Below is the Portrait of His Royal Highness
Bugwam Kurmi (Kudaru)
Yakubu Iliya Sauri
Akurmi presently are found in the northern Nigerian states of Kaduna, Bauchi, Borno, Kano, Jigawa and Plateau. 88% of the population of the Akurmi people are Christians.
..The Akurmi people's history/origin can be simply traced to the Middle East (Yemen) long before the birth of Islam. In search of arable land, protective enclaves and, much later, in attempts to avoid Jihad wars, the Akurmi began a long migration process which culminated in their settlement around the Kudaru Hills over 600-700 years ago led by Bugwama Kurderu (King Kurderu). The hill was named after their king and spiritual leader.
Since their exodus from the Middle East, the Akurmi are believed to have settled at various times in present-day Iraq, Egypt, Sudan, and Chad. On reaching present-day Nigeria, the Akurmi is believed to have first settled in present-day Borno State and Kano where they sojourned for 700 and 600 years respectively. From the Kuderu now Kudaru Hills Akurmi descended to various places around the hills, such as present-day Saminaka, Yarkasuwa in Lere local government Area, Pambeguwa in Kubau Local Government Area and some other villages in Kauru Local Government Area, and Pingana of Bassa LGA of Plateau state.
ORIGIN.
However, some scholars think that the claims of Akurmi’s origin by certain quotas, its subsequent attribution to the middle east, as well as its migration pattern through Maiduguri and Kano, is a historical distortion aimed at linking, aligning and subsuming its origin under the officious origin of the Hausa’s. Such an attempt is also targeted at twisting history in favour of certain interests. According to this school of thought, by no linguistic tracing is Tikurmi (Akurmi Man) affiliated with Arabic as in the case of Yemen, Kanuri as in the case of Maiduguri, or Hausa in the case of Kano. While Hausa is classified under the Chadic: West sub-branch A, Kanuri is placed under the Nilo-Sahara language tree and the Akurmi is classified under Benue-Congo (Eastern-Kainji) language, like other groups in Southern Kaduna.
It is on record that the Akurmi has had their informal traditional institution since 1350AD before the formal introduction of the Kurama Chiefdom by the Kaduna State Government in December 2000, after years of agitation. The first Paramount Ruler of the Akurmi nation was HRH. Alh. Tanimu Shu’aibu (Bugwam-Kurama I). He was sworn into office in 2001 from his previous position of District Head Yarkasuwa, Lere Local Government Area. Tanimu Shuaibu was succeeded by the late ruler, HRH Dr Ishaku Sabo Damina, following his demise.
By 1800-the 1900s the Akurmi people had already evolved a distinct administrative structure. The Haru-Kura (Heads of Households), Haru-Ungwa (Village Heads), Agwama (Chiefs), that is Bugwan Akurmi and Bugwam Uchimtu were the socio-political and religious leaders respectively. Later, an office of Iyan Kurama was created which was intended to give the Akurmi people status of recognition by the colonial authority, the Zazzau emirate thwarted it and a Hausa/Fulani was appointed to administer a people whom he knew nothing about their social structure or religious beliefs. From the aforementioned, we can begin to trace the roots of the numerical and historical distortion of the Akurmi people from the Hausa/Fulani emirate of Zazzau.
HISTORICAL PIONEERS
The following are the names of kings that pioneer the journey of the Akurmi people: Bugwama Kurderu, Bugwama Dagaza, Bugwama Ucharau Chukka, Bugwama Shawiya, Bugwama Shagiya, and Bugwama Maigamo.
The Akurmi people are known to spread across four states, six Local Government Areas, nine Chiefdoms/Emirates and many Districts. In Lere Local Government of Kaduna State, there are currently seven Akurmi Districts in Yarkasuwa and Kayarda Wards of Kurama Chiefdom; three Akurmi Districts in Piriga Chiefdom (Garun-Kurama, Luwana and Gurza); and Abadawa District in Saminaka Chiefdom. In addition, Kaku District in Kumana Chiefdom, Kauru Local Government Area and many villages in Kubau Local Government Area (Zazzau Emirate), both of Kaduna State also have a dominant Akurmi population.
The concentration and spread of the Akurmi communities to Doguwa Local Government Area of Kano State (Kano Emirate) where at one time or the other an Akurmi Executive Council Chairman had emerged. In the same vein, the Akurmi people are presently holding numerous titles as village heads at Tidere town of Jingre Pingina Chiefdom in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State. The Akurmi can also be found in parts of Bauchi State, particularly Ningi.
One archaeological evidence recently used by the Akurmi to back their long history of settlement around present locations is a 700 years old cultural relic. This wonder of civilization and share intelligence is about a ban up in a cave used by the Akurmi people about 700 miles years ago.
ECONOMY.
There is only one major economic activity often associated with the Akurmi man – farming. Upanga was Akurmi's storage facility from the beginning of time till date. Other subsidiary engagements may include the following: blacksmith; crafts such as wooden sculptures, the production of local mats, brooms and thatched grasses; livestock rearing and animal husbandry; pottery, fishing etc.
RELIGION
The vast majority of the Akurmi people profess Christianity as their religion; others practice Islam and traditional beliefs. In the olden days, the traditional Akurmi High Priest (Umurum) was so feared and respected that people always run for cover at the mention of his name. He was known to protect the Akurmi from witchcraft, diseases and pestilence, and even bring rain or stop it from falling if it will spoil farm produce. Other well-known oracles in Akurmi tradition include Uware Kaka, Maman Jura and Jarama.
AKURMI NAMES OF VILLAGES THAT CHANGED FROM THEIR INITIAL.
Some existed Akurmi name of villages which changed from its initial name to another due to interrelations and civilizations by the European missionaries. Names of people too changed from its source to another all because of civilizations.
Examples of the names are Gnyangu to Yango, Chimba to Kimba, kudu to Kudaru, Gnyanne to Yani, Inniaka to Malaika etc.
The example of villages that changed from its initial to another are
INITIAL CHANGES
Harumara Anguwan Damina
Harumara Marmara
Harubuga Abuga
Kadiri Kadere
Kaffannua Kappanua
Kuderu Kudaru
Sabon gari kuderu Yarkasuwa
Agana Buduku Sabon Kaura
Ligada Rigada
Mbaba Abadawa
Megamu Maigamo
Nhanga Mahanga
Njatse Anguwan Mai Dutse
Nkwarga Yadin Garu
Udange Babban Fadama
Ugware Goron Dutse
Prada Unguwan Hayatu
Nbukka/Uchimsa Ukissa
Ubuntu Bundu
Ushearo Ashima
Unnazeh Dan Alhaji
Ukurfi Kurfi
Wofunba Woba
Etc.
NAME OF THE FOUR CARDINAL POINTS
North. =Nizume
South. =Nimoh
East. =Nzuah
West. =Ndah
SEASONS
The summer season is called Bikwagga
The Winter season is called Usama
The rainy season called Nbare
The dry season is called Nominee
GALAXY
Supergiant called “Birai Bu piye”
Bright giants they were called “Rikiriki”
Giants they were called “Tanibinan”
Dwarfs’ known as “Asatru wizua”
CHANGES
The evolution of Lere at 1976 was predominantly Akurmi inhabited home; it recorded with the name SAMINAKA local government not Lere, till 1994 later changed to Lere local government by Gov. Mohammed Dabo Lere, the changes recorded was never a product of democratic process or referendum as enshrine in the Nigerian constitution, but a product of opportunistic act driven by selfish desire akin to military dictatorship, it was also recorded that the change of name SAMINAKA to Lere local government, was never done in the interest of political, and economic prosperity, but was the handwork of individuals who are myopic thinking and share demonstration of opportunism, who used their connections under the military fashioned democracy at that time to smuggle the name Lere into the Nigerian constitution, a gross violation of democratic process, principle of fairness, equity and justice, thereby denying the good people of SAMINAKA LOCAL GOVERNMENT the opportunity to express their constitutional rights and or, to make inputs in a form of referendum.
It is on record that Akurmi (Kurama) in Saminaka, capital of Lere local government, constitute the largest indigenous Ethnic nationality. The various census documents from colonial administrations, up to the creation of SAMINAKA LOCAL GOVERNMENT in 1976, and other population exercises remain valid.
After the 1914 changes, there were no changes again till 2003 where some part of Akurmi people that are presently living from the eastern (E) part of Kaduna state now in kano state where they were in Lere local government, to the Northern (N) hemisphere of Lere where some group of Akurmi were scattered to Kubau local government, to the south (S), some groups were taken to Bassa of Plateau state.
Then to the south-southeast (SSE) part of Lere, some groups were taken to Nauru local government
This was because of power control because the Akurmi people are united people whom they stick to one voice of power control, so if they are not scattered by anyone no Hausa man will ever test power from Akurmi people.
According to tradition, the mythical ancestors, the Akurmi people migrated from Baghdad in the tenth century AD, settled at the Bornu Kingdom (Kanem) spending 600 years, after some forces of both communal and inter-tribal were and Jihads, they sojourn to Kano state, they first settled at Dala and Kasuwan Kurmi and Doguwa all in Kano state, from there, they spent over 300 years there before they left.
Akurmi people were the first settlers in Kano state, then after some Gwagi and Jukuns came and meet the Akurmi people in Kano state.
The Akurmi people were given so many names because of the active strength and so many involvements, names like; Akurumi, meaning, forest people, Azumo, meaning, they are the first people to be seen with iron ores in Northern Nigeria, B`gwama, meaning, King, for their good leadership, meaning, they are the people that specialised living in the claves, claves became their hiding place for them. Kurama, meaning, they don’t tolerate nonsense they can give you back your nonsense and so many names given to the Akurmi people in the journey of time.
The Akurmi people took off from Kano to some other parts was as a result of Jihadist attacks from Islamic prone, and the Akurmi man could not succumb to Islamic Religion, he sees the Islamic religion as a practice that will spoil his cultural practices and he fled for not allowing his culture to be contaminated and mixed with other cultural ethics. The group of jihadists that attacked the Akurmi consistently are from Daura of Katsina state and other attackers from Ningi/Ningawa people of Bauchi state.
As they fled, groups scattered all over the country, historically, the Kudaru hills took the highest living on it as the remnants still exist over there till today.
The Kudaru mountains from 2000 to 3000 metres above sea level, the name Kudaru was derived from their spiritual leader Kuderu, later the name changed the phonemes from Kuderu to Kudaru.
Historically, Akurmi came to Saminaka in 1300, when there was nobody or no life existed on it, after journeys from one place to another and spreading all over the country, at last Saminaka remained the only home of any Bukurmi man or Bukurmi woman. Some bigots were trying to distort the history of Saminaka and Akurmi people at large, nothing will ever change.
The Lerawa known as Lauren Mata came to Lere in 1700AD, they came to look for greener pasture from Akurmi people, the Akurmi people accommodated them, sheltered Them.
I believe the Fulani of Lere could not trace their history because they are too ignorant and illiterates to know their roots and the fact about their origin, because some of them, some will tell you they originated from Kenya, some will tell you that, they are Mali and others will tell you that, they came from Saudiya, no standard record about the origin of Lere Fulani who settled at Lere of SAMINAKA..
After the demise of the our paramount ruler by the name of Dr ishaku Damina in 2021, a man of Honour, a visionary leader per excellence, a distinguished personality, a successful businessman, a career politician assumed the office/throne of the paramount ruler of the akurmi people by the name of Bugwam Kurmi, Yakubu Iliya Sauri His Royal Highness. From then, it has been brighter and brighter and brighter to the glory of God.
God bless the Akurmi nation
NOTE: This stands to be corrected as it is all in a bit to articulate the history of our people.
What an indepth knowledge of where/what Akurmi nation was, is and to become to the glory of God. You did absolutely well MOG, I have stored up this in my archive for future reference Sir. This is apt MOG. Weldon Sir.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you Sir
DeleteThanks plenty.
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