The Lapai Emirate, today in

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of G ...

, is a traditional state that lies near the Gurara River, a tributary to the

Niger River The Niger River ( ; ) is the main river of West Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in south-eastern Guinea near the Sierra Leone border. It runs in a crescent shape through Mali ...

, formerly originally inhabited where

Gbari People Gbagyi or Gbari (plural - Agbagyi/Agbari) is the name and the language of Gbagyi/Gbari ethnic group who are predominantly found in Central Nigeria, with a population of about 1 million people. Members of the ethnic group speak two dialects. While ...

, and presently came under the power of Nupe people, covering roughly the same area as the modern Lapai local government area. In the 1790s the

Nupe Kingdom The Bida Emirate is a traditional state in Nigeria, a successor to the old Nupe Kingdom, with its headquarters in Bida, Niger State. The head of the state is the Etsu Nupe, considered the leader of the Nupe people. History The old Nupe Kingdom ...

was a rising power in the region and had taken Lapai from

Oyo Oyo can refer to: Places Nigeria * Oyo Empire, a former Yoruba state that covered parts of Nigeria and Benin, or the capital city * Oyo State, a present-day state of Nigeria named after the Oyo Empire * Oyo, Oyo State, a city founded in the 18 ...

. However, with the onslaught of the

Fulani Jihad The Fulani War of 1804–1808, also known as the Fulani Jihad or Jihad of Usman dan Fodio, was a military conflict in present-day Nigeria and Cameroon. The war began when Usman Dan Fodiyo, a prominent Islamic scholar and teacher, was exiled ...

their lands, including Lapai, were conquered by the Sokoto Caliphate. The people of the region became subject to the Hausa kingdom of

Zazzau The Zazzau, also known as the Zaria Emirate, is a traditional state with headquarters in the city of Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. The current emir of Zazzau is Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli who succeeded the former emir, late Alhaji Shehu Idris. Ea ...

. After 1804 they came under the

Fulani The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people ( ff, Fulɓe, ; french: Peul, links=no; ha, Fulani or Hilani; pt, Fula, links=no; wo, Pël; bm, Fulaw) are one of the largest ethnic groups in the Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. ...

emirate of

Zaria Zaria is a metropolitan city in Nigeria which at the present time lies within four (4) local government areas in Kaduna state; it happens to be the capital city to the Zazzau Emirate Council, and one of the original seven Hausa city-states ...

, part of the realm of the emir of

Gwandu Gwandu, also called Gando, is a town and emirate in Kebbi State, Nigeria. The seat of government for the emirate and district of this name is in Birnin Kebbi, which is the capital of Kebbi State and was capital of the historical Kingdom of ...

. The Lapai emirate was separated from the emirates of

and Agaie in 1825. The emirate was founded in 1828 when Mallam Baba sent his Lieutenant Daudu Muza to subjugate the area. Daudu was successful, but kept the land for himself. The emirate remained a tributary to the

emirate until 1903, when the British took control.

Rulers

The emirate remains in existence, although it was subject first to British colonial rule and later to civilian or military rule of the independent state of Nigeria. Emirs were: * Da'udu Maza dan Jaura (1825 - 1832) * Yamuza dan Jaura (1832 - 1835) * Baji dan Jaura (1835 - 1838) * Jantabu dan Jaura (1838 - 1874) * `Atiqu dan Jantabu (1874 - 1875) * Bawa dan Jantabu (1875 - 1893) * `Abd al-Qadiri dan (1893 - 1907) * Ibrahim dan Jantabu (1907 - 1923) * `Aliyu Gana dan `Abd al-Qadiri (1923 - Apr 1937) * `Umaru dan Ibrahim (1937 - Nov 1954) * Muhammadu Kobo dan `Aliyu Gana (1954 - 13 Jun 2002) * Umaru Bago Tafida (10 Aug 2002)

References

{{Nigerian traditional states Sokoto Caliphate Niger State 19th century in Africa Nigerian traditional states Emirates Nupe