ADAMAWA STATE
Adamawa is a state in northeastern Nigeria, whose capital and largest city is Yola. In 1991, when Taraba State was carved out from Gongola State, the geographical entity Gongola State was renamed Adamawa State, with four administrative divisions: Adamawa, Michika, Ganye, Mubi and Numan.[1] It is the home of the American University of Nigeria in Yola, Modibbo Adama University of Technology Yola, Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola and Adamawa State College of Nursing and Midwifery. It is one of the thirty-six states that constitute the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
On May 14, 2013, President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Adamawa State, along with neighbouring Borno and the Yobe States, due to jihadist group Boko Haram's insurgency.
Geography
Adamawa is one of the largest states of Nigeria and occupies about 36,917 square kilometres. It is bordered by the states of Borno to the northwest, Gombe to the west and Taraba to the southwest. Its eastern border forms the national eastern border with Cameroon.
Topographically, it is a mountainous land crossed by the large river valleys – Benue, Gongola and Yedsarem. The valleys of the Mount Cameroon, the Mandara Mountains and Adamawa Plateau form part of the landscape.
Economy
The major occupation of the people is farming as reflected in their two notable vegetational zones, the Sub-Sudan and Northern Guinea Savannah zones. Their cash crops are cotton and groundnuts while food crops include maize, yam, cassava, guinea corn, millet and rice.
The village communities living on the banks of the rivers engage in fishing while the Fulanis are cattle rearers. The state has a network of roads linking all parts of the country.
The development of many communities in the state can be traced to the colonial era when the Germans ruled a swath of territory known as the Northern and Southern Kameruns from Dikwa in the North to Victoria (Limbe) on the Atlantic coast in the 19th century. These were, however, handed over as United Nations Trust Territories to the British at the end of World War I with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. After a series of referendums, the Northern Kameruns joined Nigeria to form the then Sardauna Province, and the Southern Kameruns formed a Confederation with French-speaking Cameroon.
Religion
Adamawa State is home to the headquarters of two indigenous churches, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (EYN Church) with its headquarters in Mubi in the northern zone of the state, and the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN Church) with headquarters in Numan in the southern zone of the state. The Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (EYN church) was founded in Garkida Gombi Local Government of the state in March 1923 by American missionaries. The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN Church) was founded in Numan by Dutch missionaries in 1913.
History
Before it became a state in Nigeria, Adamawa was a subordinate kingdom of the Sultanate of Sokoto which also included much of northern Cameroon. The rulers bear the title of an emir ("lamido" in the local language, Fulfulde).
The name "Adamawa" came from the founder of the kingdom, Modibo Adama, a regional leader of the Fulani Jihad organized by Usman dan Fodio of Sokoto in 1804. Modibo Adama came from the region of Gurin (now just a small village) and in 1806, received a green flag for leading the jihad in his native country. In the following years, Adama conquered many lands and tribes. In 1838, he moved his capital to Ribadu, and in 1839, to Joboliwo. In 1841, he founded Yola, where he died in 1848. After the European colonization (first by Germany and then by Britain), the rulers remained as emirs and the line of succession has continued to the present day.
A measles outbreak was reported in an internally displaced person camp in January 2015
Emirs of Adamawa
Emirs of Adamawa have included:
- Modibbo Adama ben Hassan, 1809–1848
- Lawalu ben Adama, 1848–1872 (son of the previous)
- Sanda ben Adama, 1872–1890 (brother of the previous)
- Zubayru ben Adama, 1890–1901 (brother of the previous)
- Bobbo Ahmadu ben Adama, 1901–1909 (brother of the previous)
- Iya ben Sanda, 1909–1910 (son of Sanda ben Adama)
- Muhammadu Abba, 1910–1924 (son of Bobbo Ahmadu ben Adama)
- Muhammadu Bello ben Ahmadu ben Hamidu ben Adamu, 1924–1928
- Mustafa ben Muhammadu Abba, 1928–1946 (son of Muhammadu Abba)
- Ahmadu ben Muhammadu Bello, 1946–1953
- Aliyu Mustafa, 1953–2010
- Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, 2011–present
Boko Haram insurgency
Adamawa State has been badly impacted by the Boko Haram insurgency. In January 2012, Boko Haram attacked Gombi, Mubi and Yola. By 2014, the state became home to camps housing an estimated 35,000 internally displaced people fleeing violence from Boko Haram in locations including Mubi, Madagali, Askira Uba, Bama and Gwoza in the states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe. In 2014, an estimate placed the number of IDPs around Yola at 400,000. An attack occurred in Chakawa in 2014. A suicide bombing in Yola in 2015killed over 30 people. A double suicide bombing in Madagali in 2016 killed over 50 people. Mubi is the worst affected place in Adamawa State, suffering major attacks in 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2018.
Organizations serving the community include the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API)- a group of business, religious, and community leaders - and the Adamawa Muslim Council. The United States Agency for International Development has pledged to provide continuing humanitarian assistance.
On 21-22 February 2020, Boko Haram terrorists launched an attack on homes and churches in Garkida, killing three soldiers and wounding civilians.
Tourist Attraction
- Mubi
- Nuhu Auwalu Wakili's Palace
- Sukur World Heritage Site
- Lamido's Palace
- American University of Nigeria
- Kamale Mountain Peak in Michika
- Three Sisters Rock in Song
- The confluence of Rivers Benue and Gongola in Numan Uba under Mubi (Valanyi)
Local Government Area
Adamawa State consists of twenty-one Local Government Areas (LGAs):
- Demsa
- Fufore
- Ganye
- Girei
- Gombi
- Guyuk
- Hong
- Jada
- Lamurde
- Madagali
- Maiha
- Mayo-Belwa
- Michika
- Mubi North
- Mubi South
- Numan
- Shelleng
- Song
- Toungo
- Yola (State capital)
- Jimeta
Languages
Languages of Adamawa State listed by LGA
LGA Languages
Demsa Bacama; Bali; Bata; Bille; Mbula-Bwazza; Waka
Fufore Bata; Gengle; Koma; Kugama; Kumba; Mboi; Mumuye; Verre; Wom
Ganye Fulani, Gaa; Koma; Mumuye; Peere; Chamba Daka
Girei Bacama; Bata; Hwana; Mbula-Bwazza
Gombi Bena; Bura-Pabir; Ga'anda; Hwana; Lala-Roba; Mboi; Ngwaba; Nya Huba
Guduniya Ngwaba
Guyuk Bacama; Bena; Dera; Ga'anda; Longuda; Voro
Hong Boga; Nggwahyi; Ngwaba; Nya Huba
Jada Chamba Leko
Lamurde Fulani, Kwa; Kyak; Bacama; Dadiya; Dikaka; Dza; Jiba; Tso
Madagali Putai; Sukur
Maiha Fulani, Bata; Nya Huba; Nzanyi
Mayo Belwa Fulani, Dong; Gengle; Kumba; Lamja-Dengsa-Tola; Mumuye; Nyong; Chamba Daka; Teme; Yendang
Michika Fulani, Gvoko; Hide; Hya; Kamwe; Lamang; Marghi Central; Marghi South; Putai; Vemgo-Mabas; Waja
Mubi Fulani, Daba; Ga'anda; Gude; Kirya-Konzel; Marghi Central; Marghi South; Nya Huba
Mubi North Fali; Hya; Zizilivakan
Mubi South Fali
Numan Bacama; Bali; Dza; Kpasham; Kwa; Mbula-Bwazza; Mumuye; Waka; Kaan
Shelleng Kaan; Hwana; Mbula-Bwazza
Song Bata; Bena; Ga'anda; Gudu; Hwana; Kaan; Kofa; Mboi; Mbula-Bwazza; Voro
Toungo Jibu
Yola Fulani, Laka; Mumuye; Verre
Yola North Fulani, Bacama; Bata
Yola South Fulani, Bacama
Notable people
- Atiku Abubakar
- Iya Abubakar
- Jibril Aminu
- Alex Badeh
- Ahmed Hassan Barata
- Mohammed Bello
- Umar Buba Bindir
- Aisha Buhari
- Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri
- Binta Masi Garba
- Boni Haruna
- Bindo Jibrilla
- Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta
- Ibrahim Lamorde
- Babachir David Lawal
- Buba Marwa
- Abubakar Saleh Michika
- Boss Mustapha
- Murtala Nyako
- Nuhu Ribadu
- Bamanga Tukur