Massakory
Encyclopedia
Massakory is the capital of the Chad
ian region
of Hadjer-Lamis
and of the department
of Dagana
. The town was formerly in the prefecture of Fort-Lamy in the department of Bas-Chari.
The traditional head of the canton of Dagana-Moussakory is Koulbu, a dynasty distantly related to Kanembu people
. A significant part of this family lives in the Gouré
region of Niger. Their ancestor Moussa Kanembou arrived there about six generations ago.
There are also Toundjour people in the town.
The Bulala, who live near Massagory, are said to be Arab in origin. They helped to found the Kanem kingdom
, and helped to expel the Kanem royal family in the 13th century. They were later forced to move to the Yao region where they created a small Sultanate and settled into an agricultural lifestyle, although they are said to be good warriors.
The French colonialists created the post of Massakory in the Dagana territory in 1901.
In 1925 the Bas-Chari region supplied 1,500 workers to work on the Congo-Ocean railway line.
During the French colonual era, laws were enforced harshly. In the Massakory circonscription of about 30,000 people in 1932, two percent were in jail.
In recent years the town and region has been "invaded" from the north by Libyan importers, as have other arid and semi-arid parts of northern Chad.
The cattle market, once important, has steadily declined due to the advance of the desert and political instability in the area around the shrinking Lake Chad
.
The town lies on the Nigeria/Niger corridor of Chad national highway system, running from N'Djamena
to Bol
. As of 2005, 77 kilometres (47.8 mi) between N'Djamena and Massaguet
had been completed, while the remainder of the 249 kilometres (154.7 mi) corridor had yet to start due to lack of funding.
By 2008 the paved road had reached Massakory.
The road is intended to facilitate access to a new oil refinery that is being built at Djermaya to the north of the capital.
Massakory Airport is a civilian airport with an unpaved runway of 3500 feet (1,066.8 m) in length.
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
ian region
Regions of Chad
||The country of Chad is currently divided into 22 régions. From independence in 1960 until 1999 it was divided into 14 préfectures. These were replaced in 1999 by 28 départements. The country was reorganized again in 2002 to produce 18 régions...
of Hadjer-Lamis
Hadjer-Lamis
Hadjer-Lamis is one of the 22 regions of Chad, located in the southwest of the country. The capital is Massakory. It corresponds to part of the former prefecture of Chari-Baguirmi ....
and of the department
Departments of Chad
The regions of Chad are divided into 53 departments. The departments are listed below, by region:-Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti Region:*Borkou*Ennedi Est*Ennedi Ouest*Tibesti-Chari-Baguirmi Region:*Baguirmi*Chari*Loug Chari-Logone Occidental Region:*Dodjé...
of Dagana
Dagana Department, Chad
Dagana is one of three departments in Hadjer-Lamis, a region of Chad. Its capital is Massakory....
. The town was formerly in the prefecture of Fort-Lamy in the department of Bas-Chari.
People
The territory around Massakory used to be ruled by the sultan of Ouaddaï. Two tribes dominate this region: the Dagana, nomadic herders, in the interior and the Kuori Kalé on the shores and islands of the western part of the lake.The traditional head of the canton of Dagana-Moussakory is Koulbu, a dynasty distantly related to Kanembu people
Kanembu people
The Kanembu are an ethnic group of Chad, generally considered the modern descendants of the Kanem-Borno Empire. The Kanembu number an estimated 655,000 people, located primarily in Chad's Lac Prefecture but also in Chari-Baguirmi and Kanem prefectures. They speak the Kanembu language, a variant...
. A significant part of this family lives in the Gouré
Goure
Goure is a town in southeastern Niger, Zinder Region, Goure Department, of which it is the seat.-Situation:Situated on the main all weather east - west highway in Southern Niger, it is about 170 km east of regional capital, Zinder, on the route east to Diffa, N'Guigmi, and the Lake Chad area...
region of Niger. Their ancestor Moussa Kanembou arrived there about six generations ago.
There are also Toundjour people in the town.
The Bulala, who live near Massagory, are said to be Arab in origin. They helped to found the Kanem kingdom
Kanem Empire
The Kanem Empire was located in the present countries of Chad, Nigeria and Libya. At its height it encompassed an area covering not only much of Chad, but also parts of southern Libya , eastern Niger and north-eastern Nigeria...
, and helped to expel the Kanem royal family in the 13th century. They were later forced to move to the Yao region where they created a small Sultanate and settled into an agricultural lifestyle, although they are said to be good warriors.
The French colonialists created the post of Massakory in the Dagana territory in 1901.
In 1925 the Bas-Chari region supplied 1,500 workers to work on the Congo-Ocean railway line.
During the French colonual era, laws were enforced harshly. In the Massakory circonscription of about 30,000 people in 1932, two percent were in jail.
Economy
The population of the town of Massakory was 11,344 in 1993, and had increased to 16,237 by 2008.In recent years the town and region has been "invaded" from the north by Libyan importers, as have other arid and semi-arid parts of northern Chad.
The cattle market, once important, has steadily declined due to the advance of the desert and political instability in the area around the shrinking Lake Chad
Lake Chad
Lake Chad is a historically large, shallow, endorheic lake in Africa, whose size has varied over the centuries. According to the Global Resource Information Database of the United Nations Environment Programme, it shrank as much as 95% from about 1963 to 1998; yet it also states that "the 2007 ...
.
The town lies on the Nigeria/Niger corridor of Chad national highway system, running from N'Djamena
N'Djamena
N'Djamena is the capital and largest city of Chad. A port on the Chari River, near the confluence with the Logone River, it directly faces the Cameroonian town of Kousséri, to which the city is connected by a bridge. It is also a special statute region, divided in 10 arrondissements. It is a...
to Bol
Bol, Chad
Bol is a city in Chad, the capital of the region of Lac near Lake Chad. The town is served by Bol Airport , which has a paved runway.-Demographics:-External links:*...
. As of 2005, 77 kilometres (47.8 mi) between N'Djamena and Massaguet
Massaguet
Massaguet is a city in Hadjer-Lamis region, western Chad. It is located at around .A 86.6km highway completed in 1969 connects Massaguet with N'Djamena....
had been completed, while the remainder of the 249 kilometres (154.7 mi) corridor had yet to start due to lack of funding.
By 2008 the paved road had reached Massakory.
The road is intended to facilitate access to a new oil refinery that is being built at Djermaya to the north of the capital.
Massakory Airport is a civilian airport with an unpaved runway of 3500 feet (1,066.8 m) in length.