| Capital: |
Sokoto |
| Area: |
102,540
sq kilometres |
| Population: |
5,284,984
(1997 FOS est.) |
| Language: |
??? |
Location
Sokoto State lies
to the north-west of Nigeria and shares its
borders with Niger Republic to the North,
Katsina State to the East, Niger State to the
South-East, Kwara State to the South and Benin
Republic to the West.
History
Even before the
arrival of the Fulani, the state concept had
evolved in Hausa land. During this process some
of the Hausa communities scattered over a wide
area, had regrouped themselves into major units
that are referred to as kingdoms.
Some of the
emergent kingdoms include Kebbi, Zamfara and
Gobir, all forming part of Sokoto State.
For purposes of
vital identification, the people in each kingdom
had distinct names by which they are referred
to, e.g. people in Kebbi kingdom were known as
Kabawa. Not only that, at a later stage people
in each kingdom started to wear distinguishable
tribal marks which were unique to them.
Fulani rule under
the leadership of Usman Dan Fodio started with
the Jihad in the early years of the 19th
Century. By 1809 most of Hausa kingdoms were
toppled and replaced with Islamic Governments
under a unified administration whose headquaters
was at Sokoto. This continued up to the arrival
of the British.
People
Although there
were so people who could be regarded as the
autochthonous inhabitants, a large number of the
people of the state migrated from other parts of
Africa, like the Ahia, Mali, and the areas of
the Senegal River. The major groups in the state
are the Hausa, the Fulani and the Dakarkari.
Local
Government Areas
Binji, Bodinga,
Dange-shnsi, Gada, Goronyo, Gudu, Gawabawa,
Illela, Isa, Kware, kebbe, Rabah, Sabon birni,
Shagari, Silame, Sokoto North, Sokoto South,
Tambuwal, Tqngaza, Tureta, Wamako, Wurno, Yabo.
Links
Schools
on The Web:
Federal
Government Girls' College, Gusau, Sokoto State
Federal
Government College, Sokoto State
Contact
State
Liason Office:
17, Adeola Odeku Street,
Victoria Island, Lagos.
Tel: 01-613020
