Sights and Sounds - A Historical Review of Kaduna, Nigeria

Kaduna which is one of the 36 states in Nigeria, and also the capital city of Kaduna is located in the North-western Nigeria on the Kaduna River. And it is also the former political capital of Northern Nigeria.

It is said that the word Kaduna is a corruption of the Hausa word for "crocodiles", Kaddani in the Hausa language (kaduna being the plural form). Another version of the name proposes a link to the Gbagyi word/name 'Odna', meaning 'river'.

It was founded by British colonists in 1900. The first British governor of Northern Nigeria, Sir Frederick Lugard, chose the present site for development due to its proximity to the Lagos-Kano Railway. It became the capital of Nigeria's former Northern Region in 1917, and retained this status until 1967. 

The population of Kaduna was at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census. Rapid urbanization since 2005 has created an increasingly large population, now[when?] estimated to be around 1.3 million. The project population of people in Kaduna state as at 2021 is 8.9 million people. 

It is a Muslim state where among the places of worship there are predominantly Muslim mosques. Sultan Bello Mosque is the biggest and a central mosque in Kaduna. 

Since the late 1950s, Kaduna has become a major industrial, commercial, and financial centre for the northern states of Nigeria. It has a branch of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Most industries are grouped south of the Kaduna River near the main railway junction.

Kaduna is historically known as the first and last administrative headquarters of Northern Nigeria with it being centrally located, providing access to the nineteen Northern States. 

Kaduna state is very diverse with 59 ethnic groups. Some put the number of ethnic groups at more than that. These ethnic groups include: Adara, Ham, Hausa, Gbagyi, Atyap, Bajju, Oegworok, Nandu, Kiwolo amongst many others

Sights:

There is a large racecourse named Murtala Mohammed Square, approximately 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) round, inside which is found the Kaduna Polo Club. Kaduna Golf Club is also located within the Kaduna CBD. Other Sports facilities include the Ahmadu Bello Stadium and Ranchers Bees Stadium. There are several hotels in the city.

 

Another beautiful place seen in Kaduna the Lugard Footbridge which is a pedestrian bridge. It was built by Sir Frederick Lugard in 1904 at Zungeru, the capital of the Northern Protectorate of Nigeria. 

Matsiriga Waterfalls: It is located at Batadon. A small settlement in Madakiya ward, Zangon Kataf LGA at southern Kaduna state. 

The waterfall has its source from the springs on Kagoro hills which cascade from four different hollows of about 25 metres rock cliff to form a large pool at its bottom. 

Kajuru castle: It is a luxury villa built between the years of 1981 and 1989 at Kajuru (Ajure) village. It was built by a German expatriate in Nigeria living in Kaduna at the time. The castle is located at about 45 km from Kaduna on a mountaintop in Kajuru (Ajure) village, Kaduna State. Built with 1 meter thick granite stone in a fanciful medieval-inspired Romanesque style, it is adorned with turrets, an armory and a dungeon.

The castle is privately owned, and has the capacity to host 150 guests. 

Kofar Gamji Park: It is also known as Hassan Usman Katsina Park,which is the first amusement park built in the heart of the Kaduna metropolis along the Shooting Range New Extension next to the Kaduna Police College and is indeed the most visited place during celebrations such as Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Sallah and New Year. It has a wide lawn for relaxation, a mini zoo housing animals including a lion, two hyena’s, four monkeys, two ostriches, a tortoise, peacocks, a children’s playground that is managed by a private company and a terrace for couples who chose to stroll hand-in-hand. 

Kagoro Hills: The Kagoro hill is famed to be the ancestral settlement of the Kagoro people. It is situated at an altitude of about 1,246 meters above sea level and its scene is one of the most picturesque natural attractions in Kaduna State. It forms a range with big trees and rocky places at the base. The hill has significantly influenced the weather of the area making the area to enjoy nice clement climate similar to what is obtainable in the Jos and the Mambila Plateaus. There is also heavy rainfall with mild fresh humid wind during the rainy season. 

There are also major industrial center manufacturing goods like textiles, machinery, steel, aluminium, petroleum products and bearings. Other light manufactures include: plastics, pharmaceuticals, leather goods, furniture, and televisions.

Agriculture is also a major industry in Kaduna, and as such, the Bank of Agriculture has its headquarters in the city. Some of the main agricultural exports include: cotton, peanuts, sorghum, and ginger. Kaduna also has a branch of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. 

Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), one of Nigeria's four main oil refineries is located in Kaduna. It is supplied by a pipeline from the Niger Delta oil fields.

When it comes to infrastructure, the infrastructure network in the city are currently being developed under the administration of Nasir el-Rufai. Kaduna has an inland dry port. The Nigerian military has several installations in the city including the Nigerian Defence Academy. 

The city is also served by Kaduna International Airport. The airport commenced operations in 1982. The Nigerian Air Force maintains a presence in the city. 

Kaduna is also on the route of the planned Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway, which has been completed between the national capital of Abuja and Kaduna. Trains for Abuja depart from the Rigasa Railway Station in Kaduna. Kaduna is an important junction on Nigeria's Cape gauge railway network. At Kaduna, a branch line connects the Lagos–Nguru Railway to the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri railway.

While it is popularly known for its center of learning, there are numerous educational institutions located in the state. With the likes of Kaduna State University, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, School of Midwifery Kaduna and so on. 

Sounds:

The festival celebrated by the Kangaroo people in the Southern part of Kaduna State is called AFAN festival. Afan’ means mountain or hill and the festival marks the end of the annual harvest of grains and the beginning of the hunting expeditions as well as other numerous activities. The hills have great significance to the people of Kagoro as they believe that the hills protected them from their enemies. The festival is thus celebrated with the greatest solemnity, according to historical details. After sanctifying the hills, the hunting expedition is organized early in the morning of the following day.

All the hunters will climb to the top of the hill to a place called ‘JIYO’ (trouble) where they surround the place and set it on fire. This is called ‘burning the hill’ and it is then that the hunting starts. At the end of the hunting expedition, the hunters return home shouting and jubilating ‘O ‘Afan’ ‘O ‘Afan’ ‘O ‘Afan’.

The festival has now been merged with the new year celebration (January 1) as the hunters now dress in traditional hunting attire symbolizing the return from the first hunting expedition of the year. Other processional features of the festival include traditional dancers like ‘Kodai’, ‘Dodo’ dancers, Boys Brigade, Girls Brigade and many other colourful activities, which add beauty and colour to the event.

I would boldly say that the history of Kaduna, the sights and also the sounds are part of the things that makes the state a beautiful one. 

 

 

 

 

Kaduna which is located at the North-Western geographical zone in Nigeria by the British colonists in 1900. Sir Fredrick Lugard, the first British Governor of Northern Nigeria chose Kaduna for development due to its closeness to Lagos- Kano Railway. It became the capital of Nigeria's former Northern Region in 1917 and retained this prestige until 1967  North-Central state from 1967 Government Areas to 1976. In 1976, General Murtala Mohammed gave the state its name. It was stated that the name was coined from an hausa word kaddani which means crocodile, while its plural form is Kaduna( meaning crocodiles in English), as there was previously many crocodiles in the Kaduna River.

There are twenty-three Local Government areas in Kaduna. And they include Birnin – Gwari, Chikun, Giwa, Igabi, Ikara, Jaba, Jema-a, Kachia, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Kagorko, Kajuru, Kauru, Kubau, Kudan, Lerea, Markafi, Sabon-Gari, Shanga, Soba, and Zango-Kataf.

Agriculture is the major support of the economy of Kaduna state with the majority of the people practically engaged in farming. Cash and food crops are grown and the farm produce include am, maize, rice, millet, groundnut, tobacco, beans, guinea corn, cassava, and cotton. Another major vocation of the people is animal rearing and poultry farming. The animals reared include cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. Kaduna state is advantaged with minerals. Also, it is a metropolitan as well as a cosmopolitan industrialized state with over eighty commercial and manufacturing industries.

Just like other states, Kaduna also celebrates festivals and carnivals which include the Afan Festival, Atyap Cultural Festival, Batadon Festival, Durbar Festival, Kaduna State Festival of Arts and Culture, Kalankuwa Cultural Festival, Moro'a Cultural Festival, Ninzo Cultural Festival, The Zunzuk Dance, Traditional Games, Tuk-Ham Festival, and Unum-Akulu Festival. For Afan festival, it is celebrated by the people of Kagoro in the Southern part of Kaduna State. The word “Afan” means mountain and the festival marks the end of the annual harvest of grains and the beginning of the hunting expeditions as well as other activities. Atyap Cultural Festival is celebrated by the Atyap/Kataf people in December. Batadon Festival is celebrated by the Madakiya people in January. Durbar Festival is celebrated in Zazzau to mark the end of Ramadan and also corresponds with the festivities of Eid-al-Adha and Eid-al-Fitri. Kaduna State Festival of Arts and Culture is a platform where the twenty-three local government areas of the state and private cultural organizations converge to showcase their talents and culture. Kalankuwa Cultural Festival is a Thanksgiving festival celebrated in the harvest season. Moro'a Cultural Festival is celebrated by the Nonzo people between March to April. Ninzo Cultural Festival is celebrated by the people of Buluku every last Saturday of the year. The Zunzuk Dance is celebrated annually in appreciation of God’s blessing on the land. This festival is organized by the Kaduna State Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Traditional Games are celebrated Tuk-Ham Festival is celebrated annually around Easter by the Ham people in kwoi. And Unum-Akulu Festival is celebrated by the natives of Anghan annually.

In Kaduna State, the people speak different languages. Some of their languages are Hausa, Gbagyi, Tyap, Numana, and Takad, among many others. But the commonest of all is Hausa.

Kaduna has a good number of educational institutions where teaching and learning activities take place. Some of the schools there are Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State University, Air Force Insitute of Technology, Nigerian Military School, Barewa College, etc.

There are two airports in Kaduna, the Kaduna International Airport, and Kaduna Air Force Base.

Abba Kyari and Usman Jibrain were the two governors elected into office when Kaduna was called North Central. Seventeen Governors came into office when Kaduna was renamed. And the eighteenth and current  Governor is Nasiru El-Rufai, assisted by Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe.