Few people today know what Azare was like before it became the seat of the Emirate of Katagum. Situated east of Kano, the commercial hub of northern Nigeria, and west of the powerful Kanem-Bornu Empire, Azare was strategically located along the trade route linking Teku (Atlantic Ocean) and Maliya (Red Sea). The town lies within the Sahel Savannah, a flat, arid region devoid of mountains or rivers, which makes free movement unhindered by any natural barrier.
One of Azare’s most notable features was its old fortress, a symbol of its military strength and advanced strategy. Unlike the neighboring towns, which lacked such defensive structures, Azare’s fortress and town gates stood strong until recent times. Beneath the town, veins of iron ore ran deep, making iron smelting the primary occupation of its people.
The iron deposits in Azare attracted traders from far and wide, from Kano to Maiduguri, and from Hadejia to Bauchi. Iron was a highly valuable commodity, used in the production of weapons, agricultural tools, and household implements. Its significance cannot be overstated. The iron industry made Azare indispensable to the surrounding Emirates, as its iron products fueled both local economies and military endeavors. Azare remained a hub of iron production until European imports of steel, driven by industrialization, provided an alternative.
When the ninth Emir of Katagum, Sarki AbdulQadir Gagaradahuwa, chose Azare as his new headquarters, it came as no surprise. The town had long served a strategic role in both the region’s economy and military. Although Gadiya was initially considered for the Emirate’s relocation, practical concerns—such as the prevalence of tsetse flies and a lack of accessible water—discouraged the move. Additionally, Gadiya was far from Gadau, where colonial officers were stationed.
A significant remnant of Azare’s iron-smelting past is the scattered black stones known as Kwan Tama, byproducts of the smelting process. There were three major iron mining pits in the area: Angamani, Ramin Yarbarangu, and one at Magwanshi. Iron smelting was not only done in Azare but also in surrounding villages like Fatara, Charachara, and Duhuwar Kira, where furnaces, called Rahoniya, were built.
Iron production typically took place after the harvest season, drawing buyers and workers from across the region. A nearby village, Gana, located just a kilometer from Azare’s northern fortress, served as a labor camp for skilled and unskilled workers involved in the smelting process. Gana was once a bustling village but became deserted after the iron smelting industry in Azare ceased.
The process of iron smelting was often shrouded in secrecy and superstition. It was believed that if an adulterer was present during smelting, the process—known as Buriri—would fail, preventing the iron from casting properly. The black stones found scattered across farms today are the residue from this ancient smelting process. After the ore was heated for at least three days in a clay furnace using kirya charcoal, the molten iron, being heavier, separated from the foam. The foam would cool into black stones, which were then discarded.
Azare’s prominence dates back to long before the amalgamation of Nigeria, even before it became the administrative, traditional, and commercial center of the region. I was bemused, yet proud, to see Azare marked as an important town on early maps of Nigeria. Its legacy as a center of iron production and strategic significance endures to this day. Kwan Tama serves as a reminder of that legacy.
By Ibrahim Faustah Mustapha
