Dambazawa

Dambazawa

The 7th Leader of the Dambazawa Fulani Clan; Alh.Muhammad Adananu Ba-Dambaje (r.1942–1954)
Regions with significant populations
Northern Nigeria
Languages
Fulfulde Foreign Languages: English, Hausa, Arabic
Religion
Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Fulani, Jobawa, Sullubawa, Yolawa, Mundubawa, Danejawa, Zarawa, Yarimawa.

The Dambazawa (or Danbazawa) are a Fulani clan residing mainly in Kano state of Nigeria. They were among the key promoters, planners and executors of the Fulani Jihad in Kano, which took place between 1804 and 1807 under the banner of Shehu Usuman dan Fodiyo. They were also said to be the top financiers of the jihad in Kano by virtue of their being an extremely wealthy Fulani clan at the time of the jihad. Fulani Clans that participated in the Jihad in Kano apart from the Dambazawa include; Mundubawa, Jobawa, Yolawa, Sullubawa, Danejawa and others, including a contingent of the local Hausa people lead by Malam Usuman bahaushe. Together this group formed a formidable force that made jihad in Kano and toppled the Kutumbawa dynasty of 158 years; under its last and final ruler Muhammad Alwali dan Yaji dan Dadi bakutumbe (reign: 1781-1806).

The origin of the Dambazawa is as unclear as that of the Fulani race itself, but sources within the clan believe the clan to be of a Dayebe Fulani group. It was at the time of Sundiata Keita (c. 1217–1255 A.D.) the Fulbe of that era started adopting surnames that conformed to their socioeconomic groups. During that era, the socioeconomic group of a Pullo can easily be identified by considering his/her surname. It was not clear how this process came to be, but it is true that all Fulbe belong to one of four tribes; The Ururbe (Ba, Diakite), Dialloube (Diallo), Ferrobe (Sow) and Dayebe (Barry, Sangare). The ‘Ba' are considered to be a warrior group, the Diallo's geniuses, the Sow's guardians of the temple and were known to be religious and the Barry were the nobility group of the Fulbe.

The Dambazawa clan believe they migrated from Futa Tooro in what is now Senegal, with their whole clan consisting of their Leaders, Clerics, peasants and vocation castes (leyyi) that included; Jaawamɓe (courtesans/advisers), Maabuɓe(weavers), Wayilɓe Baleeɓe /sayakooɓe (blacksmiths/goldsmiths), Buurnaaɓe (ceramists), Sakkeeɓe (Tanners), Lewɓe (woodworkers), Awluɓe (Laudators), Wambaaɓe (guitarists) and Maccuɓe (slaves). Their sojourn eastward, took them through Republics of Mali, Niger, Chad and Cameroun. Their migratory drift was characterized by settling in an area for months or years before moving on as they rare their cattle, transact businesses, gain and dissipate Islamic knowledge in areas they settled or passed through. For over two centuries they kept roaming until they arrived the Kanem Empire (Borno-Nigeria) and settled there for a long time. By early 16th century they left Borno and settled for a while in "Damban" (a place in present Bauchi, Nigeria), from Damban they moved to Gasakoli (a place in Jigawa, Nigeria), then to an area in what was then eastern part of Kano Kingdom, they lived in that area for a while (the area is today called Dambazau in Takai local government area of Kano state). From there, they continued their westward movement avoiding Kano city and settling in an area 13 miles north of Kano city wall, this area is today also called Dambazau. After the fall of Kano city to the Fulani forces in 1806 their nobility, clerics and most of their Jaawando and Maccube moved into the walled city of Kano. In the city they occupy the House of Sarkin Bai; a compound north of the city, behind the city market called; "Jakara", today that compound is also called "Dambazau" within the city wall. After the clan settled permanently in Kano, some of the clan members moved out to other areas, and wherever they settled, they tend to named that area Dambazau.