Faskari - History

History

Many are the myths and legend relate to the emergence of Faskari in all, it is accepted that its origin came from famous Arab migrate " Gido" and "Wari" on transient from Alkalawa (Gobir) to Zaria who came and settled among the Mafaskara meaning the Firewood Choppers people who were then into paganism practices. Faskari town also called "Ta Dan Yabani" by the locals suggests it dates back to 1778. It was later built into a more civilized community by one of the descendants of Kaura Kuren Gumaru, during the reign of the Emir of Katsina, Muhammed Bello 1844-1886.

Faskari became a LGA in May 1989, carved out of Funtua Local Government Area; the area is located in the south-west of Katsina state, with Faskari town as the headquarters, it is bounded by Funtua LGA to the east, Chafe LGA Zamfara State to the west, Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State at the north and Sabuwa LGA to the south.

The local government area comprises two District areas;. Faskari and Maruwa Districts with many village areas.

The historical settlement of Faskari is like any other settlement. Migration and movement of people from different locations in search of green postures, security water and alike, usually results to the settlement of people in one place. In the early stage of settlement in the area, the rulers came across such experiences of hurdles, hardships, battles and raid for slave capture and consequently they survived all due to the existence of great worries at the early age who excelled in battle field and thus it pave way to the formation of smaller formidable kingdoms which later on developed into villages and towns, among these places where Bilbis, Yarmalamai. Tsafe, Sauri, Zagami, Ruwan Godiya, Tafoki, Daudawa, Nasarawa, Yankara, Fankama, Maigora, Mechika, Sabon Layi, Birnin Kogo and Faskari. All these were settlement that later on developed to what they are currently.

In essence, feeling of safety and security encouraged people to migrate to the area under the leadership of two smaller kingdoms which the history of Faskari could not be complete without them, particularly in their great contributions, strategies and diplomacy during the period, the two settlements were that of Birnin Kogo and that of Faskari long before the coming of the colonial masters (Europeans). These two settlements were under the territorial control of Katsina from time immemorial precisely under the supervision of Galadnci. The leadership of Birnin Kogo were Barebari, while that of Faskari were of Gobir Origin. At the early stage the two settlements were separate entities, neighbouring one another on territorial lands. It was at a later period of their existence that the two were merged and formed a District for Conveniences and smooth running administratively to Katsina Central.

Initially the Faskari ruling class were first approached and pin-pointed for the District head (During the reign of Faskari Abu and Kogo Ummaru) but later on they declined the offer in favour of “Kogawa” as a result of chain of intermarriages between the Beri-Beri and the Gabirawa. After such an arrangements Faskari became the headquarters of the district area. Going by the history, Birnin Kogo was founded by Wanke Dan Jatau in 1848 during the reign of Sarkin Katsina Muhammed Bello. Among the notable rulers of Kogo Kingdom were Kogo Muhammadu Yamaman, Kogo Ali, Kogo Umar, Kogo Musa II, Kogo Abdu and Kogo Ibrahim. The death of Kogo Ibrahim and ascension of a new ruling family of the fulani brought about the change of the District head's title to Sarkin Yamma in 1975.

The first to be appointed with the new titles was Sarkin Yamma Alhaji Saidu (father of the present District head) before his appointment as the Sarkin Yamma he was the Village head of Maigora. The current Sarkin Yamma Alhaji Muhammadu Tukur Saidu succeeded his father in 1986.

The other settlement of Gobir Origin (Gobirawa) in Faskari was founded few years after the fall/decline of Gobir empire in 1804 when the capital of the empire, Alkalawa was destroyed which let to the dispersing of the ruling families to Sabon-Birmi, Issa, Tsibiri, Ilorin, Faskari, etc. It happened that Muhammadu Gido, a descendant of Bawa Jangwarzo and his son Danyanbani moved Southward until they arrived at the old Faskari on their way to Zazzau. They made a stop over to allow the normalization of the swelling legs of young Danyabani. It was at that spot the ancestors of Danboka (Manguzawa on the rocks) who came around the place from Daura are happened to locate Muhammadu Gido and offered him assistance in feeding his horses and urged him to stay with them. He accepted the offer and later inquired about the nature of their environment.

During the short stay Muhammadu Gido prayed and made his famous remarks that they would stay around to form a formidable community living in terms of security, social assembly, for supply and achievable to others. (Mu Faskara anan) That is indeed the originality of the name Faskari. Within a short period of time with such happening people started coming to stay from different places and continued to increase under the leadership of Muhammadu Gido. In the course of this development Muhammadu Gido decided to continue with his mission to Zazzau, leaving the rest of the people behind.

On reaching Zazzau, Muhammadu Gido was received by the Emir who took him closer and even appointed him as a councilor to the emirate. On request of Muhammed Gido the Emir of Zazzau gave him a land Northward where a new settlement was established “Giwa”. At a later period a delegation came from Faskari seeking for Muhammadu Gido’s return, but was decline until later time, this was how Danyabani resumed another leadership of Faskari community, and his descendants continued succeeding one another up to date. The present village head of Faskari is the 15th in the line of succession. The town is epithetically described as “FASKARI TA DANYABANI TABA MAISHIGA ZUCCI”(literally, Faskari of Danyabani, the Cigaratte that dominates the heart of smokers; meaning the more they see it the more they smoke) it means that the more you live in Faskari town the longer you would wish to stay. In a nut shell, Faskari local government was created out of the then Funtua local Government on 15 May 1989 by the administration of President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. The local government area comprises 2 District area i.e. Faskari and Maruwa Districts with many village areas. The local government area covers land area of square kilometers it borders Birin Gwari Kaduna State in the south, Tsafe Zamfara state in the west, Kankara and Bakori in the North and in the West.