Birni-N'Konni
Encyclopedia
Birni-N'Konni is a town in Niger
, lying on the border of Nigeria
and the Kori River. It is an important market town
and transport hub and the 2001 census had a population of 44,663. The town is the historic center of the small pre-colonial Hausa state of Konni
. The name is Hausa language
for "Walled Town of Konni", and many Hausa towns (such as Zinder
) designate the old citadel neighborhood the "Birni".
Konni is known for its vernacular architecture
including traditional granaries
and is regarded as a centre for smuggling
between Niger and Nigeria, in which some suburbs of the town are officially located. Birni-N'Konni's contemporary importance rests on the surrounding agricultural lands and its place on the N1 highway, the main east-west highway linking Niger's capital Niamey
and the nation's main eastern cities of Maradi and Zinder
. It also sits astride one of several main routes between the Hausa populated territories of southern Niger and northern Nigeria, with the Nigerian transport and trade center of Illela
, Sokoto State
just 18 km to the south.
The town was also the site of a major massacre on May 8, 1899 when the French
Voulet-Chanoine Mission
attacked the region.
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
, lying on the border of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and the Kori River. It is an important market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
and transport hub and the 2001 census had a population of 44,663. The town is the historic center of the small pre-colonial Hausa state of Konni
Konni, Niger
Konni is a traditional Hausa state in what is today south central Maradi Region Niger and north Sokoto State Nigeria. It continues to exist as a ceremonial polity centered on the Nigerien city of Birni-N'Konni....
. The name is Hausa language
Hausa language
Hausa is the Chadic language with the largest number of speakers, spoken as a first language by about 25 million people, and as a second language by about 18 million more, an approximate total of 43 million people...
for "Walled Town of Konni", and many Hausa towns (such as Zinder
Zinder
Zinder is the second largest city in Niger, with a population of 170,574 by 2005 was estimated to be over 200,000...
) designate the old citadel neighborhood the "Birni".
Konni is known for its vernacular architecture
Vernacular architecture
Vernacular architecture is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources and traditions to address local needs and circumstances. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it...
including traditional granaries
Granary
A granary is a storehouse for threshed grain or animal feed. In ancient or primitive granaries, pottery is the most common use of storage in these buildings. Granaries are often built above the ground to keep the stored food away from mice and other animals.-Early origins:From ancient times grain...
and is regarded as a centre for smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
between Niger and Nigeria, in which some suburbs of the town are officially located. Birni-N'Konni's contemporary importance rests on the surrounding agricultural lands and its place on the N1 highway, the main east-west highway linking Niger's capital Niamey
Niamey
-Population:While Niamey's population has grown steadily since independence, the droughts of the early 1970s and 1980s, along with the economic crisis of the early 1980s, have propelled an exodus of rural inhabitants to Niger's largest city...
and the nation's main eastern cities of Maradi and Zinder
Zinder
Zinder is the second largest city in Niger, with a population of 170,574 by 2005 was estimated to be over 200,000...
. It also sits astride one of several main routes between the Hausa populated territories of southern Niger and northern Nigeria, with the Nigerian transport and trade center of Illela
Illela, Niger
-References:*. Dubois Touraoua, ONEP Tahoua-Agadez, Le Sahel, 2011-07-07.*. Dubois Touraoua, ONEP Tahoua-Agadez, Le Sahel, 2011-07-07....
, Sokoto State
Sokoto State
Sokoto State is located in the extreme northwest of Nigeria, near to the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River. As of 2005 it has an estimated population of more than 4.2 million...
just 18 km to the south.
The town was also the site of a major massacre on May 8, 1899 when the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Voulet-Chanoine Mission
Voulet-Chanoine Mission
The Voulet–Chanoine Mission or Central African Mission was a French military expedition sent out from Senegal in 1898 to conquer the Chad Basin and unify all French territories in West Africa...
attacked the region.