Kano State
Modern-day Kano State was the site of a number of prior kingdoms and empires, including the Kingdom of Kano, which was centered in Dalla Hill (Dutsen Dala) and existed from prior to 1000 AD to 1349. In 1349, the Sultanate of Kano was established with Yaji I as its first Sultan. In the 15th century, Kurmi Market was opened, which helped Kano become a center of commercial activity in Hausaland; the market remains open in the 21st century and its historic importance is reflected in the state's nickname, the Centre of Commerce. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Sultanate of Kano established itself as the most powerful of the Hausa Kingdoms. In 1903, the British Empire conquered the Kano Emirate, incorporating it region into the Northern Nigeria Protectorate. The major ethnic groups in pre-colonial Kano City were the Hausa, Fulani, Barebari (Kanuri), Tuareg, Arab, Nupe and some tribes from the southern Nigeria. Most of the people in Kano city have come to use the Hausa language as a first language and some have accepted Hausa as an ethnic identification.
Since independence, Kano State has developed a diverse economy, establishing itself as a center for industry, agriculture, and Islamic banking. The Hausa and Fulani make up the majority of Kano State's population. The Hausa language is the dominant language in the state, as it is in most of Northern Nigeria. Challenges faced by Kano State in the 21st century include attacks by the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram, inter-religious violence, and extreme poverty. A Muslim-majority state, Kano State is one of the twelve states in Nigeria to operate under Sharia law within the legal framework of the Nigerian Constitution.
History
An important early center of commerce in the region was Kurmi Market, founded by the Hausa people Emir of Kano Muhammadu Rumfa in 1463 CE. Subsequent leaders made contributions to the emergence of Kano as a leading commercial centre in Sudanic Africa. During the time of the Kano Emirate, Emir Ibrahim Dabo made a number of administrative reforms, seeking to increase commerce in the region.
Leaders during this time encouraged traders to move from Katsina, capitalising on raids from the Hausa Sultanate of Maradi. The Jihad leaders of the Caliphate encouraged the Kola nut trade, and Kano was the greatest beneficiary with an annual turnover of about $30 million. Craft industries also evolved in the pre-colonial period contributing to the prosperity of the province.
After a British occupation of the region, culminating in the Battle of Kano in February 1903, the region became a part of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate. Kano later became a part of the Northern Region of Nigeria. Kano state was created on 27 May 1967. In 1991, part of Kano State was separated to form Jigawa State.
Geography
Climate
The climate of Kano state is characterised by variability in rainfall between the 70s and 80s, with drought and near drought conditions. Between the 90s and the year 2015, the moisture conditions have improved considerably but for fluctuations in rainfall in the state. However, since 2015 till date, there has been an increase in rainfall in the state, which has helped increase agricultural production in this northern Nigerian state considerably. Based on the report of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), the amount of rainfall varies between years with a mean value of 897.7mm.
In the first quarter of 2022, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency sounded an early warning of floods in some states, including Kano state. The agency asserted that their warning was based on the amount and distribution of rainfall that had been observed in the nation during the rainy season. According to the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), 25 local government districts experienced flooding as a result of the extreme rain's aftermath.
Temperature
The temperature of Kano has been on the rise since the 60s and this is highly remarkable. The annual temperature of the state is between 26 °C to 30 °C of dumal temperature, which is high, and measurable between the range of 13.1%, with the relative humidity of between 17% and 90% respectively.
Economy
Many large markets exist within Kano today, such as Kurmi Market, Kantin Kwari Market, Sabon Gari Market, Dawanau Market Kofar Wanbai Market, Galadima Market, Yankura Market and Bata Market. Many of these markets specialize in a certain product, such as textiles or grain.
Agriculture
Subsistence and commercial agriculture are mostly practised in the outlying districts of the state. Some of the food crops cultivated are millet, cowpeas, sorghum, maize and rice for local consumption while groundnuts and cotton are produced for export and industrial purposes. During the colonial period and several years after the country's independence, the groundnuts produced in the state constituted one of the major sources of revenue of the country. Kano State is a major producer of hides and skins, sesame, soybean, cotton, garlic, gum arabic and chili pepper.
A 2018 study of Tudun Wada found that both temperature and rainfall were likely to increase with climate change, causing increased stress on crops, and would require increased climate change adaptation for agricultural practices.
Industry
Kano State is the second-largest industrial centre after Lagos State in Nigeria and the largest in Northern Nigeria with textile, tanning, footwear, cosmetics, plastics, enamelware, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, furniture and other industries. Others include agricultural implements, soft drinks, food and beverages, dairy products, vegetable oil, animal feeds etc. Kano is also the center of a growing Islamic banking industry in Nigeria.
