Bayajidda, as we all know, is one of the most famous legendary figures of West Africa. We all read/heard the basic tale of how he killed the Sarki, married the queen and became the father of the Hausa City-States. But how did it happen and what does it mean
Bayajidda, likely based on the story of Abu Yazid al-Nukkari, a Berber Khariji leader that rebelled against the Arab Shia Fatimid dynasty that was emerging as the greatest power in North Africa, in the 9th century. Abu Yazid was defeated despite his earlier successes and he died; most of his partisans fled southwards to Borno and Hausaland.

This is the thesis of Dierk Lange and I think it is pretty relevant to understand the “epic”. The Bayajidda of the Folktale, father of the Hausas, was not necessarily a real figure but an idealization, a remembrance of Abu Yazid al-Nukkari who, after the victory of the Fatimids, wandered in the Sahel, in Borno/Kanembu before settling in Hausaland.
The epic says that Bayajidda came to Hausaland from Borno (hence anachronically named Abba Kyari in some traditions) given to where he was a war captain to the king. Was he tricked by the king of Borno? He was married to Maigira, the king’s daughter but wasted all his soldiers fighting the king’s wars.

Bayajidda would have a son Biram, with the Kanuri princess Maigira, whose realm (easter Jigawa mostly) is closest to Borno/Kanembu empire.
Bayajidda migrates to Hausaland. Daura precisely. Most Hausa states were then ruled by queen, who might also have served religious offices, similar to the Azna Berber priestesses, the kahina. The hero would kill the snake Sarki, who was worshipped by the population. If we hypothesize that the cult of Sarki was part of the belief system of pre-Bayajidda Daura, and was used by the rulers as a tool of legitimacy through the control of water supplies, then Bayajidda shattered this belief system by killing the Sarki and denting the prestige of Magajiya Daurama.

Bayajidda may have shattered the belief systems but he was not as strong when he came to Daura, as he was when he went to Borno. But the new settlers constituted a strong enough force for Magajiya Daurama, the queen of Daura, to marry Bayajidda, as a way of binding the new settlers to her interests.
But she wasn’t keen on sharing political power, nor her bed, with them. But she gave her servant who did not speak proper Hausa (probably a first-generation slave), Bagwariya, to Bayajidda as bedwarmer. A child would be born of this union, named enigmatically Karba gari/Karap-da-Gari /Munkarbigari(meaning The Taker of Cities/We have taken the city).

The idea is that the union of Bayajidda and Bagwariya, beyond being the union between a settler warrior and a slave woman, was also the union between the new settlers and the talakawa/lower classes. The evocative name Karbagari could be read as an attempt by the settlers and the commoners, to overthrow the ruling class in Daura. Hence the fear of Magajiya Daurama when she heard of the name of the child, and her sudden willingness to share her bed (and her power) with Bayajidda.

The child of Bayajidda and Daurama was named Bawo/Bawo Gari (Give it back/Give the city back). Does the name Bawo means that the Hausa were first chased through an alliance between Settlers/commoners? Or is it just evocative of the dent to their legitimacy through Bayajidda’s actions?

The epic says that when they grew up, Karbagari drove people away from his younger half-brother Bawo Gari, but another interesting episode says that Bawo prevented his half-brother from sitting next to him, hence stressing his pre-eminence compared to him. This episode could be read as the ruling class through Magajiya, pushing away the revolutionary zeal of commoners/settlers by launching conquests in Central Nigeria, which would lead to the formation of the Banza Bakwai (Seven Bastards), in order to keep the power of the ruling elite. Except Kebbi and Zamfara, most of the Seven Bakwai (Nupe, Kwararafa/Jukun, Gwari, Yauri/Gurma) comports substantial Niger-Congo language speakers, fundamentally different from the Afro-Asiatic Hausa language. The traditional rulers of Kebbi and Zamfara might have been originally Niger-Congo speakers but became “Hausanized” over time. The fact that even the recent Ilorin emirate is included among the Banza Bakwai strengthens this idea of the “Banza” states, as having originally substantial non-Hausa populations, which came to have Hausa/Fulani rulers through Karbagari (“The taker of cities”).

What do you think? Add layers to the crackpot theory!

Hausa and Banza Bakwai states

Hmm! Nice one op. I dnt knw much abt diz myth, bt i ws thaught abt bayajida nd d origin of hausa (asalin harshen hausa) in jss1 wen i ws at borno. Nw am bk home. Nyc memory

#benue.

I used to dismiss this theory completely but after reading this I'm a bit less skeptical. Beautiful and informative write up as always.

Bayajidda was a real figure not an idealisation or a myth, but he is not the father of Hausas, but his siblings may be credited as the first that paved the way for the creation of Hausa Kingdoms. Though they call him Abu yazid, he was named Bayajidda in Daura which is the corruption of the sentence " Ba ya ji da" ( meaning: The one that is not hearing before) I.e. Not hearing Hausa language.

Hausaland never had female rulers, Only Daura was a matriarchal society in Hausa land, their first 17 rulers (Magajiya/Daurama) were all women and bayajidda came to Daura during the rule of Daurama Shawata, except in the 15th Century when Amina (Queen Amina) ruled zazzau (Zaria).


The Snake SARKI was not worshiped by the people of Daura bc when the Daurama learnt of it's (Sarki) demise she promised half of her Kingdom to whoever prove that he was the one that killed it, if they worshiped it then the one that killed it will be condemned not rewarded.

Daurama was disappointed when she found out that their hero was a foreigner, hence she decided to got married to him rather than offering him half of her domain, and also offering him a Gwari slave girl as a concubine.


To me the issue of Banza Bakwai is a fabricated one by the Hausa supremacist theorists who want us to believe most of Northern/central Nigeria was under the rule of the Hausas since time immemorial. The Hausa Bakwai was real, because grandsons of bayajidda ( sons to Bawo) ruled the following Kingdoms of Hausa Land:
DAURA: Gazaura dan Bawo.

KANO: Bagauda Dan Bawo.

KATSINA: Kumayau dan Bawo.

ZAZZAU: Gunguma dan Bawo.

GOBIR: Duma dan Bawo.

RANO: Zamna-kogi dan Bawo " Autan Bawo" (who was the last born son of Bawo).

GARUN GABAS: They say it was ruled by the son Bayajidda begets with princess Magira daughter of the Kenembu (Borno) King. To me I believe the inclusion of this Kingdom was also another theory of the Hausa supremacists bc if it's true they ought to have named him like the others. Only the above mentioned six kingdoms were reliably ruled by the sons of Bawo, so I think it should be
" Hausa Shida" ( Six Hausa states)

About the Banza Bakwai they say the kingdoms were ruled by the sons born to Karab-da-gari which include:

ZAMFARA
NUPE
KEBBI
GWARI
YAWURI
ILORIN
KWARARRAFA.

But according to a Daura relic an undated book written in Arabic named GIRGAM, the only reliable information is that Karab-da-gari was given a title by Bawo called " Magaji bayamadi " which is among the highest ranks in Daura to date and up to date his descendents are the heirs to the title.The Magaji bayamadi is the custodian of all relics of the Emirate and also provide close body protection to the King/Emir.

Baaballiyo

You sound extremely learned on this issue. Where do you get your sources from?

VomeSchakleton:
Baaballiyo

You sound extremely learned on this issue. Where do you get your sources from?

Alot of sources both written and oral. But with regards to written sources, I always restrict myself to indigenous writters (I don't like those written by Europeans) . So most of the books /papers I read were written in Hausa language or in English by indigenous Hausa/Fulani, some were royal translation of works written in either Arabic or Fulfulde into Ajami. Let me mention few of them
* Hausawa da Maqwabtansu 1 & 2.
* Magajin Bawo.
* Sarkin Ban Kano, Jagora Abin Koyi.
* Sarkin Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero Tarihin rayuwarsa tun daga haihuwa zuwa yau.
* Prince of The times.
* History and Geneology of the Gyanawa. Among others.


For oral sources I have access to them by virtue of being opportuned to share the last few years of the lives of all my four grandparents, including two of my greatgrand parents, also from some very old former slaves. But on this issue the most valuable oral info I gathered is from the reigning "Sarkin Labaran Daura" who is presently the custodian of all royal information of the Daura Emirate, of Katsina State in Nigeria.

Baaballiyo:


Alot of sources both written and oral. But with regards to written sources, I always restrict myself to indigenous writters (I don't like those written by Europeans) . So most of the books /papers I read were written in Hausa language or in English by indigenous Hausa/Fulani, some were royal translation of works written in either Arabic or Fulfulde into Ajami. Let me mention few of them
* Hausawa da Maqwabtansu 1 & 2.
* Magajin Bawo.
* Sarkin Ban Kano, Jagora Abin Koyi.
* Sarkin Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero Tarihin rayuwarsa tun daga haihuwa zuwa yau.
* Prince of The times.
* History and Geneology of the Gyanawa. Among others.


For oral sources I have access to them by virtue of being opportuned to share the last few years of the lives of all my four grandparents, including two of my greatgrand parents, also from some very old former slaves. But on this issue the most valuable oral info I gathered is from the reigning "Sarkin Labaran Daura" who is presently the custodian of all royal information of the Daura Emirate, of Katsina State in Nigeria.

That's pretty cool. Are you from kano state?

Baaballiyo:


Alot of sources both written and oral. But with regards to written sources, I always restrict myself to indigenous writters (I don't like those written by Europeans) . So most of the books /papers I read were written in Hausa language or in English by indigenous Hausa/Fulani, some were royal translation of works written in either Arabic or Fulfulde into Ajami. Let me mention few of them
* Hausawa da Maqwabtansu 1 & 2.
* Magajin Bawo.
* Sarkin Ban Kano, Jagora Abin Koyi.
* Sarkin Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero Tarihin rayuwarsa tun daga haihuwa zuwa yau.
* Prince of The times.
* History and Geneology of the Gyanawa. Among others.


For oral sources I have access to them by virtue of being opportuned to share the last few years of the lives of all my four grandparents, including two of my greatgrand parents, also from some very old former slaves. But on this issue the most valuable oral info I gathered is from the reigning "Sarkin Labaran Daura" who is presently the custodian of all royal information of the Daura Emirate, of Katsina State in Nigeria.

Thank you for your input once again Baaballiyo.
My crackpot theory goes down the drain but you can see the legitimation behind all these foundational myths.
About Bayajidda, the idea is that he might be more symbolic in Hausa history than historic. Bayajidda might have existed (and be Abu Yazid al-Nukkari) in Hausaland's collective memory through the actions of his followers, sons..etc

Are these indigenous sources available on the Internet? In English preferably? How to get them? Seems like late emir Ado Bayero wrote a book about Kano History. I would kill to read it.

VomeSchakleton:


That's pretty cool. Are you from kano state?

Yes.

GorkoSusaay:


Thank you for your input once again Baaballiyo.
My crackpot theory goes down the drain but you can see the legitimation behind all these foundational myths.
About Bayajidda, the idea is that he might be more symbolic in Hausa history than historic. Bayajidda might have existed (and be Abu Yazid al-Nukkari) in Hausaland's collective memory through the actions of his followers, sons..etc

Are these indigenous sources available on the Internet? In English preferably? How to get them? Seems like late emir Ado Bayero wrote a book about Kano History. I would kill to read it.

He (Bayajidda) was SYMBOLIC Indeed.

Unfortunately most of the books were hardcopies written in Hausa language.

Actually the book ( Littafin Tarihin Kano )was first written by Amir Muhammadu Ballu (r.1883-1892)[ not to be confused with Sultan Muhammadu Ballu] but last reviewed and updated by Amir Abdullahi Bayero (r. 1926-1953) [ not Amir Ado Bayero]. The book in not published in whole and circulated, but a copy is kept in the Royal library for reference only by selected few who are given access to the Royal archives.

Baaballiyo:


Yes.

That's great brother, so am I.

VomeSchakleton:

That's great brother, so am I.

Masha Allah, happy to hear that.

.

I think the Hausa banza include Yoruba and not Ilorin. It includes Yoruba, Nupe and etc. Not Ilorin which is just a Yoruba city. We Yoruba too have our account saying all humans are Ife people, no banza or bakwai dichotomy because Ife was the first terrestrial civilization on Earth, prior to Ife, everywhere was under water.

How can the legend/tale say only Ilorin is in "Banza bakwai" and the map proceeds to include almost all Yoruba speaking territory?