Kano
Coordinates: 12°00′N 8°31′E / 12°N
8.517°ECoordinates: 12°00′N 8°31′E / 12°N 8.517°E
Country Nigeria
State Kano State
Government
• Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (PDP)
Area
• Metro 499 km2 (193 sq mi)
Population (2006 census)
• City 2,163,225
• Metro 2,828,861
[1]
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+1)
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 km2 and
comprises six Local Government Area (LGAs) - Kano Municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni
and Nassarawa - with a population of 2,163,225 at the 2006 Nigerian census. The Metropolitan
Area covers 499 km2 and comprises eight LGAs - the six mentioned above plus Ungogo and
Kumbotso - with a population of 2,828,861 at the 2006 Nigerian census.
The principal inhabitants of the city are the Hausa people. As in most parts of Northern Nigeria,
the Hausa Language is widely spoken in Kano. The city is the capital of the Kano Emirate, and
the current Emir, Ado Bayero, has been on the throne since 1963. The city is home to the
Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, the main airport serving northern Nigeria and was
named after Nigerian politician Aminu Kano.
Contents
[hide]
1 History
o 1.1 Fulani conquest and rule
o 1.2 British colonization and rule
o 1.3 Post-independence history
2 Geography
3 Climate
4 Demographics
5 Transportation/Aviation
6 Economy
7 Durbar Festival
8 References
9 Further reading
10 External links
History
1850 steel engraving of Kano
See also: Kingdom of Kano
In the 7th century, Dala Hill, a residual hill in Kano, was the site of a hunting and gathering
community that engaged in iron work; it is unknown whether these were Hausa people or
speakers of Niger–Congo languages.[2]
Kano was originally known as Dala, after the hill, and
was referred to as such as late as the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th by
Bornoan sources.[3]
The Kano Chronicle identifies Barbushe, a priest of a Dala Hill spirit, as the city's first settler.
(Elizabeth Isichei notes that the description of Barbushe is similar to those of Sao people.)[4]
While small chiefdoms were previously present in the area, according to the Kano Chronicle,
Bagauda, a grandson of the mythical hero Bayajidda,[5]
became the first king of Kano in 999,
reigning until 1063.[6][7]
His grandson Gijimasu (1095–1134), the third king, began building city
walls at the foot of Dalla Hill, and his own son, Tsaraki (1136–1194), the fifth king, completed
them during his reign.[7]
Muhammad Rumfa ascended to the throne in 1463 and reigned until 1499. During his reign, he
reformed the city, expanded the Sahelian Gidan Rumfa (Emir's Palace), and played a role in the
further Islamization of the city,[8]
as he urged prominent residents to convert.[9]
The Kano
Chronicle attributes a total of twelve "innovations" to Rumfa.[10]
According to the Kano Chronicle, the thirty-seventh Sarkin Kano (King of Kano) was
Mohammed Sharef (1703–1731). His successor, Kumbari dan Sharefa (1731–1743), engaged in
major battles with Sokoto.
Fulani conquest and rule
At the beginning of the 19 century, Fulani Islamic leader Usman dan Fodio led a jihad affecting
much of northern Nigeria, leading to the emergence of the Sokoto Caliphate. Kano was the
largest and most prosperous province of the empire.[11]
This was one of the last major slave
societies, with high percentages of enslaved population long after the Atlantic slave trade had
been cut off. Heinrich Barth, a German scholar who spent several years in northern Nigeria in the
1850s, estimated the percentage of slaves in Kano to be at least 50%, most of whom lived in
slave villages.[11]
The city suffered famines from 1807–10, in the 1830s, 1847, 1855, 1863, 1873, 1884, and from
1889 until 1890.[12]
From 1893 until 1895, two rival claimants for the throne fought a civil war, or Basasa. With the
help of royal slaves, Yusufu was victorious over Tukur, and claimed the title of emir.[13]
British colonization and rule
Kano in December 1930. Air photo taken by Swiss pilot and photographer Walter Mittelholzer.
British forces captured Kano in 1903 and made it the administrative centre of Northern Nigeria.
It was replaced as the centre of government by Kaduna, and only regained administrative
significance with the creation of Kano State following Nigerian independence.
From 1913 to 1914, as the peanut business was expanding, Kano suffered a major drought,
which caused a famine.[14]
Other famines during British rule occurred in 1908, 1920, 1927, 1943,
1951, 1956, and 1958.[12]
By 1922, groundnut trader Alhassan Dantata had become the richest businessman in Kano,
surpassing fellow merchants Umaru Sharubutu Koki and Maikano Agogo.[15]
In May 1953, an inter-ethnic riot arose due to southern newspapers misreporting on the nature of
a disagreement between northern and southern politicians in the House of Representatives.[16]
Thousands of Nigerians of southern origin died as a result of the riot.[17]
Post-independence history
Ado Bayero became Emir of Kano in 1963. Kano state was created in 1967 from the then
Northern Nigeria by the Federal military government. The first military Police commissioner
Audu Bako is credited with building a solid foundation for the progress of a modern society.
Most of the social amenities in the state are credited to him.[citation needed]
The first civilian
governor was Abubakar Rimi.
In December 1980, radical preacher Mohammed Marwa Maitatsine led riots in Kano. He was
killed by security forces, but his followers later started uprisings in other northern cities.[18]
After the introduction of sharia in Kano State in 2000, many Christians left the city.[19]
100
people were killed in riots over the sharia issue during October 2001.[20]
In November 2007, political violence broke out in the city after the People's Democratic Party
(PDP) accused the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) of rigging the November 17, 2007 local
government elections.[21]
(The ANPP won in 36 of the state's 44 Local Government Areas.)[22]
Hundreds of youths took to the streets, over 300 of whom were arrested; at least 25 people were
killed. Buildings set on fire include a sharia police station, an Islamic centre, and a council
secretariat. 280 federal soldiers were deployed around the city.[23]
In January 2012 a series of bomb attacks in Kano killed up to 162 people. Four police stations,
the State Security Service headquarters, passport offices and immigration centres were attacked.
Militants of the Boko Haram claimed responsibility.[24]
After the bombings, Kano was placed
under curfew.[25]
[edit] Geography
Kano is located at 481 meters (or about 1580 feet) above sea level. The city lies to the north of
the Jos Plateau, located in the Sudanian Savanna region that stretches across the south of the
Sahel. The city lies near where the Kano and Challawa rivers flowing from the southwest
converge to form the Hadejia River, which eventually flows into Lake Chad to the east.
[edit] Climate
The region features savanna vegetation and a hot, semi-arid climate. Kano sees on average about
873 mm of precipitation per year,[26]
the bulk of which falls from June through September. Kano
is typically very hot throughout the year, though from December through February, the city is
noticeably cooler. Nighttime temperatures are cool during the months of December, January and
February, with average low temperatures ranging from 11°-14°C.
[hide]Climate data for Cano
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 30
(86)
33
(91)
37
(98)
39
(102)
38
(100)
34
(93)
31
(87)
29
(84)
31
(87)
34
(93)
34
(93)
31
(87)
33.2
(91.8)
Average low °C (°F) 12 14 18 22 23 22 21 20 21 19 15 12 18.0
(53) (57) (64) (71) (73) (71) (69) (68) (69) (66) (59) (53) (64.4)
Precipitation cm (inches) 0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
1
(0.4)
6
(2.4)
11
(4.5)
20
(7.9)
29
(11.3)
12
(4.8)
1
(0.5)
0
(0)
0
(0)
81
(31.8)
Source: Weatherbase [27]
Kano
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D
0
30
13
1
33
15
2
37
19
8
38
24
71
37
24
119
34
23
209
31
22
311
29
21
137
31
21
14
34
19
1
33
16
0
31
13
Average max. and min. temperatures in
°C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: Kano climate info [26]
[show]Imperial conversion
Demographics
Kano is largely Muslim. The majority of Kano Muslims are Sunni, though a minority adhere to
the Shia branch (see Shia in Nigeria). Christians and followers of other non-Muslim religions
form a small part of the population, and traditionally lived in the Sabon Gari, or Foreign
Quarter.[20]
Transportation/Aviation
Kano is strategically located and owing to its leading position as commercial hub in the sub-
Saharan Africa. Kano is linked to many African cities by road. Fleets of trucks and buses and
other link Kano with many cities in Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Republic of Benin. Kabo Air, an
airline, has its head office on the grounds of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in
Kano.[28]
Kano is also linked to Europe, Middle east, and north Africa. Kano Airport is served by
Egypt Air, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Middle East Air, KLM.[29]
It is also connected to Lagos and
Abuja by several domestic airlines (IRS, Dana Air, Bellview, Arik and others)
Economy
Elaborately dressed horseman returns after paying tribute to Emir of Kano during the Durbar of October
2006
Kano has long been the economic centre of northern Nigeria, and a centre for the production and
export of peanuts. Kano houses the Bayero University and a railway station with trains to Lagos
routed through Kaduna, while Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport lies nearby. Because
Kano is north of the rail junction at Kaduna, it has equal access to the seaports at Lagos and Port
Harcourt.
Formerly walled, most of the gates to the Old City survive. The Old City houses the vast Kurmi
Market, known for its crafts, while old dye pits – still in use – lie nearby. Also in the Old City are
the Emir's Palace, the Great Mosque, and the Gidan Makama Mosque. Kano has six districts.
They are the Old City, Bompai, Fagge, Sabon Gari, Syrian Quarter, and Nassarawa.[30]
The city
also contains the Gidan Makama Museum Kano, housed in a 15th century building that is a
National Monument.
As of November 2007, there are plans to establish an information technology park in the city.[31]
The city is supplied with water by the nearby Challawa Gorge Dam, which is also being
considered as a source of hydro power.[32]
The airline Kabo Air has its head office in the city.[33]
Durbar Festival
The Emir of Kano hosts a Durbar to mark and celebrate the two annual Muslim festivals and
Eid-ul-Fitr (to mark the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan) and Eid al-Adha (to mark the Hajj
Holy Pilgrimage). The Durbar culminates in a procession of highly elaborately dressed horsemen
who pass through the city to the Emir's palace. Once assembled near the palace, groups of
horsemen, each group representing a nearby village, take it in turns to charge towards the Emir,
pulling up just feet in front of the seated dignitaries to offer their respect and allegiance.
References
1. ^ Kano Municipal LGA population as per:
Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette (15 May 2007). "Legal Notice on Publication of the
Details of the Breakdown of the National and State Provisional Totals 2006 Census" (PDF).
http://www.nigerianstat.gov.ng/nbsapps/Connections/Pop2006.pdf. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
2. ^ Iliffe, John (2007). Africans: The History of a Continent. Cambridge University Press. p. 75.
ISBN 0-521-86438-0.
3. ^ Nast, Heidi J (2005). Concubines and Power: Five Hundred Years in a Northern Nigerian Palace.
University of Minnesota Press. p. 60. ISBN 0-8166-4154-4.
4. ^ Isichei, Elizabeth (1997). A History of African Societies to 1870. Cambridge University Press.
p. 234. ISBN 0-521-45599-5.
http://books.google.com/?id=LgnhYDozENgC&pg=PA234&lpg=PA234.
5. ^ Okehie-Offoha, Marcellina; Matthew N. O. Sadiku (December 1995). Ethnic and Cultural
Diversity in Nigeria. Africa World Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-86543-283-3.
6. ^ "Kano". Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9039547/Hausa.
7. ^ a b Ki-Zerbo, Joseph (1998). UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. IV, Abridged Edition: Africa
from the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century. University of California Press. p. 107. ISBN 0-520-
06699-5.
8. ^ "Caravans Across the Desert: Marketplace". AFRICA: One Continent. Many Worlds.. Natural
History Museum of Los Angeles County Foundation. Archived from the original on January 2,
2005.
http://web.archive.org/web/20050102214010/http://www.nhm.org/africa/tour/desert/030.ht
m. Retrieved 2007-05-06.
9. ^ "50 Greatest Africans - Sarki Muhammad Rumfa & Emperor Semamun". When We Ruled.
Every Generation Media. http://www.whenweruled.com/articles.php?lng=en&pg=25. Retrieved
2007-05-05.
10. ^ Nast, p. 61
11. ^ a b Lovejoy, Paul (1983). Transformations in Slavery: A History of Slavery in Africa. Cambridge
UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 195. ISBN 0-521-24369-6.
12. ^ a b Milich, Lee (1997-07-17). "Food Security in Pre-Colonial Hausaland". College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences. http://ag.arizona.edu/~lmilich/afoodsec.html. Retrieved 2007-10-26.
13. ^ Stilwell, Sean (2000). "Power, Honour and Shame: The Ideology of Royal Slavery in the Sokoto
Caliphate". Africa: Journal of the International African Institute, (Edinburgh University Press) 70
(3): 394–421. doi:10.2307/1161067. JSTOR 1161067.
14. ^ Christelow, Allan (1987). "Property and Theft in Kano at the Dawn of the Groundnut Boom,
1912-1914". The International Journal of African Historical Studies (Boston University African
Studies Center) 20 (2): 225–243. doi:10.2307/219841. JSTOR 219841.
15. ^ Dan-Asabe, Abdulkarim Umar (November 2000). "Biography of Select Kano Merchants, 1853-
1955" (– Scholar search). FAIS Journal of Humanities 1 (2). Archived from the original on September 3,
2007.
http://web.archive.org/web/20070903072846/http://www.kanostate.net/Support+Files/Biogra
phy+of+Select+Kano+Merchants.htm. Retrieved 2007-10-09.[dead link]
16. ^ Ernest E., Uwazie; Isaac Olawale Albert and G. N. Uzoigwe (1999). "The Role of Communication
in the Escalation of Ethnic and Religious Conflicts". Inter-Ethnic and Religious Conflict Resolution
in Nigeria. Lexington Books. p. 20. ISBN 0-7391-0033-5.
17. ^ Uwazie et al., p. 73
18. ^ Hunwick, John Owen; Ibrahim Gambari (chapter author) (1992). "The Role of Religion in
National Life: Reflections on Recent Experiences in Nigeria". Religion and National Integration in
Africa: Islam, Christianity and Politics in the Sudan and Nigeria. Northwestern University Press.
p. 90. ISBN 0-8101-1037-7.
19. ^ "Nigeria's Kano state celebrates Sharia". BBC News. 2000-06-21.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/798630.stm. Retrieved 2007-11-04.
20. ^ a b "Kano: Nigeria's ancient city-state". BBC online (BBC). 2004-05-20.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3708309.stm. Retrieved 2007-07-12.
21. ^ "Army patrols Kano after clashes". News.BBC.com (BBC News). 2007-11-21.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7105790.stm. Retrieved 2007-11-21.
22. ^ Karofi, Hassan A; Halima Musa (2007-11-21). "ANPP Sweeps Kano LG Polls". Daily Trust online.
http://dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5253&Itemid=45.
Retrieved 2007-11-21.
23. ^ Shuaibu, Ibrahim (2007-11-21). "Kano Death Toll Rises to 25". Thisday online (Leaders &
Company). Archived from the original on 2007-12-01.
http://web.archive.org/web/20071201091113/http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=9
5856. Retrieved 2007-11-21.
24. ^ "Nigeria violence: Scores dead after Kano blasts". BBC News. 2012-01-21.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16663693. Retrieved 2012-01-22.
25. ^ Many Dead Following Bomb Blasts in Kano, Nigeria
26. ^ a b "Kano Climate Information - ClimateTemp.info, Making Sense of Average Monthly
Temperature & Weather Data with Detailed Climate Graphs That Portray Average Rainfall &
Sunshine Hours". Climatetemp.info. 2011-07-22.
http://www.climatetemp.info/nigeria/kano.html. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
27. ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Cano, Nigeria". Weatherbase. 2011.
http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=650460&refer=wikipedia. Retrieved
on November 24, 2011.
28. ^ "Contact Us." Kabo Air. Retrieved on 19 October 2009.
29. ^ Barau, Aliyu Salisu (2007) The Great Attractions of Kano. Research and Documentation
Directorate, Government House Kano
30. ^ "Kano". Encyclopædia Britannica. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 2007.
31. ^ "Nigerian city of Kano plans IT park". Panapress (Afriquenligne). 2007-11-04.
http://www.afriquenligne.fr/news/daily-news/nigerian-city-of-kano-plans-it-park-
2007110410666/. Retrieved 2007-11-04.
32. ^ PROF. ABDU SALIHI, FNSE (11TH - 12 May 2009). "Hydropower Development at Tiga and
Challawa Gorge Dams, Kano State, Nigeria". International Network on Small Hydro Power (IN-
SHP).
http://www.inshp.org/THE%205th%20HYDRO%20POWER%20FOR%20TODAY%20CONFERENCE/
Presentations/Nigeria/Hydropower%20Development%20At%20Tiga%20And%20Challawa%20Go
rge%20Dams.pdf. Retrieved 2009-10-02.
33. ^ "Contact Us." Kabo Air. Retrieved on 27 November 2010. "HEAD OFFICE 67/73 Ashton Rd
P.O.Box 1850 Kano State Nigeria"
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