Adamawa State

Adamawa State
State
Nickname(s):  Land of Beauty
Location in Nigeria
Country	Nigeria
Capital	Yola
Established	27 August 1991
Government
• Governor	Murtala Hammanyero Nyako (PDP)
• Senators	Jibril Mohammed Aminu, Mohammed Mana, Grace Bent
• National Assembly delegates	List
Area
• Total	36,917 km2 (14,254 sq mi)
Population  (2005)
• Total	3,737,223
Time zone	UTC+0 (GMT)
Geocode	NG-AD
GDP (2007)	$4.58 billion
GDP Per Capita	$1,417
www.adamawa.gov.ng

Adamawa is a state in northeastern Nigeria, with its capital at Yola. It was formed in 1991 from part of Gongola State with four administrative divisions namely: Adamawa, Ganye, Mubi and Numan. It is one of the thirty-six (36) States which constitute the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Geography

Adamawa is one of the largest states 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 also 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 Cameroon, Mandara and Adamawa mountains form part of the landscape.

The major occupation of the people is farming as reflected in their two notable vegetational zones, tile Sub-Sudan and Northern Guinea Savannah Zone. 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 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 the Ganye area in the 19th century. These were however forfeited to the British at the end of the scramble for Africa at the Berlin.

A visit to the state will not be complete without going to Mubi. Mubi's weather is very accommodating for human comfort. A visit to Nuhu Auwalu Wakili's Palace will keep your memory of the state at all times. No wonder the state is some time known as "the land of beauty".

Administration

There are twenty-one local government areas (LGAs):

Fufore Ganye Gombi Guyuk Hong Jada Shelleng

Demsa Madagali Maiha Mayo-Belwa Michika Mubi North Numan

Song Mubi South Yola North(State capital) Yola South Girei Toungo Lamurde

History

Emirate of Adamawa

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 Emir (Lamido in the local language, Fulfulde). The name "Adamawa" came from the founder of the kingdom, Modibbo Adama, a regional leader of the Fulani Jihad organized by Usumaanu dan Fodio of Sokoto in 1804.

Modibbo 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.

Amirs of Yola 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)
• Bibbo 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 incumbent (son of the previous)

External links

• Adamawa.com Articles, photographs, and art from Adamawa State