DO YOU KNOW ZAMFARA: A STATE IN NIGERIA?

Zamfara State is a state in northwestern Nigeria. Its capital is Gusau and its Governor is Mahmud Shinkafi, a former member of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP), now a member the People's Democratic Party (PDP). Until 1996 the area was part of Sokoto State. Zamfara State was the first in Nigeria to introduce the Sharia. The area today called Zamfara State was one of the old Hausa City-States like Kano, Katsina, Gobir, Kabi and Zazzau. It extends up to the bend of River Rima to the NorthWest and River Ka in the SouthWest. Zamfara Kingdom came into being in the 11th century and flourished up to 16th century as a City-State. Its capitals have shifted with the fortunes of the kingdom from place to place like Dutsi and Birnin Zamfara. In the first half of the 18th century, its then capital Birnin Zamfara, was destroyed by the Gobir Kingdom and a new capital was established in Anka by the second half of the 19th century. Zamfara has many centres of commerce and scholarship that attracted many scholars like the ‘Yandoto city. It became part of the Sakkwato Caliphate after the 1804 Jihad by Usman Danfodiyo. In fact, Usman Danfodiyo settled in Sabon Gari where Sarkin Zamfara Abarshi had already established a garrison headquarters during the early days of his Jihad as a base from where fought Gobir and Kabi. Zamfara is peopled by Hausa and Fulani peoples. Major groups of people include the Zamfarawa mainly peopling Anka, Gummi, Bukkuyum and Talata Mafara Local Governments areas. Gobirawa peopled Shinkafi Local Government. Gobirawa actually migrated from the Gobir Kingdom. Burmawa are found in Bakura and Fulani peopled Bungudu, Maradun, Gusau and are scattered all over the State. In Tsafe, Bungudu and Maru Local Governments are mainly Katsinawa, Garewawa and Hadejawa. While Alibawa peopled Kaura Namoda and Zurmi.

GEOGRAPHY

LOCATION

Zamfara state has 14 local governments. It covers a land area of 38,414 square kilometers. It has Sokoto state to the North, Kebbi and Niger states to th west, Katsina to the east and Kaduna to the south.

RAIN FALL

The average amount of rain fall in the area fluctuates between 36 and 80 millimeters in a year.

RIVERS

There are four major rivers in the state namely: Ka, Bunsuru, Gagare and Zamfara.

LAKES

There are several lakes in zamfara: The most famouis one sare Dangulbi (Kakale) and Bakura (Natu). Smaller ones include Saru (Gummi) and Jena (Zurmi)

CLIMATE

a)     Dry seasons including Whirl Wind  – November to May

b)    Rainy season June to October

GEOLOGY

Zamfara is part of the geological belt of pre Cambrian age, formed as a result of metamorphosis and igneous activities. The granite parts come in to groups: The younger and the older. The older granites are more wide spread. They form smooth rounded hills which characterized the landscape of the basement complex area; the hills occasionally rise up to 200 meters. A good example is found in Kotorkoshi and Tsafe. The younger granite which is of Jurassic age intrudes into the basement complex in the plateau areas as in Yandoto. There are tertiary sediments which have resulted in limestone, clay, graphite, stone and coal.

VEGETATION

The vegetation is a hybrid of southern Sudan and northern Guinea savannah.

POPULATION

The population was estimated at 2,231,402 people (1991 census)

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Zamfara state is endowed with a good number of tourist attractiobns: they include Kuyambana game reserve, Dajin Rugu; Bakalori Dam; Dangulbi pound (Kakale); Ruwan Kaiwa; Rumu; Surguma; ChilbinKaya; Serakkaera where crocodiles reside; Forest Reserve at Dowan Jiya; Bagega and Wuya where Elephant, Lion, Hyena, Tigers, Gorillas and Hippopotami take shelter, cultural historic sites like Kotarkoshi Rock; Baura and Kyauka cultural festivals in Kotarkoshi and Kanioma; Namoda tomb in Kaura Namoda, Rivers Ka and Zamfara in Anka; Ganuwa city wall at Kiyawa ; Kanoma Hills and Shamushalle Elephants grazing reserved.