Northern Nigeria
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/* The Fourteen Kingdoms */
'''Northern Nigeria''' is a geographical region of [[Nigeria]]. It is more arid and has less population density than the south. The people are largely [[Islam|Muslim]], and many are [[Hausa people|Hausa]]. Much of the north was once politically united in the [[Northern Region, Nigeria|Northern Region]], a federal division disbanded in 1967.
==History==
===Hausa States===
{{main|Hausa States}}
The '''Hausa States''' or '''Hausa Kingdoms''' were a collection of independent city-states situated in what became Northern Nigeria. Despite relatively constant growth, the city-states were vulnerable to aggression and, although the vast majority of its inhabitants were [[Muslim]] by the 16th century, they were attacked by Muslim [[jihadists]] from 1804 to 1808. In 1808 the last Hausa state was finally conquered by [[Usuman dan Fodio]] and incorporated into the [[Sokoto Caliphate]].
====Arrival of the Hausa====
Between 500 CE and 700 CE Hausa people, who had been slowly moving west from Nubia and mixing in with the local Northern and Central Nigerian population, established a number of strong states in what is now Northern and Central Nigeria and Eastern Niger. With the decline of the Nok and Sokoto, who had previously controlled Central and Northern Nigeria between 800 BCE and 200 CE, the Hausa were able to emerge as the new power in the region. Closely linked with the Kanuri people of Kanem-Bornu (Lake Chad), the Hausa aristocracy adopted Islam in the 11th century CE. By the 12th century CE the Hausa were becoming one of Africa's major powers. The architecture of the Hausa is perhaps one of the least known but most beautiful of the medieval age. Many of their early mosques and palaces are bright and colourful and often include intricate engraving or elaborate symbols designed into the facade. By 1500 CE the Hausa utilized a modified Arabic script known as ajami to record their own language; the Hausa compiled several written histories, the most popular being the Kano Chronicle.
====The Fourteen Kingdoms====
The Hausa Kingdoms emerged in the 13th century as vibrant trading centers competing with [[Kanem Empire|Kanem-Bornu]] and [[Mali]]. The primary exports were [[leather]], [[gold]], [[Textile|cloth]], [[salt]], [[kola nuts]], animal hides, and [[henna]]. Except for minor alliances, the Hausa city-states functioned independently. Rivalries generally inhibited the formation of one centralized authority.
There were fourteen Hausa Kingdoms: The "Hausa Seven" and the "Bastard Seven"
The Hausa Kingdoms began as seven states with a shared mythology with its founders being the sons of a Queen. They are known as the '''Hausa Bakwai''' meaning '''Hausa Seven'''. The states included:
*[[Daura]] ? - [[1806]]
*[[Kano]] [[998]] - [[1807]]
*[[Katsina]] c. [[1400]] - [[1805]]
*[[Zaria|Zazzau]] (Zaria) c. [[1200]] - [[1808]]
*[[Gobir]] ? - [[1808]]
*[[Rano]]
*[[Hadeja|Biram]] c. [[1100]] - [[1805]]
The growth and conquest of the Hausa Bakwai resulted in the founding of additional states with rulers tracing their lineage to a concubine of the Hausa founding father, [[Bayajidda]]. Thus they are called the ''''Banza Bakwai''' meaning '''Bastard Seven'''. The Banza Bakwai adopted many of the customs and institutions of the Hausa Bakwai but were considered unsanctioned or copy-cat kingdoms by non-Hausa people. These states include:
*[[Zamfara State|Zamfara]]
*[[Kebbi]]
*[[Yauri (Nigeria)|Yauri]] (also called Yawuri)
*[[Gwari]] (also called Gwariland)
*Kwararafa (a Jukun state)
*[[Nupe]] (of the Nupe people)
*Llorin (a Yoruba state)
===Fulani Empire and Bornu Empire===
[[Usuman dan Fodio]] led a jihad against the Hausa States and finally united them into the Muslim [[Fulani Empire]]. The [[Fulani Empire]] was under the overall authority of the [[Commander of the Faithful]], all of whom after Usman dan Fodio also used the title [[Sultan of Sokoto]]. Under him the Empire was bicephalous and divided into two territories each controlled by an appointed [[vizier]]. Each of the territories was further divided into autonomous [[Emirate]]s under mainly hereditary local [[Emir]]s. The [[Bornu Empire]] was initially absorbed into the [[Fulani Empire]] of Usman dan Fodio, but broke away after a few years claiming increasing corruption of the [[Fulani Empire]].
===Royal Niger Company Territory===
Initially the British involvement in Northern Nigeria was predominantly trade-related, and revolved around the expansion of the [[Royal Niger Company]], whose interior territories spread north from about where the [[Niger River]] and [[Benin River]] joined at [[Lokoja]]. The Royal Niger Company's territory did not represent a direct threat to the powerful Fulani empire.
===Protectorate of Northern Nigeria===
====History of the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria====
[[Image:Nigeria 1909.jpg|thumb|right|Map of Nigeria, 1909]]
'''Northern Nigeria''' was a [[United Kingdom|British]] colony formed in [[1900]]. The basis of the colony was the [[Berlin Conference|1885 Treaty of Berlin]] which broadly granted Northern Nigeria to Britain, on the basis of their protectorates in Southern Nigeria. There was, however considerable uncertainty about the borders which Britain could assert and the trade rights other Europeans might have, and as a result British involvement in Northern Nigeria was initially considered a political priority in Africa due to the threat of German and French rivals. There was particular uncertainty over the border with French colonies in the North West.
Britain's chosen Governor, [[Frederick Lugard]], with limited resources, slowly negotiated with ,and sometimes coerced, the emirates of the north into accepting British rule, finding that the only way this could be achieved was with the consent of local rulers through a policy of [[indirect rule]] which he developed from a necessary improvisation into a sophisticated political theory. Lugard left the protectorate after some years, serving in Hong Kong, but was eventually returned to work in Nigeria where he decided on the merger of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate with [[Southern Nigeria]] in [[1914]]. The unification was done for [[economic]] reasons rather than [[political]] — Northern Nigeria had a budget deficit. [[Frederick Lugard]] sought to use the budget surpluses in [[Southern Nigeria]] to offset this deficit [http://info.worldbank.org/etools/docs/library/5783/State_and_Governance_Nigeria.htm], and also believed that administration of the whole area would be easier if united, especially since northern Nigeria had no access to the sea. At the time, neither Lugard nor other British administrators, nor Africans, considered Nigeria to constitute a potential national unit- in fact the north and south were considered culturally radically different- and the merger was an economic and administrative convenience. Under an umbrella administration for all Nigeria, the north and south continued to have their own separate administrations, and each had its own [[Lieutenant-Governor]] answering to Lugard and his successors. However, nationalism developing in Nigeria soon took the whole of Nigeria as a natural future national unit.
==== Postage stamps and postal history ====
[[Postage stamp]]s were issued specifically for Northern Nigeria beginning in March 1890. All stamps issued were the of [[Key Plate]] design, differing in the sovereign depicted, [[watermark]]s, and choice of colored or colorless numerals for the denomination.
Unusually, a 25-pound stamp was issued in [[1904]]. This was really intended as a [[revenue stamp]], it being nearly impossible to invent a piece of mail needing so much postage. It was used to pay for liquor licences. It is the great rarity of the colony, unused copies commanding a price of around US$45,000.
==Modern Northern Nigeria==
The following [[States of Nigeria|states]] comprise Northern Nigeria:
*[[Adamawa State|Adamawa]]
*[[Bauchi State|Bauchi]]
*[[Borno State|Borno]]
*[[Gombe State|Gombe]]
*[[Jigawa State|Jigawa]]
*[[Kaduna State|Kaduna]]
*[[Kano State|Kano]]
*[[Katsina State|Katsina]]
*[[Kebbi State|Kebbi]]
*[[Sokoto State|Sokoto]]
*[[Yobe State|Yobe]]
*[[Zamfara State|Zamfara]]
==References==
*[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9054346/Muri Britannica]
*[http://www.uiowa.edu/~africart/toc/people/Hausa.html Art & Life in Africa]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/4chapter5.shtml BBC]
*[http://www.amanaonline.com/Sokoto/sokoto_9.htm Amana Online The Fulani Empire of Sokoto]
*[http://www.amanaonline.com/Sokoto/sokoto_1.htm Amana Online Hausaland and the Hausas]
{{Territories of the British Empire}}
[[Category:States and territories established in 1900]]
[[Category:History of Nigeria]]
[[Category:Former Nigerian administrative divisions]]
[[Category:Former British protectorates|Nigeria, Northern]]
[[Category:Geography of Nigeria]]
[[de:Protektorat Nordnigeria]]