The town Bauchi has road connections to Jos, Kano, and Maiduguri , Yobe, Gombe and Deba Habe. The emirate was founded (1800–10) by Yakubu, one of Sheikh Usman dan Fodio’s commanders. Yakubu conquered a sparsely wooded savanna region (the Bauchi High Plains) mainly inhabited by non-Muslim peoples.
Bauchin Yakubu – History of Bauchi
The Original people of Bauchi (GERAWA) migrated from Mandara in about 1500 A.D. They were led by a Mandara Prince called Maiduga, who left home as a resuld of a Chieftaincy dispute.
The migrants first settled at Harawuna and later at Fikb in Borno State. Maiduga died at Fika and son Saidu assumed the leadership of the community. Saidu and his eldest son, Bayero led the community Westward to Gere Gaba in the Bauchi area.
Bayero’s son Yangiri was the father of Abdu and Abdu was the father of Dadi. At the death of Abdu the community once again moved to Gilliri, this time under the leadership of Dadi, Dadi was a cattle rearer who enjoyed moving from one place to another in search of good pasture, for his animals.
For this reason, he was attracted to the valleys of Yuli area. At first the Chief of Yuli refused to accept him but later Dadi was accepted with a few of his people to settle at Tirwun, on the personal intervention
of the Chief of Miri.
A few years later Dadi was appointed the Galadima of Tirwun and soon after he was made the Chief of the Village. Yakubu the first Emir of Bauchi was born at Tirwun in 1763. His father Dadi sent him to Jitar where he met one Muslim Scholar, Mallam Isiaku who gave him training in islam Education.
The scholar was known to have traveled widely with Yakubu in the Bauchi region and this gave the young boy the opportunity to know the area he was destined to rule.
At about this time, Shehu Usman Dan Fodio was assuming prominence as a great Islamic Scholar and preacher when Mallam Isyaku decided to visit the learned teacher in Degel, he took Yakubu along with him.
They remained as pupils of the reknown teacher for seven years and when Mallam Isiaku decided to return, he left Yakubu at Degel.
A few years before the holy war (Jihad) was declared, Yakubu was allowed by the Shehu to return home at the death of his father.
On his arrival, he demanded and got only a bow and the arrows left behind by his late father in accordance with the instruction of the Shehu.
The two items collected are today known as “Zabgai and Kare Dani”. Thereafter Yakubu went back to Degel and received a flag from Shehu authorizing him to conduct the Jihad in the Bauchi region.
In 1807, Shehu Usman Dan Fodio sent him a letter which officially ratified his appointment as a Commander (Emir) and further gave him instruction to unite his people, to build Mosques and Command his people to pray in team; to teach the Sharia, to read and teach Holy Qur’an, to rid the markets of evils and above all the pursue the Jihad to its logical conclusion.
A few years after the declaration of the Holy War, Yakubu and generals were able to conquer a very large area which came to be bounded in the North by Kano, Misau and Katagum Emirates, in the East by Borno and Gombe, in the South by Miri and Fambi and in the West by Zaria.
Bauchi was chosen as the Headquarters and the town was named after a hunter, called Baushe whom Yakubu met in the area. Yakubu ruled Bauchi for a period of 38 years 38 years and He died at the age of 82.
During his reign, many wars were fought, the most important of which was the Kanembu war which he fought against the Shehu Laminu of Borno. His last war was the Tsaure war. At his death, the first Emir of Bauchi left behind 25 children prominent among whom were Ibrahim, Salmanu, Abdullahi, Mamuda, and Halilu. The five children formed what we now call the five Ruling Houses of Bauchi. and all succeeding Emirs of Bauchi came from these ruling houses and their direct descendents.
THE KING MAKERS OF BAUCHI. And their Respective Traditional Roles, Historically, the founder of Bauchi, Mallam Yakubu the first, had met some people here within the present Bauchi Town and its surroundings. Those people were devoted Muslims who stayed in small communities earing their heard of cattle and cultivating lands.
As soon as they heard of him and his intention to spread islam among the non-Muslim Communities in and within Bauchi, they visited him so as to pay their homage. The assured him of their sincere loyalty and continued support.
He there brought nearer to him and appointed them his lieutenant each with hierarchical status:
- Faruku Who was A Jahun Fulani by origin was appointed Galadima of Bauchi, with a rank of Commanding Officer but was later on changed with Madaki and became the Rear Commanding Officer, a position which still remains as the order of Durbar procession.
- MADAKI HASSAN, lead the procession as the Commanding Officer, the SARKIN YAKI, Mamman Kusu, a Fulata Borno by origin, was the filed Marshal.
- As the order of procession, the Royal family followed the Sarkin Yaki and behind them was their father His Highness the Emir of Bauchi.
- The Ajiya of Bauchi who was a descendent of fulanin Ganjuwa also followed behind the Emir as an immediate adviser and also as a sign of trust on the part of the Emir.
- The Wambai Abdu, a descendent of Fulanin Yuli, followed Ajiya to re-inforce the procession at the time of war; which still remain the order of procession.
- As we said earlier on that Madaki Hassan had exchanged his position with Galadima amicably, the Galadima remained the Rear Commanding Officer of the Emir’s procession of warriorsg. The Emir also made the appointment of Mallam Ibrahim as the first Prison Incharge Officer (Sarkin Yara) and Mallam Bahago his first Imam. All of them Madaki, Sarkin Yaki, Ajiya, Wambai and Galadima were initially appointed District Heads, and each of them was responsible for a particular area of the town and its surrounding in items of peace and welfare of the people.
Their traditional functions in the installation ceremony of an Emir came about in a later time to reflect the importance of their status and their relationship with the Emir. History has indicated that after the death of Mallam Yakubu’s the first Emir, his royal ornaments were collected and kept by them (the District Heads.) At the time of the appointment of Mallam Ibrahim Yakubu’s eldest son, to succeed Mallam Yakubu there was a little social dispute among the Bauchi Community as a result of which, the district head had to meet to take a decision in making their nomination: since the appointment was normally made by the Sultan of Sokoto who was then the supreme Authority within the Fulani Empire in the former Northern Nigeria.
After the announcement of the appointment of Mallam Ibrahim as the new Emir, each of the District heads presented to the Emir what he collected from his father, Mallam Yakubu, after his death.
GALADIMA. Presented two rings one was Yakubu’s and the other was Hassan’s they were all worn on fingers of the right hand as a symbols of authority and the Emir indicated his acceptance of public greetings by raising his righthand, showing the bright silver ring.
MADAKI: who was the Commanding Officer, presented to the Emir a sword which was used by Mallam Yakubu during the war period to protect himself and his people against enemies.
SARKIN YAKI. Presented to the Emir a bow and arrow used by Mallam Yakubu during the war period.
it was said that Mallam Yakubu was particularly good in shooting with bows and arrows.
WAMBAI was to presented the knife of Mallam Yakubu to a new Emir. The Knife is History
It was seized from one murderer called Kankemi who used to come to the mosque dialy to cut off the head of a person. After killing too many person, he was cleverly caught and his head cut off with his very knife and the knife was later on being used for killing people convicted on murder cases and for cutting hands of people found with cases of theft, in accordance with Maliki Law on Sharia.
The knife became an exclusive weapon for the Emir to take the life of people sentenced to death by his court of low.
AJIYAN BAUCHI. Who was the adviser to the Emir was always the last person to perform the last part of the ceremony. He normally removed his robe (Alkebba) and dressed the new Emir as the last
event of the ceremony. This robe to the Emir is a sign of trust between him and the Emir. It is also a sign of respect and loyalty to the Emir.
It must be understood that wheneve princes are called together for the installation and therefore, none of them is expected to come out in full dress. That is why by the time one of them emerged, the Emir appointed the Ajiya has to remove his robe for the new Emir in order to indicate the supremacy of the Emir above all of them.
