Makera Assada is among the areas that form the town of Sokoto state of Nigeria. The area is part of Magajin Gari Ward in the southern part of Sokoto North local government area of Sokoto state, bordered Gidan Haki in the east, Digyar Agyare in the west, Mafara in the north and Helele in the south.
Etymology According to oral sources Makera Assada was formerly known as Makerar Dutsi. The word Makera is a Hausa name for smithery. The area is known for its blacksmithing, which happened to be the main occupation of the area, the area thus became known as Makera.
On the other hand, the reason why the area is associated with Dutsen Assada, is that in the neighboring area, at the southern part is the place popularly known as Dutsin Assada which extended up to the river of Dundaye. This area is a hilly area with small and flat rocks. There were people who were said to have settled in the place, although the region is not suitable for agriculture people happened to settle there. At that early time, around the 1880s after the formation of Sokoto, Assada was said to be one of the most important personalities who settled near the Dutsi, and he consistently stopped children from climbing it. Consequently, people started calling the place Dutsin Assada.Umar Hamza Tsoho; Growth and history of the establishment of Makera Assada in Sokoto metropolis to the year 2007.
Assada was very popular in the area; very kind and friendly, he was said to be among the close friends of the sultan and even used to receive sultan visitors in his residence. His house was like gidan baki or guest house.
The reason why Assada is added as a suffix to Makera is to differentiate it from other areas known for blacksmithing. The other places where smithing occurred included: Kofar-Rini the area that specialized in white metal smithing producing earrings and necklaces. There is also Makera in Nupawa that produces hoes and other farming tools. But in Makera Assada all types of smithing take place. This explains why Assada is the home of Sarkin Makeran Sarkin Musulmi, or the chief smith of the sultan of Sokoto.
Origin of the people of Makera Assada The origin of the people of Makera Assada is not clear. No one knows the exact date of settlement. But it is assured that the people settled after the Jihad of Shehu Usmanu Danfodiyo in the nineteenth century, when Sokoto was founded. The coming of immigrants played an important role in the history and the growth of the area. These immigrants include the blacksmiths from Zamfara who were also Fulani under the leadership of Muhammad Andi and his brother Ahmad Maigeme.Oral interview with Malam Bello Da`agi. Imam and Islamic scholar Makera Assada
The time Shehu Usmanu Danfodiyo started his teaching and preaching in his home town Degel, and after some time he went out on preaching tours. His first tour was to Kebbi from where he gained his first converts. The Uthman and his assistants, including his younger brother Abdullahi ibn Fodiyo, made for Zamfara where they remained and preached for five years.
His preaching influenced many people from different parts of west Africa. Very soon interested people who were influenced by his preaching continued to form part of the Jama`at, as his followers were known. The people included both the Fulani, his race, and Hausa since Shehu Usmanu preached both in Hausa and Fulfulde languages. Many more people form his fold, and the community grew still further in fame both in and out of Hausaland.Boyi. U;Tanzinul waraqatHausa translation of Abdullahi's work,
Muhammad Andi and his brother Ahmad Maigeme, together with their people left Zamfara in order to join Shehu who had migrated to Gudu and possibly the Jihad that was going on. Mallam Bello stated that “when the Muhammad Andi and his people left Zamfara they met Shehu Usmanu Danfodiyo when the Jihad was going on and even participated in the Great Battle of Alkalawa.Malam Bello
According to oral sources Muhammad Andi and his people were Fulanis from Zamfara. Their chief occupation was blacksmithing. These people were ill-treated before they left their home Zamfara, because of their belief in Shehu's preaching. The Hausa rulers feared that their subjects would revolt against them. Seeing this, the Hausa rulers were alarmed. They saw the growing number of his following and the hold that Islam had gained. Men urged them on saying “if you do not disperse this concourse of people, your power will be gone; they will destroy your country by causing all the people to leave you and go to them.”Cited in When Sarki Nafata was the King of Gobir, he forbade any man from holding religious meetings and preaching to the people, excepting only Shehu. Secondly, he decreed that Islam might only be practiced by those who inherited the creed from their fathers, and he also prohibited the wearing of turbans by men and veils by women. These edicts were proclaimed in every marketplace in Gobir and the neighboring parts of Adar and Zamfara which were under Gobir domination. With these we can see that the jama`at of Shehu Usmanu and other followers in different places most especially in Hausaland shared the same fate. Consequently, the people of Muhammad Andi who were in Zamfara had no choice but to migrate and follow Shehu wherever he was.
On their migration the Hausa rulers tried to stop them from following Shehu. In order to escape from their threats, the people of Andi complained to them, that they were only blacksmiths, on their way for business activities. As each opened their luggage, it was discovered that it contained blacksmiths tools, and therefore allowed them to pass.
These people were welcomed by the Shehu and his Jama`at, especially because of their profession. This people remained with the Jama`at of Shehu Usmanu Danfodiyo and participated in the Jihad of Hausaland. The people of Muhammad Andi continued with their profession there by producing war tools and weapons for the Jihadists. During the war time they produced swords, spears, arrows, handmade guns, helmets, shields and other materials worn by horses.
After the Jihad of Hausaland following the creation of the Sokoto caliphate by Shehu Usmanu and his son also War Commander Muhammad Bello, they came together with their followers, scholars, friends, relatives and other participants of the Jihad. These people were given a portion of land to settle with their people. Muhammad Andi was therefore one of the beneficiaries, being the first to settle at present Makera Assada. Shehu ordered Muhammad Andi to go round and look for a convenient place for him to stay, and when he found the area (Makera Assada) he informed Shehu Usmanu dan Fodiyo, Shehu therefore blessed the land. According to oral sources Shehu wanted Muhammad Andi to stay near Hubbare but Andi complained that by nature of their blacksmith occupation and also a kind of animal husbandry, it was better for them to settle far away from the centre of the town.ibid.
After some years another important personality arrived at the newly established Makera with the members of his family. This person is popularly known as Sharif Muhammad Al-gudana. He was with some other people. Algudana and his people were Adarawas. Adarawa are found in Tamaske, Buza and Adar region in Tawa, Niger Republic. They are also found in Illela in Sokoto.
As a result of the Jihad of Shehu dan Fodiyo in the 19th century, the Sarkin Adar Mustaphata and his son Muhammad Dan Almustapha and also Ahmad Bida visited Shehu Danfodiyo when he was in Gudu, but Mustapha left Ahmad Bida and Muhammad with Shehu. Hamidun, who succeeded to the throne of Sarkin Adar during the Jihad of Danfodiyo sided with Gobirawa until 1809, when Sarkin Azbin Muhammad Gemma, who succeeded Al-Bakri, took Sarkin Adar Hamidun with him to Shehu at Sifawa and Sarkin Adar made his submission. He died soon after that. Ahmad Bida was said to have stayed at Dundaye as the Sarkin Adar of Dundaye. Thus was born the dynasty of Adarawa at Dundaye. Ibid
We can see from the above account that during the Jihad, Adarawa participated in it and after, some of them stayed at Dundaye and spread in different parts of Sokoto in search of business activities. But some of them returned to Niger Republic under Muhammad dan Al-Mustapha, who prepared to remain in Adar with the hope of regaining to his throne.
When these people settled in the area, they practiced leather work. They produced all kinds of leather materials like shoes, leather bags, royal pillows, etc., but these people did not become popular in leather work as most of them adopted the occupation of their host, blacksmithing.
Occupations As many people continued to stay in the area, the major economic activity of the people had been blacksmithing, which was dominant in the area, the people having been engaged in various types of gainful employment. The people of the area engaged in all forms of smithing and other iron work. Both blacksmithing and white smithing is practiced in the area. Blacksmithing has been practiced since the establishment of the region after the jihad of Shehu Usmanu. The people of the region used to regard blacksmithing as a compulsory occupation of every member of the area. They regard those who abandoned their grandfather's occupation as committing a serious offence.
The act of smithing provides income for the people of the area, as the blacksmith produces house utensils, farming tools, weapons, etc. On the other hand, those who specialized in smithing of the white iron or Makeran fari, produces decorations for women, thereby producing necklaces, earrings, handrings, etc. The white smiths are very few in the area thus blacksmithing or Makeran Baki are regarded as their masters.
Apart from smithing, the Hausa people were noted for their active participation in commercial activities. Some people in the region engaged in internal trade (Kasuwanci). This was especially the case with merchants with small scale capital. They sold the goods produce in the area in villages and towns. Farming had been the preoccupation of most African society, which was extensively done during the rainy season. In this area (Makera Assada), there are people who engage in farming, these people mostly have their farmland at the riverside along Dundaye and Kofar Kware areas, mostly farming in small scale.
In other sector of the economy in the area, there are also people who engaged in the production of mats. The Major material in this manufacturing sector is wild dump palm tree and rubber. This industry was not the monopoly of either men or women. Both men and women engage in the manufacturing of mats or carpets, Wundaye and Tabarmi.
However we should not forget the contribution of women of this region towards economic activities. Some of them engage in the economic sector. The role of women as commission agents (Dillalai), just like members of the more formal stock exchange market, the old women actively engaged in serving as commissioned agents (Dillalai). This was because only the older women were allowed to go out of their homes. They also used to move from house to house looking for items to sell. For instance, they used to engage in large scale trade in thread that was also manufactured at home by the women. They used to collect these home-made products either as commission agent or as through direct purchases. These women also engaged in the sale of newly produced and second hand clothes. They also sold food items both in and outside their homes. People of all age groups use to buy these items. The women fetched a lot of income to these women manufactures and sellers.
The activities of commissioned agents were strengthened because of the nature and social attitudes and values in Sakkwato. Thus is against Islamic law for married women to go up and down anyhow especially in the market places. Thus the commercial agents provides most of the items needed for them.