 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
Daura Local Government |
|
|
|
DAURA LOCAL GOVERNMENT
KUSUGU WELL
Kusugu well is located in the ancient city of Daura. According to historical accounts, the well is associated with the establishment of Daura town in the 7th century and the formation of Sarauta system in hausaland. In the ancient times, the well was the only source of water for the people of Daura, but it harboured a dangerous snake which only allowed people to fetch water from the well on Fridays. The snake was called ‘Sarki’ or simply ‘Ki’ which means ‘refuse’ or ‘reject’.
The people of Daura continued to live in misery until the coming of Bayajidda, also called Abu yazid. Bayajidda was the son of the ruler of Bagdad in the present day Iraq. As a result of some disagreement with his father, he left Bagdad in company of his brothers and some soldiers to seek for fortune elsewhere. In the course of his journey, he arrived Borno where he assisted the ‘Mai’(ruler of Borno) to defeat the surrounding pagans. In appreciation, the Mai gave Bayajidda his daughter called ‘Maghira’in marriage.
Bayajidda later left Borno and eventually settled his wife, Maghira, at a settlement called Garun gabas or Biram in Hadejia, since she could not continue with the harzadous journey as a result of pregnancy. She later gave birth to a son who became the chief of the town.
Meanwhile, Bayajidda continued his journey westwards and arrived at Dala hill in Kano which was then occupied by pagan blacksmiths known as Ábagiyawa’. He stayed briefly before moving northwards and finally arriving at the city of Daura in the night. He lodged in the house of an old woman called ‘Ayana’. When he asked the old woman for water to give his horse. She told him that water was not available except on Fridays because of the menace of a snake in the well. Undaunted, Bayajidda borrowed a calabash and asked for the way to the well. When he put the calabash inside the well the snake seized it. He however, pulled the snake out and cut its head with knife, drew the water he needed and returned to his lodge.
The following morning, the people of the town became amazed when they found the body of the snake beside the well. News of the event reached Daurama, the ruler of the town. She sent two of her senior officials, Kaura and Galadima to investigate the situation and report back their findings. At the well, the Galadima apparently afraid, could not go near, but the more courageous Kaura went up to the beheaded snake, touched it and confirmed that it was really dead. He reported this to the Queen who promptly appointed him the Commander-in-chief of her Armed Forces.
After the appointment of Kaura, the Queen ordered to see the man who killed the snake so that she could redeem her pledge to give half of the town to anyone who rid the town of the menace. The order attracted false claims by many ambitious men, who were quickly exposed when asked to show the head of the snake. Eventually, the old woman who hosted Bayajidda remembered her visitor’s request for water. She narrated the event to the Queen and remarked that Bayajidda had watered his horse the previous night. The Queen promptly summoned Bayajidda who convinced her that he killed the snake by presenting its head in a wrapped cloth. When the Queen became satisfied, she offered Bayajidda half of the town in appreciation. But he replied that he would rather marry her. The Queen accepted this and the tow were married. Bayajidda moved to the palace and soon afterwards, the people began to call the Queen’s house ‘Gidan Makashin Sarki’ (The house of the man who killed the Snake). According to some sources, this is the origin of ‘Sarki’ the Hausa word for Chief.
When the royal couple lived together for many years without an issue, the Queen gave her husband a concubine who gave birth to a son named ‘Karbo Gari’ (town seizer). Not long afterwards, the Queen herself gave birth to a son whom she named ‘Bawo’ which was interpreted to mean ‘Bawogari’ ‘return my town’.
Bawo gave birth to six children. The first was Kazaure who succeeded him as the Sarki (Chief) of Daura. The second was Kumayo who became the first Sarki of Katsina. The third was Gunguma who became the first Sark of Zazzau. The fourth was Duma who became the first Sarki of Gobir. The fifth was Bagauda who became the first Sarki of Kano. The sixth was Zamnakogi who became the first Sarki of Rano. Bayajidda’a son by Maghira, hid wife from Borno became the first Sarki of Biram. These Kingdoms founded by the legitimate descendents of Bayajidda are known as the seven Hausa states (Hausa Bakwai).
According to some versions of the story, Bawo’s brother Karbo gari is also credited with seven sons, who established the Chiefdoms of Zamfara, Nupe, Gwari, Yauri, Katanga, Kebbi and Jukun. These seven states are referred to as ‘Banza Bakwai’ (the false seven) because they were founded by the illegitimate decedents of Bayajidda through his concubine.
TSOHON BIRNI
Tsohon Birni is located about ten kilometres north of the present town of Daura, the Headquarters of Daura Local Government Area. The site is believed to be the ancient capital of Daura Kingdom and one of the oldest settlements in Hausaland.
The origin of Tsohon Birni is attributed to the early foundation of Daura as a Kingdom. According to historical accounts, a man called Abdul Dar, the son of Najib of Cannan, migrated from Tripoli and settled in the area after he failed to secure the kingship of his country. He established Daura, a chiefdom which he ruled with justice and fairness to all. Having no male issue, Abdul Dar was succeeded by his daughter Kafuru, who was appointed in the hope that she had inherited her father’s courage and effective administration. The traditions say that in appreciation of the good deeds of Kafuru as Chief, the people decided to continue appointing women as rulers, contrary to the tradition of appointing only sons to succeed their fathers to the throne.
Kafuru was therefore succeeded by eight women as chiefs: Gino, Yakumo, Yakunya, Walzamu, Yanbamu, Gizirgizir, Innagari and Daura or Daurama. These women successfully ruled the kingdom with the title of ‘Magajiya’.
The last one, Daurama, was said to have shifted the capital from Tsohon Birni (old town) to the present Daura town. Daurama’s decision to shift the capital was attributed to the availability of water from a newly found well known as ‘Kusugu’. Other reasons which might have influenced this decision include administrative, economic and security convenience. This conclusion was drawn from specific examples of some ancient Kingdoms like Kanem Borno, Songhai and even Fulani Empire of Sokoto, whose rulers at one time or another had to shift their capitals from one location to another for similar reasons.
The new capital founded by Daurama eventually took her name and came to be known as Daura, in the same way some towns in Hausalan, such as Zaria and Abuja are known by their founders.
After the death of Daurama, eight Queens or Magajiya ruled the kingdom in successive order. They were: Gamata, Shata, Batutume, Sandamata, Jamata, Hamata, Zama and Shawata.
Not much is known about the activities of these early rulers of Daura. But their style of governance could not have been much different from what obtained in a typical Hausa Sarauta system in which the Sarki is the Head of the government, assisted by many traditional title holders.
EMIR’S PALACE DAURA
The Palace of Emir of Daura is a beautiful edifice located at the centre of the town. Traditions indicate that the palace was built by Magajiya Daurama shortly after she moved the capital of the Kingdom from Tsohon Birni (Old city) to the present Daura city. The palace was constructed in the typical Hausa architecture, using sun-baked bricks mud, local rafters known as ‘Azara’, and a colorant, ‘Makuba’. The palace contains large ‘Zaure’ (main entrance) and several inner apartments or chambers.
One of these apartments, ‘Dakin Gani’ (Conference Room) was the hall in which the rulers of the seven Hausa States used to meet in order to deliberate on important matters which affected them. These yearly meetings at Daura indicate the importance of the town as the centre of political activities of Hausaland those days.
Previously, the palace extended eastwards to the compound of Sarkin Bai at the rear. This entrance, known as Kofar Bai (the slaves’ gate) was controlled by Sarkin Bai and the Fada Babba. In pre-colonial days, only throne slaves were permitted to enter or leave the palace by the rear gate, while the front gate was open to persons of any status. Both gates were guarded by slaves, who also stood guard at both the forecourt and the rear sections of the palace. The area directly behind the Sarki’s private quarters within the palace is known as ‘Shamaki’ (stables). This section harbored state treasures which were kept in store houses. Also, in the corner of Shamaki were the prisons manage by ‘Ajiya’.
Source: Katsina State Historical and Culture Bureau
