Historical evolution of Chikun Local Government

Profile of Chikun Local Government Area

By 

Mr. Rabo Magaji

Brief History of Chikun

Prior to the colonial conquest, the entire area that spans from Kajuru in the South; most parts of what later became known as Niger state such as Galadiman Kogo and Alawa in the west; and areas close to Zaria in the northern part of Kaduna was initially called, “Chikun and environs” or ‘vicinity of Chikun”. Meanwhile, the most developed parts of the former Chikun vicinity were Kurmin Gwari and Kurmin Mashi, which later developed into what is today known as Kaduna Metropolis.

Settlements in the area were well organized with their traditional leaders called “Asu” (kings); the singular is “Osu” (king). Thus, there were chiefs of Kakau, Gwagwada, Kashebo, Kasaya, Gadani, Katarma, Chikun, Kujama, and Kakuri that used to meet from time to time at Gwagwada to deliberate on crucial issues regarding Chikun and its people.

 Indeed, so central was Kurmin Gwari to the Gbagyi heartland that when the colonial administration established itself in the beginning of the last century,  Makera was chosen as the headquarters of both the “Gwari Sub-Division” of the Zaria Province and the subsequent Chikun District.  Precisely, in 1903 the entire Gwari country was grouped into districts, each directly responsible to the resident, a promise being made that they would not be placed under Fulani administration. 

In 1905, the first District Head of Chikun was appointed with office at Makera, Kakuri. Later the office was moved to Gwagwada where the traditional leaders used to meet once in a while to deliberate on sensitive matters. Finally, the District office was brought to Kujama and in 1979, the first indigenous son, Mr. A. A. Fadason was appointed as District Head Chikun with the title Dokajen Zazzau. When also Gwagwada District was created, Mr. Musa Yerima became its District with the title Lifidan Zazzau.    

Creation of Chikun Local Government

Chikun Local Government Council was created in May 1989 from Kachia Local Government Area by General Babangida Administration in its quest to bring government closer to the people. The area had two Districts initially under Zazzau Emirate vis-à-vis Chikun with Headquarters at Kujama and Gwagwada with Headquarters at Nassarawa, but in 2001 Governor Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi Administration created Gbagyi Chiefdom in the area with additional ten Districts. 

The Districts comprise of:

Chikun

Gwagwada

Kujama

Kasaya 

Sabon Gayan

Kakau

Television

Matagyi

  Narayi

     1o. Kunai

     11. Kamazo

     12. Buruku

 Nassarawa

From inception in May 1989 to May, 2016, Chikun Local Government Area has been headed by fifteen Chairmen and Sole Administrators respectively including the incumbent, Hon. Hadiza Yahuza who due to her track record of excellent leadership prowess was appointed in (June 2015 - not sure please) by His Excellency Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

The area has 4,456 square kilometers and it is blessed with fertile land for agriculture as well as a peace loving people, mainly the Gbagyi, Hausa and Fulani as minority as it is found across the state. Other ethnic groups found in the area include among others, Kataf, Bajju, Kagoro, Jaba, Kaninkon, Ikulu, Yoruba, Igbo who are settling in the urbanized areas like Sabon Tasha, Narayi, Romi, Buwaya, Gonin Gora, Mahuta, Mararaban Rido, Nassarawa, Sabon Gari and Kudenda. The people of the area are followers of the two major religions, Christianity and Islam.  

Location

Chikun Local Government shares common boundaries in the North with Igabi and Kaduna North. In the North-Western part, it shares boundaries with Birnin Gwari and Kaduna South Local Government while in the South-Western part, it shares border with Niger State. In the Eastern part, Chikun shares boundaries with Kajuru and Kachia Local Government Areas.

Geology and Geomorphology 

Chikun Local Government Area and the entire adjoining landmass, lies within Basement Complex in the northern part of Nigeria. The rocks of the area are mostly Precambarian in age and have been subjected to several phases of deformation, the latest being the Pan African Orogeny. 

This thermotectonic event has virtually obliterated the imprints of earlier events but left its own structural earmarks, which include: filing, fracturing, shearing, granitic emplacement and granitisation. The Migmatic - Gneiss Complex which underlies most of the Kaduna - Zaria area and typifies the area of investigation is characterized by spectacular exposure of well defined Migmatite around Kudenda, Kakau, Sabon Tasha, Kabala east and west areas in Kaduna metropolis. 

These materials are usually liable to form aquitard and permeable zones to the bedrocks in the country rocks of the area. Associated with the crystalline rocks is the presence of structures like fractures, fissures, veins, joint and such other structural deformations of the basement complex which controls the flow of ground water and also influence the rate of recharge and discharge of the main aquiferous units. 

The dominant topographic feature is the alluvial Plain of the small tributaries of river Kaduna which dot the area and stretches across and up to rivers Kudenda and Romi on the northern flank. These alluvial plains gently rise into the consolidated lateritic hills and inselbergs found around the Nassarawa and Kudenda village axes. The Vegetation of the area is of the typical Guinea Savannah type, which has a characteristic mean annual temperature of 29o C and means annual rainfall of 300mm.  The dominant River Kaduna controls the course of most of the rivers and streams in this area.