe. Shortly after his death in 1754, it became a tributary state of the Bornu
kingdom. The emirate survived the Fulani attacks of Usman dan Fodio's jihad
in the early 19th century and never became part of the Fulani empire of Sokoto. The present day location of Gumel is the result of an 1845 move from the city of Tumbi, which is located in present day niger. The emirate has frequently been at war with the nearby cities of Hadejia
, Danzomo, Kano
, and Zinder
since 1828. The war with Hadejia continued until the death of Gumel's emir, Abdullahi, in 1872. Before Emir Ahmadu accepted British
rule in 1903 frequent slave raids from the town of Zinder were common. In 1976 Gumel became part of Kano State
, and since 1991 it has been part of Jigawa State
near by Danzomo, Gagarawa, Sule Tankarkar, Maigatari.
The current Emir of Gumel, HRH Alh. Ahmed Mohammed Sani II is the 16th Emir of Gumel. The Emir is a graduate of Political Science, Ohio State University United States of America and has been in office since 1981. The Emir's Palace is accessible only to those invited there by the Emir, members of the Royal family, and officials of the Royal court (the emirate council also called the Majlis).
s
, millet
, and peanut
s are collected here and trucked to Kano
on a secondary highway where they are exported by rail.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and traditional emirate
Emirate
An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim monarch styled emir.-Etymology:Etymologically emirate or amirate is the quality, dignity, office or territorial competence of any emir ....
in Jigawa State
Jigawa State
-Location:Jigawa State is one of thirty-six states that constitute Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is situated in the north-western part of the country between latitudes 11.00oN to 13.00oN and longitudes 8.00oE to 10.15oE. Kano State and Katsina State border Jigawa to the west, Bauchi State to the...
, 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...
.
Geography
Gumel is located 120 km northeast of KanoKano
Kano is a city in Nigeria and the capital of Kano State in Northern Nigeria. Its metropolitan population is the second largest in Nigeria after Lagos. The Kano Urban area covers 137 sq.km and comprises six Local Government Area - Kano Municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni and Nassarawa - with a...
, and lies about 20 km south of 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...
's northern border with 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...
. As of 2007 the estimated population of Gumel was 44,158.
History
The emirate was founded about 1750 by Dan Juma of KanoKano
Kano is a city in Nigeria and the capital of Kano State in Northern Nigeria. Its metropolitan population is the second largest in Nigeria after Lagos. The Kano Urban area covers 137 sq.km and comprises six Local Government Area - Kano Municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni and Nassarawa - with a...
city and his followers from the Mangawa tribe. Shortly after his death in 1754, it became a tributary state of the Bornu
Kanem-Bornu Empire
The Kanem-Bornu Empire existed in modern Chad and Nigeria. It was known to the Arabian geographers as the Kanem Empire from the 9th century AD onward and lasted as the independent kingdom of Bornu until 1900. At its height it encompassed an area covering not only much of Chad, but also parts of...
kingdom. The emirate survived the Fulani attacks of Usman dan Fodio's 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...
in the early 19th century and never became part of the Fulani empire of Sokoto. The present day location of Gumel is the result of an 1845 move from the city of Tumbi, which is located in present day niger. The emirate has frequently been at war with the nearby cities of Hadejia
Hadejia
Hadejia is a Hausa town in eastern Jigawa State, northern Nigeria. The population was approximately 47,400 . The people of Hadejia are largely Muslim, although some follow indigenous belief systems...
, Danzomo, Kano
Kano
Kano is a city in Nigeria and the capital of Kano State in Northern Nigeria. Its metropolitan population is the second largest in Nigeria after Lagos. The Kano Urban area covers 137 sq.km and comprises six Local Government Area - Kano Municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni and Nassarawa - with a...
, and Zinder
Zinder
Zinder is the second largest city in Niger, with a population of 170,574 by 2005 was estimated to be over 200,000...
since 1828. The war with Hadejia continued until the death of Gumel's emir, Abdullahi, in 1872. Before Emir Ahmadu accepted British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rule in 1903 frequent slave raids from the town of Zinder were common. In 1976 Gumel became part of Kano State
Kano State
Kano State is a state located in North-Western Nigeria. Created on May 27, 1967 from part of the Northern Region, Kano state borders Katsina State to the north-west, Jigawa State to the north-east, Bauchi State to the south-east and Kaduna State to the south-west...
, and since 1991 it has been part of Jigawa State
Jigawa State
-Location:Jigawa State is one of thirty-six states that constitute Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is situated in the north-western part of the country between latitudes 11.00oN to 13.00oN and longitudes 8.00oE to 10.15oE. Kano State and Katsina State border Jigawa to the west, Bauchi State to the...
near by Danzomo, Gagarawa, Sule Tankarkar, Maigatari.
The current Emir of Gumel, HRH Alh. Ahmed Mohammed Sani II is the 16th Emir of Gumel. The Emir is a graduate of Political Science, Ohio State University United States of America and has been in office since 1981. The Emir's Palace is accessible only to those invited there by the Emir, members of the Royal family, and officials of the Royal court (the emirate council also called the Majlis).
The Gumel Emirate family tree
EmirEmir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
s
- 1749 - 1754 Dan Juma I dan Musa
- 1754 - 1760 Adamu Karro dan Digadiga Karro (d. 1760)
- 1760 - 1777 Dan Juma II dan Digadiga Karro
- 1777 - 1804 Maikota dan Adam Karro (d. 1804)
- 1804 - 1811 Kalgo dan Maikota (d. 1811)
- 1811 - 1828 Dan Auwa dan Maikota (d. 1828)
- 1828 - 1851 Muhamman Dan Tanoma dan Maikota (d. 1851)
- 1851 - 1853 Ceri dan Muhamman Dan Tanoma (1st time)
- 1853 - 1855 Muhamman Atu dan Dan Auwa
- 1855 - 1861 Ceri dan Muhamman Dan Tanoma (2nd time)
- 1861 - 1872 `Abd Allahi dan Muhamman Dan Tanoma (d. 1872)
- 1872 - 1896 Abu Bakar dan Muhamman Dan Tanoma (d. 1896)
- 1896 - 1915 Ahmadu dan Abi Bakar
- 1915 - 1944 Muhamman na Kota dan Ahmadu (d. 1944)
- May 1944 - 1981 Maina Muhamman dan Muhamman na Kota (b. 1912)
- 1981 - Ahmad Muhammad Sani dan Maina Muhamman
Economy
Gumel acts as the region's primary economic center. SorghumSorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
, millet
Millet
The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops or grains, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. They do not form a taxonomic group, but rather a functional or agronomic one. Their essential similarities are that they are small-seeded grasses grown in difficult...
, and peanut
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
s are collected here and trucked to Kano
Kano
Kano is a city in Nigeria and the capital of Kano State in Northern Nigeria. Its metropolitan population is the second largest in Nigeria after Lagos. The Kano Urban area covers 137 sq.km and comprises six Local Government Area - Kano Municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni and Nassarawa - with a...
on a secondary highway where they are exported by rail.