Abuja Emirate

Origins

When Fulani jihadists took Zaria in 1808, the Hausa ruler of the Kingdom of Zazzau, Muhammadu Makau, fled south with his followers to Zuba. After his death his brother Abu Ja, also called Jatau, founded a new walled town around 1828, which took his name, Abuja, and became the capital of the exiled dynasty.

Rule and society

Abuja kept the titles and court ceremonial of old Zazzau and remained outside the Sokoto Caliphate, repelling attacks from the Zaria Emirate and other Fulani forces. Its rulers were Muslims, but they governed a mixed population of Hausa and Gbagyi farmers. The town became known for crafts such as weaving, pottery and metalwork, and for trade along the routes to the Niger.

Decline and legacy

British forces brought Abuja under the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria in 1902, and its emir kept his title. In 1976, when the new federal capital was given the name Abuja, the old town was renamed Suleja.