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Kano Emirs - Sarkin Kano Usman, Maje Ringim PDF Print E-mail
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Sarkin Kano Sulaiman (Died 1819)
Sarkin Kano Ibrahim Dabo
Sarkin Kano Usman, Maje Ringim
Sarkin Kano Abdullahi, Maje Karofi
Sarkin Kano Bello (d.1893)
Sarkin Kano Tukur (d. 1895)
Sarkin Kano Alu (Aliyu Babba)
Sarkin Kano Abbas
Sarkin Kano Shehu Usman
Sarkin Kano Alhaji Abdullahi Bayero
Sarkin Kano Alhaji Sir Muhammadu Sanusi
Sarkin Kano Muhammadu Inuwa
Sarkin Alhaji Ado Bayero
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Sarkin Musulmi Aliyu Babba who was a believer in dynastic succession appointed him Sarkin Kano in Rabi Awal 1262 AH (March 1846 AD) (Ado-Kurawa 1989: 53 and Last 1966: 468-469).
The first three years of his riegn were peaceful and quite then the fitna (sedition) of the notorious syncretist Hamza escalted. Hamza employed unIslamic practices such as magic to gain the support of ignorant people and he had large group of followers made up of students and mischievous scholars. Hamza and his followers refused to pay Kharaj (land tax) (Said 1983: 121-124). As a result of this Sarki Usman ordered them to leave Kano territory. They migrated to Duwa were they were well received by Dan Daura, Chief of the area. Later Hamza gained the support of the Butawa pagans and ousted Dan Daura and he became the overall Chief of the pagans. His followers raided the neighboring provinces of the Sokoto Caliphate with impunity. Sarki Usman had to establish a ribat at Ruma and he appointed Guru as its custodian (Ado-Kurawa 1989: 57).
The next threat to his reign was the persistent invasion of Kano territory by the combined forces of the tyrants: Maiyaki Dan Yakubu, the Sarkin Katsina of Maradi and Sarki Ibrahim of Zinder. These tyrants enslaved and killed many freeborn innocent and peaceloving Muslims. According to Alkalin Kano Zangi was defeated several times during his reign (Ado-Kurawa 1989: 57). Dr. Hienrich Barth, the European explorer who visited Kano during this period also confirmed the defeats suffered by Kano and the weaknesses of Sarkin Kano Usman (Barth 1890: 494-525).
Kano was a flourishing commercial centre with a population of over thirty thousand people during the reign of Sarki Usman. Dr. Barth described Kano as a prosperous beautiful country the “Garden of central Africa”. The principal produce of Kano was cotton cloth. Other items from North Africa were also available at the Kurmi market of Kano city. Wuri (cowrie shells) was the monetary unit but gold was also used in business transaction. Kano was the “commercial entrepot” of the Hausaland therefore the European imperialists could not ignore it. The purpose of Dr. Barth’s visit was to prepare groundwork for the future British colonial occupation of Hausaland.
Usman was a very cautious Sarki. He delegated most of the administrative responsibilities to his more energetic and intelligent younger brother, the Galadima Abdullahi, who was also the Waziri or Vizier (Barth 1890: 494-525). His other prominent Chiefs were Sarkin Bai Muhammad Kwairanga (who succeeded his father, Mallam Dabo Dambazau), Madaki Umaru Nayaya, the historian Alkalin Kano Muhammad Zangi, Sarkin Dawaki Abdu, Sarkin Dawaki Danladan and Dan Iya Lawal.
Sarkin Kano Usman died on Sunday 12th Dhi al-Hajj 1274 AH (26th August 1885) at Ringim hence he was post humously called Maje Ringim (the one who died at Ringim) (Ado-Kurawa 1989: 58, Last 1966 and Barth 1890).
Last Updated on Monday, 25 August 2008 22:13
 
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