Kano (city)

In 1463,

Rumfa was a rich and flamboyant king. Luxurious clothing and expensive ostrich feather shoes were common among government officials. The kakaki (a kind of trumpet) was also first used during his reign. His wealth is owed to Kano's commercial prosperity during this period. Kano arguably achieved the height of its reputation as an important trading center of the trans-Saharan trade in the Middle Ages during his reign. Leo Africanus's description of Kano is believed to be that of Rumfas era. He described the locals as "wealthy merchants and skilled craftsmen" and commended the cavalry of the Sultan's army. He also noted the abundance of rice, corn, cotton and citrus fruits.^[13]

Rumfa reformed the city, expanded the

At the beginning of the 19th century,

The city suffered famines from 1807 to 1810, in the 1830s, 1847, 1855, 1863, 1873, 1884, and from 1889 until 1890.^[19]

During the 19th century when Kano came under the suzerainty of the Sokoto Caliphate, Kano prospered as the center of commercial activity. Weaving, dyeing and leatherwork were traded as far north as Morocco and thereafter to Europe. Its cotton cloth traded as far as Tripoli, Lake Chad, and Timbuktu.

In 1851, Heinrich Barth (a German scholar who spent several years in northern Nigeria in the 1850s) mentioned that Kano had a 10-mile long 30 ft high clay walls with a population of 30,000 with commerce and manufacturing abundant. He mentioned "its huge market was a labyrinth of narrow alleys with everything sold from vegetables to slaves".^[20] He also called Kano the greatest emporium of central Africa and estimated the percentage of slaves in Kano to be at least 50%, most of whom lived in slave villages.^[18] 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.^{[citation needed]}

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 his brother Tukur and claimed the title of emir.^[21]

British colony, indirect rule, and independence

In March 1903, the city-state was absorbed into the

Northern Nigeria. It was replaced as the centre of government by Zungeru and later 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.^[22] Other famines during British rule occurred in 1908, 1920, 1927, 1943, 1951, 1956, and 1958.^[19] By 1922, groundnut trader Alhassan Dantata had become the richest businessman in the Kano Emirate, surpassing fellow merchants Umaru Sharubutu Koki and Maikano Agogo.^[23]

In May 1953, an inter-ethnic

House of Representatives.^[24] Thousands of Nigerians of southern origin died as a result a politically sparked riot.^[25]

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. He started a lot of development projects—network of roads, a reliable urban water supply. He was a keen farmer himself and funded construction of number of dams to provide irrigation. Thanks to his policies, Kano produced all types of produce and export it to the neighbouring states. The first civilian governor was Abubakar Rimi.^{[citation needed}

After the introduction of sharia law in Kano State in the early 2000s, many^[specify] Christians left the city.^[27] 100 people were killed in riots over the sharia issue during October 2001.^[28][29]

In November 2007, political violence broke out in the city after the

On 6 June 2014, Emir

Metropolitan Kano has eight local governments:[50]

Economy

The economic history of Kano dates back to the Middle Ages when the city served as the southernmost point of the famous trans-Sahara trade routes. Kano was well connected with many cities in North Africa and some cities in southern Europe.^[51] By 1851, the city of Kano produced 10 million pairs of sandals and 5 million tanned hides annually for export,^[52] with other products including textile materials, leather and grains. Kano was connected with trans-Atlantic trade in 1911 when a railway line reached Kano. Kano is a major centre for the production and export of agricultural products like hides, skins, peanuts, and cotton.

The city maintains its economy and business even in the 21st century, with it producing the richest man in Africa—Aliko Dangote—whose great-grandfather Alhassan Dantata was the richest West African in the mid 20th century. Over the years, inconsistent government policies and sporadic electricity supply hampered manufacturing and industry, so that Kano's economy relies primarily on trade, retail and services. There are plans to establish an information technology park in the city.^[53]

Culture

Equestrianism

Kano is traditionally an

For the first time in 200 years, the durban horse festival was cancelled in 2012 due to the bad health condition of the Emir of Kano.[57] Some analysts suggested that the cancellation could also be attributed to the rising deadly Boko haram attacks in the northern part of Nigeria at that time.

Architecture

Kano's architecture over the years has seen wide variations, especially from the traditional architecture to modern architecture. The city is a leading axis of Sudano-Sahelian architecture, developing the local Tubali style which manifested in mosques, walls, common compounds, and gates.

The design exteriorization of building façades was and is still widely used in Kano architecture, with the city harboring several skilled artisans.^[58]

Landmarks

Old City

Formerly

There are also Christian churches for several denominations including :

• Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion);^[61]
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Kano (Catholic Church);^[62]
• Nigerian Baptist Convention (Baptist World Alliance);^[63]
• Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (World Communion of Reformed Churches);^[64]
• Pentecostal megachurches including; Assemblies of God, Living Faith Church Worldwide; Redeemed Christian Church of God

Fortifications

The Ancient Kano City Walls were built as a defensive wall with the construction of the foundation laid by Sarki Gijimasu (r. 1095–1134), the third king of the Kingdom of Kano in the Kano Chronicle. In the mid 14th century during the reign of Zamnagawa, the wall was completed before it was further expanded during the 16th century. According to historians, the then General-Governor of the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria, Fredrick Lugard, wrote in a 1903 report about the Kano Walls that he had "never seen anything like it in Africa" after capturing the ancient city of Kano along with British forces.^[65]

Old palaces and residences

Many old royal residences have also survived to this day, mainly within the old city and its surroundings. Such private houses include the Gidan Chiroma, Filin Chiranchi, and others. Larger palaces, include the Gidan Rumfa, Gidan Makama, and winter retreat for the emir.

Education

Universities

• The Bayero University Kano is the oldest university in the city. The university was first founded in 1962 by Isa Kaita. It became a state university in 1975, and remains an important institution of learning today.
• Sa'adatu Rimi University of Education Kano^[66]
• Skyline University Nigeria (SUN), founded in 2018.^[67]
• Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano (YUSMUK), founded in 2012.

Colleges

• Kano State Polytechnic was founded in 1975.
• Federal College of Education, Kano^[68]
• Aminu Kano College of Islamic Legal Studies, Kano

Transport

Kano houses a railway station with trains to Lagos routed through Kaduna, while Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport lies nearby.^[69] The city is supplied with water by the nearby Challawa Gorge Dam, which is being considered as a source of hydro power.^[70] Because Kano is north of the rail junction at Kaduna, it has equal access to the seaports at Lagos and Port Harcourt.

The airline Kabo Air had its head office in the city.^[71] Kano was also headquarters of Azman Airlines and is the headquarters city of Max Air and various independent travel agencies. After a hiatus of many years, the

In 2017, a 74-km, four-line light rail network was announced by the Kano State Ministry of Works, Housing & Transport; with a US$1.8 billion contract signed with China Railway Construction Corporation.^[74][75]

Two trans-African automobile routes pass through Kano:

• Algiers-Lagos Highway

• Dakar-Ndjamena Highway

From 2006 to 2015, backed by high oil prices, major highways, overhead bridges and other transportation infrastructure were built by the state government. The most notable of these are the Silver Jubilee flyover bridge at

• Gwagwarwa
• Kano Emirate Council

References

Further reading

See also: Bibliography of the history of Kano

• Maconachie, Roy (2007). Urban Growth and Land Degradation in Developing Cities: Change and Challenges in Kano, Nigeria. King's SOAS Studies in Development Geography. Ashgate Publishing.
  ISBN 978-0-7546-4828-4
  .
• Barau, Aliyu Salisu (2007). The Great Attractions of Kano. Research and Documentation publications. Research and Documentation Directorate, Government House Kano.
  ISBN 978-978-8109-33-4
  .

External links

Wikisource has the text of the Encyclopædia Britannica (9th ed.) article Kano.

• "Kano" .
  New International Encyclopedia
  . 1905.