THE EVOLUTION OF THE STATE SYSTEMS AMONG THE GBAGYI OF RIVER KADUNA VALLEY C.l860 TO L981 BY ISA NANBO BABA REGISTRATION NUMBER: 97514002 B.A.(HONS)(BUK), 1984; M.A. (BUK), 1991 A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE DEPARTMENT 01•' HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE A WARD OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D) DEGREE IN HISTORY APRIL 2006 CERTIFICATION This Thesis ha been read and approved as having met the requirements of the Department of Histmy, University of Abuja for the award of a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) Degree in Histmy. .. � ........ fq� Dr (Mrs.) F.O Ifamose Department of Histmy Head of Department of Histmy (Supervisor) Prof. Bingel Baba Thomas Extemal Examiner II DECLARATION I hereby declare that tllis Thesis is a product of an original research work conducted by the writer. It has not been presented before fo r the award of a Degree in any University. The ideas, observations, conunents, suggestions and expressions herein represent the ''rite(:.; convictiulb. c\ccpl quotations which have been acknowledged in accordance with conventional academic traditions. Isa Nanbo Baba April, 2006 Ill J DEDICATION Dedicated to my late mother, Hajiya Larni Baba Gawu. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages Title page ........................ ............. ........ ... ...... ......... ....... .. Certification ......... ............................................................ 11 Declaration .. ................................. ...... ... .......... .............. 111 Dedication.. .... ..................................................... ............ IV Table of Contents ...... ..... ...... ...... ......... ........................... v IX Abbreviations ......... ...... ......... ......................................... X Glossary............ ...... ...... ................................................ Acknowledgement. ................. ... ............... ....................... .. XI XV Preface ......... ......... ... ... ... ... ... .. ... ... ....... ... ...... ...... ... ... ... Chapter One 1.0 Introduction and the evolution of state system.. .. .. .. .... .. ... .. 1 1.1 Aims & objectives............................................ .................. 10 1.2 Scope of the Study . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 11 1. 3 Limitations and discussions on the methodology of the study. .. 12 1.4 Literature review . ... .. .. ..... .. .. .. .... .. .. .. ... .. .. ... .. .. .. .. 14 1.5 Geographical description of the area of study... .. .. 21 1. 24 6 People of the region... .. .. .. .. .. 1. .. ... .. .. .. .. ... .. 31 7 Land tenure system and labour organization... 1.8 Foundation of the state system............................... ................ 34 v ) Chapter Two 2.0 The reaction ofthe state system to the Fulani incursions . .. .. 60 2.1 Relocation ofHausa ntlers ofZazzau to Abuja in 1808... .. .. 61 2.2 The Fulani incmsion from Lapai in 1828 ... .. .... .. .... .. ... .. .... .... .. .. 62 2.3 The Fulani incursion from Bida in 1841 .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .... .. .... ... .. .. .. .. 63 2.4 The Fulani incmsion by Umar Nagwamatse ofKontagora in 1856.. .... 66 2. 5 The Fulani incmsion by Ibrahim N agwamatse ofKontagora in 1881 . 72 2.6 The impact ofFulani incursions on the state system... ... ... .. .. .. .. 79 Chapter Three 3.0 The state system and European activities in the early 191h century: Penetration, conquest and impact 1825-1932... .. .. .. ... ... ... .. .. .. 92 3.1 European Explorers in 1825... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 92 3.2 The Royal Niger Company and other trading companies in 1897...... 95 3.3 The State System and British colonialrule 1900-1910.................... 98 3.4 The establishment ofBritish colonial administration in 1910 ..... .. 102 3.5 The establishment of a Federated administration in 1932... ... ... ... ..... 123 Chapter Four 4.0 The state system and the British colonial rule, 1939-1960............... 133 4.1 The Administration ofthe Gbagyi Federation up to 1950............... 133 4.2 The Appointment ofChief of Minna and the paramount Chief 158 ofthe Gbagyi Federation in 1950 ... ...... ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. 4.3 Partisan politics and the Federated Council in 195 0-1960... .. .. ... 17 4 VI Chapter Five 5.0 Political development in the post colonial period, 1960-1980's.... 201 5.1 Creation of Minna Chiefdom......... .................. ..................... 201 5.2 Transformation of the Chiefdom to an Emirate and the reaction of the Gbagyi in 1981.... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 207 Chapter Six 6. 0 Conclusion... ... ... ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. .. ... .. ... .. 217 Notes on Sources 7.1 Primary sources... .. .. .. .. ... ... ... .. .. .. ... .. .. .. ... .. .. .... 225 7.2 Secondary sources... .. ... .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 227 7.3 Published books... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 227 7.4 Articles in Journals............ ...... ...... ............... ..................... 229 7.5 Government Reports and occasional published papers. .. 231 7.6 Unpublished works............................................................ 232 7.7 Niger State Archives, Minna.................................................. 233 7.8 National Archives, Kaduna.................................................... 234 7.9 Arewa House, Kaduna............... .......................... .... ...... ...... 237 7. 1 Briefs on oral evidence. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 23 8 Bibliography NSAM......... ... ... ......... ......... ............... ...... ......... ... ... ... .... 240 NAK... ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... ..... ...... ... ... ... ...... 241 AJ!I(... ... .. ... .. .. .. .. .... .. ... ... ... ... .. ... ... .. .. .. ... 245 Published works... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 245 VII Journals & magazines......... ......... ........................................ 249 Public documents, unpublished papers and Government Reports.... 250 Unpublished PhD Theses and Dissertations... .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .... 252 Appendix I - XXV. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 254 Maps Vlll ABBREVIATIONS ABU Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria AG Action Group AHK Arewa House, Kaduna ASP Assistant Superintendent of Police BUK Bayero University, Kano · · nlstrl,..t D.O. .iJ ..1 nVt..f r;c e'-./r .LJ.1 DOM District Officer of Minna JAH Journal of African History JHSN Journal of the Historical Society ofNigeria MBPP Middle Belt Peoples Party MinProf Minna Provincial Office NAK National Archives, Kaduna NCNC National Congress of Nigeria and Cameroun NEPU Northern Element Progressive Union NPC Northern Peoples Congress NSAM Niger State Archives, Minna RNC Royal Niger Company SNP Secretary to Northern Provinces WAFF West African Frontier Force IX GLOSSARY Abawa Thread Akali Judge Ajale Owners of land Chirani Dry season migration Dobu Local silos for storing grains Dodongwari Masquerade of Gbagyi Epe-dagai/ epeda Head of the household Etsu Chief Ezhi Town Fadagbe Cooperative farm service Fago/Fako Family farm Fakpa/Faba Suburb Fatigo-da Head of the village Jakada Courtier Kakaki Trumpet Kaura Permanent migration Kofa Gate way Kurmi Forest Nugbanufa Individual farm Sarki Chief Sarkin mallamai Chief scribe Yandoka Local police X ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This Thesis would not have been possible without the encouragement and assistance of many individuals, whose names cannot all be mentioned. However, I want to register my profound gratitude to my primary informants for providing me their time and material infonnation towards the conduct of this project. I would like to state that their contributions assisted me greatly in overcoming some pre-conceived ideas and material records, which were sometimes not detailed and explicit. They include my father, Alhaji Mohammed Baba (Yakeke), former Walin Gawu; my tmcle, Alhaji Mohammed Sarkin Haya, Galadiman Gawu; Alhaji Abdullahi Dada, retired District Head of Maikunkele and Marafan Minna; Mallam Abubakar Pkottm, Gundumun-Gabas of Paiko; Mallam Ahmadu Yohanna Kuta; Mallam Ibrahim Kafinta, Galadiman Paida Minna; Alhaji Musa Abubakar, District Head of Bosso; late Alhaji Aliyu Mu'azu, Sarkin Yakin Minna and Iliyasu Dako, Ajiyan Minna. My special thanks go to my supervisors and their families, Prof. Aliyu A. Idrees and Prof. J.A. Ohiare, who have over the years been patient with me and have shown their understanding of my several trips to their official residences for assistance and guidance. Their comments, observations, criticisms and corrections on the manuscripts were worthwhile. The sudden death of both Prof. Aliyu A. Idrees and Prof. J. A. Ohiare was a great loss to the academic community, XI considering their valuable contributions to academics. Prof. Aliyu A. Idrees died 1 6t11 on the I t 1 November 2004, five months after I had defended my Theses on the June 2004 while Professor J. A. Ohiare died along with another member of the History Department, Dr. Aliyu Hussani, on the 24111 February, 2006. T am full of pain that both of them did not live to see the fruits of their labour, the final copy of the Theses and my convocation. All I would say is that may Almighty Allah grant them eternal rest. My sincere thanks go to Prof. Sa'ad Abubakar who went through the manuscript to ensure that the thesis was inconfonnity with the standard of University requirement. Also my thanks also goes to all members of staff of the department of History for giving me all possible assistance through out the duration of my course and the completion of the thesis. I am grateful to the library staff of Bayero University library, Kano; Niger State