Sultanate of Gobir
Capital	Asben (1150–1450) Birnin Lalle (1450–1600) Maigali Goran Rami (1685–1756) Alkalawa (1756–1808)
Common languages	Hausa Tamazight Fulfulde Arabic
Religion	Sunni Islam Hausa animism
Demonym(s)	singular: Bagobiri plural: Gobirawa
Government	Sarauta
Sarki
• 12th-century (at Asben)	Ubandoro II (first)
• 1801–1808	Yunfa (last)
Establishment
• First capital established	1150
• Founding of Birnin Lalle	15th century
• Founding of Goran Rami	18th century
• Declaration of Uthman's jihad	21 February 1804
• Fall of Alkalawa	3 October 1808
Succeeded by Sokoto Caliphate
Today part of	Niger Nigeria

Gobir (Demonym:Gobirawa) was atraditional state in what is nowNigeria. Founded by theHausa in the 12th century, Gobir was one of the seven original kingdoms ofHausaland, and continued under Hausa rule for nearly 700 years. Its capital was the city ofAlkalawa. In the early 19th century elements of the ruling dynasty fled north to what is todayNiger from which a rival dynasty developed ruling as Sarkin Gobir (Sultan of Gobir) atTibiri. In 1975 a reunited traditional sultanate took up residence inSabon Birni,Nigeria.

According to records preserved by the Gobir ruling house, they trace their descent from the nomadicCopts (or Kibdawa) ofArabia. They are said to have migrated from Kabila, north ofMecca, to Gubur inYemen, where they established their first king (Sarkin Gobir), Bana Turmi. From there, they passed throughKhartoum andBornu toAsben, Surukul,Birnin Lalle, Magali, and finally Goran Rami.^{[1]: 367–368}

HistoriansS. J. Hogben andA. H. M. Kirk-Greene noted that this claim is disputed by some and might have been an invention ofBawa Jan Gwarzo (r. 1777–1795) to avoid paying tribute (murgu) to Bornu.^[1]: 368 British historianMurray Last observes that Egyptian merchants before the 15th century seem to have given the Asben region theCoptic name 'Gubir'. He also points out that the Coptic word forhenna iskouper, and it may not be a coincidence that the one time Gobir capital is named Birnin Lalle ('city of henna').^[2] The documentKitab Asi Sultanati Ahyar I ("Chronicle of theSultanate of Ayr I") mentions the Gobirawa as having migrated out ofAgadez (Ayr).^{[3]: 26–27}

A manuscript in the possession of thealkali (chief judge) ofSabon Birni sheds more light on the tradition. According to this manuscript,Muhammad, theIslamic prophet, called on Bana Turmi to support him against his enemy Haibura. Wanting to be on the winning side, Bana Turmi sent half of his retainers to support Muhammad and the other half to Haibura. Haibura lost the battle and was slain atBadr.^{[1]: 368 [4]}

After the battle, Muhammad saw a group of Gobirawa fleeing and ordered them to be captured. When they were brought before him, he asked why they had fled, as victory was theirs. They revealed that they had been fighting for Haibura, exposing Bana Turmi's duplicity. Muhammad then declared that the Gobirawa would suffer from divided counsel and internal dissension until the end of time.^{[1]: 368 [4]}

Bana Turmi then led the Gobirawa out of Yemen and died at the salt wells ofBilma. His grandson, Bala, then led the Gobirawa further west into the land of Asben, where they aligned with the Idirfunawa of theAdrar against theTuaregs.^[1]: 368

According to historianBoubé Gado [de], some claim that Bana Turmi, whose actual name is Bawo na Turmi, was the son of Bawo and the grandson ofBayajidda. This connects the Gobir tradition with the more well known Bayajidda legend ofDaura.^[4][5]

Gobir was one of the seven original kingdoms ofHausaland, tracing a lineage back to the 11th century. It was the northernmost of theHausa states and was depended on to protect its sister states from northern adversaries, particularly the Tuareg tribes. From its founding, Gobir had a proud martial reputation, likely stemming from its long history of nomadism.^{[1]: 368 [6]}Although the majority of the Gobirawa ('people of Gobir') were Hausa, the ruling dynasty claimed Coptic descent, marking under their eyes with "the same mark found under the eye of the Pharaohs on the monuments," calledtakin kaza ('the fowl's footprint') inHausa. This ruling house descended from Bana Turmi, the first Sarkin Gobir, who died at Bilma. They arrived in theAsben region between the 12th and 14th centuries, establishing a state with theIdirfunawa (Hausawa inAdrar) they met there.^{[1]: 369 [7]}

By the 15th century, Gobir had 'many villages inhabited by shepherds and other herdsmen,' according toLeo Africanus. It utilised its large number of artisans and linen weavers to produce and export textiles and shoes, 'made like those of theancient Romans,' as far asTimbuktu andGao throughWangara traders. However, due to constant pressure from theTuaregs, its economy suffered, and the Gobirawa were forced to move southwards. The Tuaregs had established theSultanate of Agadez earlier in the century, replacing Gobir as the dominant power in the Aïr mountains.^[8][6]

After fleeing Asben, the Gobirawa first moved to Maigali and later to Goran Rami, near present-daySabon Birni. In the early 18th century, they moved their capital toBirnin Lalle. According to the German geographerHeinrich Barth, who explored the region in the mid 19th century, after their conquest, the Gobirawa agreed with the Tuaregs that they would not be exterminated and that Tuareg kings should always marry a black woman.^{[1]: 369 [8]}

Around 1715, together with Agadez, Gobir aidedZamfara in its successful revolt againstKebbi, which at the time was the dominant power in western Hausaland. This alliance strengthened the relationship between the Gobirawa and the Zamfarawa. The Gobirawa continued to move peacefully into the fertile Zamfara region, a process that began early in the 18th century. The rulers of Zamfara initially welcomed them as useful warriors and granted them farms. However, the relationship soon deteriorated after Sarkin Gobir Soba besiegedZabarma for three years, plundering on a large scale.^[1]

Afterward, Soba led his forces across the Niger River to ravageGurma. They continued the campaign as far south asIlorin inYorubaland. Some of the Gobirawa remained in Ilorin, eventually settling there permanently. The Gobirawa community continued to thrive in Ilorin, leading to a close relationship between the Yoruba and the Gobirawa. Today, they are represented in theIlorin Emirate Council by the Sarkin Gobir of Ilorin.^[1][9]

Soba resumed his wars in the mid-18th century, attacking a former ally,Katsina. While the Gobirawa were engaged in a seven-year siege against the Katsina city ofMaradi, Agadez descended upon Goran Rami, the capital of Gobir. The Zamfarawa immediately came to Gobir's aid, secretly surrounding the Agadez forces at night with a fence of thorns before launching an attack.^[1]

Upon his return after the failed siege of Maradi, Soba immediately set out for revenge, sacking the Agadez cities ofManni and Adrar. However, his army eventually grew tired of the incessant campaigning and deserted him. Consequently, he was killed by Agadez forces. His son, Gofe, and his daughter, theMagajiya, both fell while fighting beside their father.^[1]

Soba's successor, Uban Iche (or Ibn Ashe), was murdered by his son, Babari. Babari took the title of sarki and immediately led raids into Katsina,Kano, and Shirra inKatagum. After reigning as Sarkin Gobir for 15 years, he began a series of attacks on Zamfara, despite his sister Fara's marriage to Sarkin Zamfara Maroki. The Zamfarawa fiercely defended against these attacks. However, they eventually abandoned their sarki due to his constant taunting whenever they failed to finish off the Gobirawa. Consequently, the Gobirawa ravagedBirnin Zamfara, the capital of Zamfara, with little resistance. Maroki fled toKiawa, an ancient hill fortress inhabited by Katsinawa, located about twenty miles east ofKaura Namoda.^[1]

According to Barth, a 'reliable source' informed him that the destruction of Birnin Zamfara happened around 1756, ninety-seven years before his arrival in Hausaland in 1853.^[1][10] Other sources claim that the capital was destroyed in 1762.^[11][12][13]

Babari then established a new capital on the banks of theGulbin Rima River. He called this new walled townAlkalawa because it was built on the official farmlands (gandu) of the Chief Alkali of Zamfara. These farms were originally given to Gobirawa immigrants by Sarkin Zamfara Malu (or Maliki), the father of Sarkin Zamfara Babba (c. 1715).^[1]

Gobir is particularly remembered as the chief opponent ofFulaniIslamic reformerUsman dan Fodio.^[14] Bawa, a ruler of Gobir, appears to have inviteddan Fodio to the area in 1774; dan Fodio made his home in the small town ofDegel, and began preaching. Dan Fodio was given some role in the education of Bawa's nephew and later successor,Yunfa (r. 1803–8), but also publicly attacked what he saw as the abuses of the Hausa elite,^[14] particularly the burden they placed on the poor. SarkiNafata (r. 1797–98) reversed Bawa's tolerant policy, and feared the increase of arms amongst dan Fodio's followers. The next two rulers vacillated between repressive and liberal measures.When Yunfa took the throne in 1803, he soon found himself in conflict with dan Fodio, and after failing to assassinate him, exiled dan Fodio and his followers from Degel. Dan Fodio responded by assembling thenomadic Fulani clans into ajihadist army, beginning theFulani War and eventually establishing theSokoto Caliphate. Despite some initial successes by the forces of Gobir and the other Hausaland states (most notably at theBattle of Tsuntua), dan Fodio managed to conquer the surrounding territory. His forces seized the Gobir capital,Alkalawa, in October 1808, killing Sarki Yunfa. The state was then partially absorbed into Sokoto.

Resistance against the Jihadists was continued in the north-east by Sarkin Ali dan Yakubu and Sarki Mayaki. With the help of the Hausa ruler ofKatsina the latter built a new capital of Gobir inTibiri, 10 km north ofMaradi in 1836. When the Gobir Sultan revolted against theSokoto Caliphate that same year,Sokoto Sultan Muhammed Bello crushed the rebellion at theBattle of Gawakuke.^[15] In presentNiger the old dynasty of the Hausa rulers of Gobir is still continued today. A rival branch of the dynasty has its seat inSabon Birni north ofSokoto inNigeria.

The former Sarkin GobirMuhammadu Bawa ruled in Sabon Birni from 1975 to 2004.

Like most of the states of Hausaland, Gobir practiced thesarauta (kingship) system. The head of state was the sarki, appointed by anelectoral college known as theTaran Gobir ('Gobir nine'). The grand electors had to reach a unanimous decision on a successor, and this electoral college also served as the sarki'scouncil. The sarki exercised authority through three groups of officials: members of the ruling dynasty, public servants, and governors of towns and regions. The highest-ranking titleholder in Gobir, apart from the sarki, was theubandawaki ('commander of the cavalry'), who was responsible for overseeing the army.^[13][16]

The officials of the central government consisted of:^[13]

1. Court dignitaries who managed palace and city affairs, acting as intermediaries between the sarki and regional governments.
2. Guild representatives appointed from skilled craftspeople, such as blacksmiths, weavers, dyers, tanners, masons, butchers, and hunters. They managed relations with various trades and occupations, particularly in collecting state dues.
3. Representatives of indigenous groups within the state.
4. Representatives of immigrant groups, each with designated officials. For example, theSarkin Azbin managed relations with the Tuaregs living in Gobir, while theSarkin Fulani did the same for the Fulbe.
5. Themallamai (Islamic scholars).

Today atTibiri inNiger, a 'rump state' of Gobir still exists, ruled by the pre-jihad aristocracy of Gobir. The head or priest-chief of the animists, known as theSarkin Anna, is considered the 'brother' and, in some sense, the 'equal' of the Sarkin Gobir. According to local tradition, the Sarkin Anna held a similar position in the original Gobir polity.^[17] The Sarkin Anna is also the custodian of the royal regalia of Gobir, which includes a sabre, two bracelets (one gold and one silver), a bow, and a quiver.^[16][18]

Another powerful titleholder in Gobir was theInna, an office typically given to the sarki's sister. She served as the high priestess of theBori cult, representing theTakurabow or Inna Baka ('the Black Inna'), the dynastic goddess of Gobir.^[18][19]

This sections lists the holders of the title ofSarkin Gobir ('lord of Gobir').^{[1]: 415–417} The list is derived from the Sokoto ProvincialGazetteer compiled byP G Harris, a British colonial administrator. Other lists exist, including one byE J Arnett (another colonial official), which was based on a list found at Yankaba (located inNassarawa, Kano). Although there are discrepancies, especially in the earlier names, all known lists agree on Bana Turmi as the first king.: 415–417 

• "Usman dan Fodio."Encyclopædia Britannica Online, accessed September 30, 2005.
• F. Daniel. "Shehu dan Fodio."Journal of the Royal African Society 25.99 (Apr 1926): 278-283.
• Kühme, Walter.Das Königtum von Gobir, Hamburg 2003.
• Boubou Hama.Histoire du Gobir et de Sokoto. Présence africaine (Paris/Dakar), 1967.
• List of rulers of Gobir
• Igba Rumun Vishigh. CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM IN DIALOGUE: NORTHWEST NIGERIA, 1960-1990.^[usurped] University of Jos, Nigeria (1997).
• Muhammad Sharee. Shehu Uthman Dan Fuduye'. Institute of Islamic - African Studies (1999).
• La vie d'une cour de chefferie : le Gobir hier et aujourd'hui. Zeinabou Gaoh, ONEP Maradi,Le Sahel (Niger). 30 October 2009.

• Nigerian traditional states
• Hausa history
• Countries in medieval Africa
• History of Niger
• History of Zamfara State
• History of Kebbi State
• Sokoto State
• History of Nigeria
• Former sultanates
• 1800s disestablishments in Africa
• 12th-century establishments in Africa

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