Suleja
Encyclopedia
Suleja is a city in Niger State
, Nigeria
, pop. (2006) local government area, 216,578,
just north of Abuja
, capital of the Suleja Emirate
. It is sometimes confused with the nearby city of Abuja
, due to its proximity, and the fact that it was originally called Abuja before the Nigerian government adopted the name from the then Emir
Sulayman Barau for its new federal capital in 1976.
It was established in the early 19th century by Mohammed Makau, the last Hausa
emir
of Zaria and his followers who were fleeing the Fulani jihad
ists engaged in the conquest of northern Nigeria. Zaria, or Zazzau, was one of the Hausa city/states of Northern Nigeria which were being conquered by the Fulani jihadists under their charismatic Sheik, Usman bin Fodio.
Apart from its closeness to the Nigerian federal capital, it is also recognised as a centre of excellence for traditional West African pottery
, namely the world famous Ladi Kwali Pottery Centre, established by Michael Cardew
in 1950. The leading exponent of this school of pottery was Dr. Ladi Kwali
, who received worldwide acclaim for her works, the originals of which are on display worldwide.
art of Ife. Today Suleja is well known as an exporter of Gbari pottery. Cotton
weaving and dyeing, with locally grown indigo
, and mat making are traditional activities, but farming remains the chief occupation. Local trade is primarily in agricultural products. In addition to the Pottery Centre, a government secondary school and a hospital are located in the town.
The Dorben Polytechnic
has a campus in Suleja.
(Zazzau’s capital, 137 miles [220 km] north-northeast) about 1804, Muhamman Makau, sarkin (“king of”) Zazzau, led many of the Hausa nobility to the Koro town of Zuba (6 miles [10 km] south). Abu Ja (Jatau), his brother and successor as sarkin Zazzau, founded Abuja town in 1828, began construction of its wall a year later, and proclaimed himself the first emir of Abuja.
Withstanding Zaria attacks, the Abuja emirate remained an independent Hausa refuge. Trade with the Fulani emirates of Bida
(to the west) and Zaria began in Emir Abu Kwaka’s reign (1851–77), but, when Abuja’s leaders disrupted the trade route between Lokoja
(100 miles [160 km] south-southeast) and Zaria in 1902, the British occupied the town. Alluvial tin
mining began in Emir Musa Angulu’s reign (1917–44).
In 2011, Suleja was hit by several bomb assaults. Ten people were killed on March 3rd. On April 7th, another bomb killed 25 people.
Niger State
Niger State is a state in the western part of Nigeria and the largest state in the country. The state capital is Minna, and other major cities are Bida, Kontagora, and Suleja. It was formed in 1976 when the then North-Western State was bifurcated into Niger State and Sokoto State.The state is named...
, 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...
, pop. (2006) local government area, 216,578,
just north of Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
, capital of the Suleja Emirate
Suleja Emirate
The Suleja Emirate is a Hausa principality in what is now Niger State, Nigeria.The emirate was established as the Abuja Emirate during the 19th century, located just north of the site of the present-day federal capital city named Abuja...
. It is sometimes confused with the nearby city of Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
, due to its proximity, and the fact that it was originally called Abuja before the Nigerian government adopted the name from the then Emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
Sulayman Barau for its new federal capital in 1976.
It was established in the early 19th century by Mohammed Makau, the last Hausa
Hausa people
The Hausa are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. They are a Sahelian people chiefly located in northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger, but having significant numbers living in regions of Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad and Sudan...
emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
of Zaria and his followers who were fleeing the Fulani jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
ists engaged in the conquest of northern Nigeria. Zaria, or Zazzau, was one of the Hausa city/states of Northern Nigeria which were being conquered by the Fulani jihadists under their charismatic Sheik, Usman bin Fodio.
Apart from its closeness to the Nigerian federal capital, it is also recognised as a centre of excellence for traditional West African pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, namely the world famous Ladi Kwali Pottery Centre, established by Michael Cardew
Michael Cardew
Michael Cardew, OBE, was an English studio potter who worked in West Africa for twenty years.Cardew was the fourth child of Arthur Cardew, a civil servant, and Alexandra Kitchin, the eldest daughter of G.W.Kitchin, the first Chancellor of Durham University...
in 1950. The leading exponent of this school of pottery was Dr. Ladi Kwali
Ladi Kwali
Ladi Kwali was a Nigerian potter.She was born in the village of Kwali in the Gwari region of Northern Nigeria, where pottery was a common occupation among women. She learned to make pottery as a child using the traditional method of coiling. She made large pots for use as water jars and cooking...
, who received worldwide acclaim for her works, the originals of which are on display worldwide.
Economy
Discoveries of ancient sculptures of the Nok culture, both at Suleja town and in the Makabolo River bed, have helped prove the influence of Nok on the YorubaYoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
art of Ife. Today Suleja is well known as an exporter of Gbari pottery. Cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
weaving and dyeing, with locally grown indigo
Indigo
Indigo is a color named after the purple dye derived from the plant Indigofera tinctoria and related species. The color is placed on the electromagnetic spectrum between about 420 and 450 nm in wavelength, placing it between blue and violet...
, and mat making are traditional activities, but farming remains the chief occupation. Local trade is primarily in agricultural products. In addition to the Pottery Centre, a government secondary school and a hospital are located in the town.
The Dorben Polytechnic
Dorben Polytechnic
Dorben Polytechnic is based in Garam, Bwari, Abuja, Nigeria, with a campus just to the north in Suleja, Niger State....
has a campus in Suleja.
History
The emirate’s wooded savanna area of about 1,150 square miles (2,980 square km) originally included four small Koro chiefdoms that paid tribute to the Hausa kingdom of Zazzau. After warriors of the Fulani jihad (holy war) captured ZariaZaria
Zaria may refer to:*Zaria, a city in Kaduna State, Nigeria*Zaria , or Zoria, the Slavic goddess of beauty*Countess Zaria of Orange-Nassau, Jonkvrouwe van Amsberg, a member of the Dutch royal family...
(Zazzau’s capital, 137 miles [220 km] north-northeast) about 1804, Muhamman Makau, sarkin (“king of”) Zazzau, led many of the Hausa nobility to the Koro town of Zuba (6 miles [10 km] south). Abu Ja (Jatau), his brother and successor as sarkin Zazzau, founded Abuja town in 1828, began construction of its wall a year later, and proclaimed himself the first emir of Abuja.
Withstanding Zaria attacks, the Abuja emirate remained an independent Hausa refuge. Trade with the Fulani emirates of Bida
Bida Emirate
The Bida Emirate is a traditional state in Nigeria, a successor to the old Nupe Kingdom, with its headquarters in Bida, Niger State. The head of the state is the Etsu Nupe, considered the leader of the Nupe people.-History:...
(to the west) and Zaria began in Emir Abu Kwaka’s reign (1851–77), but, when Abuja’s leaders disrupted the trade route between Lokoja
Lokoja
Lokoja is the capital city of Kogi State, in central Nigeria, and is a port on Niger River.-History:Founded by William Balfour Baikie according to European historical records, although there have been indigenous people living in the area for thousands of years...
(100 miles [160 km] south-southeast) and Zaria in 1902, the British occupied the town. Alluvial tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
mining began in Emir Musa Angulu’s reign (1917–44).
In 2011, Suleja was hit by several bomb assaults. Ten people were killed on March 3rd. On April 7th, another bomb killed 25 people.