WUTSIYAR RAKUMI By Bilyn Abdul.txt

<p>The Kingdom of Tankara</p><p>The Kingdom of Tankara is the second-largest monarchy in East Africa, encompassing Lake Chad. It was established approximately 1,500 to 1,700 years ago and shares borders with several African nations, including Niger, Cameroon, and Chad. During the reign of Ali Ghaji, the kingdom expanded its territory as far as Sudan and the Egyptian border.</p><p>In the history of Tankara, the kingdom waged war and conquered Kano and Zaria. At that time, the Kanuri people ruled Tankara. During the conquest of Kano, the rulers of Kano were Maguzawa kings, and the royal children of Kano were taken as captives. Among these captives were two beautiful daughters of the Kano king, Kande and Lantana. The king of Tankara, Muhammad Alamin, took them into his palace. His chief minister, Waziri Lantanah, was given Lantana, while the king himself took Kande, hoping that their union would bless him with a male heir.</p><p>That night, King Muhammad Alamin consummated his marriage with Kande, and after some months, she gave birth to a son named Aliyu Ghaji in 1678. Due to her status as the mother of a male heir, Kande was granted the title Magajiya Mai Babban Daki (Chief Queen Mother). She later gave birth to six more sons. To honor her, the king appointed Aliyu Ghaji as Shamaki, a royal title given to the sons of concubines.</p><p>Over time, discussions about Aliyu Ghaji’s future reign arose, but the palace elders opposed it. After King Muhammad Alamin’s death in the 1790s, the throne was passed to his son from his senior wife, Fulani Babba. However, Fulani Babba’s son, Ibrahim, ruled for only 15 years before passing away due to illness.</p><p>Aliyu Ghaji then ascended the throne in 1810 and expanded the Tankara Kingdom. However, during the colonial invasion, he was betrayed by his own council members and captured along with his brothers: Bana, Kashem, Baba Alawan, Alaguburo, Kazeem, and Bagwai. Bagwai, the youngest, was taken to England, while Bana and Kashem were sent to Yobe. Kazeem was sent to Jos, and Baba Alawan and Alaguburo were left in Tankara.</p><p>After this upheaval, power shifted to the Fulani Yanah dynasty because Queen Yanah had two surviving male heirs. Khabir Muhammad Al-Amin ruled from 1850 to 1870 but later abdicated due to an eye disease and political conflicts.</p><p>In 1880, Bagwai returned from London, having been educated under the British colonial system. Tankara was already known for its deep Islamic knowledge, introduced through traders from Lake Chad long before Shehu Usmanu Dan Fodio's jihad. However, Bagwai also embraced Western education.</p><p>By 1882, Bagwai was a strong candidate for the throne, but the palace elders refused to allow a son of a concubine to rule. Feeling betrayed, Bagwai left Tankara, fueled by resentment and the perception that the elders feared he would modernize the kingdom. He was married to a Shuwa Arab woman from Chad at the time.</p><p>In the end, the Shamaki title was given to the descendants of Magajiya Kandeh, as it was deemed unsuitable for them to hold the throne. The highest positions they could attain were Shamaki (Head of Guards) and Dan Rimi (Deputy Prime Minister).</p><p>When Bagwai’s family later attempted to reclaim the throne, the palace elders opposed it, fearing they would lose control if Magajiya’s bloodline ascended to power. This ongoing conflict persisted through generations.</p><p> </p><p>—</p><p> </p><p> </p>