THE HISTORY OF

KURFI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

AND

THE LIFE OF ITS PEOPLE: YESTERDAY AND TODAY

AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION

BY

M.A KURFI

ii
 CONTENTS
DEDICATION
FOREWORD
TRANSLATORS PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
FOREWORD (II)
CHAPTER ONE
ORIGIN, MIGRATION AND LIFE
A. PEOPLE OF KURFI
B. THEIR NEIGHBOURS
CHAPTER TWO
SYSTEM OF ADMINISTRATION
CHAPTER THREE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER FOUR
CREATION OF KURFI LOCAL GOVERNMENT
THE MAP OF KATSINA STATE
THE MAP OF KURFI LOCAL GOVERNMENT

iii
 DEDICATION
I DEDICATE THIS WORK
TO
MEMBERS OF THE N.Y.S.C.
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF
N.Y.S.C. AUTHORITY

TRANSLATORS DEDICATION
I dedicate this work of translation to the children of Gimbea Lamido Ajiyari Bajo who by
the Grace of Allah, helped me to attain my present status.

iv
 FOREWORD
From the past to the present day. Nigerias history has continued to be written but
in most cases the writings concentrate mostly on various tribes and languages of a
particular area to the exclusion of others while on other occasions the writers include very
few other peoples areas. However, this will not be good enough until efforts are made to
include every part of this country of ours, in the history. In this respect therefore, there is
no doubt the book, The History of Kurfi Local Government and the life of its people,
yesterday and today, is a building block in an effort to achieve this objective.
This book is an effort by an N.Y.S.C. member in an attempt to shed some light on
the existence of early people or past generations whose memory is still in the minds of
the present generation, in order to preserve history. Indeed, like the title of the book
indicates, it is a short history which contains many historical facts. The interesting aspect
of the book, is the writers effort to bring to the fore information about the people of early
times. This has been made possible due to the ability of the writer to conduct research
and collect data which captures the attention of the reader.
The writer whose name is S.M. Arembang, read history at the University of
Calabar, has shown great intelligence and skill in testing his knowledge to prepare the
history of our present times in writing to produce a book. In the book he has tried to show
how he carried out research on the origin of many communities in the local government
area and also the mode of their life by way of highlighting their system of administration,
their politics and their economic activities. This is really a praiseworthy effort.
The fact that it is a member of the N.Y.S.C. scheme from another part of the
country who wrote the book has added to the prestige of the N.Y.S.C. scheme in that it is
a good policy intended to unite the country for development and to inculcate patriotism in
the minds of its people.
In an effort to show the importance and development of the Hausa Language
among the people, the translated Hausa version of this book was published together with
the English copy. The person who undertook the gigantic task of translating this book is
Malam Ibrahim Lamido Gombe, a graduate in linguistics and Hausa and with his piece of

v
work of translation, the problem of lack of understanding which occurs between other
people and the Hausa people, has been solved. Undoubtedly, this is a clarion call to the
school communities to ensure that such important books are read.
It is my view that a journey of one million miles starts with the first step, indeed
the writer of this book as regards to his work, has thrown a challenge to the History and
Culture Bureau as well as other related organizations in this state to bring out other
aspects of development.
I take it that the publication is acceptable to the people of Kurfi Local Government
as success has been achieved in respect of the restoration of history of the past people in
bringing them into one package in this particular period.
Indeed, it is my view that, it is appropriate for the members of the N.Y.S.C. who
will be deployed here to copy his effort and if such becomes the practice every
community will get its history preserved in the form of a book before the year 2000 AD.
As a result therefore, this book has become important for the purpose of reading it
by every student, researchers, readers and all the people of Kurfi local government,
whose desire has been achieved by the discovery of the history of their ancestors. You
will be happy with that.

Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad

Secretary
Kuril Local Government, Kurfi.

vi
 FOREWORD BY THE WRITER (TRANSLATOR)
Thanks to the Almighty, the Supreme Being and may peace be upon our
commander. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.), the complement of the prophets and a guide
to the right path.
This publication of mine is the translated Hausa version of the English book which
is written on the history of Kurfi Local Government, Past and Present. The writer of the
English version is Mr. Sunday M. Arembang, my colleague in the NYSC.
In my position as one who read Hausa (language) at the degree level and a
northerner, the language patriotic enthusiast, I saw that it is appropriate in view of the
work of NYSC I am doing in Katsina State (in fact Kurfi Local Government Council) to
translate this book into the language of the people, spoken from father to son - Hausa, for
easy reading and to publicize the Hausa language (the language being considered to
become the National Language) to the rest of the people of this country.
It is a well known fact that translation from one language into another is not an
easy task, in this respect therefore, I have done my best and it is not necessary that 1 will
not make any mistake or that everything that is in the English book will be in this
translation. I therefore ask for forgiveness from the students of Hausa (Hausaists) for
possible mistakes which may be found in this work.
In the same vein, in accordance with translation rules, this is not a direct translation
but a communicative translation which is more suitable for this job and also to give me an
opportunity to widen the scope of the explanation, which the writer of the English version
did not have. There is such provision in the rules of translation for the purpose of making
it easier for the understanding of the target audience (semantic aspect of translation).
It is here I wish to extend my gratitude to my parents Malam Lamido Ajiyari Umar (my
father) and Malama Safiya Lamido (my mother) and my brother Gima Lamido Ajiyari
who stood firmly behind me in order to see that I achieve my present status. I am very
grateful to you and I pray Almighty Allah to accept your prayers and admit you to
paradise on the day of reckoning. Thank you.

vii
Finally, I express my gratitude to the following people who assisted immensely in many
ways to see to the successful completion of the job.
1. Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi (District Head of Kurfi)
2. Malam Ahmad Gambo Tama (Principal, G.D.S.S. Kurfi)
3. Malam Dauda Muhammad (Yerima) Magajin Garin Kurfi
4. Malam Samaila Suleiman (Teacher, G.D.S.S. Kurfi)
5. Malam Musa (Teacher, G.D.S.S. Kurfi)
6. Malam Ahmad (Teacher, G.D.S.S. Kurfi)
7. Mr. Tily Thank God Festus (Corps Member G.D.S.S. Kurfi)
8. Malama Bilkisu Lawal Kurfi
9. Malam Lawal Gambo Kurfi (Headmaster, Kurfi, LEA)
10. Malama Hassana Gambo (Women Contract, Kurfi LGA)
11. Malam Abdullahi 1. Adamu

The rest of the people who are affected by the expression of thanks are there in the
Acknowledgements, but those whose names have not appeared here due to forgetfulness
or any other reason, they should forgive me. God bless us, Ameen.

Ibrahim Lamido Gombe (B.A. Hons)

Hausa Unimaid Corps Member
G.D.S.S. Kurfi, Katsina State.

viii
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work will not be complete without expressing my gratitude and my happiness
to many people who contributed immensely to accomplish the job.
First, my thanks to God who created me and gave me the interest to do this job of
writing this history which is now called a book. I express my thanks to God who more
than any other deserves praise.
I express thanks to my parents, Chief S.M. Arembang and Mrs. Ikuma-Odwong
Moko Arembang from whom God created me and they brought me up with good home
training. I am very grateful for taking good care of me that helped me to reach my present
position.
1 am grateful to the Chairman. Caretaker Committee Kurfi Local Government,
Alhaji Ibrahim Haruna Rawayau and the Secretary of the Local Government, Alhaji
Aliyu Muhammad Safana and the Director for Rural Development of the LGA, Alhaji
Halilu Ibrahim, who bore the cost of publishing the book on behalf of the Local
Government.
My thanks to Malam Bello Abdullahi, Kurfi Local Government Officer of the
Department of Rural Development, who took the trouble of taking me round and acted as
my interpreter when we visited people who could not communicate in English Language.
I can not complete these acknowledgments without mentioning Mr. Tilly Thank
God Festus, a corps member whose patriotic zeal and corps service made him go through
all my manuscript and made various corrections and gave useful advice which helped in
the successful completion of the work. I am very grateful.
I am also grateful to Malam Ibrahim Lamido Gombe of the Department of
Languages and Linguistics, University of Maiduguri. who due to his patriotic zeal for
N.Y.S.C, translated the book into Hausa. He already deserves praise from me. I am
grateful.
My thanks also go to Miss. Zola Adesogun of the NYSC Secretariat Katsina, who
showed considerable effort in typing out the manuscript within a short time. There is no
doubt you have shown your keen interest in NYSC of Katsina State.

ix
 I am grateful to many officials of Kurfi Local Government particularly the
Information Officer, Malam Sani Bawa and his Assistant, Malam Abdu Bawa Dutsin-Ma
and our photographer Kabir Umar. I also thank the Office Clerk of Administration
Department, Malam Auwalu Sani and A.C.D.O. Malam Abu Aliyu Birchi and Malam
Lawal Garba of the Department of Agriculture. I thank you all.
I want to thank my brother and friend Peter Agbo Adams and his wife, also
Gabriel Hima Ajiogbor who are working with the Department of Custom and Excise in
Katsina. I am grateful for their taking good care of me during my stay in Katsina.
I want to express appreciation to all corps members who were deployed to work in
Kurfi Local Government for the assistance and cooperation they gave me for the
successful completion of the project.
Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to all the people in Kurfi who were happy
with this project, particularly Kurfi District Head, Alhaji Amadu Kurfi who gave me
many useful pieces of advice in respect of this project and the people I interviewed. I
thank them all.

Arembang S.M. (Corps member)

Translator
Ibrahim Lamido (Corps member)
Both NYSC members were attached to Government Day Secondary School, Kurfi.

x
 Family Tree of Maradi Dynasty

(1) Malam Yusufu Nagarabi

1809-1818

(2)Alu 1 (3)Jabbo
1818-1822 1822-1859

(4) Mamman Mai Geme (5) Mani

1859-1879 1877

(6) Albarka (7) Sani

1878 1878-1915

(8) Alu II
1915-1964

(9) Mamman Ja
1964- 1983

xi
 PREFACE
It can be said that up to now the history of African countries and city states has
not been researched thoroughly as to understand their roots. This is due to lack of
support and cooperation to the historians by the local people of the countries concerned.
The idea to write the history of Kurfi Local Government and its people is based
on two main reasons. Firstly, I am a graduate of Hausa; I am interested in writing about
the history of Hausa people and the mode of their living. Secondly, at this time I am
serving my NYSC period in Katsina State, I thought that it was a good idea to show my
keen interest in seeing that the Hausa people and their language progress along their
history and their way of life as a community. This is why I decided to undertake the
writing of a book about the history of Kurfi Local Government in Katsina State.
Furthermore, coupled with the fact that the other major languages (in Nigeria) Igbo
and Yoruba have advanced in western education more than the Hausa, in respect of
projecting their customs, tradition, politics and communal life to the rest of the world in
main-books of history. I therefore think it is an opportunity for me as a student of Hausa
to call upon other students of Hausa and history to seize this opportunity to come to
Hausa land on NYSC service in order to try and write papers about the history of Hausa
people and their mode of life so as to promote the Hausa language. Particularly, now that
it is being thought that Hausa might become the National language in Nigeria.
Studies in the history of Kurfi Local Government today, will be an investigation
about the life of different communities who lived in the past. It will also show the coming
of Islam in Kurfi area around 10th to 11th centuries from Borno and the struggle which the
jihadists went through in this area during the 19th century was the cause which united the
Muslim Umma in the area.
Beside Kurfi village area which has a district head who was appointed on 23rd
September, 1991 when the Local Government was created, there are other villages like
Tsauri, Barkiya, Birchi, Rawayau and Wurma each has a village head who is responsible
for traditional administration. Also under these six village areas including Kurfi village

xii
area itself, there are many wards and smaller hamlets under the traditional administration
of the ward heads.
It can be stated that Kurfi District came into existence in 1991 only, when it
became a local government area on 23rd September 1991 having been carved out from
Dutsinma Local Government in Katsina State. As I mentioned above, Kurfi Local
Government comprises six village areas of Kurfi, Tsauri, Barkiya, Wurma, Rawayau and
Birchi.
Kurfi Local Government headquarters is situated about forty kilometers away
from Katsina, the State Headquarters. It has boundaries with the following local
governments: Jibia, Katsina and Batagarawa on the north. Dutsinma on the south.
Batagarawa and Rimi on the east, Batsari and Safana on the west.
During the census of 1991. it showed that Kurfi Local Government had a
population of 162,156.
The weather of the area is similar to those places in the north, it is hot during the
dry season and wet during the rainy season. The rainy season starts from May and lasts
until October. The rainfall is about 150mm. The dry season commences from the month
of November until April each year. The cold season is from November to February and
the hot season starts from March to May, the maximum temperature can reach up to
440C. It is generally cold in the morning and hot in the afternoon, while the cold returns
during the night. This weather condition is due to the fact that the climate of Northern
Nigeria is Sahel Savanna. The people of Kurfi Local Government are experienced
farmers who grow sorghum, millet and beans, and they rear animals.
This book titled The History of Kurfi Local Government and the Life of its people:
past and present, is intended to be a record of the people from the period of their
forefathers to the present day descendants and their neighbours.
It can be said that the purpose of writing this short history is to present a history of
Kurfi Local Government in a book form; especially as there was nobody who made any
attempt before to publish the history of Kurfi local government.

xiii
 In the same vein, upcoming children and grand children will know the mode of
living of their community and also the stage of its development. Furthermore, like I said
before, it will be a record which will enhance the history of Kurfi district forever.
Added to this that if there was no recorded history, all the things which
collectively made-up the traditions would have been lost along time ago and the identity
of the people would equally be lost.
In short, this book will continue to be a beacon of reference to the traditional rulers
of Kurfi Local Government as regards the foundation of their local politics and also their
origin, traditions and royal heritage.
Following the practice in any research project, in this research work, I had
conducted many interviews with different people in the six villages comprising the Kurfi
local government area. Consequently, 1 can affirm that the basic data of this book are
from the collected oral testimonies. This however, does not mean that no research was
carried out from the written documents and the books in order to ascertain the truth of the
facts, albeit the research was not extensive due to paucity of time and lack of opportunity
for full scale research in some places. In spite of this, I tried in many ways to verify the
data collected for use in the book.

Ibrahim Lamido Gombe

(Hausa Translator)

Sunday M. Arembang
(Writer of the English Version)

xiv
 EXPLANATORY NOTE
This book was first written in English by Mr. S. M. Arembang, a history graduate
member of the National Youth Service Corps deployed to Katsina State and then
redeployed to the Government Day Secondary School, Kurfi in Kurfi Local Government
for his primary assignment. Immediately on arrival he embarked on the project to write a
book on the history of Kurfi Local Government, Yesterday and Today. The project was
solely sponsored by the local government to which he donated the book on completion.
In another development, however, Mallam Ibrahim Lamido Gombe, a graduate of Hausa
Language, working in the same school with the author of the book became excited when
he read the excellent work of his colleague. He sought for permission from the former to
translate the book into Hausa Language, arguing that the people are Hausa speaking
community. His project too was sponsored by the local government. He finished the
translation and handed over the original copies to the local government. On completion
their service assignment both S. M. Arembang and Mallam Ibrahim Lamido Gombe left
for their respective states without leaving behind their contact addresses. Over the years
copies of the two documents got lost and there was no trace of them anywhere in the
local government records. However by some remarkable coincidence I stumbled on a
copy of the Hausa version and when I read it, I discovered that it was an invaluable
document of historical importance and a research material of intellectual value. I
therefore decided to undertake the translation of the book back into English under the
supervision of a Professor. The result is this copy for which I sought for permission from
the local government to print and publish it as to make it available to interested readers
especially the local population. This is the first written history about the people of Kurfi
Local Government.

Mudi A. Kurfi
CP(RTD)

xv
 CHAPTER ONE
ORIGIN, MIGRATION AND SETTLEMENT
A. Kurfi Community
B. Their Neighbours

ORIGIN
Whenever the history of African societies (including Kurfi Community) is to be
written, it is always very difficult to trace the correct historical information handed down
from generation to generation. The reason for this is that a lot of the information is based
on hearsay about the history of the life of the people. What researchers do in such a
situation is to sift the various pieces of information in order to arrive at a consensus of the
generality of the people for the purpose of writing a book.
The origin of the people of Kurfi is linked to the Islamic Jihad which is very
important in the history of Islam whose significance is apparent in the history of Kurfi
District. Like every other Muslim community, the people of Kurfi trace their origin to
what the Holy Qur'an said about the origin of human being that the Almighty Allah
(S.W.A.) created our forefather Prophet Adam (A.S) (from whom we came) from sand
and bestowed life in him. It has been said in Chapter 3, verse 39:

The similitude of Jesus

Before God is as that of
Adam He created him from
dust Then said to him, Be
And he was
And chapter 15, verse 28.
Behold! Thy Lord said
To the angel: I am about
To create man, from sounding clay
From mud molded into shape
This is what every Muslim believes to be his origin. The Kurfi community is
among other communities in which Islamic religion has spread far and wide and as such

1
they believe that their origin (even before they came into existence on earth) is the same
with the origin of man as the Holy Quran teaches us.

MIGRATION AND SETTLEMENT

(A) The community of Kurfi town: Investigation into the migration of the people of
Kurfi to the place known as Kurfi today is related to the study of the history of Kurfi
Chieftaincy and its descendants in Kurfi, the headquarters of Kurfi Local Government
Area. I can explain this from the information I got from the District Head of Kurfi Alhaji
Amadu Kurfi, the Maradin Katsina. He said:
The first Maradi ruler was Malam Yusufu Nagarabi
who was given the flag by Shehu Usman Danfodiyo,
at Maradi city in order to carry out jihad war against
the Habe Hausa. He ruled for about nine years during
which he fought the Katsina Hausa (Habe), from 1807
to 1809 he fought the city of Maradi in Niger Republic
and defeated them. Malam Yusufu lived in a place
better known as Garabi, from where the word
Nagarabi was derived.
The place is today better known as RUABASAU or ROBOSAU in French. The
name of the reigning Chief is Garabi. Malam Yusufu Nagarabi was killed in Garabi town
hence his dynasty is called Garabawa. After the death of Malam Yusufu, his eldest son
was installed as Maradi Aliyu I. He ruled for four years before he was killed in the field
of battle at a place called Maraka in Maradi city of Niger. His brother Jabbo was installed
in his place and due to internecine wars he decided to leave Garabi and moved south
ward to Katsina, in Nigeria. Maradi Jabbo stayed in many places like, Zakka, Safana and
Kafin Soli in Kankiya Local Government Area. During that time Katsina town was under
the rule of Emir Umaru Dallaje. During the uprising of Danmani in 1842-44, Maradi
Jabbo moved from Kafin Soli to Kurfi. He made his followers to build the town of Kurfi.
Maradi Jabbo was the one who founded the rulers of Kurfi, and he ruled the town for
thirty seven to forty two years. This is why the title of the ruler of Kurfi is claimed to
have originated from Niger Republic. It was in 1842 the Sultan of Sokoto, Aliyu Babba
instructed the Emirs of Kano, Katsina and Yandakan Katsina to rebuild the town of Kurfi,

2
which was destroyed during the fight following the uprising of Danmani. Maradi Jabbo
and his followers subsequently settled there and after his death his brother Mamman Mai
Geme was installed, and he ruled for 19 years. After the death of Mamman Mai Geme the
title returned to the family of Maradi Jabbo and his eldest son, Albarka was installed and
he ruled for just 8 months and his brother (the grandfather of the present Maradi, Alhaji
Amadu Kurfi) Malam Sani inherited the throne. He ruled for 37 to 38 years and died in
1915. His son Malam Aliyu was installed as Maradi Aliyu II in 1915 and he ruled for 49
years and died on 7th October 1964. He was the father of the present district head, Alhaji
Amadu Kurfi. On 2nd October 1964 the eldest son of Maradi Aliyu II, Malam
Muhammadu (Mamman Ja) was appointed as the ninth Maradi. He ruled for 20 years and
died in 1983. His son Malam Dauda was installed as Maradin Kurfi, but in 1991 Kurfi
Local Government Area was created and the status of the area was raised to that of a
District with Kurfi town as its headquarters. The title of Maradi was transferred to the
District Head and Alhaji Amadu Kurfi, present ruler, was appointed the 11th Maradi as a
district head while the former title holder, Malam Dauda was re-appointed the central
village head of Kurfi and environs with the new title of Yariman Kurfi.
From the information I received above, it can be stated that Nagarabi, Umarun
Dallaje, Na Alhaji and Umarun Dunyawa were all disciples of Shehu Usman Danfodiyo
long before the commencement of the Jihad wars. So when the Jihad war started, they
received from Shehu Usman Danfodiyo flags for the Jihad against the Pagan Hausa.
Research carried out by Y.B. Usman in the history of Katsina had shown that these three
Muslim clerics were given the flags for the jihad at Birnin Gudu by Muhammad Bello the
son of Shehu Usman Danfodiyo and not directly by the Shehu. The question is what
happened after the receipt of the flags by them? To find the answer to this question, we
have to go back to the explanation given by Y.B. Usman that between the year 1807 and
1809 the reformer Umaru Dallaje and his troops attacked the Hausa Habe in Katsina
where they destroyed completely the structure of the established traditional chieftaincy
and in 1808 Umaru Dallaje was installed as the emir of Katsina. He was the first person

3
of Fulani origin to ascend to the throne of Katsina. Subsequently, he overran parts of
Karaduwa and many other parts of the east and middle of the province.
From the above explanation, it has shown that it was not Malam Yusufu Nagarabi
who received the flag but was under Umaru Dunyawa but he was deputed to administer
the portion of Gulbin Maradi as we would see later like a researcher in the history of
Katsina Province one Rilwanu Charanci also wrote in his booklet titled, The Story of
Kurfi where he claimed that the rulers of Kurfi were Black Arabs or Sudanese
Arabs who were rulers of a town called GARABI, a French province in the Niger
Republic. The word GARABI is Arabic origin and it means west or western or
stranger or migrant. It is on record that the followers of Malam Yusufu, the ruler of
Garabi, revolted against his rule and they fought him until he was defeated and the town
of Garabi was burnt down to ashes but at that time Malam Yusufu was away to Sokoto in
order to receive the flag for Jihad from Shehu Danfodio and to redeploy the troops which
were to fight Birnin Maradi. On his return he went to Maraka and settled there. However,
it was revealed to us that when Dankasawa (who inherited the throne of Katsina Kingdom
from Magaji Haladu, the Habe King) received information about the return of Malam
Yusufu, he organized and sent a group of rebels who went and assassinated Malam
Yusufu in a Mosque (inside a garden).
And so Aliyu I, who inherited the throne from his father, continued in earnest with
the war against the people of Maradi for a period of four years and at the end of which he
was removed from Garabi to Maraka in 1830. Rilwanu Charanci ended his submission by
stating that in 1832, Maradi Jabbo the son of Malam Yusufu after the death of Maradi
Aliyu I, was appointed Maradi and he continued with the war against Maradi people for a
period of one year but when he realized that the war was becoming frequent he decided to
migrate with his people and their animals to part of Katsina which was conquered by the
Fulani Jihadists under the leadership of Umaru Dallaje. At first, he settled in a place
called Bada in Zakka area. These explanations of Rilwanu Charanci had clarified the
statements of the District Head of Kurfi except the differences of dates which did not
appear at first.

4
 In another development, Dr. Smith said that Fulani troops under the leadership of
Umaru Dallaje defeated Katsina (Hausa) and took over the city in 1807. The chief of
Katsina (Habe) Magaji Haladu fled to northwest where he threw himself into a well in
Daura. After ascending to the throne, Dankasawa left to a place known as Garfi near the
border between Damagaram and Maradi. Dr Smith further said that Maradi was under
Katsina province (Hausa). After the Fulani overran the place, it became under the Fulani
rule. A Fulani, named Mani was appointed to administer it. He settled in Maradi and
ruled the place under the command of Sarkin Sullubawa of Katsina.
In view of this, it is being emphasized that Maradi province which was a large
province comprised the north and the west under the Hausa rulers of Katsina who were
descendants of Rano, had been using the term Maradi. Maradin Hausa at the time of the
arrival of the Fulani rulers was Maradi Wagaza who conspired with Dan Kasawa and
killed Mani (Fulani) when he was praying.
The question which has been exercising the mind of many researchers and those
following this history is, who is the Fulani ruler who is called Mani? In the findings of
Dr. Smith: Can Mani mean Malam Yusufu Na Garabi who was killed in his mosque or
his garden as narrated by the District Head of Kurfi, Alhaji Amadu Kurfi? The answer to
this question would not come within this scope due to paucity of time and space. It
should be left to future researchers on the history of Kurfi.
With these explanations in our possession, we can now lay the foundation of the
history of the migration and settlement of the people of Kurfi. Firstly, it is certain that the
people of Kurfi migrated from Maradi as a result of the Jihad war of Shehu Usman
Danfodiyo who waged wars in order to reform the religion of Islam in Hausa land in
1804 and the war ended after many years in the 19th century. In consideration of the result
of Shehu Danfodiyos Jihad wars in Hausa land, Kurfi is not the only place that became
established due to migration of people because of the Jihad wars which had scattered the
Hausa people from their origin to where you will find them occupying lands which were
not theirs or living in new places which did not belong to them originally. The people of

5
Kurfi are part of the larger community which converted to Islam (Malam Yusuf Na
Garabi).
Secondly, it can also be inferred that the rebellion of the Pagan tribe of Hausa like
Dan Kasawa and Wagaza took place in 1817 to 1822, the exact times Malam Yusufu Na
Garabi and his son Aliyu I were assassinated respectively and the migration of Jabbo to
that part of the land .where his Fulani people settled (Katsina).
Thirdly, it can be said that before the rebellion of the pagans, Malam Yusufu Na
Garabi had appointed himself the ruler of Garabi, following the conference held in Birnin
Gudu in 1806 he was directed by the Muslim ruler, the Sultan, to lead the Muslim Umma.
It might be that Kurfi chieftaincy originated from that of Malam Yusuf Na Garabi in
1807 and he became the Maradi in the year 1809.
Following that, Malam Jabbo who was appointed in 1819, migrated to Katsina
province in 1820, one year after he had become Maradi. Because of lack of proper place
for settlement in Katsina due to constant wars, Malam Jabbo and his people lived in many
different places in Katsina like Zakka, Kafin Soli and Safana before they finally settled in
a place which is the present day Kurfi.
It can be said that the years 1842 to 1844 were times of frequent troubles and
crises in Hausa land because of rebellion of Dan Mari, which caused the destructions and
burning of many places including Kurfi itself which was burnt down completely before
the return of Maradi Jabbo to the place and rebuilt the houses. This has shown to us that
Kurfi was not a virgin land which they founded but it was a place where people had lived
before and they rebuilt it for occupation.
During those crises the rulers were on frequent visits to the Sultan in Sokoto, and
in accordance with the provision of the constitution, Malam Jabbo used to join them on
the visits because the Sultan knew about his existence in Katsina province. There in
Sokoto Sultan Aliyu Babba (1842-1859) who was ruling during that time asked Malam
Jabbo whether he had got a place to settle, to which the latter replied negatively. The
Sultan then directed the Emir of Katsina Muhammadu Bello to enquire from Yandaka
Hassan whether the place burnt down by Dan Mari rebels was still not occupied by

6
anybody. Luckily, nobody had entered the place and consequently the Sultan gave
instruction that the place be given to Maradi Jabbo and his people and that he should
continue to use the title of Maradi. The decision of the Sultan to permit the continued use
of the title was based on the fact that Jabbo was a relation of Malam Yusufu Na Garabi
one of the Jihadists who received the flag for Jihad and went to Maradi in order to fight
them. On his return from Sokoto, Jabbo was accompanied by Sarkin Sullubawa who was
commanded to stay with Jabbo in Kurfi.
When he arrived in Kurfi, Maradi Jabbo built his palace near an old well for the
purpose of providing water for their animals. He ruled the community of Kurfi as a
district head who received his orders directly from the Sultan of Sokoto as it was found
in history that all other Maradis who came after him, were appointed by Sultan. The
territory of Kurfi in those days was very large because it included places like Kaguwa,
Morawa, Farin Muji, Dutse, Zakka, Daram, Magama, Kofa, Tamu, Takabawa. Agga,
Barkiya, Karare, Kumare, Ajiwa and many other villages.
Before the return of Jabbo, Kurfi was travelers' camp while Sokoto was the
headquarters of the Caliphate. It can be understood that Kurfi was a Hausa (Habe)
settlement before Danbaskore and the rebels of Dan Mari invaded it and burnt down the
houses of the original town. It was in 1830 that the place was rebuilt with mud, with the
help of Kaura Abubakar, the Emir of Katsina and Yandaka Hassan, the district head.
In Kurfi, Maradi Jabbo ruled as Maradin Katsina with six districts under him until
the end of the rule of the Emir of Katsina Yero in 1905. It was in that year Emir of
Katsina Dikko ascended to the throne of Katsina. When the European colonialists
conquered Sokoto, the power of the Caliphate declined. The Europeans reorganized the
system of governance in 1908. They established larger units of administration and drew
boundaries. During that exercise, Kurfi district lost many of its territories and it was from
there it became under Dutsinma district answerable to Yandaka Hassan its status was
reduced to the level of a village head under Yandaka.
THE NAME KURFI: The name Kurfi had been in existence a long time ago and
it was linked to the origin of the town. It is believed that Kurfi is one of the oldest places

7
which were established in the southwest of Katsina. It is being claimed that the town of
Kurfi was originally under Dutsinma (even before the advent of the European
colonialists), during the rule of Yandaka Hassan, even before the rebels (Dan Baskore)
burnt down the town in 1842-1844. This had happened many years ago before rebuilding
of the place for Maradi Jabbo on the order of Sultan Aliyu Babba.
It is being assumed that the name KURFI originated from the word KURHI
which means a cave. First assumption is that the people of Maradi who migrated to
Kurfi wanted to build their houses near a place with water available for their use and for
their animals. They continued the search until they found a well with water which was
dug likely by the Hausa people who first settled there. The well was known as Kurhi.
This was the name which later in the 19th century, the European colonialists when they
visited the place changed it to KURFI.
The second assumption was that the name KURFI was derived from the
occupation of weaving of fronds of dumb palm by the Hausa-Habe who first settled there.
In accordance with this opinion the Hausa-Habe were by occupation mat weavers which
they carried out in a dug hole. Information had it that there lived one man called
MAIMANI who was said to have founded the old town of Kurfi which the rebels (Dan
Baskore and Dan Mari) burnt down. Maimani was a famous mat weaver, he had holes
near the well which was providing drinking water. The people living in the town would
always say lets go to the well near Kurfin Maimani to fetch water. It was as a result of
this Maimani became the eponym of Kurfin Maimani. Information had indicated that in
the past the place was better known as KURFIN Maimani within the length and breadth
of Katsina province.
With these explanations, it can be said in short that the name Kurfi originated from
the search of water. And because water in abundance was found in Kurfi well, a town
was founded at the place. This claim or assertion would be reasonable if the fact of the
general nature of water scarcity in Hausa land, Kurfi inclusive, is taken into
consideration.

8
(B) OTHER VILLAGES IN KURFI AREA
i. Tsauri Village
Research has shown that the people of Tsauri Village originated from the people
of Mali under the leadership of Mohammed Muhammadu. Malam Muhammadu an
Islamic cleric was the one who came to Kwami village now in Batagarawa Local
Government, preaching Islamic teachings in those days.
During the time Malam Muhammadu was working under the authority, he lived in
many places in Katsina province. During that time he established many Islamiyya schools
for the teaching of the religion of Islam. He had also succeeded in interpreting the Holy
Qur'an in Hausa language. It was due to this great effort as he had also shown great skill
in reciting the Holy Qur'an from memory which earned him the nickname
BAKADUWA.
It was later when he settled that, Bakaduwa married the daughter of the Emir of
Katsina (Habe) Muhammadu Gazo named Fatima who gave birth to a son named
Muhammadu Na Alhaji. Bakaduwa died on his way to pilgrimage and he was survived
by his wife and his son in Katsina. Afterwards Na Alhaji was sent to Islamic school in
Sokoto where he had the opportunity to learn under the erudite cleric Shehu Usman
Danfodio and due to his brilliance and his closeness to the Shehu, he was given the flag
with two other clerics and they were commanded to conduct Jihad wars for the spreading
of Islam in their respective areas. The two clerics were Umaru Dallaje who led Muslim
army which waged war against the northern and central Katsina, while Umaru Dunyawa
who led the Jihad in northwestern Katsina.
When Na Alhaji died, his son Hassan who later became the Yandaka, left the
north-east of Katsina to settle in a place now known as Tsauri. The people living in
Tsauri were originally living in Katsina before they migrated to this place on the
command of the Sultan of Sokoto. They came to this place which was an empty land
before in which there were no people because of the intermittent wars going on among
the Hausa people. When the Jihad wars to reform the religion of Islam started under the
leadership of Yandaka Hassan, the people migrated from Katsina to Tsauri where he

9
became the chief of that area and one of the pioneers of Yandaka dynasty in that place. It
was later his grandson (of Hassan) called Muhammdu Sada left Tsauri to settle in a place
now called Dutsinma.
On the strength of these explanations, it can be inferred that the father of Na-
Alhaji, Muhammadu Muhammadu started visits to Katsina province in 1760. That is how
far we know from the history of Tsauri, we have been told that Na-Alhaji was one of the
Jihadists who received the flag from Shehu Danfodio between the years 1806 to 1809 for
Islamic reformation. It is possible to say that Na-Alhaji appointed himself the Chief of
Kwami before he began the Jihad war in that area. And also Yandaka Hassan after
ascending to the throne as a result of his father's death, decided to move with his people
due to constant wars, to Tsauri, possibly at the beginning of the 19th century.
It can be said that Tsauri area originated from the Hausa words Sauki da sake
meaning Relief and freedom which he Yandaka Hassan sought for his people who were
tired of frequent wars and wanted to run away from them to Tsauri in order to find solace.
However, with regard to another story, it was shown that although Tsauri town
was a walled place, it was said that during that time a warrior by name Dan-Baskore who
was thought to have come from Maradi, arrived and climbed the rock with the intention
of launching an attack on the town of Tsauri. A local warrior emerged from the town, and
was an expert in magic, shot an arrow which landed on the rock called Dutsen Yan-
Mata making a peculiar sound which frightened Dan Baskore to make him realize that
the people of Tsauri were more powerful than him (Dan-Baskore). Those who are making
such claim are of the opinion that the name Tsauri which means tough, originated
from this episode which showed to the warrior Dan Baskore that the people of this had
proved to be stubborn as he failed to conquer them,
ii. Barkiya Village
According to the research findings, the place which is now known as BARKIYA
consisted of farm lands of the slaves of the rulers of Kurfi, where they (the slaves) were
cultivating the lands for food and cash crops. Investigation has shown that it was Maradi
Sani of Kurfi who appointed a man called BARKA as the Chief of that community and

10
the head of the slaves. After the death of Barka, Maradi Sani went ahead and appointed
the deceased's nephew to succeed his uncle as the head of the slaves living in that area.
The name of the place was originally KADEN KURFI but was changed to BARKIYA
an eponym of BARKA. While the former name of KADEN KURFI meant the crops of
KURFI.
In another version, information related to the origin of BARKIYA is that Barka
was formally a slave of the Emir of Daura but later became the slave of Maradi Sani of
Kurfi. It was alleged that Barka stole a sword belonging to Sarkin Daura which he
(Barka) used to kill many people. He feared the possible punishment which Sarkin Daura
might impose on him, if he were to be caught. He escaped and ran away to Kurfi during
the time Maradi Sani was the ruler. His arrival in Kurfi made him famous as a brave
warrior and in consequence Maradi Sani appointed him the overall commander of his
troops. Subsequently, he became the liaison officer between Maradi Sani and his village
heads and because of the trust Maradi had reposed in him, he was appointed the Chief of
Kaden Kurfi (Barkiya of today).
In spite of these explanations, I can vary the finding, that the village of Barkiya
was founded as a settlement for the Chiefs retinues and courtiers and other people in
about 1878 during the reign of Sani as Maradin Kurfi.
Barka on the other hand was in charge of the place as a village head under Maradi
Sani. He was responsible for running the affairs of the village as well as running personal
errands and other odd jobs for Maradi Sani.
In consideration of the previous information relating to the origin of Barkiya, it
can be asserted that Barka was a fugitive criminal who feared the consequences of his
action if he were to be caught and so he fled to Kurfi where he was warmly received by
Maradi Sani. In fact he was made the Chief of the people who were living in Kaden Kurfi
(Barkiya) where Maradis slaves were living but later the name was changed from Barka
to Barkiya.

11
iii. Rawayau Village
With regards to the origin of Rawayau village, there is no clear history because the
people who were thought to have established the village had disappeared over the years
and there was no trace of the reason(s) for their disappearance. The present people there
cannot give any information with regard to their origin. They only insisted that they did
not come from anywhere
but from where they are now. The first revealed that:
We, the members of this ruling house, came from Katsina to
this place. The people had already settled here long before my
father was appointed to rule while the people too had their
own chief. It was Muhammad Dikko, the Emir of Katsina
who appointed my father to be the ruler of this place as
Magajin Gari (Central Village Head). I do not know anything
about the origin of the other people we found here and I do
not know also how the place was established because it is an
old settlement. I do not also believe that the other people
migrated from somewhere except this place.

The second informant who was said to be a very old man in the village related his version
with the first that:
I do not know the origin of this village and also from where
my forefathers migrated to this place. As I grew up, I found
many elders of this village as well as its rulers but nobody
told me from where we came, however, I will tell you six of
the past rulers of this village.
In short, the people of Rawayau are claiming that the first set of people came to
find themselves in this place and that they did not come from anywhere. Due to lack of
historical information and data, they presumed that they were the original settlers.
Explanation and in history they do not have any knowledge about the movements of their
forefathers from one place to another. In consequence therefore, it is an accepted fact in
history that if people are unable to trace the original place from where they came, it can
be inferred that they have no any other original place except where they found
themselves. What is clear is that they had been in the place a long time ago since from

12
their great grand forefathers. If this opinion is accepted, we can state that Rawayau
village is one of the oldest settlements that we know in Kurfi district of today,
iv. Wurma Village
There are three arguments about the foundation of Wurma which I would explain in their
order of origin before going over the description. The first argument stated that:
My people came from a place called DADI in Maradi of
Niger Republic but they settled first in a place called Katanga
under the leadership of a man called Umaru. These people
migrated from DADI because of constant wars, raids and
slavery, they also left the village of Katanga because of
outbreak of an epidemic disease which they believed was a
calamity from Allah (SWT) sent to the area. They therefore
moved to a new settlement called WURMA. It was in Wurma
that Umaru instructed his son to establish a new settlement to
be called DADI. This new settlement was walled to which
later Umaru moved to join his son. It was in this settlement
called DADI that investigation revealed that one man called
Abdullahi was alleged to have prayed to Allah (SWT) to
protect them from the constant wars being waged. It was
further alleged that Allah (SWT) had listened to his prayer by
inspiring him to plant two tamarind trees as a result of which
thorny bushes and grasses grew to surround the village
making it into a thicket protecting them from any attack. One
of the tamarind trees was planted on the eastern part of the
village while the other was on the western side.

This argument explains that it was a group of warriors under the leadership of the
man called Jan allah, who came from a town called Madarunfa in Maradi of Niger
Republic. They attacked the village of Dandadi. When they defeated the people of
Dandadi, Jan allah then appointed himself the chief of the area.
The second argument states that Wurma town came into existence as a result of
the grouping of three areas of Wurma, Magana-wasa and Takude, which later came to be
called DADI. It was from Dadi that it later became Dandadi as preferred by the rulers. It
can be understood that these three hamlets united together to become one because of the

13
threat of attacks from their enemies. It was the arrival of Jan-allah who attacked them and
defeated them all together.
The third argument explains that Wurma was a small village which was founded
by a small group of people who were called Buduawa whose origin was that they were
living in riverine area called Koron Zaidawa and traces of Baran Bamadi.
It can be concluded from the three arguments that the origin of Wurma village was
that the place was occupied by Hausa people for a long time until the arrival of the Jihad
fighters under the leadership of Jan-allah or Umaru who fought the people living there
and established Islamic rule. In line with our understanding of the facts of the first
argument, Umaru or Jan-allah or we can say Umaru Jan-allah appointed himself the chief
of Wurma (the three amalgamated hamlets) after he fought and defeated the people, the
place became the Wurma we know today.
(v) Birchi Village
The beginning of the foundation of the existence of Birchi community started with
the amalgamation of three societies which were related to each other in their history and
traditions. These communities are Kai-Nafara, Habe and Fulani. The most prominent
community amongst them which is best connected to the foundation of Birchi village is
Kai-Nafara whose traditions are different from the other two communities.
The arrival of the community of Kai-Nafara and its contribution by the
establishment of Birchi village is a miracle as we will see below:
The people who settled first in Birchi were the Kai-Nafara.
They were said to have come from Egypt in the Middle East.
It was alleged that they did not ride horses to come or use any
other animal, nor did they travel on foot. Explanation
however claimed that they went underground only to
resurface exactly at Birchi village. It was further alleged that
they resurfaced at a well which was covered by a huge rock.
They broke the rock and came out after which they conjoined
it back in its former solid shape.
Another piece of information gathered in connection with the people
of Kai-Nafara alleged that:

14
 The people of Kai-Nafara claimed that they were the
descendants of one man called KARGIMU who was alleged
to have resurfaced from underground at a place few meters
away from Birchi. It was possible it happened in the middle
of the 19th century. It is also believed that he was from one
of those pagan tribes without any known origin. It was
revealed that water was gushing out from the hole he
emerged and flowed all over the village.

In short, the first argument explained to us that these people of Kai-Nafara dug a
well after their resurface at a place called LEMO and they built their houses just at the
place they resurfaced. This is what the legend has shown us that the Hausa and Fulani
tribes migrated to Birchi many years ago and integrated with Kai-Nafara people who had
already settled in the village. These three communities lived together in peace and
harmony, while cooperating with each other to the extent that they built a wall round the
village with four gates, namely western gate, eastern gate, southern gate and northern
gate.
The period of the settlement of those communities was linked to the incessant
breakout of wars and raids to capture slaves for sale. At this very time the colonialists
arrived. We were told that as a result of religious differences (Hausa and Fulani being
Muslims) while the people of Kai-Nafara who were pagans moved away to a place west
of Birchi called GODA. However, this voluntary separation did not break the relationship
between these communities because the people of Kai-Nafara attended all Muslim
festivities in Birchi while in the same token both the Hausa and the Fulani do accept
invitation from the former whenever they had an occasion to celebrate.
Even a researcher can claim that the village of Birchi is a place blessed by God such that
it is endeared to the people especially when different communities migrated to it and the
miraculous existence of a large cave right in the centre of the town now. The cave
became a means of protection and a hideout for the people especially during the incessant
raids which were afflicting them as indicated in the first argument. It can be said that the
drifting apart of these communities was not only due to religious differences but because
of the increase in the population which necessitated the need for expansion of the village

15
in order to have enough space for comfortable living especially as the incessant raids
became rare. It appears that the people of Kai-Nafara are the community living on the
outskirts of Birchi village in order to facilitate the practice of their traditional religion
easily as well as the worship of their idols.

16
 CHAPTER TWO
KURFI: The Traditional System of Authority
Before the Jihad war of the 19 century, the arrival of Fulani and even with the
advent of the colonialists, the Hausa traditional system of authority was in operation. In
1810 during the Jihad of Shehu Usman Danfodio, Fulani changed the Hausa traditional
system of governance to a unified system under the Fulani emirs, territories which were
under the control of the Fulani after the Jihad had stretched up to Niger and Benue which
were divided into units called emirates under the emirs who were mostly Fulani. It was
under the new central administration that Kurfi district came under the rule of Fulani to
date.
Investigation has shown that during the reign of Maradi Jabbo (1822-1857) up to
the reign of Maradi Sani (1870-1915) Kurfi territory was an independent entity with a
district head as its leader. This has shown that those Maradis who ruled during that time,
were directly under the Sultan of Sokoto but not under any other person.
Yandaka, the district head of Dutsin-Ma said this is true because all the Maradis
who ruled from Jabbo to Sani, it was the Sultan of Sokoto who gave the order to turban
them. Kurfi territory comprised these villages - Kaguwa, Morawa, Farin Dutse, Zakka,
Daram, Magami, Kofa, Tamu, Muji, Takabawa, Agga, Barkiya, Zurare, Ajiwa and so on.
All these villages mentioned above had Yerima or Magaji who was under the
district head of Kurfi up to the end of the reign of emir of Katsina Yero in 1905 and Emir
Muhammad Dikko who inherited the throne. It was the arrival of the European
colonialists who defeated Sokoto in the war, and changed the system of administration of
the caliphate with their own in which many smaller units lost their territories as new
boundaries were drawn constantly. The loss of status of Kurfi occurred as a result of their
being merged with Dutsin-Ma under the authority of Yandaka and it became a village
instead of a district, under a village head. For about eighty four years until on 23rd
September 1991 when Kurfi Local Government Area was created out of Dutsin-Ma Local
Government during the administration of President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and it
comprised of these village units: Kurfi, Tsauri, Barkiya, Rawayau, Wurma and Birchi.

17
Consequently, on 4th June 1992, the Emir of Katsina Alhaji Kabir Usman (grandson of
Emir of Katsina, Muhammad Dikko) turbaned Alhaji Amadu Kurfi as the district head of
the newly created district. The former status of Kurfi was then restored. It was then that
the new district head took the title of Maradin Katsina, the district head of Kurfi.
As a result of the restoration of its former status, Kurfi became a district under the
newly appointed district head who is now directly under the Emir of Katsina while the
other six village heads are under him and the seventy eight ward heads became under the
village heads from whom they received their instructions which relate to security and
intelligence like the Nigeria Police Force and the department of information.
The palace of the district head is full of staff employed in the office of the district
head. The administrative arrangement in the palace is in accordance with the plans of the
district head. There is an appointed deputy who represent the district head in some
activities while he oversees the affairs of the district whenever the district head is absent,
the district secretary who supervises the staff and also does some important duties, also
there are other members of the staff like the pay master (Sarkin Fada) who has the
responsibility of collecting and paying the salaries of all staff in the district head office
and also carrying out messages as an envoy.
Another important post is that of the chief of bodyguards (Sarkin Dogarai) who is in
charge of all the bodyguards and also the messengers who receive their working materials
like uniforms as well as their salaries from the Emirate Council. The actual number of the
bodyguards is four with their assistants who are also provided with working materials.
The next post is that of chief of escort who is the head of the stable boys who look after
the district head's horses. The chief of escort is the one who leads the district head by
walking in front of the district head's horse during ceremonies like Sallah festival. Next is
the chief praise singer (Sankira) who acts as the district's court jester. Another official is
the chief of gunners and the chief of bow and arrows whose job is the security of the
district head, the chief of Fulani who heads the (Fulani) cattle herders, the chief of the
farmers who heads the farming activities and the chief of fishing, who is in charge of the
fishermen.

18
 There is the chief surgeon (Sarkin Aska), the man in charge of the traditional
barbers and traditional medicine men, the chief piper, the leader of the musicians, chief of
the drummers, the head of minstrels, the chief of the blind (Maradin Makafi) leader of the
blind men in Kurfi.
The administrative arrangement is very good and is a well organized system
which has earned recognition. The system has given the district head great honour and
respect not only among his people but also from outsiders.
THE ORIGIN OF MARADI DYNASTY
The origin of Maradi dynasty is the Maradi of Niger Republic, the man who
established the ruling dynasty was Malam Yusufu Na-Garabi who first used the title
Maradi, when he began to rule in the year 1809. Maradi Yusufu ruled for a period of nine
years before he was assassinated in 1818. Consequently, he was succeeded by his eldest
son Aliyu as Maradi Aliyu I. He ruled for a period of four years only.
It was Maradi Jabbo who inherited the chieftaincy and after a year, he migrated
from Birnin Maradi to Kurfi between 1823 and 1830. He died after he had been on the
throne for forty two years. He was succeeded by Mamman Mai Geme from 1859 to 1877.
He ruled for nineteen years. Maradi Mani Dan Jatau (1877) brother to Muhammadu,
ruled for five months before the title was inherited by Albarka, the son of Maradi Jabbo
in 1877. It was during the reign of Albarka that the throne of Maradi came back to the
descendants of Maradi Jabbo. Albarka ruled for eight months and after him Sani, the son
of Jabbo (1878-1915), the grandfather of the present district head, Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi,
Maradi Sani ruled for thirty seven years, the eighth Maradi who ascended to the title was
Maradi Aliyu II (1915-1964) the father of the present district head and son of Maradi
Sani. He ruled for forty nine years. To date, he had the longest period on the throne.
It was on 10th October 1964, Muhammadu who was better known as Mamman Ja
(1964-1983) inherited the title of Maradi from his father Maradi Aliyu II, and he ruled for
almost twenty years. Mamman Ja died in 1983 and the title went to his son Dauda who
when Kurfi became a local government, lost the title to his uncle the present district head,
Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi and instead he was given a new title of Yeriman Kurfi.

19
 When Kurfi Local Government was created as mentioned above, on 23rd
September 1991, Kurfi village area became a fully fledged district and Alhaji Ahmadu
Kurfi was as a result appointed the new district head with the title of Maradin Katsina,
the district head of Kurfi. The restoration of the status of the district came back with the
honour and respect of Kurfi in the whole of Hausa land. Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi is the
present traditional ruler as the tenth titleholder of Maradi from Yusufu Na-Garabi dynasty
which has been ruling Kurfi for the past eighty four years. It can be said without fear of
contradiction, that the present Maradi is the most well known in the whole area and who
has brought development to the area.
Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi (1992 to date)
Maradin Katsina, the district head of Kurfi, Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi was born in
April. 1930 and his father was Maradi Aliyu II who ruled Kurfi from 1915-1964. His
mother was Amina who died in the year 1999. She was born in 1904 during the reign of
Emir of Katsina Yero. Her father was Muhammadu Dikko, the Emir of Katsina.
Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi started his education in the Central Elementary School, Katsina in
1941. He completed elementary school in 1944 and passed to proceed to Middle School,
Katsina where he continued with his education from 1944-1947. From there he proceeded
to Kaduna College which was later transferred to Zaria where it became the famous
Barewa College, in 1947-1950. He went to Higher Elementary Training College where he
completed his course in 1953 and came out with Teacher Grade II Certificate. He then
proceeded to the United Kingdom to pursue higher education, in 1953. He obtained
General Certificate of Education, Advanced Level which enabled him gain admission
into the University of Hull in 1955. He completed his degree course in Economics in
1958 and returned to Nigeria.
His attainment of higher qualification, made Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi to work in
various capacities which were related to the development of the economy. These included
where he started as an employee of the Native Authority (N.A.) as a teacher from 1951 -
1958 from where he left to study overseas. On his return to Nigeria in 1958 he was posted
to administration as Assistant District Officer (A.D.O.) in Abuja in the service of

20
Northern Nigerian Government. Later he was transferred to the Federal Service where he
was posted to the Ministry of Defence in Lagos, the Capital, as Assistant Secretary. He
worked there for six years where he rose to the position of Deputy Permanent Secretary.
He was there in the Ministry of Defence until the first military coup in January
1966. He was then transferred to the Northern Nigerian Marketing Board in Kano as its
Executive Secretary. The responsibility of the Board was to organize the buying and the
selling of produce. As a result of the creation of twelve states out of the former Regions
of Nigeria the Board was transferred to Kaduna in 1971, from where Alhaji Ahmadu
Kurfi was later transferred back to the Federal Service in Lagos. While there he held
various positions including the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing from where he
was posted to the Census Board as its Executive Secretary from 1973 to 1975. After
General Murtala Muhammad military coup in 1975. the Census Board was abolished and
Alhaji Ahmadu was then posted to the Department of Establishment from 1975 to 1976.
In 1976 Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) was created and he was posted to head
it with the title of Executive Secretary. After making his mark there in the Electoral
Commission, he was transferred to the Federal Ministry of Defence as Permanent
Secretary. It was from there he retired from Civil Service in 1986 after serving for thirty
five years.
After his retirement and due to his good records, the Maradin Katsina held various
appointments including the Chairman of the Land Use Allocation Committee from 1988
to 199U. Later he was appointed the Chairman, Nigeria Educational Research and
Development in 1990.
This is how he held Chairmanship of various committees of both Federal and
State. However, in 1992, he returned home where he was subsequently turbaned as the
District Head of Kurfi, the position he holds now.
In his private activities, Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi is the director of companies
including Kurfi brothers Ltd. He has various farms where he cultivates sorghum, beans
and rice in Kaduna. In addition, he is an accomplished writer and has written a book on

21
election, Election Contest-Candidates Companion. In the same manner he had written
many articles in Newspapers and Magazines.
In conclusion, Maradin Katsina is an experienced teacher and well versed in many
fields. He is one of the most prominent traditional rulers in Katsina emirate.
Achievements Made under the Reign of Maradi Dynasty.
The re-founding of Kurfi after the incessant attacks by the warriors of Dan Baskore and
Mari during the years 1840-1844. was the greatest achievement of Maradi Jabbo who
secured a place to settle the people of Kurfi. However the significant successes recorded
occurred during the rule of Maradi Aliyu II like the building of Friday Congregational
Mosque, the first Primary School in 1949, refurbishing of the historical well, the building
of the dispensary and many concrete wells and the roads from Kurfi to Dutsin-Ma and
Kurfi to Katsina.
And during the reign of Maradi Mamman Ja more Primary Schools were built and
an area court was established. This took us to the time Kurfi Local Government was
created and that was the time when Kurfi District Head, Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi began his
tenure of office. It was during that time, that the Local Government Secretariat was built,
electricity supply was provided, the Educational Resource Centre was established,
clearance of many concrete wells was undertaken, overhead tanks for potable water
supply were installed, water reservoir and dams were built, hand operated bore holes
were dug for the purpose of providing more potable water supply due to the nature of dry
climate of Northern Nigeria. At present, Kurfi town the LGA headquarters, has a Jumuat
mosque in the centre of the town, a market which holds on every Tuesday and is thriving
due to the efforts of the present district head Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi and a slaughter slab
has also been built near the market.
On higher educational institutions, there is a Government Day Secondary School (GDSS)
which was opened about 10 years ago. In Birchi also, there is another Government Junior
Day Secondary School (classes 1-3) for Birchi and its environs. A new palace for the
district head has been built which shows that the new district head of Maradin Katsina, is
firmly established and for the subjects it remains a symbolic edifice to which they will

22
take their complaints with the hope of being listened to.
TSAURI
The origin of the people of Tsauri dynasty came from Bani Muhammad Dikko
starting with Muhammad himself when he was the district head under the emir of
Katsina. In order to make it easy for the reader to understand, we will call the Tsauri
dynasty as the Dynasty of Bani Muhammad of Tsauri.
The origin of the dynasty of Bani Muhammadu began from the time the people of
Tsauri were living in Katsina town. During that time they were not known as Tsauri
people until they migrated to the present village of Tsauri. According to what they said,
the place was under Muhammadu Namadi and Emir of Katsina Dikko. After
Muhammadu Abubakar rule, he was later succeeded by Yandaka Hassan that he migrated
with the dynasty of Bani Muhammadu to Tsauri and he was the first Yandaka to rule the
dynasty of Bani Muhammadu at Tsauri.
In those days, Tsauri was an independent entity with Yandaka as the ruler of the
territory which included west of Katsina up to Birnin Gwari now in Kaduna State. There
were 75 villge areas under Yandaka with so many wards. The administration of the
district was divided into five different departments each with its functions, operating
under a head. These departmental heads include Dan Sannabi who was in charge of the
administration of the palace and the grazing land.
There was the Sarkin Raft who oversaw the affairs of the farmers and then
Galadima, Sarkin Yaki who was in charge of defence matters and was the commander of
the soldiers. There was the Sarkin Fada who was the Executive Secretary of the District
Council. The Yandaka was the Chairman of the council.
It was possible that when Dutsin-Ma district was created as a result of
administrative reform by the colonialists, Tsauri was reduced to the status of a village
under the control of Dutsin-Ma district. Almost all the previous twelve district heads of
Yandaka, including Yandaka Muhammad Sada, and Yandaka Abdullahi who ruled from
1959 -1979 (the father of the present Magaji Tsauri, Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi) were

23
appointed Yandaka when they were the village heads of Tsauri. Yandaka Abdullahi ruled
the district of Dutsin-Ma for twenty years before he died in 1979.
Magajin Garin Tsauri, the village head of Tsauri, Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi
explained to us that the members of the dynasty of Bani Muhammadu were those who
established the ruling house of Dutsin-Ma which showed that he was qualified to become
the Yandaka of Dutsin-Ma as he elucidated in the following explanation:
Before the creation of Kurfi Local Government, it was the tradition to appoint the
village head of Tsauri as the Yandaka, the district head of Dutsin-Ma. In fact despite the
creation of both Dutsin-Ma and kurfi Local Governments, the rulers of Tsauri can still be
eligible to compete for the district heads stool of Yandaka, district head of Dutsin-Ma.
Indeed, I myself, competed against the present Yandaka of Dutsin-Ma.
The Profile of Magaji Tsauri, Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi
Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi was born in 1933 in Dutsin-Ma town. His father was
Yandaka Abdullahi. He attended Yandaka Elementary School, in Dutsin-Ma where he
learnt how to read and write between 1940 and 1944, from there his father who was
becoming old did not allow him to go further because he (the father) wanted his son to
join him and assist him in running the village area. Alhaji Isyaku has now ruled for thirty
five years from the time his father became the district head of Dutsin-Ma, Yandakan
Katsina.
Within the thirty five years he has been ruling to date, Magaji Tsauri had recorded
a number of successes. He was the first village head who enlightened the people of
Tsauri and brought modernity which included the establishment of a primary school for
the purpose of educating the children of Tsauri and three other villages also had primary
schools, to cater for the villages of Kare, Bambadawa, Samro, Padama, Gidan Sono,
Kaware, Gwanzo, Kule, Dan Agali, Yada Noma, Baiga, Tudun Yamma and Tudun
Gabas.
He also encouraged his farming people to also engage in trading. Those who took
the advice have seen the good result, one of such traders, is Alhaji Halilu Nomau Tsauri
who has become a prosperous trader.

24
 On health sector, Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi made tremendous efforts to see that
three dispensaries were built by the government and while two others and a hospital were
built by communal efforts.
Apart from these, having realized that his subjects were more interested in
farming, he encouraged them to plant cotton, cultivate sorghum, millet, beans,
groundnuts and maize. Ha also paid attention to protect the farms from the destruction
caused by animals by imposing heavy fines against anybody who deliberately allowed his
animals into the farms. He sought for state government's assistance to build a store where
the fertilizer brought for Tsauri village area is kept until the time it is distributed to the
farmers.
In order to facilitate easy movements of produce and goods of his subjects, he
caused roads to be built by community work. These type of roads include the road which
connected Barkiya, Tsauri and Kurfi and the one which started from Tsauri to Tsanni,
thus joining the main highway of Katsina, Kurfi and Dutsin-Ma.
With regards to religion, Tsauri village area has Friday mosques in three wards of
Kaware, Gwanzo and Wayye which have made it easy for the people to say their Friday
prayers in each of them. In order to develop his village area, Magaji Tsauri has
established two new wards of Yarbarza and Nasarawa. An important aspect of his rule is
that there is peace and tranquility in Tsauri and the people are living happily and
peacefully.
Barkiya
Recent investigation has indicated that the number of village heads who ruled
Barkiya was five including the present ruler; these were Barka, Yuguda, Tukur,
Abdullahi and Ibrahim Abdullahi who currently is on the throne. According to what
Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi explained, the system of administration has not been altered
since from the inception. The village head is under the district head and the former in
turn has many ward heads ruling the villages and their subjects.
The building of the village head's residence is one of the achievements made with
the help of one of the previous village heads later a primary school was also built at

25
Kufan Agga and also many dispensary clinics were built and a number of concrete wells
were constructed.
In order to reduce travelling difficulties, two laterite roads were constructed; one
which started from Barkiya to the junction of the main highway which comes from
Dutsin-Ma - Kurfi -Katsina and the other connects Barkiya and Rawayau.
Rawayau
The title of the people who ruled Rawayau is the same with the name of the village
itself. In those days after the arrival of the Fulani rulers, the Emir of Katsina used to
appoint a new village head with the title of Rawayau during every rainy season. Among
the rulers was Rawayau Muhammadu who was brought from Bagga village and was
installed as Rawayau. After him, his son Rawayau Sani dan Muhammadu. Next was his
brother Yaro who inherited the title. After him, Rawayau Adamu who came from Kofar
Dangi to stay with Rawayau Yaro (before the death of Rawayau Sani) inherited the title.
Afer that came Rawayau Abu who succeeded Rawayau Adamu as the fifth
Rawayau. He was removed by Emir Muhammad Dikko because he was alleged to have
received bribe and in his place, the Emir appointed new Rawayau Muhammadu Buhari
who was the Emir's brother, who was brought from Katsina to rule the village area, after
he was sent to obtain the report of the outstanding bribery case against Rawayau Abu,
from Yandakan Katsina, the district head of Dutsin-Ma. Rawayau Buhari ruled from
1912-1966 and he died on 1st January that year. After his death, he was succeeded by his
son in-law Alhaji Haruna Abubakar, the present village head of Rawayau, in February
1966.
The division in the hierarchy during the Fulani rule was that the emir was the
highest authority and immediately below him were the district heads. There was no any
other subdivision of authority at that time which time the district heads were staying in
Katsina while working with the emir. They were not normally residents in their
respective districts. It was later during the colonial era that reforms in the administration
were carried out in that each village head was given an assistant who had the title of
Magajin Gari. Under him were ward heads and then the subjects.

26
 In the present arrangement, Magajin Rawayau, the village head of Rawayau has
fifty ward heads but only thirty of them were recognized by the local authority.
Profile of Rawayau Alhaji Haruna Abubakar
Alhaji Haruna was born in Katsina city in 1928 and his father in-law was
Muhammadu Buhari and his mother was called Rabi who died in 1938. Alhaji Haruna
started elementary school in 1935 in Katsina and completed his education in 1939. He is
married with four wives, the maximum in accordance with the Islamic injunction on
marriage. At present he has thirty seven children including Alhaji Ibrahim Haruna
Rawayau, the Chairman Caretaker Committee of Kurfi Local Government. Alhaji Haruna
Rawayau is a full time farmer and a businessman who at the moment is the manager of
one company in Funtua.
Achievement: Among the achievements brought to the village area, particularly
during the time of the two rulers, Buhari and Haruna are the building of four dispensaries,
seven primary schools, thirty constructed wells, seven bore holes and pipe borne water.
An over-head water tank was also constructed for water storage and machineries.
Roads which connected Rawayau with other places were constructed; they include
the road from Birchi-Rawayau-Charanchai, and the road from Rawayau to Dutsin-Ma
which was built by the State Government. There is also the road from Rawayau to Kurfi,
Rawayau to Barkiya. Rawayau to Radda which were constructed through community
works.
Some other community works projects include the construction of four earth dams,
four Juma'at mosques at Rawayau, Sabon Gari, Yar Unguwa and Dan-gawo. Rawayau
has in addition, a television viewing centre constructed by the Local Government and a
big market in the centre of the village.
Wurma:
The system of administration has not changed since the time of King of Katsina
(who was said to have founded the town of Katsina). During that period under the king,
there was the district head, followed by the Magajin Gari who was also the Chief Imam.

27
 The arrival of the colonial masters caused the system to be changed in which ward
heads were created and consequently, Wurma today has fifteen ward heads and each is
charged with the responsibility of looking after the affairs of a ward.
The following were the rulers of Wurma; Jan-allah, Abdullahi, Abubakar, Kilari, Goga,
Sule Mande, Mamman, who was appointed by the colonial authority through the system
of election. However, Dandadi Mamman died in 1971. Immediately after him, Dandadi
Ibrahim II succeeded him in 1971 and ruled for seven years and died on 30th September
1978. Next to succeed him was his brother, Mustafa Muhammad who was appointed in
December 1978 to date.
Profile of Dandadi Wurma Mustafa Muhammad from 1978 to Date.
Dandadi Wurma was born in 1947 and he started his education in elementary
school, Dutsin-Ma in 1953 and completed in 1957. After obtaining certificate of
completion of his education, he started work in the hospital for the disabled in Dutsin-
Ma. While working there, he was selected to proceed on a three month course in the
medical auxiliary school from where he retired to come back home to be appointed the
village head of Wurma village area.
Achievements: Historically, almost all the rulers of Wurma village area were very
good administrators who contributed to the development and progress of the area. These
include Kilari and Mande who were well known warriors who recruited brave fighters to
be sent to the battle field whenever there was war or when there was an attack. These
rulers were brave men who possessed knowledge of various military strategies. They
caused wall to be built round the village for protection and they also encouraged Islamic
learning in their people of their times.
During this period, roads were built like the one from Wurma-Tsaskiya-Kudewa-
Unguwar Isa and the road from Wurma to Kurfi. On health delivery, the village has six
dispensaries, it also has eleven primary schools, provision for potable water has been
made from dug-up wells and the building of earth dam and pipe borne water is provided
from water tanker.

28
Birchi:
Before the advent of Fulani rulers, Birchi was being ruled by Hausa People.
Research has revealed that these rulers were called Birchi and they were under
Yandakan Tsauri.
The first ruler was Birchi Aliyu and after him came Birchi Gade while the third
was Birchi Kunkuru who was subsequently removed because he was involved in
corruption. From there, the chieftaincy title returned to Gide, the present village head.
The first ruler of the new dynasty was Birchi Rabi'u and after him, his son Birchi
Amman succeeded him. He too was succeeded by his son Birchi Abdulkadir
Muhammadu who is the present holder of the title and the ruler.
In accordance with the system of administration, Birchi is under the district head
while he (Birchi) has many ward heads under him. Birchi village area has eight wards
including Birchi itself, Baganau, Gode, Chediya, Dakana, Ajiwa, Kaguwa and Boka.
Achievements: It was during the time of Birchi Aliyu that a wall was built round
the village and there were three gates from the three directions. During the period of the
second dynasty many achievements were made. In respect of the development of Islam,
three mosques were built. On western education, five primary schools and a day
secondary school were built in the village area. Also five hand operated water pumps and
eleven concrete wells for the provision of drinking water were constructed.
On health and economic activities, a big market was established in the area with
Thursday being the market day. It has fertilizer store. There are also dispensaries built by
the Local Government. There are also feeder roads connecting the village with other
places like Birchi-Chediya, Birchi-Tashar Bara'u; Tashar Barau - Takyenbu which is
under Baganau ward and Birchi-Goda and others.

29
 CHAPTER THREE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The study of the economy of the people shows growth in agriculture and trade,
because these are the backbone of the economy. This is why I am of the opinion that the
study of the economic history of Kurfi Local Government will not be complete without
my bringing into focus the economic development of its people.
The economic development of any part of our country Nigeria can be related to the
climatic conditions which depend on the amount of annual rainfal. Kurfi Local
Government Area which is situated on the south-western part of Katsina in Northern
Nigeria is a wetland with rich soil. The climate of the area is that of Sudan Savannah or
grassland but not Guinea Savannah which is swampy with tall trees. The mode of rainfall
is that it comes mostly during the months of June, July, August, September and October.
The soil of Kurfi is a mixture of sand and mud (sandy loam) which is suitable for
cultivation of groundnuts, millet, sorghum and cotton. There is pastoral land for rearing
of animals like cattle, goats and sheep.
FARMING SECTOR:
Investigation has shown that the inhabitants of the area are hardworking farmers.
They cultivate both food and cash crops like groundnuts, cotton and beans which they
sell. There are food crops like millet, sorghum and maize, sweet potatoes and rice etc.
They also grow vegetables and fruits which include tomato, pepper, onion, cabbage,
carrots and so on.
It is not easy to differentiate between the food crops and the cash crops because the
method of their cultivation is the same. This is because about 95% of the population is
dependent on farming from which they eke a living annually, some part for their feeding
while other part they sell to earn cash to meet other needs. The remaining 5% of the
population are mainly traders and businessmen or may be big time farmers who cultivate
for cash- invest heavy amounts in their farms in which they apply fertilizer and pay their
farm labourers who work on their farms, with the hope that they will realize big profit if
there is good season. Even these types of big time farmers, do mix their farming for both

30
food and cash crops like Alhaji Yusufu Mai Mani and Alhaji Dandada who are both
living in Kurfi town. The small holders are dependent on their own style and the use of
small farming implements which help them in their cultivation.
The farm produce they sell are groundnuts and beans but due to the nature of the
climate and the type of soil in Kurfi area they cultivate groundnuts and cotton mainly.
Production of cotton depends on the availability of sufficient rainfall during the rainy
season, for example last year (1994) those who planted cotton may God, the Almighty be
praised as he rewarded them abundantly.
The vegetables like tomato, pepper, onion, cabbage and carrots which are articles
of trade are cultivated in vegetable gardens yearly. The farmers used the traditional
method of Shadoof system. The area in which dry season farming is being carried out
on the bank of river Gada (Yar Gamji) and river Rairaye which has covered a portion of
Kurfi. The people living on both left and right of the banks of river Gada (which flows
along the road from Kurfi-Tsauri, are well known dry season farmers. The farmers who
trade in these products use water pumps to sprinkle water on their plantations in the
gardens.
The people of Kurfi are animal rearers. They keep animals like cattle, goats and
sheep (sahel breed) and also keep poultry like guinea fowls, chickens, ducks and pack
animals like horses and donkeys. Some of these animals are reared for both meat and for
sale for the purpose of satisfying every need. Others are raised for the purpose of sale
only. For example, the cow, they eat its meat which is made into skewered meat for sale
or the meat is sold raw. Its milk is obtained for drinking as well as for sale. The oxen are
also used in cultivation during the rainy season. It should be observed that because of the
availability of milk for the people of Kurfi, it is success galore as they drink Fura
(porridge) because almost every native of this place drinks Fura da Nono. Goats and
sheep also provide milk, meat and skin etc. while their dung and their bones are used for
manure on the farms. Poultry are being kept for their meat and eggs.
The animal rearing activities of the people of Kurfi have shown to us that their
economy depends on mixed farming; cultivation of crops and rearing of animals and

31
keeping poultry. As far as cattle rearing is concerned, the herdsmen drive their animals to
graze on the farms after the harvest (normadic herding) and sometimes they choose to
stay in one place in order to provide natural fertilizer to enrich the soil with the animal
dung. This method of rearing animals provides natural fertilizer which is obtained from
the animals but otherwise it is spread on the farms as droppings. If the animals are kept in
the houses, the dung can be gathered in heaps before it is taken to the farms. This is an
additional benefit obtained from rearing of the animals.
Historically, like their Hausa neighbours, the people of Kurfi use animals like
horses and donkeys for travelling from one place to place while the donkeys are used as
pack animals for carrying loads to the farms as well as for transporting articles of trade.
The horses are only used for riding to a fairly long distance for pleasure and ceremony.
They are usually ridden by rich people and the ruling class like the district head and the
village heads.

TRADITIONAL HANDCRAFTS AND TRADING ACTIVITIES

Apart from farming, the people of Kurfi are experts in traditional handcrafts which
they inherited from their forefathers. These types of handcrafts include pottery in which
they make some pots with artistic designs while others are made plain. These include
various earthen wares like bowls, cooking pots and those for keeping water etc. There are
other people whose occupation is yarn spinning in which prepared cotton is turned into
yarns for traditional weaving to produce traditional apparel or garments.
The traditional leather works is an integral part of the occupations of the people in
which they use animal leather to provide shoes, hand bags and other works. In the same
way, the people of Kurfi are very skilful in tailoring where they produce different styles
of dresses for both men and women, like the flowing gown with handmade embroidery
beautifully designed and very attractive women's dresses.
The people are also experts in mat weaving and fan making in which fronds of
dum palm are used, especially if it is observed that the origin of the name of the town is
related to this occupation (Kurfin Mai Mani) which is the headquarters of Kurfi Local

32
Government. Beside this, there are blacksmiths and iron-mongers who make various farm
implements like hoe, sickle, scythe, knives, cutlasses etc.
The increase in commercial activities depends on how much the society is
enlightened about it and also the increase of the population. Kurfi community consists of
people who have made tremendous progress in the field of business activities.
Establishment of business activities in many of the towns and villages is indicative that
the people of Kurfi area have for long been engaged in commercial activities. Prominent
among the markets include Kurfi market which holds on every Tuesday while that of
Rawayau holds on Saturdays, Wurma market holds on every Monday while Birchi holds
on Tuesdays. They bring to these markets for sale things like handcrafts goods and farm
produce.
Commercial activities became well established in Kurfi area when colonial
government was set up which replaced the Sokoto Caliphate and stopped the incessant
conflicts which had been afflicting them and had therefore prevented them from enjoying
a peaceful life to enable them transact everyday business between themselves.
Commercial activities started to develop in Kurfi Fulani area between 1820 to 1850. The
European missionaries and colonialists like Clapperton, Dunham and Heinrich Barth saw
the commerce and trading had developed in Hausa land and Kurfi town. They particularly
became interested and as such they were highly impressed by the extent that they
described Kurfi town as a commercial centre.
Important commerce and trading articles from Kano include locally made cotton
materials like hand woven native cloth made here or in neighboring towns...other towns
which are related to Fulani people included Kurfi. The development of these type of
commercial activities in this period is apparent, especially, if it is considered how present
day Kurfi has business community with large capital, which has made them wealthy. One
of such member of the business community is Alhaji Amadi Kurfi who due to his
business activities has become prominent and well known in both Katsina State and
outside.

33
 CHAPTER FOUR
CREATION OF KURFI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
In the history of Katsina State, it is a fact of life that on Monday 23rd September
1991, Kurfi Local Government Area was created from former Dutsin-Ma LGA. With the
announcement by the then President General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (Military
Government) Kurfi became a Local Government on its own and one of the three tiers of
governments in the federation, with independent executive branch.
Kurfi Local Government which was created from the former Dutsin-Ma Local
Government Area is one of the newly created local governments for the purpose of
establishing the third tier of government as provided for in the constitution. There were
many reasons for which the local government was created. Firstly, to bring government
policy to areas which were located far away and widely spread. Secondly, to develop
smaller areas. Thirdly, to develop rural areas and bring the people closer to the
government and to provide ways and means of boosting government activities. Fourthly,
the creation of local government has benefited those who wanted to join politics from the
grassroot (local government) in order to inculcate democratic ideals in the minds of the
locals at the base.
With respect to the development of Kurfi Local Government which is three years
and five months old (the time of writing this book), many achievements have been
recorded. First, the building of the local government secretariat which the Military
Administrator of Katsina State Navy Captain Emmanuel A. Acholonu opened in June
1994.
The development of the society in respect of western education as to enable the
people carryout their daily activities, is being improved in the local government. Already
sixty two primary schools and some secondary schools have been built. Also the local
government is paying attention to the education of the students of the local government
who are studying in institutions of higher learning both in Katsina State and outside by
way of giving them financial assistance in the form of allowances in order to make life
comfortable for them and solve some of their financial problems. The local government

34
has already built offices in Kurfi town, as the headquarters of the Local Government and
the Education Authority Offices.
As regards to the economy, a community bank has been opened and has since then
continued with its operations. The local government has also given the market of Kurfi a
new facelift enabling it to operate every Tuesday while efforts are being made to build
shops and stores for the market traders to find where to store their goods. A modern
abattoir has been built for the purpose of providing a place to slaughter animals for the
supply of clean and hygienic meat for the consumption of the public.
In order to complement the efforts of both the Federal and State Governments to
provide the citizens with low cost houses before the year 2000, Kurfi local government
has embarked on a housing project to provide cheap houses for the local people. In fact
those that have been completed have already been occupied by members of the Nigeria
Police as well as some senior local government workers. On health sector, a gigantic
effort has been made in building a hospital for the treatment of children and women in
Kurfi town.
In the villages, the local government has built a number of dispensaries and rural
hospitals for the rural communities. At present, these places are being used by preventive
medical health workers in discharging their duties in the villages.
In order to maintain good relations between the traditional rulers and the local
government and to facilitate conducting their affairs with ease, Kurfi local government
has built a palace for the district head of Kurfi, Maradin Katsina, which includes the
district head office as well as offices for his staff. The palace has now become the centre
of unity, peace, harmony and justice for the people of Kurfi area, while it also enhances
the honour, dignity and respect of Maradin Katsina in the local government.
In the sport sector, the local government is preparing to build a stadium. Already a
piece of land has been acquired and arrangement has been made to demarcate the area for
construction. It was last year that the field was used in holding the competition for the
district head's cup. Added to this, the people of Kurfi town have been provided with
electricity through the National Grid (NEPA). Also with the help of the Youth Service

35
Corps, the local government has built a post office for sending messages by mail and it
now awaits formal opening. There is every indication that by the year 2000, Kurfi local
government will progress to develop in order to acquire modern facilities needed by all
the rural people.
In administration, investigation has shown that Kurfi local government had four
different Chairmen since its creation, apart from the present Chairman of the Caretaker
Committee. When the local government was created, Alhaji Labiru Kafur was appointed
the Sole Administrator of the local government. He was the one who supervised the
conduct of democratic elections under the two political parties of National Republican
Convention (NRC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) during which a democratically
elected Chairman of the local government emerged in the name of Alhaji Isyaku
Abubakar of the SDP.
It was as a result of winning the election that Alhaji Isyaku Abubakar was swom-
in as the first democratically elected Chairman of Kurfi Local Government. He was from
Kurfi A but shortly after his assumption of office, his defeated rival of the NRC party
petitioned to the Election Tribunal, accusing the Chairman of election rigging. In its
judgement the Tribunal nullified all the results and ordered for fresh election.
When the tribunal heard the petition, Alhaji Isyaku was removed as the Chairman
of Kurfi local government and a Sole Administrator was appointed in the name of
Abdurrahman Bindawa who ruled for a period until another election was conducted. The
result of that election confirmed again that Alhaji Isyaku Abubakar had won and as such
he took over control of the affairs of the local government from Alhaji Abdurrahman
Bindawa.
Alhaji Isyaku Abubakar was born in Kurfi town on 17 June 1948. He worked as a
teacher rising to the position of primary school Headmaster and later became Assistant
Director in the State Ministry of Education. He had 21 years in the service of the state
government before he joined politics to contest the election as local government
chairman which he won.

36
 Regarding political power in local governments in Nigeria, Alhaji Isyaku
Abubakar has governed up to the time of the present government which was led by
General Sani Abacha who took over the reigns of power from Mr. Shonekan towards the
end of 1993. It was during that time General Sani Abacha dissolved the two political
parties of NRC and SDP and removed all civilian governors and the Chairmen of the
local governments of Nigeria. Alhaji Isyaku Abubakar like his counterparts of other local
government was removed from office as the local government chairman.
It was as a result of this development that the administration of the local
government came under the office of the Director of Personnel where the control of the
affairs of Kurfi local government were handed over to Alhaji Nuraddeen Maiwada and
then Local Government Caretaker Committee was established comprising a Chairman
and four other counsilors as members. In Kurfi local government, it was Alhaji Ibrahim
Haruna Rawayau who was appointed Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the local
government and in addition to being the chairman he was incharge of Finance
Department. The other councilors were equally given responsibilities; Alhaji Shehu Sani
who was the Deputy Chairman, was appointed councilor in charge of Works Department,
Alhaji Shehu Yusuf as councilor of Agriculture, Alhaji Balele Shade councilor of Health
and Alhaji Muhammadu Jibril as Councilor of Education, Social Welfare and
Information.
The Executive Caretaker Committee of the Local Government consists of the
chairman and the four Councilors, while Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad Safana was the local
government's Secretary.
PROFILE OF ALHAJI IBRAHIM HARUNA RAWAYAU
Alhaji Ibrahim Haruna Rawayau is the fifth Chairman of Kurfi Local Government
in the history of chairmanship since the creation of the local government. And also he is
the Executive Chairman of the local government Caretaker Committee which was
appointed by General Sani Abacha Government and is presently ruling.
He was born in Rawayau village which is in Kurfi local government in the year
1946. His father is Alhaji Haruna Rawayau, the village head of Rawayau. He is the eldest

37
son of his father while he is the first born of his mother called Amina Muhammadu
Buhari.
He went to secondary school Funtua in 1962 at the age of 16. He completed his
secondary school in 1966, where he obtained the certificate for completion of secondary
education - West African School Certificate (WASC/GCE). Alhaji Ibrahim went on a
course when he started working in the Ministry of Local Government in 1974. It was at
that time after one year that he was sent on pre-Diploma course in local government for
three months in Kaduna Polytechnic.
In 1977, Alhaji Ibrahim Rawayau went back to the Polytechnic Kaduna to
undertake a Diploma course in local government which he completed in 1978 and
obtained the OND.
Obtaining the OND certificate became a step forward for him to pursue further
courses and so he began the higher diploma course in local government. He completed
this course in 1981. Ambitious and eager to improve his education further, Alhaji Ibrahim
tried hard to see that he obtained university education and he was lucky for Ahmadu
Bello University Zaria (ABU) gave him admission to study administration where he was
given admission to read Advance Diploma in Local Government Administration.
Similarly, almost all the courses undertaken by Alhaji Ibrahim were related to his
work in the government service. If we turn to his records of service, Alhaji Ibrahim
started work in the Federal Ministry of Communication under the Department now
known as NITEL from 1966-1974. It was in 1974 that he transferred his service to the
Ministry of Local Government of the then North Central State Government. In
subsequent years, the ministry was later changed to Department of Local Government
Inspectorate and Administration and was brought under the Governor's Office. This
transfer was made during the regime of President Ibrahim Babangida. According to
Alhaji Ibrahim; It was under this department that I attended all my courses.
Alhaji Ibrahim has worked in various places under this department as an
Investigation Officer from where he rose to become Director Inspectorate of local
governments in the Office of the Military Administrator of Katsina State.

38
 He was holding that position when he was appointed the Chairman of the
Caretaker Committee of Kurfi Local Government, the position he is now holding. Before
this time, Alhaji Ibrahim had worked in many local governments like Dutsin-Ma, Mani,
Daura, Malumfashi and Katsina as Principal Officer. He was holding this position when
he was transferred from Katsina to Kankia Zonal Headquarters. Later he was transferred
back to Zonal Headquarters, Katsina where he was given the responsibility to supervise
Katsina, Kaita, Jibiya, Batsari, Rimi and Batagarawa local governments. He was in
Katsina Zonal Office when he was promoted to Director Inspectorate of local
governments. He was holding this position when he was appointed the Chairman
Caretaker Committee of Kurfi Local Government.
Making his comments in respect of local government activities, Alhaji Ibrahim has
indicated deep interest in his work, especially as it relates to rural development and
mixing with his local people regularly. He said that being the Chairman of the Caretaker
Committee of the local government was an opportunity given to him to find out the
problems of the people and their communities which would enable him inform the State
Government in order to take appropriate measures to solve them.
He added that if the government were to pay attention to the activities of local
governments and that the leaders who were given charge to supervise the local
governments did it with dedication and to use the financial allocation from federation
account to the local governments for greater effort to develop the areas, there would be
progress accordingly solving the problems of the people as to make life more comfortable
for them.
The chairman further asserted that it was possible that due to his long service in
the department of local governments and his knowledge of everyday activities of local
governments to know that community work projects would be very difficult to complete
in the areas until such time that rural communities woke up from their slumber to assist
the government in respect of rural development projects in the areas. Similarly, they
should assist in paying their community taxes instead of depending on the government to
do everything for them.

39
 Regarding the writing of the history of local government, the chairman expressed
his gratitude to the people who took the trouble to write the history of this local
government in both Hausa and English Languages. He also praised the effort of History
and Culture Bureau of Katsina State which has been trying hard to preserve the history,
culture and traditions of Katsina and its past communities.
With reference to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) activities which have
been going on for the past 30 years, he said that it was an opportunity given to the youths
of this country to know other parts of their country and also to make friends from
different people other than their own.
Alhaji Ibrahim Haruna Rawayau is married to one wife and he has seven children.
He is also a big time farmer who grows both food and cash crops like millet, sorghum,
maize, beans and groundnuts. He has his farms in Rawayau village where he also assist
the people accordingly. Being a member of the royal blood whose family is related to
Katsina royal family, the ultimate ambition of Alhaji Ibrahim Haruna Rawayau is to
become the village head of Rawayau in future. It can be said that his being the chairman
of the Caretaker Committee of Kurfi local government did not come as a surprise if
consideration would be given to his service and his experience of the internal working of
local governments since 1974, his present position is a status which suits his type.
PROFILE OF ALHAJI ALIYU MUHAMMAD SAFANA
Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad was born on 4th October 1959 in Safana town (his birth
place). His father's name is Muhammadu Sani and his mother's name is Aisha. He started
his primary education in 1965 at Safana Primary School which he completed in 1972. He
realized his ambition when he entered Government Secondary School, Kagoro from
1972 to 1974 before proceeding to another Secondary School in Birnin Gwari town
where he studied from 1974 to 1977 and sat for the West African School Certificate
(WASC/GCE). On completion, Aliyu did not waste his time but proceeded to the College
of Arts, Science and Technology, Katsina formerly of Zaria, from 1977-1979 where he
studied and obtained IJMB certificate.

40
 As soon as he obtained the result, he started seeking for admission into university
and was lucky to be admitted by Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and he completed his
degree of Bachelor of Arts (Education) in 1982. He then proceeded to N.Y.S.C. posting in
Borno State 1982-1983, where he was deployed to the College of Islamic and Sharia
Studies, Borno State. On completion the National Youth Service, Aliyu was employed by
the State Ministry of Education as a teacher in 1983. Aliyu taught at Day Secondary
School Dutsin-Ma from where he was transferred to another Day Secondary School,
Babban Duhu where he rose to the position of the principal of the school. From there he
decided to go back to the school in Borno where he taught during his National Youth
Service period and continued to teach. He worked with them from 1984-1988. Later he
returned home when Katsina State was created to work for the State Government. He
worked as a Senior Assistant Secretary in the Military Governor's Office, Katsina from
1988-1989.
In 1989, Alhaji Aliyu became the Secretary to Safana Local Government (his
home) where he worked diligently up to 1992 when he was transferred to Ingawa Local
Government where he held the same position. In 1994 he was transferred to this Local
Government of Kurfi where he is still working to date as Secretary of the local
government.
Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad is 32 years old and is married with two wives and four
children. An experienced farmer and an animal rearer, Alhaji Aliyu has a farm at Kwaro
which is on Dutsin-Ma to Yantumaki road in Dutsin-Ma local government. He rears
cattle, sheep and goats. His views on local government work, research on the history of
towns and National Youth service are very enlightening as they show his experience and
his knowledge about life generally.
Regarding local government work, he said that local government is only suitable
for people who have the interest to work in rural area where the result of a hard work can
be seen. In his words the present system of local government has made for better
development, considering the way the rural areas are being provided with modern
amenities for daily life which were not being provided in the past.

41
 Making his comments on the research in the history of towns and local
governments, Alhaji Aliyu was appreciative of the effort, as he said that it was an attempt
to discover the historical origin of the towns and villages instead of believing on hearsay.
It is also an opportunity to carry out research from the source together with the use of oral
history.
In his support of the NYSC scheme, he pointed out that the progress being made to
unite the youths by the opportunity offered them to mix with each other irrespective of
their differences in language, origin and traditions. He added that it was also an
opportunity given to them to serve the rural areas in respect of community development
projects they undertake.
PROFILE OF ALHAJI HALILU IBRAHIM
He was born on 10th April 1961 in Karofi of Dutsin-ma local government. His
fathers name is Alhaji Ibrahim while his mother is called Hajiya Umma. Halilu started
his education at Kofar Sauri Primary School, Katsina from 1969-1975. He then
proceeded to Malumfashi for his secondary education from 1975-1980. After completing
his secondary education, he proceeded to Social Development Centre, Katsina where he
underwent an intermediate course in Community Development and Rural Health Service.
From there he went to Kaduna Polytechnic where he pursued a diploma course in
Community Development and Mass Education from 1986-1988. As a result of this
successful, he was lucky to be admitted into the Federal University, Jos where he took a
two year Advanced Diploma course in Community Development and Administration in
1994.
Alhaji Halilu Ibrahim started work in 1981 with Dutsin-ma local government, as a
Community Development Assistant. He continued to work until in 1985 when he was
promoted to the position of Assistant Community Development Officer. On completion
of his diploma course in 1988, he was promoted to the rank of Community Development
Officer in Dutsin-ma local government. In 1989, he was promoted to Senior Community
Development Officer and was transferred to Kurfi local government in order to carry out

42
major community development projects in the new local government. The position he
now holds.
While he was explaining the condition of working in rural areas of the local
government, the officer stated that at present there were not many problems regarding
that section because there had been a lot of campaign to educate the public about
community development projects which were began from the onset and were successful.
He added, that was because the people themselves had appreciated the importance of
rural development and they carried out community development projects. They used to
come to his office to request for assistance, working materials and for consultations and
guidance, clarification and advice about the projects they would undertake. He added that
the normal projects usually carried out in the rural areas for its development were divided
into three categories viz; there were community development projects which were
undertaken by the communities themselves; there were joint projects between the people
and the local government and then there were those projects which were jointly carried
out by the people, the local government and the State government.
The third category he said was that in which the rural community would shoulder
the responsibility of 40% of the total cost, the local government would contribute 20%
while the state government would contribute 40% to make the total 100% for the job but
in reality it was the local government which took the responsibility to pay its portion as
well as that of the state government which normally delayed re-imbursement for long. He
concluded that the rural communities had carried out many development projects for their
respective areas on their own without even waiting to hear the response of the local
government. With regard to the workers, he complained that it would be ideal if they
would live in the rural areas in order to be helping the local people with pieces of advice
and other projects, but this was not being happening albeit he was looking forward to
finding the appropriate steps to take to solve this problem.
As for his opinion on NYSC scheme, Alhaji Halilu Said, We should pray and
pray hard for him who created the NYSC scheme in this country. The reason is that if we
speak about the NYSC scheme, we are then referring to the people who came to strange

43
places from different areas for the purpose of mixing with one another and also to assist
the people in the development of their areas.
He gave an example like that of a Corper who came from Cross River State and
deployed to Katsina State where he found different customs, religion and language from
his own as well as the mode of living with which he was not familiar but in spite of this,
the people received him warmly as if he was one of them. In fact all the period of his stay
in the service of NYSC, he and the people of the area understood how the meeting and
mixing together had helped in the development of the area and had generated the
understanding between the people as a result of the relationship.
Alhaji Halilu is married with one wife and two daughters. Beside his government
job, the officer is a part time farmer during both rainy and dry seasons. During the rainy
season he plants millet, sorghum, beans, cotton and maize. While during the dry season,
however, he cultivates wheat, tomatoes, pepper and onion in fairly large quantities.
His farms are situated in Kurfi and Kuki while the dry season gardens are located
at Dantankari and Makera both near the Zobe dam in Dutsin-ma town. He however
complained that the meager allowance of N700:00k a month given to the members of the
NYSC is too small, considering their commitments in undertaking their primary
assignments of serving the people. Alhaji Halilu can be described as a dedicated
community development officer and one who enlightens the rural populace about
farming, considering his experience in this respect.

44
 REFERENCES

1. Opakunle, A.L. Hotunan Bayanai na Shugabannin Siyasa na Jihar Katsina. (Jamhuriya

ta uku) Mudaba'ar Hinna, shafi na 118.
2 Message from the Authority A bi-annual magazine owned by History and Culture
Bureau Vol.1 Jan.-June 1995. Publishers History and Culture Bureau Katsina State.
3. Translation of the Holy Qur'an by Abubakar Gumi, Arabic - Hausa.

CHAPTER TWO
1. Interview with Tsauri Village Head, Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi 72+, 22/12/94
2. Interview with Maradin Katsina, District Head of Kurfi, Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi
13/1/95.
3. Usman, Y.B. Transformation of Katsina culled from Today Newspaper of 21 -27
June 1992, page 9.
4. Ibid.
5. ... History of Maradin Kurfi Dynasty culled from Today Newspaper of June 21-27,
1992
6. Interview with the Village Head of Barkiya, Kurfan Agga, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi,
50+, 28/12/94.
7. Interview with Abdu Danbai 15+, 26/12/94
8. Interview with Village Head of Rawayau. Alhaji Haruna Rawayau. 66+ 29/12 94.
9. Interview with Alhaji Umaru (Sambo) Musa 85^. 29 12/94.
10. Interview with Yusufu Waziri. 57+. 3/1/95
11. Interview with Ahmad Muhammad. 36+. 10 2 95.

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