The Kebbi Emirate, also known as the Argungu Emirate is a

traditional state Traditional authority is a form of leadership in which the authority of an organization or a regime is largely tied to tradition or custom. The main reason for the given state of affairs is that " things have always been that way".Reinhard Bendi ...

based on the town of

Argungu Argungu is a city in Nigeria's Kebbi State, situated on the Sokoto River. As of 2007 Argungu had an estimated population of 47,064. The city is the seat of the Argungu Emirate, a traditional state. The city is a major agricultural center for the ...

Kebbi State Kebbi state ( ha, Jihar Kebbi; Fulfulde: Leydi Kebbi 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤳𞤫𞤦𞥆𞤭) is a state in the northwestern Nigeria, Kebbi state is bordered east and north of Sokoto and Zamfara states, and to the south by Niger state while ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of G ...

. It is the successor to the ancient

Hausa Hausa may refer to: * Hausa people, an ethnic group of West Africa * Hausa language, spoken in West Africa * Hausa Kingdoms, a historical collection of Hausa city-states * Hausa (horse) or Dongola horse, an African breed of riding horse See also ...

kingdom of Kebbi. The Emirate is one of four in Kebbi State, the others being the

Gwandu Emirate Gwandu, also called Gando, is a town and emirate in Kebbi State, Nigeria. The seat of government for the emirate and district of this name is in Birnin Kebbi, which is the capital of Kebbi State and was capital of the historical Kingdom of Kebbi. ...

Yauri Emirate Yauri (or Yawuri) is an emirate in Nigeria's Kebbi State, occupying the Yauri Local Government Area. Today, Yauri is one of the smallest historical emirates in Northern Nigeria. In 1972, the population was about 112,000 people inhabiting a land are ...

and

Zuru Emirate Zuru is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Zuru. It is also the Headquarters of Zuru Emirate. The Emirate comprises four local government areas, namely: Wasagu/Danko, Fakai, Sakaba and Zuru. ...

Location

The Kebbi emirate is in the northwest of the modern Kebbi State. In earlier times it extended to the south of its original capital of

Birnin Kebbi Birnin Kebbi is a city located in Northwestern Nigeria. It is the capital city of Kebbi State and headquarter of the Gwandu Emirate. As of 2007 the city had an estimated population of 125,594 people. Kebbi is mostly a Hausa and Fulani state, with ...

, which is now capital of the

and of Kebbi State itself. The landscape is mainly Sudanian Savanna, open woodland with scattered trees. It is intersected by the lowlands of the

Rima River The Rima River is a river in the northern part of Nigeria. At its northernmost point it is joined by the Goulbi de Maradi river. It runs southwest and joins the Sokoto River near Sokoto, then continues south to the Niger River The Niger ...

, which are seasonally flooded. There is a wet season between May and September, with little rain in the remainder of the year. Mean annual rainfall is about 800mm. Average temperatures are about 26 °C, ranging from 21 °C in winter to 40 °C between April and June. Kebbi is populated by the Kebbawa, a subgroup of the Hausa.

History

Origins

Kebbi is traditionally considered to belong to the

Banza bakwai The Hausa Kingdoms, also known as Hausa Kingdom or Hausaland, was a collection of states started by the Hausa people, situated between the Niger River and Lake Chad (modern day northern Nigeria). Hausaland lay between the Western Sudanic kingdoms ...

states of

Hausaland The Hausa ( autonyms for singular: Bahaushe ( m), Bahaushiya ( f); plural: Hausawa and general: Hausa; exonyms: Ausa; Ajami: ) are the largest native ethnic group in Africa. They speak the Hausa language, which is the second most spoken langua ...

. According to the locally known Hausa legend, the Kebbi kingdom was one of the

Banza Bakwai The Hausa Kingdoms, also known as Hausa Kingdom or Hausaland, was a collection of states started by the Hausa people, situated between the Niger River and Lake Chad (modern day northern Nigeria). Hausaland lay between the Western Sudanic kingdoms ...

("seven bastards") or seven "illegitimate" states. The rulers of these states were supposed to trace their lineage to a

concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive. Concubi ...

of the Hausa founding father, Bayajidda, hence the locally disdainful term ''banza'' ("illegitimate"). The first historical references date to the time when the area came under Songhay rule during the reign of

Sunni Ali Sunni Ali, also known as Si Ali, Sunni Ali Ber (Ber meaning "the Great"), was born in Ali Kolon. He reigned from about 1464 to 1492. Sunni Ali was the first king of the Songhai Empire, located in Africa and the 15th ruler of the Sunni dynasty. ...

(1464–1492).

Kanta Kotal Muhammad Kanta Kotal, also known as Kanta Kotal, was a Hausa Warrior and Military General who became the first King of Kebbi, now a state in Northern Nigeria. Kanta was the chief in charge of the Province of Lekka (now known as Kebbi), then under th ...

, a Hausa immigrant from Kuyambana in southern

Katsina Katsina, likely from "Tamashek" eaning son or bloodor mazza enwith "inna" otheris a Local Government Area and the capital city of Katsina State, in northern Nigeria.

became de facto military governor of the Songhay sub-province of Kebbi, and declared his independence in 1516. During this period

Surame The ancient city of Surame is a Nigerian national monument located in the Sokoto State of northwestern Nigeria. It was created in the 16th century by Muhammadu Kanta Sarkin Kebbi, who controlled an empire in the region. The town was abandoned in ...

, of which the massive walls still survive, was the capital of the kingdom. Kebbi became a major power in the region, resisting Songhay attacks, expanding into the Yauri and

Nupe Nupe may refer to: *Nupe people, of Nigeria *Nupe language, their language *The Bida Emirate, also known as the Nupe Kingdom, their former state *A member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity in the United States * National Union of Public Employees (N ...

lands to the south and defeating attempts by the

Bornu Empire Bornu may refer to: * Bornu Empire, a historical state of West Africa * Borno State, Nigeria {{disambig