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90-521: After decades of campaign, intellectual brainstorming and organized symposia/conferences, the people of Ebira from various enclaves have secured an official spelling of the name as "Ebira" for the ethnic group, as published in the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette on July 14, 2022. They had been previously called Igbira, Ebirra, Egbirra, Ibira, Ibirra and Egbira. Ibrahim Ohida, national secretary of Ohiku-Ebira Descendants Union (OEDU), announced

180-477: A steel mill in the town. Ekuechi festival is the most widely celebrated traditional festival in Ebira communities, it is held annually starting in late November and ending in late December or January. The duration of the festival is long because different clans choose their dates to mark the festival. "Eku" in Ebira represents an ancestral masquerade while "Chi" means to descend. In traditional Ebira culture there exists

270-510: A Sahelian people however allowed for significant integration between the two groups. Since the early 20th century, these peoples are often classified as " Hausa–Fulani " within Nigeria rather than as individuated groups. In fact, a large number of Fulani living in Hausa regions cannot speak Fulfulde at all and speak Hausa as their first language. Many Fulani in the region do not distinguish themselves from

360-475: A belief in the existence of a land of the living and another for the dead, and veneration of the land of the dead by those from the land of the living. Ekuechi thus can be interpreted as ancestral spirits returning to earth. The masquerades performing in the festival are believed to have access to the spirit world where dead relatives abide noting the behaviors of the living. During the festival, these masquerades deliver messages of good tidings and admonishment from

450-571: A central king or recognized royal families but were managed by leaders of lineages in a type of gerontocracy . The Ebiras left Idah after the Idah- Benin War around 1519–1521. They then stopped at Itobe. The remaining Ebira Group that left Idah is ITAAZI (Ebira tao) IGU (Ebira koto), PANDA (Ebira Toto, Nasarawa,) AGATU (Ebira Benue the Father of Ebira MOZUM that chose to settle among Basa, and finally UNO (Ebira Ètè-Uno, Edo) who chose to settle across

540-474: A city that prides itself as an important Islamic learning centre. The minaret is believed to be one of West Africa's first multi-storey buildings and was once the tallest building in Katsina. The mosque's origin is attributed to the efforts of the influential Islamic scholar Sheikh Muhammad al-Maghili and Sultan Muhammadu Korau of Katsina. Al-Maghili was from the town of Tlemcen in present-day Algeria and taught for

630-499: A close relationship with a related lineage are fading and the Attah or Ohinoyi is no longer the dominant political authority within the land. Another new tradition embraced by the Ohinoyi was handing out chieftaincy titles to individuals named to be “Taru” or “Ohi” as is common in many other Nigerian cultures. Ebira territory such as Ajaokuta is cosmopolitan as a result of the construction of

720-457: A favorite of the British. Omadivi was a clan head who had earlier fought against the jihadists but supported trade with the British. During his reign, his authority over the other clans was minimal. When Omadivi died, Adano was appointed but had a short reign. In 1917, a new ruler, Ibrahim, was chosen. Ibrahim was also called Attah Ibrahim or Attah of Ebiraland, he was a maternal grandson of Omadivi. It

810-560: A kind of university. Muhammad Rumfa was the Sultan of the Sultanate of Kano , located in modern-day Kano State , Northern Nigeria . He reigned from 1463 until 1499. Among Rumfa's accomplishments were extending the city walls, building a large palace, the Gidan Rumfa , promoting slaves to governmental positions and establishing the great Kurmi Market , which is still in use today. Kurmi Market

900-519: A large swathe of west Africa such as Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, etc.. Muslim scholars of the early 19th century disapproved of the hybrid religion practiced in royal courts. A desire for reform contributed to the formation of the Sokoto Caliphate . The formation of this state strengthened Islam in rural areas. The Hausa people have been an important factor for the spread of Islam in West Africa. Today,

990-403: A matching blouse, head tie (kallabi) and shawl (Gyale). Like other Muslims and specifically Sahelians within West Africa, Hausa women traditionally use Henna (lalle) designs painted onto the hand instead of nail-polish. A shared tradition with other Afro-Asiatic speakers like Berbers , Habesha , (ancient) Egyptians and Arab peoples, both Hausa men and women use kohl ('kwalli') around

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1080-992: A native ethnic group in West Africa . They speak the Hausa language , which is the second most spoken language after Arabic in the Afro-Asiatic language family. The Hausa are a culturally homogeneous people based primarily in the Sahelian and the sparse savanna areas of southern Niger and northern Nigeria respectively, numbering around 86 million people, with significant populations in Benin , Cameroon , Ivory Coast , Chad , Central African Republic , Togo , Ghana , as well as smaller populations in Sudan , Eritrea , Equatorial Guinea , Gabon , Senegal , Gambia . Predominantly Hausa-speaking communities are scattered throughout West Africa and on

1170-462: A particular kind of leave. This is typically what we know as moi moi but with the difference that Ebiras make this moi moi out of water yam (Evina) rather than the typical beans that many Nigerians are used to. Contemporary Ebira social life has seen changes over the years, though farming is still a dominant occupation. Many Ebiras are influenced by Western and contemporary Nigerian culture and live in urban settlements. Behaviors such as polygamy and

1260-519: A possible common ancestry of Nilo-Saharan speaking populations from an eastern Sudanese homeland within the past ≈10,500 years, with subsequent bi-directional migration westward to Lake Chad and southward into modern day southern Sudan, and more recent migration eastward into Kenya and Tanzania ≈3,000 ya (giving rise to Southern Nilotic speakers) and westward into Chad ≈2,500 ya (giving rise to Central Sudanic speakers) (S62, S65, S67, S74). A proposed migration of proto-Chadic Afroasiatic speakers ≈7,000 ya from

1350-416: A researcher of Nigerian martial art culture recognizes striking similarities in stance and single wrapped fist of Hausa boxers to images of ancient Egyptian boxers from the 12th and 13th dynasties. It originally started out among the lower class of Hausa butcher caste groups and later developed into a way of practicing military skills and then into sporting events through generations of Northern Nigerians. It

1440-441: A result of the geography and the criss crossing network of traditional African trade routes, have had their cultures heavily influenced by their Hausa neighbours, as noted by T.L. Hodgkin "The great advantage of Kano is that commerce and manufactures go hand in hand, and that almost every family has a share in it. There is something grand about this industry, which spreads to the north as far as Murzuk , Ghat and even Tripoli , to

1530-504: A rich and particular mode of dressing, food, language, marriage system , education system, traditional architecture, sports, music and other forms of traditional entertainment. The Hausa language , a member of Afroasiatic family of languages, has more first-language speakers than any other African language . It has around 50 million first-language speakers, and close to 30 million second-language speakers. The main Hausa-speaking area

1620-621: A type of shirt called tagguwa (long and short slip). The oral tradition regarding the tagguwa is that during the age when Hausawa were using leaves and animal skin to cover their private parts, a man called Guwa decided to cut the centre of the animal skin and wear it like a shirt instead of just covering his privates. People around to Guwa became interested in his new style and decided to copy it. They called it 'Ta Guwa', meaning "similar to Guwa". It eventually evolved to become Tagguwa. Men also wear colourful embroidered caps known as hula. Depending on their location and occupation, they may wear

1710-513: A very controversial move, Ajami was removed from the new 100 Naira banknote. Nevertheless, the Hausa remain preeminent in Niger and Northern Nigeria . Hausas in the narrow sense are indigenous of Kasar Hausa (Hausaland) who are found in West Africa. Within the Hausa, a distinction is made between three subgroups: Habe, Hausa-Fulani (Kado), and Banza or Banza 7. According to a Y-DNA study by Hassan et al. (2008), about 47% of Hausa in Sudan carry

1800-537: A while in Katsina, which had become a centre of learning at this time, when he visited the town in the late 15th century during the reign of Muhammadu Korau. He and Korau discussed the idea of building a mosque to serve as a centre for spiritual and intellectual activities. The Gobarau mosque was designed and built to reflect the Timbuktu-style of architecture. It became an important centre for learning, attracting scholars and students from far and wide, and later served as

1890-476: Is a belief in a spirit world where dead ancestors live. In the early history of the Ebira people, the family was headed by the father or the oldest male who acted as the provider, religious leader, and protector of the family ( Ireh ). Other important social systems are compounds ( Ohuoje ) which are composed of related or kindred patrilineal families, Ovovu , the outer compounds, and then lineages ( Abara ), composed of several related compounds. The Clan ( Iresu )

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1980-506: Is a community of kindred lineages in Ebiraland and is led by the Otaru. Clan identities are distinguished by symbols: mostly animals such as leopards, crocodiles, pythons, or buffalo. The affairs of the community were managed by a group of elder male members each representing related lineages. The principal occupation of Ebiras is farming. They cultivate maize , yams , cassava , and vegetables. In

2070-522: Is among the oldest and largest local markets in Africa. It used to serve as an international market where North African goods were exchanged for domestic goods through trans-Saharan trade. Muhammad Rumfa was also responsible for much of the Islamisation of Kano, as he urged prominent residents to convert. The legendary Queen Amina (or Aminatu) is believed to have ruled Zazzau between the 15th century and

2160-499: Is available as course of study in northern Nigerian universities . In addition, several advanced degrees (Masters and PhD) are offered in Hausa in various universities in the UK , US , and Germany . Hausa is also being used in various social media networks around the world. Hausa is considered one of the world's major languages, and it has widespread use in a number of countries of Africa . Hausa's rich poetry, prose, and musical literature

2250-540: Is increasingly available in print and in audio and video recordings. The study of Hausa provides an informative entry into the culture of Islamic Africa. Throughout Africa, there is a strong connection between Hausa and Islam. The influence of the Hausa language on the languages of many non-Hausa Muslim peoples in Africa is readily apparent. Likewise, many Hausa cultural practices, including such overt features as dress and food, are shared by other Muslim communities. Because of

2340-432: Is northern Nigeria and southern Niger . Hausa is also widely spoken in northern Ghana , Cameroon , Chad , and Ivory Coast as well as among Fulani , Tuareg , Kanuri , Gur , Shuwa Arab , and other Afro-Asiatic , Niger-Congo , and Nilo-Saharan speaking groups. There are also large Hausa communities in every major African city in neighbourhoods called zango s or zongo s, meaning "caravan camp" in Hausa (denoting

2430-617: Is now known as Ebiraland is mostly surmised by oral history. However, most versions trace the migration from the Jukuns of the Kwararafa state, north of the Benue River and in present-day Taraba State . One of the relics of their trace from Kwararafa is the Opete stool, their symbol of authority and identity as a group within the kingdom, brought along and kept in a place in Opete (deriving its name from

2520-400: Is then richly embroidered in traditional patterns. It has been suggested that these African techniques were the inspiration for the tie-dyed garments identified with hippie fashion. The traditional dress of the Hausa consists of loose flowing gowns and trousers. The gowns have wide openings on both sides for ventilation. The trousers are loose at the top and center, but rather tight around

2610-499: Is ubiquitous in northern Nigeria and southern Niger, and radio stations in Cameroon have regular Hausa broadcasts, as do international broadcasters such as the BBC, VOA, Deutsche Welle, Radio Moscow , Radio Beijing, RFI France, IRIB Iran IRIB World Service , and others Hausa is used as the language of instruction at the elementary level in schools in northern Nigeria, and Hausa

2700-650: The Hausa language , an Afro-Asiatic language of the Chadic group. The Hausa aristocracy had historically developed an equestrian based culture. Still a status symbol of the traditional nobility in Hausa society, the horse still features in the Eid day celebrations, known as Ranar Sallah (in English: the Day of the Prayer). Daura is the cultural center of the Hausa people. The town predates all

2790-691: The Igbo , Hausa and Yoruba tribes using X-STR analysis, found that when studying the genetic affinity, no significant differences were detected. It supported a homogeneity of Nigerian ethnic groups for X-chromosome markers. In 2024, a paper similarly found homogeneity in the Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa in Nigeria for X-Chromosomes (mtDNA). However, differences in the Hausa were found for the Y-Chromosome, where they had more paternal lineages associated with Afro-Asiatic speakers, while

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2880-568: The Timbuktu Manuscripts written in the Ajami script have been discovered recently, some of them describing constellations and calendars . The Gobarau Minaret was built in the 15th century in Katsina . It is a 50-foot edifice located in the centre of the city of Katsina , the capital of Katsina State . The Gobarau minaret, a symbol of the state, is an early example of Islamic architecture in

2970-735: The Tuareg (in Agadez , Maradi and Zinder ); the Gur and Gonja (in northeastern Ghana , Burkina Faso , northern Togo and upper Benin ); Gwari (in central Nigeria); and the Mandinka , Bambara , Dioula and Soninke (in Mali , Senegal , Gambia , Ivory Coast and Guinea ). All of these various ethnic groups among and around the Hausa live in the vast and open lands of the Sahel , Saharan and Sudanian regions, and as

3060-703: The West Eurasian haplogroup R1b . The remainder belong to various African paternal lineages: 15.6% B , 12.5% A and 12.5% E1b1a . A small minority of around 4% are E1b1b clade bearers, a haplogroup which is most common in North Africa and the Horn of Africa . A more recent study on Hausa of Arewa (Northern Nigeria ) revealed similar results: 47% E1b1a , 5% E1b1b , 21% other Haplogroup E ( E-M33 , E-M75 ...), 18% R1b and 9% B . In terms of overall ancestry, an autosomal DNA study by Tishkoff et al. (2009) found

3150-534: The government gazette for the Federal Republic of Nigeria . It has been published at Lagos since 1963 and replaced the Federation of Nigeria Official Gazette . This Nigerian newspaper-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Hausa people The Hausa ( autonyms for singular: Bahaushe ( m ), Bahaushiya ( f ); plural: Hausawa and general: Hausa ; exonyms : Ausa; Ajami : مُتَنٜىٰنْ هَوْسَا / هَوْسَاوَا ) are

3240-682: The language . Historically, Katsina was the centre of Hausa Islamic scholarship but was later replaced by Sokoto stemming from the 19th century Usman Dan Fodio Islamic reform. The Hausa are culturally and historically closest to other Sahelian ethnic groups, primarily the Fula ; the Zarma and Songhai (in Tillabery , Tahoua and Dosso in Niger ); the Kanuri and Shuwa Arabs (in Chad , Sudan and northeastern Nigeria);

3330-507: The trading post origins of these communities). Most Hausa speakers, regardless of ethnic affiliation, are Muslims ; Hausa often serves as a lingua franca among Muslims in non-Hausa areas. There is a large and growing printed literature in Hausa, which includes novels, poetry, plays, instruction in Islamic practice, books on development issues, newspapers, news magazines, and technical academic works. Radio and television broadcasting in Hausa

3420-441: The 11th century — giving rise to famous native Sufi saints and scholars such as Wali Muhammad dan Masani (d.1667) and Wali Muhammad dan Marina (d. 1655) in Katsina — mostly among long-distance traders to North Africa whom in turn had spread it to common people while the ruling class had remained largely pagan or mixed their practice of Islam with pagan practices. By the 14th century, Hausa traders were already spreading Islam across

3510-611: The 14th century, Islam was becoming widespread in Hausaland as Wangara scholars, scholars and traders from Mali and scholars and traders from the Maghreb brought the religion with them. By the early 15th century, the Hausa were using 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 . Many medieval Hausa manuscripts similar to

3600-413: The 16th century for a period of 34 years. Amina was 16 years old when her mother, Bakwa Turunku became queen and she was given the traditional title of Magajiya , an honorific borne by the daughters of monarchs. She honed her military skills and became famous for her bravery and military exploits, as she is celebrated in song as "Amina, daughter of Nikatau, a woman as capable as a man." Amina is credited as

3690-454: The 1890s that "Settlements of Hausa-speaking people are to be found in Alexandria, Tripoli, [and] Tunis." The table below shows Hausa ethnic population distribution by country of indigenization , outside of Nigeria and Niger: Daura , in northern Nigeria , is the oldest city of Hausaland . The Hausa of Gobir , also in northern Nigeria, speak the oldest surviving classical vernacular of

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3780-644: The 7th century, the Dalla Hill in Kano was the site of a Hausa community that migrated from Gaya and engaged in iron-working. The Hausa Bakwai kingdoms were established around the 7th to 11th centuries. Of these, the Kingdom of Daura was the first, according to the Bayajidda legend. However, the legend of Bayajidda is a relatively new concept in the history of the Hausa people that gained traction and official recognition under

3870-455: The British authorities, who had expected the Hausa to turn to cotton production. However, the Hausa had sufficient agricultural expertise to realise cotton required more labour and the European prices offered for groundnuts were more attractive than those for cotton. "Within two years the peasant farmers of Hausaland were producing so many tonnes of groundnuts that the railway was unable to cope with

3960-830: The Hajj pilgrimage, a requirement of all Muslims who are able. On the way to or back from the Hijaz region, many settled, often indigenizing to some degree. For example, many Hausa in Saudi Arabia identify as both Hausa and Afro-Arab. In the Arab world, the surname "Hausawi" (alternatively spelled "Hawsawi") is an indicator of Hausa ancestry. The homeland of Hausa people is Hausaland ("Kasar Hausa"), situated in Northern Nigeria and Southern Niger. However, Hausa people are found throughout Africa and Western Asia. Cambridge scholar Charles Henry Robinson wrote in

4050-437: The Hausa language. The ancient Kano city walls were built in order to provide security to the growing population. The foundation for the construction of the wall was laid by Sarki Gijimasu from 1095 through 1134 and was completed in the middle of the 14th century. In the 16th century, the walls were further extended to their present position. The gates are as old as the walls and were used to control movement of people in and out of

4140-621: The Hausa to be most closely related to Nilo-Saharan populations from Chad and South Sudan . This suggests that the Hausa and other modern Chadic-speaking populations originally spoke Nilo-Saharan languages, before adopting languages from the Afroasiatic family after migration into that area thousands of years ago: From K = 5-13, all Nilo-Saharan speaking populations from southern Sudan, and Chad cluster with west-central Afroasiatic Chadic-speaking populations (Fig. S15). These results are consistent with linguistic and archeological data, suggesting

4230-455: The Hausa, as they have long intermarried, they share the Islamic religion and more than half of all Nigerian Fulani have integrated into Hausa culture. British colonial administrator Frederick Lugard exploited rivalries between many of the emirs in the south and the central Sokoto administration to counter possible defence efforts as his men marched toward the capital. As the British approached

4320-674: The Islamic government and institutions that were newly established after the 1804 Usman dan Fodio Jihad. The Hausa Kingdoms were independent political entities in what is now Northern Nigeria . The Hausa city states emerged as southern terminals of the Trans-Saharan caravan trade. Like other cities such as Gao and Timbuktu in the Mali Empire , these city states became centres of long-distance trade. Hausa merchants in each of these cities collected trade items from domestic areas such as leather, dyed cloth, horse gear, metal locks and kola nuts from

4410-626: The Kano Chronicle, "The Sarkin Nupe sent her (i.e. the princess) 40 eunuchs and 10,000 kola nuts." From 1804 to 1808, the Fulani , another Islamic African ethnic group that spanned West Africa and have settled in Hausaland since the early 1500s, with support of already oppressed Hausa peasants revolted against oppressive cattle tax and religious persecution under the new king of Gobir , whose predecessor and father had tolerated Muslim evangelists and even favoured

4500-570: The River Benue with ITAAZI. UNO settled in the present day Edo State. All members of the various clans in Ebira Tao are descendants of the children of ITAAZI. ITAAZI had five sons named Adaviruku/Ohizi, Ododo, Obaji, Uga, Ochuga/Onotu. Ohizi (Adaviruku) had five children who are progenitors of the five traditional Adavi clans named after them. They occupied the present-day Ajaokuta, Adavi, Okene, Okengwe, Okehi, Eika, Ihiara, and Osisi among Others. During

4590-656: The Sokoto Caliphate was divided among the control of the British, French, and Germans under the terms of the Berlin Conference . The British established the Northern Nigeria Protectorate to govern the region, which included most of the Sokoto empire and its most important emirates. Under Lugard, the various emirs were provided significant local autonomy, thus retaining much of the political organisation of

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4680-490: The Sokoto Caliphate. The Sokoto area was treated as just another emirate within the Nigerian Protectorate. Because it was never connected with the railway network, it became economically and politically marginal. The Sultan of Sokoto continued to be regarded as an important Muslim spiritual and religious position; the lineage connection to dan Fodio has continued to be recognised. One of the most significant Sultans

4770-489: The Tuareg and the Hausa groups are indistinguishable from each other in their traditional clothing; both wear the tagelmust and indigo Babban Riga/Gandora . But the two groups differ in language, lifestyle and preferred beasts of burden (the Tuareg use camels , while Hausa ride horses ). Other Hausa have influenced other ethnic groups southwards and in similar fashion to their Sahelian neighbors, which have heavily influenced

4860-523: The West, not only to Timbuctu , but in some degree even as far as the shores of the Atlantic, the very inhabitants of Arguin dressing in the cloth woven and dyed in Kano ; to the east, all over Borno , ...and to the south...it invades the whole of Adamawa and is only limited by the pagans who wear no clothing." In clear testimony to T. L Hodgkin's claim, the people of Agadez and Saharan areas of central Niger,

4950-673: The Yoruba and Igbo were paternally related to other Niger-Congo speaking groups. Specifically, in the 135 Yoruba and 134 Igbo males, E-M2 was seen at high rates of 90%. In contrast, the 89 Hausa males had E-M2 at 43%, and frequencies for R1b-V88 at 32%, A 9%, E1a 6%, B 5%, and another 5% being made of other lineages. The Hausa cultural practices stand unique in Nigeria and have withstood the test of time due to strong traditions, cultural pride as well as an efficient precolonial native system of government. Consequently, and in spite of strong competition from western European culture as adopted by their southern Nigerian counterparts , have maintained

5040-415: The architectural overseer who created the strong earthen walls that surround her city, which were the prototype for the fortifications used in all Hausa states. She subsequently built many of these fortifications, which became known as ganuwar Amina or Amina's walls, around various conquered cities. The objectives of her conquests were twofold: extension of her nation beyond its primary borders and reducing

5130-617: The central Sahara into the Lake Chad Basin may have caused many western Nilo-Saharans to shift to Chadic languages (S99). Our data suggest that this shift was not accompanied by large amounts of Afroasiatic16 gene flow. Analyses of mtDNA provide evidence for divergence ≈8,000 ya of a distinct mtDNA lineage present at high frequency in the Chadic populations and suggest an East African origin for most mtDNA lineages in these populations (S100) . A study from 2019 that genotyped 218 unrelated males from

5220-407: The cheeks. Common traditional dressing in Hausa men Common modern dressing in Hausa women The architecture of the Hausa is perhaps one of the least known of the medieval age. Many of their early mosques and palaces are bright and colourful, including intricate engraving or elaborate symbols designed into the facade This architectural style is known as Tubali which means architecture in

5310-473: The city of Sokoto, the new Sultan Muhammadu Attahiru I organised a quick defence of the city and fought the advancing British-led forces. The British emerged triumphant, sending Attahiru I and thousands of followers on a Mahdist hijra . On 13 March 1903 at the grand market square of Sokoto, the last Vizier of the Caliphate officially conceded to British rule. The British appointed Muhammadu Attahiru II as

5400-410: The city. Hausa buildings are characterized by the use of dry mud bricks in cubic structures, multi-storied buildings for the social elite, the use of parapets related to their military/fortress building past, and traditional white stucco and plaster for house fronts. At times the facades may be decorated with various abstract relief designs, sometimes painted in vivid colours to convey information about

5490-434: The comity of ethnic nationalities in Nigeria .” The group said the adoption of the common name was made based on the agreements reached during consultations with traditional fathers and stakeholders at Okene and Koton Karfe conventions in 2010 and 2021, respectively. In recent history, Ebira people inhabit a territory south-west of the confluence of the Niger and Benue Rivers though some Ebira communities also reside on

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5580-408: The conquered cities to a vassal status. Sultan Muhammad Bello of Sokoto stated that, "She made war upon these countries and overcame them entirely so that the people of Katsina paid tribute to her and the men of Kano and... also made war on cities of Bauchi till her kingdom reached to the sea in the south and the west." Likewise, she led her armies as far as Kwararafa and Nupe and, according to

5670-491: The conquest of Hausaland by the armies of the religious and political leader Uthman Dan Fodio , the Ebiras came under a state of conflict with Fulani warlords to the north and west. In the middle of the nineteenth century, two major communities, Igu (Koton Karfe) as it was called by Hausa , it means strong land because they fought to conquer them but never succeeded and were not conquered. Between 1865 and 1880, they battled, under

5760-409: The cultures of these groups. Islamic Shari'a law is loosely the law of the land in Hausa areas, well-understood by any Islamic scholar or teacher, known in Hausa as a m'allam , mallan or malam (see Maulana ). This pluralist attitude toward ethnic identity and cultural affiliation has enabled the Hausa to inhabit one of the largest geographic regions of non- Bantu ethnic groups in Africa. In

5850-492: The current Sultan of Sokoto is regarded as the traditional religious leader ( Sarkin Musulmi ) of Sunni Hausa–Fulani in Nigeria and beyond. Maguzanci , an African Traditional Religion , was practised extensively before Islam. In the more remote areas of Hausaland, the people continue to practise Maguzanci. Closer to urban areas, it is not as common, but with elements still held among the beliefs of urban dwellers. Practices include

5940-489: The development in a statement: “The Ohiku-Ebira Descendants Union (OEDU), wishes to formally inform members of the Ebira Nation that the Union has secured an official gazette of the agreed common name EBIRA spelt E-B-I-R-A for people of the Ebira Nation comprising Ebira Opete, Ebira Miyakan and Ebira Etuno (Igarra) … This is in recognition of our common ancestry and expressed desire to be so recognised for reasons of unity, numerical strength and enhanced political relevance among

6030-426: The dominant position which the Hausa language and culture have long held, the study of Hausa provides crucial background for other areas such as African history, politics (particularly in Nigeria and Niger), gender studies, commerce, and the arts. Sunni Islam of the Maliki madhhab, is the predominant and historically established religion of the Hausa people. Islam has been present in Hausaland since as early as

6120-436: The early 20th century by the British (mostly) and French colonial authorities. Since the 1950s, boko has been the main alphabet for Hausa. Arabic script ( ajami ) is now only used in Islamic schools and for Islamic literature. Today millions of Hausa-speaking people, who can read and write in Ajami only, are considered illiterates by the Nigerian government. Despite this, Hausa Ajami is present on Naira banknotes. In 2014, in

6210-432: The eyes as an eye shadow, with the area below the eye receiving a thicker line than that of the top. Also, similar to Berber, Bedouin , Zarma and Fulani women, Hausa women traditionally use kohl to accentuate facial symmetry. This is usually done by drawing a vertical line from below the bottom lip down to the chin. Other designs may include a line along the bridge of the nose, or a single pair of small symmetrical dots on

6300-423: The free flow of trade, they set up a military post in Kabba , west of Ebiraland, and the Ebiras soon were a target for annexation . In 1903, after much resistance, Ebira territory fell under British control . To manage the various autonomous villages, a central figure was appointed by the British to represent Ebiras. The first of such figures was Ouda Adidi of Eika, who ruled until 1903, he was succeeded by Omadivi,

6390-415: The introduction of Christianity and Islam , Ebira people practiced a form of African traditional religion with a central focus on a god called Ohomorihi , the rainmaker who lives in the sky. Rites are performed to appease the god whose attributes include punishing evildoers and rewarding good people. Other religious figures below the Ohomorihi are ori ( deities ) and spirits. In Ebira tradition, there

6480-521: The leadership of a warlord, Achigidi Okino, with jihadists called Ajinomoh who were from Bida and Ilorin . However, the Ebiras were not conquered by the Fulanis, helped in part by the natural defenses of their hilly environment. British interest in Ebiraland started with the location of a Royal Niger Company post in Lokoja . In 1898, the British annexed Ilorin and Nupeland under the pretext of controlling

6570-408: The leading Muslim cleric of the day, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio whose life the new king had sought end. Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio fled Gobir and from his sanctuary declared Jihad on its king and all Habe dynasty kings for their alleged greed, paganism, injustices against the peasant class, use of heavy taxation and violation of the standards of Sharia law. The Fulani and Hausa cultural similarities as

6660-428: The legs. Leather sandals and turbans are also typical. The men are easily recognizable because of their elaborate dress which is a large flowing gown known as Babban riga also known by various other names due to adaptation by many ethnic groups neighboring the Hausa (see indigo Babban Riga/Gandora ). These large flowing gowns usually feature elaborate embroidery designs around the neck and chest area. They also wore

6750-454: The new Caliph. Lugard abolished the Caliphate, but retained the title Sultan as a symbolic position in the newly organised Northern Nigeria Protectorate . In June 1903, the British defeated the remaining forces of Attahiru I, who was killed in action ; by 1906 resistance to British rule had ended with the conquest of Hadejia and the death of Sarki Muhammadu Mai Shahada of Hadejia as the last Emirate standing in Sokoto Caliphate . The area of

6840-425: The nineteenth century some communities cultivated and traded beni seeds as "gorigo". Ebiras are also known for the weaving of clothing, crafts, hair making and they are generally very industrious. The Ebira people also have peculiar ways that they prepare their meals which are only distinct to them and form their identity. The Ebira people bring to the world Ọve, which is made from water yam and usually made with

6930-575: The north-east of the confluence, the territory surrounding the confluence is an ethnically diverse area with diffused cultural symbols. Ebiraland is north of Etsako , east of Yorubaland and west of Igalaland . It is dominated by deciduous woodland and rocky hills of an open Savannah vegetation. The major local government areas are Adavi, Ajaokuta , Koton-Karfi, Okehi and Okene . Since the advent of colonialism , many Ebiras have moved southwards in search of arable farming spaces and due to working as migrant farmers. The migration of Ebira people to what

7020-442: The occupant. The Hausa culture is rich in traditional sporting events such as boxing ( Dambe ), stick fight (Takkai), wrestling (Kokowa) etc. that were originally organized to celebrate harvests but over the generations developed into sporting events for entertainment purposes. Dambe is a brutal form of traditional martial art associated with the Hausa people of West Africa. Its origin is shrouded in mystery. However, Edward Powe,

7110-446: The other major Hausa towns in tradition and culture. The Hausa have, in the last 500 years, criss-crossed the vast landscape of Africa in all its four corners for varieties of reasons ranging from military service, long-distance trade, hunting, performance of hajj , fleeing from oppressive Hausa feudal kings as well as spreading Islam. Because the vast majority of Hausas and Hausa speakers are Muslims, many attempted to embark on

7200-503: The rain forest region to the south through trade or slave raiding , processed (and taxed) them and then sent them north to cities along the Mediterranean . By the 12th century AD, the Hausa were becoming one of Africa's major trading powers, competing with Kanem-Bornu and the Mali Empire . The primary exports were leather , gold , cloth , salt , kola nuts , slaves , animal hides, and henna . Certainly trade influenced religion. By

7290-546: The sacrifice of animals for personal ends, but it is not legitimate to practise Maguzanci magic for harm. People of urbanized areas tend to retain a "cult of spirit possession ," known as Bori . It incorporates the old religion's elements of African Traditional Religion and magic . The Hausa were famous throughout the Middle Ages for their cloth weaving and dyeing, cotton goods, leather sandals, metal locks, horse equipment and leather-working and export of such goods throughout

7380-401: The spirit world. The festival also marks the end of the year and the beginning of a new one. A major performance during the festival is a masked performance by Eku'rahu that is centered on singing, drumming, and chanting. × Natasha Akpoti Senator × Raji Abdullah Pre Independence hero Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette is

7470-647: The stool), in present-day Ajaokuta . The Opete is presently the title instrument of Ozumi of Okene. After migration from Kwararafa, they originally settled with the Igalas and both groups lived together for about 300 years. A dispute between the two groups led to a parting of ways, and the Ebiras moved southwest of the River Niger to their ancestral home called Ebira Opete an area around Ajaokuta . Other groups later moved south to found Okengwe, Ubororo, and Okehi. Historically, these Ebiras communities were autonomous units without

7560-654: The traditional Hajj route north and east traversing the Sahara , with an especially large population in and around the town of Agadez . Other Hausa have also moved to large coastal cities in the region such as Lagos , Port Harcourt , Accra , Abidjan , Banjul and Cotonou as well as to parts of North Africa such as Libya over the course of the last 500 years. The Hausa traditionally live in small villages as well as in precolonial towns and cities where they grow crops, raise livestock including cattle as well as engage in trade, both local and long distance across Africa. They speak

7650-454: The traffic. As a result, the European merchants in Kano had to stockpile sacks of groundnuts in the streets." (Shillington 338). The Boko script was implemented by the British and French colonial authorities and made the official Hausa alphabet in 1930. Boko is a Latin alphabet used to write the Hausa language . The first boko was devised by Europeans in the early 19th century, and developed in

7740-434: The turban around this to veil the face, called Alasho . The women can be identified by wrappers called zani, made with colourful cloth known as atampa or Ankara , (a descendant of early designs from the famous Tie-dye techniques the Hausa have for centuries been known for, named after the Hausa name for Accra the capital of what is now Ghana, and where an old Hausa speaking trading community still lives) accompanied by

7830-492: The west African region as well as to north Africa (Hausa leather was erroneously known to medieval Europe as Moroccan leather ). They were often characterized by their Indigo blue dressing and emblems which earned them the nickname "bluemen". They traditionally rode on fine Saharan camels and horses . Tie-dye techniques have been used in the Hausa region of West Africa for centuries with renowned indigo dye pits located in and around Kano , Nigeria . The tie-dyed clothing

7920-610: Was Siddiq Abubakar III , who held the position for 50 years from 1938 to 1988. He was known as a stabilising force in Nigerian politics, particularly in 1966 after the assassination of Ahmadu Bello , the Premier of Northern Nigeria. Following the construction of the Nigerian railway system , which extended from Lagos in 1896 to Ibadan in 1900 and Kano in 1911, the Hausa of northern Nigeria became major producers of groundnuts. They surprised

8010-424: Was a Muslim convert and helped spread Islam in the region. However, Ibrahim was exiled in 1954, a consequence of political intrigues. The first primary school in the community was located in his palace and many of his children were educated and some ended up holding prominent positions in the regional and federal governments. Ibrahim was succeeded by Sani Omolori who held the title of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland . Before

8100-544: Was during his reign that the British colonists introduced indirect rule , a significant political development that increased the authority of Attah. Ibrahim used his position as head of the Ebira Native Authority to bring together the autonomous communities under his political leadership, a process that was opposed by some members of those communities. He gained the confidence of the British who entrusted territories northwards of Ebiraland, such as Lokoja, to him. Ibrahim

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