HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF NASARAWA TOWN

NASARAWA TOWN

The founding of Nasarawa Emirate in 1835 AD was the consequence of palace tussle that arose in Keffi between Umani Makama Dogo then Madaki of Keffi and Jibrilu, son of Abdu Zanga (first Emir of Keffi).

Umaru later known as Makama Dogo was born in 1958 at Ruma village in Katsina Emirate, his father was Usman Kabawana and his mother Amina. Umaru migrated to Zana , having lost his parent where he stayed with Emir Musa, he was accorded recognition by Shehu Usman Danfodio, among the jihadists that captured Zana under Musa.

After receiving the flag from Danfodio, Emir Musa sent Umaru Southward of Zana to spread the Islamic faith, Umaru arrived at a place called Zana near thepresent Nasarawa region. He met Abdu Zanga a Fulani normad from Katsina, they both became very close that Umaru adviced them to present themselves to the Emir of Zana for recognition, this was done successfully, which triggered the granting of a request of Abdu Zanga by the then Emir of Zana to settle in a place called Keffi which was ruled by Abdu Zanga since he was the eldest with Gunki, his Madaki and Umaru as Makama.

In 1802, Keffi was famous for the exploits of the great warrior Umaru and with Abdu Zanga. A misunderstanding between Abdu Zanga and Makadi Gunki later made the duo paeted ways.

On the sickbed of Abdu Zanga,  he gathered his brothers and sons and told them to appoint Umaru Makama Dogo as the Emir of Keffi which was never realized after the death of Zanga  due to the betrayal to one Albarka. However , Makama Dogo was adviced to move Westward of Keffi where the Kwato (Igbira) resides, fought then and established his own kingdom but he kicked against the idea and moved Yankardi, where he camped about ten kilometer South of Keffi.

Makama left his sons Ahmadu Manman Galadima and Manman Sani in Keffi as a flash back. He later left Yankardi where he arrived at a place occupied by Bassa speaking people called TAMMAH, met Bagobiri known as Kasimau, who assisted him in the establishment of a kingdom called Nasarawa (meaning victorious). Makama Dogo fought many wars in the course of his Islamization, fought Afo speaking people, conquered Ubbe, Usheni, Agwadama, Itta and Gwaffa.

Makama Dogo also conquered Panda due to some misunderstandind between him and Ohimege (the ruler of Panda). Makama Dogo fought the people of Toto (Igbira people) because of the combination of Islam and traditional way of worship by the people. After fighting other kingdoms like Dogo, Agaza and Udeni, Umaru told Madaki Ahmadu his eldest son to continue leadership after his death and should please be buried in Nasarawa town.

NASARAWA STATE SETTINGS IN NATIONAL CONTEXT

Nasarawa state was created in 1996 out of neighboring Plateau state. Located in the north-central region of Nigeria, it is bordered on the West by Federal Capital Territory, the North by Kaduna, and the South by Benue and Kogi, and on the East by Plateau and Taraba states. Nasarawa main economic activity is agriculture; cash crop, such as yam, cassava and egusi (melon). Production of minerals such as salt is also another main economic activity of in the state; Nasarawa produces a large proportion of the salt consumed in the country.

Nasarawa has a diverse range of ethnic groups indigenous to the state. There are 29 languages spoken as first languages in Nasarawa State. Most languages are minority languages. Major languages are Agatu, Basa, Eggon, Gbagyi, Gade, Goemai, Gwandara, Ham, Kofyar, and Lijili.

According to the 2006 census, a little less than 2 million people reside in the state. The state has 13 local governments and the capital is located in Lafia.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

 The major things considered under physical characteristics of Nasarawa are, geographical location, temperature, rainfall, geology, wind, vegetation, humidity, soil.    

 TEMPERATURE

The temperatures are generally high during the day, particularly between the months of March and April. The main monthly temperatures in the state range between 20’C and 34’C with the hottest months being March/April and the coolest months being December/January.

RAINFALL

The study area experience dry season without or little’s rainfall from November to March of about 95mm, which is wet season is from April to October of about 1.30mm,

   GEOLOGY

From the Jos Plateau, this comprises of basement complex metamorphic rocks, granite and basalt of two or more ages. The basement complex is covered by shadow soil.

 WIND

Nasarawa local government is determined by the seasonal movement on inter-tropical convergence zone [ITCZ], which represents the moving frontier between the moist Atlantic air from the south and the dry air from the north. In the dry season from November till March the north east wind are dominant. For the remaining of the year, the south-western winds are prevailing. Generally, the wind velocity is relatively low.

 VEGETATION

Nasarawa is situated in the Benue valley between the Benue river and Jos Plateau. This area lies within the part of southern guinea savannah. The vegetation of Nasarawa has, to a large extent resulted from extensive agricultural use of the land, the predominant vegetation type is partly savannah which is characterized by a discontinuous canopy, shrubs and grasses many areas are affected by man through bush burning during the dry season. Among the common trees are oil bean trees, locust bean free and isoberline trees.

 RELATIVE HUMIDITY

The relative humidity is the measurement of deepness of the atmosphere which varies from place to place and different time of the day. The level of humidity in Nasarawa state in January is quite less that 40% which rises as from February to July to about 88%. By April when the steady rain commences it will be about 75% by August when the inter-tropical discontinuity is at it northern part, must position of the entire state will experience tropical marine wind and continues till December.    

 SOIL

The major soil units of Nasarawa belong to the category of oxisols or tropical ferruginous soils. The soils are derived mainly from the basement complex and old sedimentary rocks. Lateritic crust occurs in extensive areas on the plains while hydro orphic soils (limbic incept sols) occur along the flood plains of major rivers (Nyangba, 1995).

 

SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS

 ECONOMIC BASE AND OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURE

Nasarawa main economic activity is agriculture; cash crop, such as yam, cassava and egusi (melon). Production of minerals such as salt is also another main economic activity of people in the state; Nasarawa produces a large proportion of the salt consumed in the country.