A HISTORY OF MAKARFI AREA C. 1779-1902

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Department of Arts

ABSTRACT
This topic "A history of Makarfi area C. 1779-1902," is a study of the Makarfi area. This covers the origin, socio-cultural, political and economic development in the area in one hundred and twenty three years (C. 1779-1902). The area has been one of the districts of Zazzau Emirate located at the extreme North. It has several towns and villages most of which predated the 19th century Jihad (in the area). Some of these towns and villages became vassals of the Emirate immediately after the Jihad. This indicated the status of the area especially after the Jihad where those vassals, especially, contributed their quota politically and economically to the development of the Emirate. Makarfi have undergone a process of being transferred from one political system or polity to another. Although, this development had a great impact on the economy and administration of the area, the sociocultural set up, remained not much affected by the changes. The period chosen for this study C. 1779 to 1902 covers the years when most of the settlements evolved and assumed the status of full scale settlements, to the period when Makarfi and indeed the Zazzau Emirate fell under British Colonial domination. Within the period, the area enjoyed a limited autonomy for a very short period, C1779 to 1792, when it fell under the tutelage of Zazzau kingdom. The whole of the pre-Jihad Zazzau had undergone a general transformation, that is, with the Jihad and the assumption of Islamic system from the traditional, which change even its status from kingdom to Emirate. This affected the general administration, economic and even the socio-cultural activities of the state not only within the Zaria metropolis but also at the vassal town and village levels in the state, Makarfi area inclusive. The Emirate and Islamic system lasted for about ninety-eight years when the British overthrew the Emirate of Zazzau in 1902 and replaced it with the colonial indirect rule system.