By Emmanuel Gandu
HIGHLIGHTS
• Introduction
• History – Hegemony of Hausa dominance
• Southern Zaria phenomenon
• Southern Zaria as subordinate region
• Change of name from “Southern Zaria” to “Southern Kaduna” and why
• Southern Kaduna population
• Land mass
• Economy
– Ginger
– Cereals and tubers
– Solid minerals
– Human capital
• Christian population
INTRODUCTION
Southern kaduna is popularly described as a microcosm of Nigeria.
Made up of a conglomerate of closely linked tribes, a heritage of a singular source of origin, over 57 identified tribes (James 2000), Blench (2008) with many more dialects, southern kaduna makes up over 90% of the tribes in kaduna state, 60% of the tribes of the seven states in the North West Geo – political region, 10% of the entire tribes in Nigeria, and the 4th highest after Taraba, Bauchi, and Adamawa.
Generally considered among the finest human capital in the country, Southern Kaduna boasts of a high number of professionals in all fields of human endeavour including the military, medical, engineering, legal, management, administration, entertainment etc, as their sons and daughters excel both at home and in the diaspora.
It is on record that Southern Kaduna contributes to Nigeria the highest number of academics including professors in the entire North (excluding Benue, Kwara and Kogi).
The people of Southern kaduna have a penchant for peace – sometimes to a fault, and peaceful co-existence is the sinews that lubricates their bones and bonds of friendship with every human.
The one thing that makes them unique is the unity of purpose that binds them together – one culture, one custom, one tradition, one people, one sacrifice, one struggle, one love, one identify, and one destiny.
Little wonder Southern Kaduna is experiencing a thriving tourism industry as the region had since assumed the position of a “Mecca” of Nigeria.
SOUTHERN KADUNA HISTORY
Hegemony of Hausa domination
Southern Kaduna lived under the hegemony of Hausa dominance perpetuated by the Islamization process of governance and control of Usman Danfodio’s constant forceful warfare against other ethnic nationalities in parts of Northern Nigeria.
This was the pattern of rulership the British colonialist continued with.
Prior to this period, Southern Kaduna ethnic tribes were thriving communities until they were abrubtly disintegrated within their clearly defined enclaves based on the overiding Emirate/provincial and by extension the British Colonialist provincial set up/pattern for their administrative convenience.
From the establishment of the Sarauta System in Zazzau (1450 – 1850), through the Emirate System (1816 – 1903), to the Native Authority System (1903 – 1969) and beyond, Southern Kaduna people had been subjected to alien forms of administration/governance/control mostly through coercion.
Expectedly, the intensity of resilience to these forms of control usually triggered very powerful centrifugal tendencies bordering on the people’s desire for freedom and seperation followed by suppression from the powers that be.
Sadly enough, the devolution of constitutional powers to the Northern Regional Government exacerbated the discordant situation.
Expectedly, the Northern Regional Government was dominated by the Hausa/Fulani, making it their government at the exclusion of other ethnic groups in the North.
Naturally, this stimulated sentiments for reawakening on the part of the marginalised ethnic nationalities leading to the rise of political movements for autonomy.
The stage had been set for the struggle for political and economic freedom for the people of Southern Kaduna.
The Southern Zaria phenomenon:
“Southern Zaria” is a concept denoting a people and a region.
The emergence of Southern Zaria is fathomed from the Sarauta System of 1450 – 1850, the Emirate System of 1816 – 1903, and the creation of Zaria province among other provinces by the British colonial government in Northern Nigeria.
The legendary Hausa Bakwai with their interrelated nature provided the situation for social corporation and responsibilities where Zaria was saddled with the role of supplying slaves to her sister Hausa States. In order to fulfil her obligations, Zaria set up stations for slave-raid at strategic locations in the southern part of Zaria. This southern part of Zaria came to be referred to as Southern Zaria. This is the Zaria slave – raid epi centre where the ethnic communities were subjugated, subjected to enforced taxation and loyalty for the Emir of Zaria.
With time, the then new Zaria provincial boundaries stopped at the Jema’a, Kagarko, and Kachia district boundaries. This new Zaria province was reconstituted into two divisions namely; (1) the main division with headquarters based in Zaria and (2) the southern division with its headquarters based variously at Kajuru, Kachia, and Zango Kataf.
At this period Jama’a comprising Kagoro, Maroa, Jaba, Ninzo were placed at Nasarawa and later Plateau province.
During the territorial reorganization that occurred at the end of 1907, Zaria province was divided into 32 districts. These 32 districts were subsequently reduced to 22 by 1920.
The Southern Division of the province which metamorphosed into Southern Zaria comprised of the following districts: Kajuru, Kauru, Chawai, Lere, Kagarko, Kachia, Chikun, Zango Kataf, Kagoro, Maroa, Jaba, Jema’a, Gwantu, Ayu, Bishini, and Birakatu.
Southern Zaria as a geographical entity therefore came into official parlance consequent to the creation of this Southern Division by the Colonial Administration in 1904.
Going further, colonial literature endorsed the distinguishing features of these 2 divisions of a Zaria and a Southern Zaria. Unfortunately, the institutionalzation of this Zaria – Southern Zaria dichotomy did not only manifest in the colonial government neglect of Southern Zaria alone, but was glaringly demonstrated in the official reference/treatment of these two divisions as Zaria, and Southern Zaria, which were later merged and became the now new Zaria province. This final merger eventually to form Zaria province gave birth to the Southern Zaria identity.
Southern Zaria as subordinate region:
The official usage of the “Southern Zaria” concept conferred on both the concept and the people reflected a connotation that transcends the mere geographical or locational garb. By its usage the term “Southern Zaria” came to mean not only a geographical region, a cultural area, and a Pagan enclave, but also a subordinate ethnic nationalities, an economic/political minority zone, and an appendage community.
Invariably, historians depicts the Zaria – Souther Zaria dichotomy in ways that appeal to their conscience.
While M. G. Smith endorses the connotations of the Zaria, and Southern Zaria in his writings,
C. K. Meek looks at the concept with a deeper analysis.
This way, C. K. Meek posits that “Southern Zaria constitute a culture complex of its own”, as well as “culturally linked by several features of language, forms of dwelling, dress, adornment, tribal markings, social organization, religious beliefs and practices, occupation, etc.”
However, the description by British records suggests that in pre – British days, Zaria was populated by Mohammadan Hausa and Fulani while the entire pagan population occupied Southern Zaria.
But it is the reference to Southern Zaria as a subordinate race that appears to have gained greater but unfortunate acknowledgement.
This assertion is held by Sherwood Smith’s description of the then Emir of Zazzau, Ibrahim, who had strong misgivings especially “when it is generally believed that the pagans of Southern Zaria were of inferior stock.”
On his part, M. G. Smith further depicts this so called subordinate status of Southern Zaria communities as pagan tribes of Southern and Western Zazzau, who have traditionally become the legitimate target for slave – raiding, the exaction of tribute, whose inferior technology, smaller settlements, and peculiar modes of organization have left them relatively defenseless and had forced them to subordinate themselves under Zazzau.
Consequently, the perpetuation of a subordinate status to Southern Zaria became more institutionalized during the devolution of political power chacterized by the Richards and the Macphersons Constitutions of 1946 and 1951 respectively. In line with these constitutions, the first Regional Elections held in 1951 took place on a privincial basis. In Zaria province, only one member (Mallam Gwamna Awan, the then Chief of Kagoro) was made a “special member” with only one vote to represent the pagans of Southern Zaria, who were otherwise not represented in the House.
The change of name from Southern Zaria to Southern Kaduna:
According to Madaki, a renown historian, the concept of “Southern Zaria” derives its legitimacy from the existence of a geographical entity of a “Zaria”.
Therefore, the existence a Zaria recognized and legitimized by the following continued to recognize and legitimize a Southern Zaria :
1. The Emirate System of 1846 – 1903
2. The Indirect Rule System of 1903 – 1960
3. The creation of provinces
4. The Post Independence Administration of 1960 – 1966
5. The creation of North Central State – 1967, and latter became Kaduna State.
6. The carving of Katsina province out of Kaduna State to form Katsina statr – 1987.
However, the change of name from Southern Zaria to Southern Kaduna by the people themselves came in 1990 due partly to the following :
i. The master-servant attitude of Zaria over Southern Zaria.
ii. Agitations by the people for rejection of the imposed subjugation and subservient role by Zaria as encauraged by the colonial administration and the provincial policy.
iii. Discriminatory government policies, skewed power structure in civil, public and political life that encouraged conflicts that favoured Northern Zaria.
iv. Southern Zaria communities ascended the curve of a “separatist group” identity for self determination in the face of demand for the creation of a Southern Kaduna State.
v. The use of centrifugal forces by Zaria to frustrate the recognition of the generally agreed boundary from Jaji thereby forcing Southern Zaria to settle for River Kaduna as their now natural boundary between Zaria and Southern Zaria.
With River Kaduna assuming the natural boundary between Zaria and Southern Zaria, the factors highlighted above combined to fuel the perception of being a unique people.
The name “Southern Kaduna” thus became the proper replacement for “Southern Zaria”.
POPULATION
The people of Southern kaduna spread predominantly in 13 local governments and appreciably in the remaining 10 of the 23 local government areas of kaduna state.
Southern Kaduna boasts of a population of over 3.5 million out of the slightly 6million that places Kaduna state as the 3rd most populous state after Kano and Lagos ( 2006 Census : Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette Vol.26 no.2 Extraordinary).
According to that 2006 census, Southern kaduna is more populated than each of the following 11 existing states :
Abia – 2.8 million
Adamawa- 3.1 million
Bayelsa – 1.7 million
C/River – 2.8 million
Ebonyi – 2.1 million
Ekiti – 2.3 million
Gombe – 2.3 million
Kwara – 2.3 million
Nasarawa- 1.8 million
Taraba – 2.2 million
Yobe – 2.3 million
• By 2016, Southern Kaduna population was estimated to be 4.2 million out of the estimated 8.5 million for Kaduna state.
• In 2021 Southern Kaduna was estimated to be 5.1 million out of the estimated 10.2 million for Kaduna state.
• As at 2025 population projection, Southern Kaduna is home to roughly 5.7 million people – about 53% of Kaduna State’s projected 11million population.
• By 2023, Southern Kaduna contributed 43.7% of registered voters in the 2023 elections, thereby demonstrating a decisive influence on the state’s presidential and gubanatorial election outcome of that year’s election results.
Without mincing words Southern Kaduna is a pivotal voting bloc in Nigeria’s elections.
According to available statistics, about 70% of Kaduna’s civil servants had hailed from Southern Kaduna, thus reflecting the region’s long history of education and contribution to man power growth in the state.
LAND MASS
Land is a precious commodity. It is “Gold”, and Southern Kaduna is abundantly blessed with it.
Southern Kaduna spans approximately 26, 000 sq km, and comprises 12 Local Government Areas of Chikun, Jaba, Jema’a, Kachia, Kaduna South, Kagarko, Kajuru, Kaura, Kauru, Lere, Sanga, and Zangon Kataf.
This makes Southern Kaduna with more of the local governments in Kaduna state.
Available figures of state land size across Nigeria in the public domain shows that Kachia Local Government alone is more than three (3) existing states put together. Same goes for Zango Kataf local government.
Having 2/3 of the total land mass of Kaduna state, Southern Kaduna is blessed with a rich, viable, fertile and well drained soil.
The climate of Southern Kaduna is mid way between the heavy rainy and swampy vegetation of the south and the extreme dry conditions of the north.This allows for extensive agricultural activities of crop cultivation, livestock and birds keeping, establishment of agro allied indusyries, influx of investors etc.
Expectedly, the large expanse of Southern Kaduna land makes the region a high agricultural food production zone, condusive for large scale animal rearing especially for large scale ranching, suitable for tree crops and forestry and plantations, economic and entrepreneural establishment of manufacturing factories and industries, and above all a tourism destination potential.
Importantly, Southern Kaduna is a gateway to southern and northern Nigeria – a location that places it for strategic planning for the Nigeria of the future.
SOUTHERN KADUNA ECONOMY
According to data from Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics (KDBS) Kaduna state had a nominal GDP of N2.9 trillion ($7.7 billion) in 2018 up from N1.9 trillion ($5.1 billion) in 2013.
By 2020 Kaduna’s GDP per capita was $2004, an increase from $1820 in 2018.
Going by financial figures from Fitch Consult, approaximately half of Kaduna’s N100 billion ($267 million) yearly operating revenue at end of 2019 depended on federal allocation. This federal allocation declined by more than 40% in 2020 as a result of drop in oil price.
This therefore left Kaduna State with the option of relying heavily on agriculture and mineral resources as the source of revenue base for development.
As it turned out to be, Southern Kaduna is the main agricultural and mineral rrsources hub of the state :
Ginger:
Ginger is of high world economic value. Figures from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that 85% of Nigeria’s Ginger production is from Southern Kaduna, and is said to be of the best quality in the world. This largely contributes in making Nigeria the 2nd highest producer in the world.
Trading records from market sources shows that Nigeria realizes about 10 billion Naira from the export of Ginger in the 2nd Quarter (Q2) of 2023 alone.
Cereals, Tubers:
With the vast land mass, high rainfall, good soil, conducive climate, and a large youthful population for labour, Southern Kaduna boasts of high productivity of cash crops/tubers in Maize, Sorghum, Soy beans, G/nut, cowpea, Yams, Cassava etc.
The accrued revenue from both the domestic sales and exports of these produce adds to the revenue base of the state.
Solid Minerals:
In the mid 2000’s a former Nigeria’s minister of solid minerals during president Olusegun Obasanjo regime, Leslie Obiora compiled a list of minerals across Nigeria which amounted to a total of 74 minerals, with Southern Kaduna having over 30 minerals, and over 50% of them minable.
In August 2016 the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) reported the discovery of Nickel in Dangoma, a village about 11 km south of Kafanchan town. In partnership with Comet Nigeria and the Australian Company the discovered large deposits of Nickel have a grade exceeding 90%, and is attested to be of the best quality in the world. Of high global commercial value, this Nickel deposit is capable of generating immediate revenue for both Kaduna state and Nigeria, not forgetting the local government community.
Apart from Nickel, Southern Kaduna is rich in Gold deposit, columbite, Iron ore, Tantalite, an array of Gemstones like Aquamarine, Sapphire, Tourmaline, Topac, etc.
Given the Southern Kaduna people’s goodwill, an effective solid minerals exploration policy framework, a peaceful and friendly political atmosphere, and a committed government-backed initiative, it would be seamless to attract, protect and streamline investment in the Southern Kaduna solid minerals exploration industry.
Therefore, Southern Kaduna is the destination for the solid mineral sector towards a viable economic and entrepreneural potential for Kaduna state and indeed Nigeria.
Human Capital:
While Kazah – Toure (1999) asserts that Southern Kaduna took a lead in education in the defunct Northern Region, Bonat (1989) claims that a majority of the educated people from the Northern Region who are non-Hausas especially from Southern Kaduna were in the teaching profession and the middle cadre of the civil service contributing in manpower development.
As time went by, this had led to the coming together in March 2024 of a group of Kaduna indigenouse Publishers Network to begin plans for the establishment of the Southern Kaduna Education and Human Capacity Development Commission in order to create more access for the youths to good functional education/training opportunities.
Generally considered among the finest human capital in the country, Southern Kaduna boasts of a high number of professionals in all human endeavour including the medical, military, engineering, legal, management/administration, entertainment etc, as their sons and daughters excel both at home and in the diaspora.
It is on record that Southern Kaduna contributes to Nigeria the highest number of academics including Professors in the entire North (excluding Benue, Kwara, and Kogi).
In March 2025, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah in a National Forum stated that Southern Kaduna is one of the leading regions North of Nigeria in terms of education with no less than 200 professors, all contributing to human resource development in Nigeria.
THE FAITH OF A PEOPLE – CHRISTIAN POPULATION
Be them Christian or Muslim, Southern Kaduna people refer to themselves as “God’s Own People”.
Southern Kaduna is a historical connected ethnic nationalities that are not originally Hausa and Fulani. They are geographically contiguous with Christianity as a dominant religion. Southern Kaduna is therefore predominantly Christian.
According to figures based on estimates from sources including the Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey, and Wikipedia, Christians and Muslims each constitute about half of Kaduna state population. Although exact figures may not be feasible, or may vary due to population growth gynamics, or absence of credible and reliable records/survey management, or the lack of recent census data.
Based on available estimates of the 2006 census, the population of Christians in Kaduna state is approaximately 49% to 49.7% of the state’s total population.
Going by this projection/estimate, the Christian population in the state would be 4,010,154.
However, a 2023 estimate from the US Department of State suggests a slightly higher state population, thus putting the Christian population in the state to range from 4 to 4.5 million.
This projected figure is not far from being realistic bearing in mind the huge population of the Maguzawa native Hausa Christians in the Hausa communities of Kaduna North, Igabi, Birnin Gwari, Zaria, Sabon Gari, Ikara, Makarfi, and Giwa local governments of Kaduna state.
Peace 🙏
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