Sokoto River System

Sokoto (Hausa: ; Fula: , ''Leydi Sokoto'') is one of the 36 states of Nigeria, located in the extreme northwest of the country. It is bounded by Republic of the Niger to the north and west for 363 km (226 miles), and the states of Zamfara to the east, and Kebbi to the south and west, partly across the Ka River. Its capital and largest city is the city of Sokoto. Sokoto is located near to the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River. As of 2022 it has an estimated population of more than 6.3 million.

Being the seat of the former Sokoto Caliphate, the city is predominantly Muslim and an important seat of Islamic learning in Nigeria. The Sultan who heads the caliphate is effectively the spiritual leader of Nigerian Muslims.

Etymology

The name ''Sokoto'' (which is the modern/anglicised version of the local name, ''Sakkwato'') is of Arabic origin, representing suk, "market". It is also known as ''Sakkwato, Birnin Shaihu da Bello'' or "Sokoto, Capital of Shaihu and Bello".

History

Since its creation as a state in 1976 (from the bifurcation of the erstwhile North-Western State (Map) into Sokoto and Niger States, Sokoto state has been ruled by governors, most ex-military officers, who succeeded each another at short intervals.

Sokoto, as a region, knows a longer history. During the reign of the Fulani Empire in the 19th century Sokoto was an important Fula state, in addition to being a city, of what was then west central Nigeria.

From ca. 1900, with the British take-over, Sokoto, which then encompassed the entire north-west corner of Nigeria, became a province of the British protectorate of Nigeria. Not long after Gando was added as a sub-province. This double province then covered an area of with an estimated population over 500,000. It included the then Zamfara and Argungu, or Kebbi, kingdoms.

The following excerpt from the 1911 ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' offers some information from the perspective of the occupying British power:

In 1967, not long after Nigeria's independence from the British, the region became known as the Northwestern State. This territory was, in 1976, split into Sokoto State and Niger State. Later on, Kebbi State (1991) and Zamfara State (1996) split off from Sokoto State.

Demographics

Sokoto State is mainly populated by Hausa people. with Gobirawa found in Gobir and Isa LGA. Most Sokoto State residents are Sunni Muslims, with a Shia minority; violence between the two groups is uncommon. Over 80% of people living in the state practice agriculture.

Languages

Hausa and Fulfulde are dominant. The Kainji language Ut-Ma'in is also spoken in Kebbe LGA and the Kainji language Kamuku is also spoken in Sokoto LGA. Minorities speak other languages such as Zarma and Tuareg.

Languages of Sokoto State listed by LGA:

Geography

Sokoto State is in the dry Sahel, surrounded by sandy savannah and isolated hills.

With an annual average temperature of , Sokoto is, on the whole, a very hot area. However, maximum daytime temperatures are for most of the year generally under and the dryness makes the heat bearable. The warmest months are February to April when daytime temperatures can exceed . The rainy season is from June to October during which showers are a daily occurrence. The showers rarely last long and are a far cry from the regular torrential rain known in wet tropical regions. From late October to February, during the ''cold season'', the climate is dominated by the Harmattan wind blowing Sahara dust over the land. The dust dims the sunlight thereby lowering temperatures significantly and also leading to the inconvenience of dust everywhere in houses.

The region's lifeline for growing crops is the floodplains of the Sokoto-Rima river system (see Sokoto River), which are covered with rich alluvial soil. For the rest, the general dryness of the region allows for few crops, millet perhaps being the most abundant, complemented by rice, corn, other cereals and beans. Apart from tomatoes few vegetables grow in the region.

Cities and villages

Local Government Areas

Sokoto State consists of twenty-three (23) Local Government Areas. They are:

* Binji
* Bodinga
* Dange Shuni
* Gada
*Goronyo
*Gudu
*Gwadabawa
* Illela
* Isa
* Kebbe
* Kware
* Rabah
* Sabon Birni
* Shagari
* Silame
* Sokoto North
* Sokoto South
*Tambuwal
* Tangaza
* Tureta
* Wamako
* Wurno
* Yabo

Education

Tertiary institutions in Sokoto State include:
* Shehu Shagari College of Education
* Sokoto State University

College of Nursing Sciences, Tambuwal

Northwest University Sokoto

Shehu shagari University of Education
Sokoto

Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic
Sokoto
* Usman Danfodio University
* Iconic University

Economy

Agriculture is the most important economic sector. It employs a majority percent of the state's working population. The state is one of the poorest in Nigeria and has one of the highest incidences of extreme poverty (around 80% of the population) according to World Bank data from 2018.

Transport

Federal Highways

* A1 north from Kebbi State near Tungan Ilo as the Kangi-Gindi Rd for 19 km via Kuchi in Kebbe LGA to Kebbi State again at Maishaika, northeast from Kebbi State again at Illela as the Sokoto-Jega Rd for nine km via Tambawel in Kebbe LGA to Kebbi State again at Ungan-Bawa, and northeast from Kebbi State at Barkeji as the Sokoto-Jega Rd via Kajiji, Ganga, Dandi and Adarawa to Sokoto, and north from Sokoto 93 km as the Sokoto-Illela Rd via Kware, Gwadabawa, and Momonsuka to Illela where it connects with RN1 in Niger at Birnin-Konni.
* A126 south from A1 in Sokoto 71 km as the Sokoto-Gusau Rd via Shunni, Dange, Boda and Numba Tureta to Zamfara State at Bimasa.

Three roads to Niger

* The Boto-Kafin Chana Rd northwest via Yakka and Boto to RN1 in Kiéché via Bado,
* North from Ruawuri at Diboni to RN1 Boulevard du 15 Avril near Tafouka,
* A1 from Illela.

Other major roads

* The Illela-Yerimawa Rd east from A1 via Wauru, Gidan Amamata and Biyangadi Chadawa to Gada.
* The Kware-Salame-Mammande-Gada Rd northeast from A1 at Kware via Chimola, Salame, Jema and Mamande to Gada.
* The Sokoto-Shinaka or Sokoto-Yerimawa Rd northeast from A1 at Dabage north of Sokoto as the Gidan Liman-Gudumi Rd via Alkamu, Marnona, Bijeje and Goronyo to Shinaka.
* the Shinaka-Dan Tudu Rd east from Shinaka via Mallamawa, Yerimawa, Kurukuru and Mahaya to Dan Tudu.
* the Dan Tudu-Makuwana Rd south from Dan Tudu as the Magagindoke-Shinkafe Rd via Sobon Birni, Garin Maikasuwa, Gidan Kurau, Takwattawa, Kura Mota and Kaffi to Zamfara State at Kwanar Isa as the Sabon Bimi-Tungan Gwragwu Rd.
* The Marona Isa Rd east from Takwattawa to Isa, where the Isa-Tsibiri Rd goes south to Kwanar Isa.
* The Abdulahi Fodo Rd from A1 in Sokoto 14 km to A1 at Kaura as the Gumbenawa Rd.
* The Arugungu-Iyabo-Sokoto Rd or Dagawa-Argungu Rd west from A1 at Dagawa 40 km via Sainyman Daji to Kebbi State near Fakwon Sarki.

Airports

Sadiq Abubakar III International near Sokoto.

Politics

The state government is led by a democratically elected governor who works closely with members of the state's house of assembly. The capital city of the state is Sokoto.

Electoral system

The governor of the state is selected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive the plurality of votes and over 25% of the vote in at least two-third of the state local government areas. If no candidate passes threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government areas.

Sources

* Nigeria ap Collins Bartholomew Ltd. 2005. Published by Spectrum books Ltd.

References

External links

www.sokotostate.gov.ng
Sokoto State Government Web Site

{{Portal bar, Nigeria

States of Nigeria
States and territories established in 1976