SHADOWS OF ALMORAVIDS

A collection of short stories

By Umaru Yusufu

BOOK ONE

HEADQUARTERS OF THE 13TH CENTURY MALIAN OCEAN

EXPEDITIONS

It was by the West African coast of the Atlantic Ocean, the imposing mud
house was built on a hill backing the ocean. People were trooping in and out to find
information on potential trading news and joining the Royal sailing Club. These are
volunteer sailors who are on the service of the Malian king, Abubakar II currently on
an expedition voyage.

Within the building, different portion of it were assigned different functions.

There is a section that deals with trade information, another, sailing club
recruitment section and the most important, that of operations. In it, a large board
was placed covering an entire eastern wall of the rather extra large room in which a
map of the world of equal size was pasted, and some dots representing ships
accompanying King Abubakar II could be seen approaching the Continents of
America.

Only two princes were in the room, the young men Abas and Audu were
arguing on where to place the position of the Crown Ship. Abas felt since the
position of the Crown Ship was intended to be the position of the King, he suggest it
should be placed at the western side of Mesoamerica since an unconfirmed report
indicate the king had crossed to the western part of the continent but Audu on the
other hand felt even though the King is on the other side it could be an unnecessary
confusion to place the Royal Ship there, since he most have left the ship on the
eastern side.

‘’Yet’’

Abas argue,

‘’the emphases should always be on the king since another ship must has to
be provided to him at the other side’’

He added

‘’Agreed’’

Audu said, countering the point.

 ‘’But no such evidence exit to support such theory, besides, no one is yet
actually sure of such report as the man that come with the report was not part of
the expeditors!’’

At last they agree to live the position of the ship in Eastern shores of the
continent and create a new symbol to represent the position of the King.

‘’Who narrates this story to you?’’

Abas quarried Audu

‘’Is it important? But it is a long story‘’

Audu said

‘’We shall be here till the following day, I am all ears!’’

Abas said

***************

Sagbe checked his bag once more to ensure it still contained the gold pieces
dust he came with, and then he packed his load in the bag, checked his locker again
then underneath the mattress but there was nothing important, and then he folded
and lashed the bed. He claimed the quarter deck to join other volunteer going down
with him.

The captain of the ship bid them farewell and advised them to be each
other’s helpers and live in peace with the natives of the land. A ladder was lowered
and seven men with Sagbe as their leader went down to waiting boat and were
rowed ashore.

The seven men walked with walked with their loads to a marked with some
merchants they were to follow to a hinters land city. They passed through dense
forest that suddenly gives way to a clearing with houses surrounded with farms,
some in a traced mountain side whose escapement the market was located. It was
easy for them to them to locate the travelling merchants. It was very early in the
morning and only the travellers were there.

Sagbe met the leader. It was a man he had known for the past two weeks
when their ship arrived. The merchants’ were thirty and most of them go round
from village to village buying weaved clothes from experts whose product were
priced high by the nobles who buy these beautifully designed cloth for gifts. They
left the little fishing village and travelled north-west. By sunrise they had reached
another village by a river surrounded by cultivated land where maize and potatoes.
Some of the buildings were made of stones, one of which was a village meeting
place, and the destination of these merchants’. Soon the story of their arrival
spread like wild fire.

MANY YEARS LATER

Sagbe squats to pick the piece of flank brought to the shores by the tide and
read the Arabic inscription on it and after long deep thoughts he stood in tears! He
then walked back half blinded to his hut temporarily in the fishing village. He kept it
beside his bamboo bed.

The following day Sagbe and his son Alkal left a palm tree shade by a beach
and walked towards some rocks on the sea front leaving coconut shells behind.
They had left their home island to fish and gather other aquatic animals. The third,
a Hawaiian woman went towards the camp to continue her work of drying the sea
food collected. She sat amidst a large collection of shells of various sizes and
shapes.

Sagbe took a net he bought from a fisher man earlier that day and dumped it
in the fishing boat and the two men were soon rowing in the sea as usual toward
their fishing grounds in the Pacific Ocean.

The woman stood watching the two men for a long time before turning
towards the camp. Winds blows from the sea forcing the palm trees to bow.
Charade’s hair covered her face; she shook her head at the same time using her
hand to unveil her face from her hair. She then, once more turned to the direction of
the two men and then walked away.

‘’Dad’’

Alkal the younger man initiate a conversation after a long silent row. The sun
was rising to their right as they headed north wards.

‘’Yes’’

Sagbe, the elder man answered, his eyes on the red rising sun, as the boat
rolled over the bluish-green water.

‘’Where did you actually come from?’’

The sea was calm and the sky Reddish blue, a bird flew passed from behind
them and dived to the water to pick a fish then rose back to air, the dinner fish
struggled desperately to free its self.

With a distant smile in his face, the old man facing east, his eyes fixed to the
giant rising red sun half of which was still veiled by reddish cloud.
 ‘’I am an Ijaw man from the coastal mangroves of west Ifrique, another large
land east to the Mayan lands (American continents) separated by yet another large
body of water we usually called Sea of fog and darkness’’ (Atlantic Ocean).

Sagbe began

School of dolphins far ahead to the north moved westwards, slowly.

‘’I left my home after the death of my parents to join the adventurers of King
Abubakar, a Malian king.’’

Sagbe continued

‘’Mali is one of the most powerful Kingdoms in Ifrique. After crossing the great
sea, I left the king’s convoy and first settled at main land. Later I travelled across to
the west then south to the lands of Peru. I then after about three years sojourns left
and sailed further west wards to the Island of Hawaii. I love staying in Peru but I had
to leave because of a war between two opposing tribes.’’

Sagbe said

A galloping set in by a rolling tide forced the boat to take in some water
something that prompted Alkal to action.

‘’Interesting!’’

Alkal said as he bailed the water out of the boat with a calabash a legacy
antique from Ifrique still in the possession of Sabge.

‘’That was the summary of my personal history.’’

Sagbe concluded.

‘’All along I had thought you are Mayan, I always tell my friends so, though I
always use to wonder on why your colour was black!’’

Alkal reacted.

‘’No I came from Ifrique, much further east, the land of the black race!’’

Sagbe added.

The water within the boat was much less now. Alkal then dropped the
calabash and together with the father commence rowing.

‘’Where was the king you followed going?’’

Alkal asked again

 ‘’Only God knows, but rumoured had it that he want to know the expense of
the world.’’

Sagbe answer

They were near their destination. A place they lay nets the previous night.

The woman on the island had gathered the previously smoked fish out to sun-
dry it. She set fire in a place specially made for smoking fish and soon began to lay
the remaining fish that was stored when the work could not be completed last night.
She lit the fire and sat in a small stool to watch its progress, but she suddenly feels
the urge to swim. She stood and walked to the seashore where she removed her
upper cloth and dived to the cold salty water. She swarmed along the beach
towards the rocks they use as jetty to secure their boats. She submerged with her
eyes wide upon, fishes passing; some running away from her....then she sighted
something! But she had stayed far too long under the water and thus need air......
Thus she swarmed upwards and out her head. She shook water out her hair
breathing quickly......what was that shining thing she saw beneath the sea? She
swam around as she thinks, then she went down again. A large fish chasing smaller
ones had colours the water below; this forced the Hawaiian woman out to the
surface once more...... Then she remembered she had left fish she was roasting on
fire back in the camp! She thus swarmed back to the beach and ran back to the
camp. The removed the smoked fish and place another set then ran back to the
sea......

She swarmed back to the position of the shining object she saw earlier.

She inhaled deeply before submerging towards the object this time it
appeared clearly just ahead of her, held firmly to a rock. It was a small golden
crown, a Tiara! She picked it and quickly swamped out. She picked her clothes and
hurriedly dressed up, then sat on the sand to admire the rather small crown for a
long time thinking how it could had reached where she found it. Then she
remembers the fish in fire and ran towards the camp, holding it firmly with both
hands as if someone will take it away from her.

Sagbe and Alkal had collected large quantity of sea food and were heading
for the camp when suddenly he felt ill and starts shivering, Alkal becomes
frightened was calmed enough to row the boat back home when later the old man
fainted. At the beach he dragged him out of the boat and carried him in both hand.
He is a strong boy and he grew to love and respect the old man.

The Hawaiian mother sighted them; she dropped the tiara and ran towards
them.

‘’What was it?’’

She asked Alkal

 ‘’I don’t Know, he simply starts to shiver and he don’t even breathe. What did
we do?’’

Alkal answered

‘’Let’s take him back to the main land and see if the high priest can revive
him.’’

The mother suggested.

‘’No’’

Alkal countered

‘’Instate let me go for the high priest, stay with him’’

He told the mother and ran towards the boat.

‘’Sagbe suddenly opened his eyes lazily’’

‘’Cherridee’’

Sabge called his wife

‘’I may not see the end of the day, but if I die look for a man called Malam
among our people and give him the flank in my hut!’’

He managed to say while the remaining words he stemmers were

unintelligible before he stops breathing.....

‘’What flank?’’

She asked repeatedly, but there was no reply.

Realising he had passed away she breaks down and began to Cray!

It was until much after sun set that the High Priest and Alkal arrived.

He was buried that night at that very sport!

That night, she realised for the first time since her married, she will spend a
night without Sagbe. Then she burst in to a silent cry, subbing in tears....... She did
not even know where Sagbe comes from and she never asks! It was his dark skin
that attracted her when she first saw him. That night she cried until the day breaks.

At sun set, she was about going to sleep when suddenly she remembered her
find, the tiara!

Throughout the day she had been busy receiving people that had been
trooping in to sympathize with her on the passing away of her husband.
 Alkal was eating the food his mother prepared not long when he noticed
Cherridee standing in front of him holding a shinning object, the tiara.

‘’Look at what I found in the sea shortly before you arrived with your late
father yesterday.’’

Cherridee said

Alkal stood narrowing his eyes at the small crown she was holding....

He suddenly feels as if the whole world was turning very fast.... he

remembered the story his father was telling him on their way to the sea that very
day she refers to.

He sat.

‘’I feel dizzy’’

He began

‘’The king’’

Alkal said absent minded

‘’Which King’’

The mother asked

‘’What’’

He began

‘’O yes, the King’’

He retrieved himself and narrates the story the father told him the day he
died.

Cherridee was sixteen when the black men from the sea arrived at the
Hawaiian Island eighteen years back. She was with her friends removing shells from
Lobsters, when she sighted them rowing a kind of a boat with two parallel hulls, like
two boats joined together towards the shore and all the five men in the Catamaran
were blacks. She had then wondered where they were coming from or going to.

The girls abandoned their work and run to the part of the shores the rowers
were approaching.

Sagbe was the leader of the group, a man of about thirty years, tall and
bearded resulting from the long stay in the sea without caring about looks.

‘’This looks like both good and bad luck!’’

 Sagbe said on sighting the girls.

‘’No, all I can see are good, no bad’’

Dogara, one of the rowers disagrees

‘’What all round good luck can be better than to be welcomed by such
beauties’ in such a strange land?’’

Dogara reasoned

The girls offered the strangers fresh coconut water which Sagbe and his crew
drank thirstily after a long tiring row across the Ocean.

They were taken to the town after a man one of the girls contacted
volunteered to lead the strange black men he once had rumours that roaming
around in the continent of resent. Cherridee a granddaughter of a noble, being one
of the girls that first sighted the men, influence the grandfather to convinced other
nobles to accept the request of the strangers to settle in the island and become part
of the islanders.

The elders had agreed under the condition that these men must respect their
customs and standard of social behaviours, and that Ozegya Sherrie’s grandfather
should provide them with shelter.

Sherrie’s father was the first son of Ozegya. He was only seventeen when he
got mother who was then only fourteen years old. They lived together ten years
before they got Cherrie’s elder brother who died few days after his birth, the mother
gave birth to her a year after. Radnelac lived in the southern part of the northern
flank; he was primarily assigned with maintaining security and administration in
addition in addition to taking care of his father’s herd of cattle which were kept for
their meat and milk. He had been fond of Cherridee when she was young. She
always followed him where ever goes while at home. She began to talk when she
was eighteen month old, and one day he was surprised when she asked him
whether he also has a father, and he replied her that he had one but he stays far
away at the sea side.

‘’What is seaside?’’

She asked

‘’I will by Havens one day takes you there’’

He replied, and he later does. It was almost a year after that day when his
wife Retag got a younger brother for Cherridee.

He took her along to the northern coastal provisional headquarters where the
father was the head.
 Ozegya was happy with the news of the arrival of another member of the
family. Cherridee was first scared by the old man’s un-usual long white beards when
she first saw him but the affection he show towards her made her to trust and liked
him soon after. When Ozegya learnt she want to see the sea, he took her there by
himself one day.

She called a ‘’big well!’’

The old man had then jokingly asked if she will like to stay with him, she
agree and later, because of that she refused to follow the father when he was going
back and had lived with him ever since until the day she married Sagbe, the
Blackman from the sea.

Ozegya had taken Sagbe and the remaining four of his men to his domain in
the northern shores of the island. Ozegya has a large family and followers. He was
the protector of the northern flank......... but that is now part of history.

When Malam was contacted, he confirmed that on a rear occasion, Malian

Princes do wear crowns. The flank earlier found along the edge of Pacific Ocean by
Sagbe in the Island south west of the fishing ground he and his son had laid their
net, was assumed to be that of a Malian ship because of an inscription in Arabic that
reads: - ‘’In the name of ........whether it sails or remain at rest......’’ which Malam
being one of the Malian Masons that build the ships claimed to have identified as an
inscription written in all Malian ships. Malam even claimed that he knew inscriber by
the style, a man he called Aliyu the artist and that he was the one that inscribed the
Royal Ship! These convince Malam that Abubakar might have shipwrecked and
probably drawn!

Ozegya invited then invited the Malians to a place near the beach; they all
sat under a palm tree. It was after sunset and the moon was full, the sky brighter
than usual as if it was aware of these important gathering.

‘’My daughter or rather her son, want to reverse what his father did’’

Ozegya began

‘’He requested you help him to go to Ifrique’’

He said finally

Malam, the youngest among the Malians was turbaned and holding a rosary
which he counts prayers with as they are said.

‘’It was long since we last heard from our people’’

Malam began
 ‘’But the last information we had about our people indicate some of them are
still stationed off an Island where crossing the Maya-land to the sea of fog and
darkness was shortest. (Approximately at where today we referred to as the
Isthmus of Panama.) An area probably under the Aztecs’’

Malam added and commenced his prayers, counting the wooding rosary
beads in strings that help him to know how many times he had repeated.

‘’The Aztecs, You mean your people live peacefully with them?’’

Ozegya asked rather shocked

Malam momentarily stopped the prayers

‘’No, but it seems the king thought he could or that he doesn’t know yet who
they really were at that first time, until the kidnapping saga that forced them to live
the main land to an Island in the water to the west of the Maya land (Pacific).’’

Malam began, but was interrupted by Dogara

‘’The Aztecs had actually forced them to vacate the area to much further
north according to the last information we heard.’’

He said

‘’How do we contact your people’’

Ozegya chipped in

‘’No need for that, organise the expedition and safe passage across the
Mesoamerica, I will led the expedition back to Ifrique if necessary, but I hope our
people are still operating in the area so may not have to be forced to build the sea
crossing ship we will require.’’

Malam said

‘’Thanks for that, I will do as you said in three days time by the will of the
Heavens!’’

FOUR DAYS LATER

The twin hull boats were now secured to a jetty. Alkal and the sailors were
then blessed by Ozegya who also prayed for heavenly protection. The sun was
setting as the men walked to the jetty amid chanting of spell to ward off the spirits
of the sea, night and land by the high priest of the Island.
 The four catamarans were freed and soon the sailors without further
ceremony were expertly manoeuvring their way Eastwards to Maya lands.

They formed a column in a single line silently rowing towards their

destination. Malam and Alkal were in the first boat with four other Hawaiian young
sailors.

Each boat carries dry food and fresh water that will last them for at list a
week.

Three days later, they sighted the main land one early morning and by noon
they were dragging their boats to be secured to isolated trees growing out of the
wet mud that form the mangrove edge by a rock in a rather sandy beach.

A Hawaiian youth led them through a foot path talking lively along the way
across a thick forest, and by sun set they were approaching a large settlement to be
known as Tole. It surrounded by maize and Potatoes’ farms the Hawaiian leading
them communicate with some children in a dialect none of them understood in front
of a compound. One of the children answered him and run inside. Not sooner than
the child went in an old man appeared wormed welcoming them.

‘’Come inside, be at home.’’

He repeated in a fluent Hawaiian language

They were led in to a large clean hut and immediately served food as if they
were expected. When they eats a boy took them to river to Barth and by the time
they comes back, they explain to their host about the mission of Alkal and Malam.

Chief Ayala, a Quechua Chief, was the head of the community was related to
Ozegya through his Hawaiian mother.

‘’We have had of the black prince’’

The chief began referring to King Abubakar II

Malam nodded encouragingly

‘’The last time we heard of him’’

The chief continued

‘’Was when he left the Inuit land of ice much further in the North going west
wards to only the Heaven knows where! But we heard that his some of his people
are still operating at the Eastern coasts.’’

The chief said finally.

That piece of land chief refers to, is now called Alaska!

 The chief then advised them to rest for next one week by which he will
enquire more.

They thank him. The chief has seven wives and many children must of whom
among the males were now in the frontiers to check the manners of the growing
Aztecs power in the North. The girls and the young among the male were the ones
left at home helping their mothers. The girls were parading around Alkal as if they
find him physically attractive and he was fully enjoying the flirting of the girls. When
the chief observed what was happening he encouraged Alkal to fill free, that these
are his relatives and that the house is his because the chief’s mother was Ozegya
elder sister.

A girl about his age sat in front of him encouraged by her mother when she
noticed most of his attention was directed towards her.

‘’What is your name?’’

She ask

‘’Alkal’’

He answered surprised

‘’Alkal’’

She repeated the name in a pleasant tuned voice

With that as the opening chapter, the two were soon to become so intimate
that a day to their departure it was decided they wed! And that they did the
following week.

‘’I suggest we postpone our voyage for a month to enable acquaint yourself
to your new stature’’

Malam suggested just afterwards

‘’No, for two!’’

The chief corrected

EXERCTLY TWO MONTHS THREE DAYS

Reports received from the men sent to find out about the Malians indicates
that a group of Malian ships had arrived at the eastern coast from the North on their
way back to Mali with an Innit woman said to be Abubakar II’s wife!
 The chief then quickly send a messenger the leader named prince Aminu,
requesting him to take along Alkal, his wife and Malam who happen to be a Malian
himself.

Price Aminu agreed

They left the town one early morning, but unknown to one Joni, the wife of
Alkal was pregnant but she refuses to tell anyone for the fear of being dropped
behind. They walked for two days through the country and at one time a giant
Indian had to carry her after she collapsed.

They finally arrived at their destination in the night of the second day. The
Malian camp was easily located as their large ships could be sighted a far and
sailors could be heard shouting or singing in the empty night.

Malam recognised the leader because they were both among the pioneers of
the expedition. Prince Aminu had returned from Mali to search for Abubakar II
instate found an Innit Queen said to a wife of the King he left behind at the western
coast of what is today called Alaska.

Aminu however could not be convinced that Abubakar II was dead when
Malam tendered what he thought was his evidence, even though he was made to
understand from the King’s Innit Queen that Abubakar II had sailed westwards of
what is today called Pacific Ocean.

‘’Many of our ships including the one I commanded were inscribed by Aminu
the artist. ‘’

Aminu dismissed the claim with a wave of hand

‘’Besides, many of our ships were wrecked’’s

He added

Aminu gave Joni the honour of staying at the royal cabin with the Innit Queen,
while Alkal and Malam joined the other sailors but he could see her any time he
wished.

Mahrub the Innit queen of Abubakar II sat on a chair facing Joni across the
table that separates them. She fold her hands firmly on the table listening as Joni
narrates her story. She had earlier noticed her frequent vomiting, which she at first,
she had thought it was caused by the smell of the sea.

Realising however that she was pregnant without the knowledge of any other
else, she narrates to Joni what she had called her mistake of telling others about her
pregnancy.
 ‘’When he visited our land on his way to only the Heavens now knows, my
father advised him to pick a wife’’

She began

‘’He picked me among many other princes of our land and we had wed for
only three weeks when he insists for proceeding on’’

She queen continued

‘’I could have followed him’’

She further lamented

Joni sympathized with her but lack the words to express her sympathy

‘’Did you know what impressed me about you?’’

The queen asked Joni

‘’No’’

Joni answered

‘’The striking resemblance of my story with yours and yet its contrast’’

Mahrub said

‘’You are a wise girl’’

The queen added, her golden chain wedding gift shaped as a spear swinging,
as she ship mounts weaves

‘’My dear queen’’

Joni began sympathetic towards her

‘’My father use to say; everything happens, but as already writing in the skies
earlier, and if you could read the stars you could be able to decode and understands
the course they could have taken in advance’’

Joni began philosophically

‘’Who knows, sometimes what might look as bad may turns out to be good in
disguise. You might have lost a husband and a king but you have got a son and a
prince. I sympathised with you and I pray to the Heavens to solve the mystery of
your missing husband’’

Joni added with a little bow towards the queen

 The son Mahrub bears afterwards is exactly Alkal age and he was on board
with them as one of the sailors

‘’Thank you, you must have come from the most refined of the noble’’

The said finally

A sailor attached to them knocked the door and entered when permitted with
bowls of hot porridge made from potato and fish.

The two women eat hungrily after which the together decide to go out to the
upper deck of the sea for some fresh air.

It was late in the night but the sky was clear with stars in their familiar
constellations’

‘’We are heading to the east’’

Joni said with her head fixed to a group of stars in the sky

‘’How did you know’’

The queen ask

‘’You see this faintly shinning group of stars with two brighter stars directly
making an index ahead of the main group?’’

Joni said pointing to the sky

‘’Yes I saw them’’

Queen Mahrub said

‘’The two leading stars always points approximately towards the east’’

Joni began to explain

‘’My father said travellers use it know where is which direction in the night’’

She added

‘’It is logically correct, for it said that, the land of Ifrique is due east from our
lands.’’

The queen readily agrees

The sky is becoming darker by then and soon they were to realise rain
forming clouds were gathering. The two women were enjoying the atmosphere
when suddenly and unexpectedly, heavy rain began to fall. They ran back to their
cabin laughing and quickly changed their wet water dripping clothes and changed.
 The younger woman close a scuttle by her bed where splashing rain water
was entering the cabin and long went asleep. The two ladies were snoring by the
time Aminu, the commander of the convoy and captain of the ship, entered the
room, and certified with of their well being he nods his head and left the room.

They sailed for further seven weeks to reach the shores of West Ifrique!

The cock crows signifying the down of a new day ............ and thus ending the
story Abdul was narrating to Abas at the Headquarters of the Malian ocean
expeditions............

‘’What a tall story’’

Abas said

‘’Who knows’’

Abdu proposes
BOOK TWO

ELECTIONS IN 21ST CENTURY AFRICA A DRAMA OF CONTEMPORARY NIGERIA

‘’Thanks are to God’’

Zakari said after eating. He had eaten a little more than certification. He
comes as early as eight clock in the morning anticipating the day to be one of the
days he will be remembering with pride, the day of exercising a constitutional
right.......... a day of ‘’congress’’ when his political party will give him a chance to
show the other parties that, theirs was truly a democratic thing, were members its
leaders! A party that say it all:-

Democracy forever!

He has no candidate in mind, he don’t even know the contestants any way,
but at list now that the military are gone and the system is not a one party
monopoly like that of the communist, he thought it will be as is done in the first
world.

In one of the previous meeting he had been selected as the assistant

secretary of the party in his ward. This time however it will be election like the real
thing! He was not contesting; he was certified with just electing his new party
officials a luxury enjoyed only in the western civilisations before! And now a
privilege even here!

But that was never to be!

The food he eats was meant to be ‘’a thank you’’ breakfast for coming, but in
reality the ‘’election’’ was not to take place because the official had came with the
result from the somewhere. So as he was looking for the water to wash his hand
and go for the days business, namely election, he was told, instate of the election,
that the result will soon be announced or rather had been released or something
meaning the same thing!

‘’Kai’’

He began in bewilderment

‘’What is actually happening? ‘’

 He thought aloud

The election he come to cast his vote was not conducted and yet the result
was out!

He turned to one of the ‘’winners’’

‘’This type of election is anti democratic!’’

He began

‘’Why are we deceiving ourselves’’

Zakari added not hiding his feelings about the pathetic situation

‘’Listen’’

The winner began to explain

‘’There was faction in the party, and in an attempt de-factionalise the party
we the candidates of the various faction had come into a compromise and slots
positions to each faction, that was how the ‘’the result’’ was obtained.’’

Said the ‘’winner?’’

‘’Why not allow the party members to decide?’’

Zakari suggested

‘’Because we brought the party to the town and if we allow that; different
people may emerge as winners, people that don’t even know how in the first place
the party gets here’’

The so called winner said

‘’But that was what election is all about, the people, not those who brought
the party should choose the candidates because at long last the same people are to
vote for you when the party will be contending with other parties besides if the
party won you people have the credit of bringing the party with the manifestos that
can convince the people hopping also for it to deliver.’’

Zakari explains

‘’Come Malam Zakari, did you realise that the party headquarters had send
some money?’’

‘’The winner’’ questioned

‘’So now the issue is that of the money’’

 Malam Zakari reacted

‘’Of cause’’

‘’The winner’’ answered.

A month later, Zakari was standing in front of Yahuza’s house. Yahuza’s sister
passed him carrying a bucket of water she fetched from a Mono Pump near the
office of the Ward’s Head.

‘’Where is Yahuza?’’

Zakari asked her

She stopped, and turned to faced him

‘’He went to pay for electric bill; our line was cut day before yesterday’’

Jamila answered

‘’Ok, but dropped the water first, I come to see you’’

Zakari said

Jamila smiled and went in without replying.

Some few moments later she comes out.

‘’Is anything Mr. Zakari? You had never in the past come to this house
because of me.’’

Jamila began

‘’Yes, but I need someone to speak to, and being a educated woman, you will
not only help me out but entertained my psyche at the same time.’’

Zakari began

‘’A! Zakari, what of your wife’’

Jamila reacted.

‘’Let’s close that chapter. What did you know about Electoral Commission
recruitment?’’

Zakari change the topic

‘’Who go tell monkey or rather who go take am?’’

Jamila reacted to the question in a Pidgin English

 ‘’What did you mean?’’

Zakari said surprised

‘’Haba Zakari, don’t you understand the system? The recruitment might have
taken place before the advertisement, who did you know?’’

‘’Listen Jamila, it is only because I am with you now that I can afford to go
late otherwise even those you want to claim had been recruited before the
advertisement will not be there before me.’’

Zakari said

‘’A! Zakari then you better go o! I am yet to finish my work.’’

Jamila finalised the discursions, picked her bucket and run to meet her mates
on their way to the common pump of the community, living Yahuza stranded in the
Zaure (The outer room of the typical Hausa house).

Minutes later, with a smile broadly written across his entire face, indicating
his inner state, Zakari rode his bicycle on his way to the Independent Electoral
Office, for the recruitment exercise.

Three weeks earlier, Zakari was in the post office and fasted outside he had
seen an advert seeking applicants to apply for various electoral appointments for
the incoming elections. He did, and now he comes to check if he is among the short
listed candidates for interviews.

After about an hour’s ride, Zakari stood among other candidates glancing
through several lists fasted in various parts of the compound.

At last he was not sure of what actually happened because there was this
name that reads Garba Zakari instate of Zakari Garba and were qualification was
indicated it states diploma while his, was advance diploma. But was not were the
confusion become pronounced, in the column where the location of his residence
was suppose to be indicates Jushi instate of Zaria, though Jushi is in Zaria but yet he
actually wrote Zaria. So could it be wild topographical error? And there are no any
official to explain the true situation. However someone that seems to know better
among the candidates advised him to check the area office at Danmagaji.

Soon Zakari was riding his bicycle, paddling harder as Danmagaji is an area
situated in a higher altitude relative the Sabongari office, and an hour later he was
in his destination. There he saw crowds of people, thanks to high unemployment
situation of the country. Crowed of people were trooping in and out of the gate.

Once within, he was confronted similar list he saw at where he was coming
from. But again someone advised him to join the queue as most of those that come
for the interview were not even qualified!
 He join the queue but in short from noon until sunset, he could not reached
the interviewers though not more than twenty people were ahead of him, because
the ‘’the friends of interviewers’’ don’t have to follow the queue!

Then there was power failure and because of that the interview had to be
suspended until the following day. The candidates however volunteer to provide
candles for the interview to continue!

The officials agree but they insist that the men should go out, that they want
to finish with women first! At last however, the men were told to come back the
following day because the officials were exhorted after interviewing the women.

When he returned the following morning he was told that, actually the
interview had actually commences that yesterday after he left, and that it ended
just as he approaches the gate now!

‘’So Jamila was right’’

Zakari thought aloud

‘’What’’

Someone asked

‘’Never mind’’

Zakari reply without caring to know who asked

‘’Nigeria we hail thee!’’

He keeps on repeating as he rode his bicycle homewards.

Two month later

Zakari visited his new fond friend, Jamila and narrated his ordeals during the
last electoral commission’s recruitment exercise against the on coming elections.

‘’I had expected something like that, that was why I told you the time you
pass through here on your way that day, did you remember?’’

Jamila replayed him

‘’Quit well I do remember but at that time I thought you said so because you
belong to the opposition party.’’

Zakari reacted

‘’Are you now in the ruling party?’’

Jamila counters
 ‘’No but our party is new and we wish to practice non confrontational type of
opposition, so first assumed even the opposing parties are not ugly as they really
are until they prove us wrong.’’

Zakari answered

‘’Have they?’’

Jamila asked with a mischievous smile in her face

‘’Ummm! Let me say not yet, until after the real election.’’

Zakari said with some reservations

‘’Now, that brought us to another aspect of the unfolding drama. Have you
registered for the elections? Because the registration had commenced, some days
back.’’

Jamila said

‘’I hard so but until this moment I have never come across where it is taking
place, have you?’’

Zakari asked in puzzlement

‘’Yes there is one at Kofa in front of the house of one the officials of the ruling
party, I saw people registering when I was passing on my way from Kaduna
yesterday’’

Jamila said

‘’What took you to Kaduna?’’

Zakari changed the topic

‘’What concerns you? Anyway I went for the wedding of my friend.’’

She said

‘’Well I have no right over you yet, just curiosity.’’

Zakari said, getting bolder in an assumed position

‘’Zakari and his unending imaginations! Zakari I must go, it is time for
school.’’

Jamila ended and run inside without given Zakari any further chance to
comment.

Three month after...........

 Day after election

Zakari was at the ‘’Zaure’’ (the outer room) of the Jamila’s family house
together with her brother, one of the contestants of the just concluded election and
in company of many of his well wishers chatting about the election.

Bala, the honourable as he comes to known because of his contesting as the

councillor representing his ward, was in his most jovial state.

‘’What did you think will be the outcome of the election?’’

He directed the question to Zakari.

‘’Well honourable, first of all we should thank Providence that we are no more
under military dictatorship, there are people that think otherwise, but the blank
truth is that, we are yet to see democracy.’’

Zakari began

‘’I agree, we are at the infant stage of the democracy’’

Bala interrupted

‘’No, this bearded infant suppose to spring up and start behaving like the
adult he was for long and stop acting like the infant is not!’’

Zakari continued

‘’We deliberately insist in doing wrong, pretending we are not old enough to
do the right thing.’’

He pause, to allow the audience absorbed what he was saying

‘’The system might be new, the actors were not. To hit the nail in the head, it
seems we are repeating the same mistake we make in the first post independent
election and that of the second election of the second republic, but under different
circumstances just like the last two elections.’’

Zakari said

‘’You by far older than most of us here, so please explain what you mean,
because you more like in parables!’’

Honourable interrupted, and everyone laugh to that.

‘’Ok, you see a country of many nations like ours, which a colonial power had
for its own administrative convenience amalgamated, is only artificially a nation in
the real sense. That was why when in 1966 the Western part of the Nation felt
cheated in the election there was a violent reaction that finally led to a military take
over and the subsequent civil war!’’

He continuo

‘’That happened because the leaders at the federal level were from different
region that together with others formed Nigeria and those that felt cheated come
from another. Similar incident repeated its self during the elections of 1983, but we
were probably saved from another round of tribal war because the succeeding
regime was led by people from the same ethnic group with their predecessors. The
1966 termination of the first republic had subsequently led civil war, because it
usher on to power, people from a different tribal or regional group.’’

He paused

‘’After the second round of the Military chain of governments, what Fela may
refer to as, ‘’Overtaking overtake’’ units of governments, ended and the third
republic was born, under different condition, thanks to ‘’Army Magic’’!

The rigging mistake was repeated, but this time, right from beginning, the
man that came to power was rigged into it, by people that were not from the same
region with him! And the cheated candidate happened to be his tribal kin. This
combination of scenarios saved Nigeria, Thanks to God.

Then the ‘’Tazarche’’ (extension of mandate) fever, grip Nigeria, but the ‘’we
no gree’’ stand of many concerned Nigerians at virtually all levels cured the disease
or at list suppress it, so for the first time in Nigerian mob democratic history, a third
transitional stage was ‘’magically’’ arranged. Thanks to God also, the scenario was
nearly the same with the other non violent outcome resulting from a rigged
election. The two serious contenders were from the same region.’’

Zakari pause

‘’Let me stop here because someone else may have a different view.’’

He added and then kept quit

Honourable Bala clears his throat

‘’Well, the different view might not alter history and facts’’

Honourable Bala started

‘’ So what I like to say will be more or less a wish to know, the way out of this
round of vicious circles if we may call it that.’’

He said, turning round the others to see if someone disagrees

‘’Yes, yes! ‘’
 The others said in unison

‘’My teacher taught me that; what is worth doing at all is worth doing well. So
if we want to practice democracy, we should do it well.’’

Honourable further explains

‘’The result is out! The result is out!!’’

Someone interrupted

‘’The ruling party had declared its self the winner in the local government
elections!’’

Another added

‘’Not all’’

Someone disagrees

‘’All the same, it had cancelled the results of the only sits it had lost!’’

Someone else commented

‘’May God save us!’’

Zakari finally prayed

 BOOK THREE

SHADOWS OF ALMORAVIDS

1053 AD

The rising sun was brightly hoisted as it rose in clear sky that fateful day and
the surrounding shrubs still wet from last night rain. The earth was still draining it’s
self from the running water, smells of sands and leafs hovered in the air. The rocky
terrain has a deep depression at the eastern frontiers; a mountain semi cycled it in
a curve that runs from the south, through the west by the north.

From a pass at the left of the northern side of the mountain some mounted
men galloped on their horses descending towards a depression. The leading rider
halted and pointed a finger towards the western curve of the mountain. The other
fifty riders including ten women halted too. Three elderly riders neared him.

‘’What is it?’’

A white bearded man asked the leading rider

‘’We have reached the river, and shall therefore from now go along side it’’

He answered

‘’Thanks be to the God of creation’’

The white bearded man said as turns to the other riders

‘’I advised that we camped here and rest’’

 He began

‘’We hunt and gathered some wild fruits before we proceed.’’

He added

They had been on the move for over a month and their food had exhorted

The remaining two elders agree and dismount. The few women among them
starts to prefer food as soon as they began to settled.

The remaining men gathered near the old bearded man under a tree.

‘’We shall clear the bush and settled here for two years to farm. I noticed the
place is endowed‘’

He instructed

They then said a prayer for the creator to bless them and thereafter the
young men were them sent to clear the bush by the river side which they start
immediately, huts where build and being in the raining seasons the surrounding of
the huts were cleared for farming.

Every morning after the women prepared food some men will go to farm
while others will go for hunting. In the evening all the men will gather around the
man with their books t further their knowledge before retiring to their huts where
they may gathered to chart in the moon light outside their huts.

One day, the old man gathered the men and sends some of them of them to
different directions to search for the human search for the human settlements that
they could establish commercial relationship with within and outside the immediate
environs.

Two days later some of them returned to report the presence of some towns
and villages close to where were.

Kabulu the leader of one of the group reported the presence of some gold
deposits a distance not far from where they lived. The come along with some to
prove their find and indicates that most likely people were not aware of its
existence as at yet because otherwise they reason its extraction might have started
and any evidence of such yet.

The old man was taken to the place but on reaching but on reaching there,
they met some people dressed in robes decorated in gold inspecting the location.
They were representatives of San Ghana whose army recently captured the city of
Awdagust at southern fringes of the Sahara desert.

‘’Greetings and well wishes to you’’

 The old man said as he approached them

‘’Greeting to you also’’

One of them responded

‘’And who are you?’’

The San Ghana’s representative added

‘’I am Ibrahim, the leader of my clan’’

The old man started

‘’We lived not far from here.’’

He added

‘’Then you come at the right moment, we are the representative of the royal
house’’

Another of the robed men began

‘’Our mission was locate this place and local chief closes to it’’

The royal representative added. He then a ring from his hand and hand it
over to Ibrahim

‘’This’’

He began

‘’Gives you full authority to protect these minerals and collects taxes on
behalf of San Ghana as soon the diggings began’’

He said in a clear and well tuned voice

‘’You should report to the governor at garrison town Koumbi-Saleh for further
instructions.’’

The robed men and their guards numbering about twenty armed with bows
and quivers full of poisonous arrows mount their horses and left.

Immediately Ibrahim and his men went back to the camp, he gathered all the
men and told them about the new development.

‘’However ‘’

Ibrahim had added

‘’I have to hand over this authority to someone else’’

 He began to explain

‘’I am an old man and gold is not what I should pursue now’’

He pause watching his men to note how his statements settled

‘’I will therefore give this chance to someone else to lead those of you who
wish to remain behind while I prepare to proceeds to our initial destination with
those that choose to go this night! So those of you that will remain should choose a
leader.’’

The old man said. An elderly man rose up

‘’In the name of the Providence’’

He began

‘’I would like to remain but I please give you the chance to choose a leader
for us.’’

The elderly man suggested

‘’No, I will leave you to decide on who and who are to proceed and to stay
and who is to lead those to stay.’’

Ibrahim said and immediately left for his hut. The remaining thirty nine men
sat silently for a very long time until another elderly man stood to breaks the
silence.

‘’I choose to remain’’

He began

‘’And those of you that choose to stay with me should please move this side’’

He said, extending his right hand

And those that will go with the teacher should remain seated.

Six men choose to remain but four among those sent out were not present.

Abdul the leader of those remaining behind, then went to Ibrahim’s hut to
notified him of the new development, after which Ibrahim removed the ring of
authority given to him and hand it over to Abdul instructing him to report to the
garrison town.

The remaining thirty nine, including all the women and Kabulu who originally
reported the sighting of the gold fields, commence their journey that very moment
leaving the remaining but with the instruction to inform those away when they
come back to make similar choice and those amongst them wishing to proceed, to
catch up with them. That they will be moving along the river course for the next two
month, before they camp again, and thus Ibrahim and the remaining mounted
moves along the river that was to be known as River Niger.

Meanwhile in the camp they just left, Abdul and two other men prefers on
their way to the garrison town of Koumbi-Saleh.

The garrison town was on top of a hill from where all approaches could be
seen from a far. It has many brick houses and a market in the centre. It also served
both as capital of the province as well as the capital of the empire resided by over
seven thousand people.

The governor’s residence was to the east of the market, a large compound
with many huts whose four approaches where guarded by archers dressed in robes
similar to those seen by Abdul of fewer decorations.

Abdul and his men were stopped by the guards. He showed them the ring of
authority given to him and demanded to see the governor. The leading guardsman
led them to a place and asked them to wait white he entered a hut. After some time
he come back with another man who demanded to see the ring.

‘’But you are not the man I gave this ring to’’

The official challenged Abdu

Abdul told him exactly what happens; he agreed and therefore led him to
another larger hut where he met a small old man sitting on a dais surrounded by his
officials.

Abdul was introduced o the governor by the official that brought him. He
felled down before the governor as the tradition demanded to pay respect, the
governor accept him as the leader of his people and blessed him, directing him to
act as justly to all that may find himself in his the land under his control and
cooperates with those to be sent to collect taxes from the miners that will soon
appear in his area of control.

Abdul and his men where then taken to a guest house and were provided for
them. In the morning the following day they were taken round the garrison town for
sightseeing and later to the market to purchase some presents for their people.
Soon after they went back to the guest house, a messenger comes to inform them
that the governor wants to see them. In the governor’s residence they met some
people who come to inform the governor that the empire was attacked from the
north by some Muslims warriors called Al-Murabituns known to Europeans as
Almoravids.
 The governor then directed them to follow some messengers that will be
going to interior of the empire to gathers men to prepare for defence of the
frontiers. Blacksmith called were assembling, they were directed to commence
large scale producing of swords and arrows heads, by the time Abdul was leaving
the garrison town horse men and slave fighters had also started gathering around
the governor’s residence in preparation for a war that could not be avoided.

‘’Who are the Al-Murabituns?’’

Abdul asked one of the officials with him as they rode.

‘’They were Barbers who confederates their states after we occupied their
town, though the confederation had failed but an unknown man called Muhammad
Bin Yasin is now leading them, wagging war on all their neighbours including us. He
is a hermit, but a puritan that wishes to establish power in accordance to the
dictates of the Holy Quran.’’

The official added

‘’You sound like a Muslim’’

Abdul ask the official

‘’Yes, but I am suspicious of the both the Goddala and Lumtuna that were
wagging the war’’

The official began to explain

‘’It is true our leader is not a Muslim but he respects the Muslims and even
had a mosque built at the Muslim quarters and employed Muslims to the service of
the royal house because of their literacy for keeping records.’’

He said

‘’Yes I can see that even from the way our case was handled the royal house
was not bias about the Muslims.’’

Abdul agrees

‘’And most importantly we understood Muhammad Bin Yasin, who led the
group, had attacked our frontiers’ as diversionary tactics to prevent his people from
fighting each other.’’

The official paused after commenting further

‘’Or because you occupied Awdagust’’

Abdul suggested
 ‘’They may have that as a pretext but even then we do not just take
Awdagust to expand our frontiers but as a reaction to the Jihad lunched on us
unjustly by a Goddala king’’

The official said

‘’Why did you called a Jihad unjustly?’’

Abdul questioned

‘’We do not see it as a jihad but expansionist policy into our territory’’

The official depends. They had by then reached a place where the road has
pocked.

‘’Here’’

The official said pointing to the left

‘’Is route you are to follow to your camp by the river bent’’

With that, they parted with the official

‘’Brother, we were not enemies and we shall never be, but must tell you my
mind’’

Mustafa one of those that were with Abdul said to him

‘’Go ahead Mustafa ‘’

Abdul encouraged him

‘’The truth is that before we left home with the teacher I had once stayed at
Muhammad Bin Yasin’s ribat in an island at River Senegal and now that the Jihad
had started I want to and join him’’

Mustafa said

‘’I wished you the best of luck’’

Abdul said

With that remark as trigger, Mustafa turned his horse towards an unmarked
path and galloped away with high speed rising dust in the semi desert sand, to join
the forces of Almoravids! A movement that sweeps across the Maghreb and later
cross the Mediterranean Sea to Spain.
Book four

Zazzau whose capital is Zaria city is one of the Hausa states in present
day Kaduna state of Nigeria at western part of the continent of Africa.

The narration below was my personal account after visit to the

village of Turuku. There at one of the several mountains surrounding the
old capital of Zazzau, we come face to face with history. A ruined palace of
Queen Amina, the only female ruler in Hausa land since Daurama (the
mother of the founders of all Hausa states), and although Queen Amina
never had a child she left her marks in the annals of history as the
powerful ruler of all Hausa states till date! Read on…………….

A VISIT TO THE RUINED PALACE OF QUEEN AMINA THE

23RD RULER OF ZAZZAU (C. 1536-1570)
SUNDAY 13TH DECEMBER 2007.

We left Zaria with one thing in our minds namely: A mission to the old place of Queen
Amina at the mountain top in Turunku the ancient capital of Zazzau.
After about 35 minutes drive, we arrived at the rather small village of not more than 100
houses but honored with some schools and even served as local government headquarters of
Igabi.
Our guide an indigene of Turunku was at his early 20’s.
Not long after our arrival we walked through the town to the mountain foot and soon
starts our ascend via some rouged stone flights to the top a height of about 70 meters and not
long we found ourselves in front of a stone chair. The throne of the Queen from where the whole
village at the foot of the mountain could be seen and further plains where horses were said to
be usually kept, extending several meters away could be seen ........ And I believe also these
plains could as well just as it is being use now as farm be also use as such then. I was among
the first to reach the top.
I lay on the stone chair to rest and wait for the remaining members of that small
expedition. We were surprised by the semi-flat nature of the mountain top and conclude that
such a place could certainly be used as a human settlement. One will have the feeling of being
on the ground when you start going further away from where you could see the ground.
Although there were no remain of some Temples and Pillars such as the likes that could
be found in Egypt and Karsh (in present day Sudan) due principally to the fact that traditional
West African houses were abodes made from mud and thatch cover materials that could not
have survived the like of the period of time (16th to 20th century) considering the action of rain in
an abundant dwellings at a mountain top.
Although the Mosque of Agadez (in Niger Republic) another abode building built at
approximately the same period still exist due to of course constant maintenance.
Not withstanding, there still exits many evidences to indicate past human activities at the
mountain flat top.
 Zaria, under Queen Amina conquered all the towns in Hausa lands as far as Kwararrafa
and Nupe. Every town paid tribute to her.
The Sarkin (king of) Nupe sent Forty eunuchs and ten thousand Kolas to her.
She first had eunuchs and Kola in Hausa land. In her time the whole of the products of
the west were brought to Hausa-land.
Queen Amina the 23rd ruler of Zazzau was from the Gunguma’s Dynasty.
Who is Gunguma?
Gunguma was the first and founder of the dynasty was one of the products of a marriage
of two legends, Queen Daurama and Abu Yazid known to the Hausas as Bayajida.
THE LEGEND OF DAURA
According to Thomas Hodgkin in his book Nigerian perspective a Historical
Anthology he said:
“The people went up out of Canaan and settled in the land of Palestine.
And a certain man among them named Najib the Canaanite went up out of
Palestine with his entire household and journeyed west ward into Libya,
which is one of the provinces of Egypt, and there they dwelt for many
years. And a certain man among them named abdul-Dar, and he was a
son of Najib, went up out of Libya and dwelt in the province of Tripoli and
after a time he sought the kingship of Tripoli, but the people refused.
Where he arose with his people and journeyed to the south till he come to
an oasis called Kusugu and dwelt there. And he begat children and they
were all daughters.
Their names were Bukainya and Gambo and Kafai and Waizama and
Daura, and she was the youngest. All these he begat before they came to
Daura.

THE LEGEND OF ABU YAZID SON OF ABDULLAHI KING OF BAGHDAD

Abu yazid known to Hausas as “Bayajida’’ which means “he do not understand Hausa
language before’’ was a prince of the kings of Baghdad whom according to the legend, left
home to escape death penalty and traveled to Africa.
He first settled at Kanem Bornu Empire where he was offered political asylum. He
married the daughter of the king named Magira. But not long he also offended the king and had
to run away because the king planned to kill him, taking away his wife along. He left her at
Birom ta Gabas to bear him a child.
 At Gaya near Kano a blacksmith made him a sword according to his specifications. He
precedes to Daura on his way to an unknown destination we he becomes a guest to an old
woman called Ayyama.
It was said he demanded for water to drink and give his animal of barding but was told
the only well in the city was a home to a large snake called Sarki who allows people to fetch
water once in a week (Fridays) when it usually goes out.
Abu Yazid however not believing, request the old woman to direct him to the well but on
his attempt to fetch the water the snake comes out via the rope. He cuts its head and fetched
the water.
The following day passersby seeing the body of the snake outside the well reported the
matter to the Queen. The Queen as it was narrated had earlier promised to give half of the land
to whoever got rid of the snake.
So when what actually happened was known she announced that the killer of the snake
who took away the head and left one of his shoes should come forward with the head and other
pair of the shoe for his price. But when Abu Yazid came he demanded for her hands in marriage
instead.

MARRIAGE OF TWO LEGENDS

Daura and Abu Yazid got married and she also gave him a Gwari slave girl as a
concubine. According to a brief history of Daura given in the pamphlet during the presentation of
staff of office of the sixtieth Emir of Daura Alhaji Umar Faruk Umar page 16:-
Bayajida begot two children in Daura called Bawo (the son of the Queen) and Karab-Da-
Gari (the son of concubine). Bawo ruled Daura after Bayajida whose children become the origin
of seven Hausa state namely Daura, Kano, Katsina, Zazzau (Zaria), Gobir, Rano. One the son
of Bayajida who was born before his arrival to Daura called Buram become the founder of the
seventh Hausa state called Gabas ta burum (Garin Gabas) in Hadeja Emirate of Jigawa state.
1. Bayajida’s other son Karab da Gari become the Banza states namely:-
Yawuri, Kebbi, Zamfara, Ilorin, Gwariland, Nupeland and Kwararrafa.

GUNGUMA DYNASTY
According to Zaria chronicles the first king among Bawo’s children was Gunduma and
the dynasty he found in Zaria has a total of sixty kings in which Queen Amina was the 23rd and
the only Woman. The dynasty was overthrown by the Sokoto Jihadist initiated by Usman bin
Fodio in 1804.
Palmer however regards this Abu Yazid as:
“Having some historical connection with the Abu Yazid who led the revolt
of the nomad Kharijite Berbers against the Fatimids in North Africa in the
first half of the 10th Century A.D... This Maghrib Abu Yazid was probably
born in the western Sudan and was known as “the man on the donkey”;
and was eventually captured and killed by the Fatimis in A.D (Palmer
1936, pp. 273-4. n.1) ...................”
 QUEEN AMINA THE DAUGHTER OF KING BAKWA TORANKA 1536-70
Thomas Hodgkin maintained that:
“In the case of Zazzau, the phase of economic and political expansion
associated with semi-legendary Queen Amina would to seem to belong to
the sixteenth rather than fifteenth century.”
He further states that:
“Her conquest extends over thirty-years”.
On coming to power, Amina shifted her capital to Kufena area and named it after her
elder sister Zariya.
Zaria her elder sister was to be the Queen. The legend has it that Zaria use to send
Amina to a man that she kept purposely to constantly be supplicating for her to become a
Queen, but when he write some verses of the Holy Qur’an in a tablet and wash it for her to
drink, Amina on the way will drink most part of it. That is why when she become the Queen
instate of Zaria she renamed her Capital as Zaria in honor. Of the elder sister
Although some historians gave the credit to her father whose grave is still in Turunku
near the old mountain palace.
Queen Amina organized a large force and wage wars of conquest that brought all the
Hausa lands under her control comprising parts of present day Nigerian, Niger Republic and
Cameroon. She once said that the southern fringes of her boarder was the water (Bahar) could
it be the sea Or the Rivers Niger and Benue?
Muhammed Bello, the successor to the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate in an answer to
a question by the first Europeans to visits him said that, Queen Amina of Zazzau and
Mohammadu Kanta of Kebbi were the greatest rulers of Hausa land before the Jihad of his
father, that dismantled most of the Hausa ruling dynasties.
An unknown European cotemporary of the Queen who visited her further state that she
recently shifted her capital from new Turunku to old Turunku – Reaffirming the belief that
Kufena area in Zaria was the earlier settlement in which Gunguma himself was said to have
been invited to, when the people of the area were being threaten from the south. It might be that
it was the subsequent rulers that later moved to Turunku before Amina re-locate here capital
back to Kufena area when she become confident enough to come down to the plains!
Amina walled the newly named capital.
She might have started the wars of conquest before she shifted to Zaria, but it was
evident that she walled each city she conquer, a reason why all the walls of the cities of Hausa
lands were called Amina’s walls (Ganuwar Amina). It is claimed she usually garrison her force
within the walls for defense reasons.
The walls some of which encircled several kilometers squares and at least a meter wide
and several meters high, most have required hundreds of thousands of people to provide the
needed labor to complete the work in such a small period of time.
Amina was the contemporary of Mai (king) Idris Alooma of Borno Empire whom she
spares of her conquest because of his use of firearms supplied from Turkey where he
maintained an Embassy!
Queen Amina died when she fell from her horse and breaks her neck, but her legend
persists till date. May God forgive her wrongs? Ameen.

At the mountain top where her palace once stood in the old capital Turunku we saw
about a mater behind the stone-chair a place where three stone ridges each of about a quarter
of a meter high and such wide and about half a mater width beside which what looks like a
small grinding stone was wedged. Our guide said the elders told them that it was were her bed
was placed on!
And what to us looks like grinding stone was actually used for sharpening arrow heads,
spears and other war objectives!
Similar sports could be identified in several other places. At the extreme northern fringe
of the mountain there is a well! What a tedious job must it have been to dig a well on top of a
mountain at that time!!
Another evidence of human settlements, was the fact that the place was once cultivated
because our guide told us that even some few years back people use to plant onions and other
vegetables on the mountain, although at the time of our visit, the action of running rain water
have washed away most of the land!
Could the land here been raise artificially?
I also noticed a place where some lines where deliberately chipped out of a particular
stone.
Could it be a map as one of us suggested?
I also noticed that at a place not far from the stone chair, there was a stone circle.
Could it be foundation of a room?
Could it be that when the sand was removed it could lead to other underground parts of
the place?
The evidences are so many that only a professional archeologist could decipher.
 THE GRAVEYARD OF BAKWA TORONKA
Our little expedition of non professionals comprising of myself (Umaru Yusuf), Honorable
Umaru Barau (Umaru II), Lawal Umaru, Abubakar Inusa AbdulRashid Mailafiya and our guide
went down from the place very excited about these encounter with the past.
Then we seek to known the grave yard of one of the kings that I at first thought was that
of Gunguma, but turns out to be that Queen Amina’s Father, King Bakwa Toranka.
A large heap of stones which recently the local government of the area built a wall
around it that a visitor could stand outside and watched everything within, though it had a gate
but we do not need to go in as we were as if within.
The legend of Queen Amina is still as fresh in the mind of the people of Zaria as if she
ruled just some few years back.
There is a place today in Niger state of Nigeria were only women served as traditional
rulers. The origin of that ruling house was Queen Amina. Although she never married in her life
time nor ever give birth her relatives still pride themselves as members of her family. There was
a time a woman claimed ownership a large piece of land (From Zaria to Kaduna), when the she
was ask to produce evidence she brought war dress of the Queen claiming the piece of land in
question was the queen’s farm! Although she never won the case at list she recalls history.
May his soul rest in peace! Amen.

Book five

As the sun rises in the east the large ship disguised as fishing vessel entered
the Gulf of Cambay in the Arabian Sea in its way to the Indian coastal town of Diu in
the state of Gujarat. The Cargo was not sea food, but members of the Royal African
volunteer forces.

Two submarines screen the vessel. The Commander in tactical Command and
captain of one of the submarine escorts was a newly promoted twenty seven year
old Commander Thomas Brain.
 He had for the past an hour been at the periscope observing the horizon. He
was disturbed by the intelligent report his communicators were receiving since
morning that indicate heavy military activity of the Japanese in the area. The young
officer was however determined to do all he could to help in keeping India for the
British Empire.

He had intended to spend another night in the sea pretending to be fishing

due to bad weather, but he decided the bad weather may be to their advantage.

He therefore, ordered the vessel to proceed to port. By noon the submarine

surfaced. The commander stood with half of his body above inhaling fresh air as he
watched with delight the disembarkation of the men he brought to back others in
resisting Japanese adventurers.

Two hours later, Bashir stood among other volunteers at the port listening to
a speech by a white officer who was shouting in English language. He did not
understand what the officer was saying though he remained attentive and upright.
His mind has however strayed back to his native town of Zaria city in the British
occupied Sokoto caliphate were Mallam Jafaru Dan Ishiaku was receiving the staff of
authority as the 18th of the Barebari line of multiple hereditary Fulani dynasty.

The platoon sergeant marched to the India officer that stood in front of them,
he bang his leg in the ground and took over the parade as the officer tuned away
towards the ship that had already removed the ropes used to secure it at the jetty
in its way back to the sea.

Commander Thomas Brian holding binocular twisted the adjustable part of

the instrument. His eyes opened wider than the lenses in his front. He quickly went
in and closed the top hatch of the submarine and ordered its immediate
submerging. He alerted the other submarine whose radar was already picking an
un-identified Aircraft contact.

The sergeant hand over the parade to a Gambian named Ba Jamme who then
ordered the volunteers to march out of the temporary parade ground and wait for
further orders.
 Bashiru who has no friend moved to vicinity where he sighted some Muslims
about to observe a prayer while most of the members of his infantry battalion went
towards an already crowded warehouse to collect dry ration of food.

The “Mosque” Bashiru went to, was very simple, a swept bush and some
pieces of stones geometrically arranged to indicate position of the Imam and his
other congregational followers. Some volunteers were already in the Mosque, an
elderly Ashanti man from the Gold coast extend his hands to Bashiru directing him
to take the position of the Imam.

“Allah Akbar” he says as he commences …………… just then without warning

Japanese war planes which the navy was trying to identify materialized in the rather
clear and peaceful sky, dropping bombs and firing guns indiscriminately at the
bewildered troops.

The submarines surface to – air – missile system was activated, two

containers emerged from the Sea and the contents flawed to the sky as the Army
Anti – Air – Craft Guns from the surrounding mountains explode against the enemy
flying machines that were growing in numbers.

One of the planes was hit but the pilot either out of last desperate act of
heroism or madness was still firing at everything that look British, but a missile fired
from the submarine got its target. The Japanese plane plunged headfirst in flames
and crashed noisily. Some volunteers regained their confidence by targeting the
now retreating aircrafts as they emptied the cartridge chambers of their guns
creating a rat-tat sound that echoes everywhere.

“Assalamu Alaikun” Bashiru ends the payers. He turns to the others behind
“always” he began “remember that victory is from God and no one dies but at his
stipulated time. May God protect us” he concludes his sermon and prayers.
“Amen!” the congregation said.

They hurriedly picked their riffles and joined other volunteers shouting the
encouraging slogan of the African fighters.

Death is rest!
 Death is rest!!

***

Bashiru took aim at the Japanese jet that flew too low and fired bullets as he
emptied his magazine.

A bullet passed through the pilot’s head, he died instantly but the plane
continued flying until it crashed into a mountain side in a debris of fire arising from
the burning metal and fuel.

“Well done! Well done!! A British army officer said as he passed by in a

roaring jip, raising dust.

Thousands of British African volunteer forces surged forward as battle for

Gujarat commences!

The British artillery had proceeded followed closely by the tanks they pound
the Japanese position in Surat. The proceeding tank units passed the artillery. They
were being followed closely by the foot army of the African corps.

Suddenly the Japanese artillery opened up! Men fell to take cover, fire and
dust rose in so many places ahead of the advancing British forces. The British
artillery and tanks retaliated, sending balls of fire ahead, the Japanese artillery
target closed up the movement of the British tanks haltered, but their guns only
increased porosity!!

Sounds of guns, crying of men, sounds of wheels and chains in the

blinding rising dust with fire and pieces of men and war machineries, burning trees
and metals and men!

Bashiru trust himself forward as he and many of his fellow infantry men
dodged their way in a desperate attempt to chase away the invading Japanese out
of India. Men fell as rattling sounds of rifles and hand grenades were thrown as the
opposing forces neared each other. After twenty hours of battle; the Japanese were
forced to withdraw from Surat.
 The victorious British forces entered to port city and from there they fan out
to Cambay and Diu as they chased away the retreating Japanese.

Bashiru and some men were left in Surat temporarily to defend the port. Most
of the battle was fought at night and because of that they do not see the
inhabitants of this old city until in the following morning. Most of the women,
children and the elderly left behind start appearing from their hidden places to
welcome their host, the Indians were surprised to see black men among them, and
even though they were afraid of the Africans curiosity made some of them to go
near them in order to find out if this fighting men were actually black in color or
because of dirt.

Some of the Africans felt insulted and reacted by beating them. Bashiru has
to intervene in many occasions by explaining to his fellows that this is a strange
place out of Africa where the people might never been seen blacks before.

On the third day, a Raja leading some Indian Raj puts invite Bashiru to a
nearby village where he saw some black Indians that to Bashiru looked like Fulani,
the cattle herders of the west African grassland.

He was told they were Kush originally. They were on their way back when
message reached them that the Japanese have regrouped and where about to
retake Surat. Bashiru and his Raj put friend had to go back to their unit to prepare
for the defense of the Port City.

* * *

Lt. Rogers Barach glanced through the map once again, dots of red stars
indicating Japanese positions confronted him, and he wiped the sweat precipitating
in his forehead. He stood up from the squatting position he was.
 Holding his swagger stick, he walked fore and aft in the jungle trench,
occasionally turning his head to glance at his troops, the time will be 1930 hours
there was still about three hours more. They had spent two days in trenches waiting
for orders from the higher authority.

He sticks his head out of the trench standing on a ladder to survey the terrain
using a vernacular, even though he did not, he was half sure he could see the
enemy rooming about ahead.

By 1950 hours dot, a telegraph message was received directing them to

proceed immediately. Lt. Rogers ordered his men out of the trenches they fixed
bayonets to their guns and proceed forward in advance
formation…………………………………………..This was to be the testing ground to
Bashir who was to test battle after battle from India to Burma in the service of his
colonial masters until the American attack on Hiroshima that ends WW II by
Japanese surrender, before Bashiru was shipped back home. This experience was
part of what electrified the imaginations of some colonized people, to start agitating
for independence. In Nigeria it was to be 1960. October the 1st.

***

2045 A.D

150 years old Bashiru sat on a ram’s skin at the outer room of his quarters
listening to the good news his great granddaughter brought to him about the result
of the just concluded presidential election in which his grandson through his Birom’s
15th wife was declared the winner!

He checked the position of his hand in the beads he uses to count the
number of time he seeks for the forgiveness of God that morning. It was in the
second to the last position of the 1000th count beads. He nods
“What is it by the time?” he asked her.

“7 am” she replied

“What day? I hardly use to know the days nowadays” still nodding.

“Saturday” she replied

He then shook his heads

“A mixed fortune he had to prepare for a war!! Call him for me.