Kaduna State

The word Kaduna is said to be a corruption of the Hausa word '"Kada' for “crocodile and the plural is "Kadduna" for crocodiles, as there were previously many crocodiles in the river Kaduna.[7]” Another version of the etymology of the name is a narrative linked to the Gbagyi word/name 'Odna' for River Kaduna.[8] in the coat of arm of the state there is a symbol of crocodile, and majority of emblem related to the state use crocodile as a symbol. The state football club Kaduna United F.C. use The Crocodiles as a nickname.[9]

It is indicative that the name, Kaduna, was taken up by Lord Frederick Lugard and his colonial colleagues when they moved the capital of the then Northern Region from Zungeru to Kaduna city in 1916. This move of the colonial office to Kaduna city started in 1912-1918/20 with the initial effort having been made in 1902 from Jebba to Zungeru.

At the start of British colonial rule in northern Nigeria the people groups who live in the area became 'Northern Nigerians'- a construct which continues even today. By 1967 these people groups again were carved into 'North Central State'; this was the case until 1975 that 'Kaduna State' was formerly created by the then military leader, Gen. Murtala Mohammed, with all distinct identities amalgamated into one state without a referendum. The state hence is the successor of the old Northern Region of Nigeria, which had its capital at Kaduna which is now the state capital to about 6.3 million people (Nigerian census figure, 2006).

In 1967, the old Northern Region was divided into six states in the north, leaving Kaduna as the capital of North-Central State, whose name was changed to Kaduna State in 1976. Meanwhile, Kaduna State was further divided in 1987, creating Katsina State. Under the governance of Kaduna are the ancient cities of Zaria, Kafanchan, and Nok, the area where Africa's earliest civilization is recorded to have been excavated. The most intriguing aspect of this area is that the colonial construction and its post-colonial successor called 'Nigeria' hardly documented the history or the method of how Kaduna state's people groups encompassed in these constructs define and identify themselves as such the people groups who populate the area have lived in near oblivion or obscurity as they often are thought of as Hausa people. In 2019 Kaduna State celebrate 100 years anniversary, making it one of the oldest state in Nigeria.[10]

Zazzau is said to have been founded since 1536 and later was renamed after the prominent Queen Zaria known as Amina, the Hausa people of Zaria are said to be the old ancestral of the region.[11]

The state is located at the Northern part of Nigeria's High Plains. The vegetation cover is Sudan Savannah type, characterized by scattered short trees, shrubs and grasses. The soil is mostly loamy to sandy type. A substantial amount of clay is found also. Its northern half became Katsina state in 1987. The state is bordered by seven states.[12] The state was ranked number four by total area of land and number three by population. The Kaduna River, a tributary of River Niger, flows through the state. There are rocky stones in Zaria and Kogoro Hill, a Hill that a lot of legendary stories are told about it.

The current governor of Kaduna state legally under the control of Kaduna State Excutives, Kaduna State House of Assembly and Kaduna State Judiciary the current elected governor of the state is Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai and his deputy Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe[13][14] In the state there 14 ministries that operate with the state government to improve the state, they are Ministries of Kaduna State.

The Kaduna State economy was ranked 15th largest state in Nigerian economy from 2002 to 2008, and it made up 3.3% of Nigerian GDP. While agriculture contributed 30% of SGDP in Kaduna.[15] Kaduna state cultivate cotton and peanuts (groundnuts) for exporting and domestic extraction of Peanut oil. In the state there is National Institute of Leather and Technology, to improve modern technology and traditional method.[7][16][17][18][19]

Sun-dried tomato and pepper farm, Hunkuyi, Kaduna State.

In Kaduna State there are many means of communucation through mass media, broadcasting, internet communication and banking transaction, in Kaduna State there are a 21 radio stations and more than 4 television broadcasting, many of them are own by the state government or federal government and few are private, the following are list of radio stations in Kaduna.

[20][21][22][23][24]

Kaduna State is populated by about 59 to 63 different ethnic groups, if not more, with the exactitude of the number requiring further verification through genuine field work [Hayab, 2014]. The question as in the last paragraph with the Hausa and Fulani as the dominant ethnic groups followed by at least 60 others. These groups include:

The main religions in the area of Kaduna State are Christianity and Islam. while some minority ethnics practice traditional worshiping, mostly in the southern area of the state, the people living in kaduna state has a firm strong faith on the both side, as such cause two religious crisis in the state[25] in 2001 and 2002 called Miss World riots.

Islam

A view of Kadun Central Mosque ( Sultan Bello Mosque )

The Muslims have their central mosque in Kaduna metropolis known as Sultan Bello Mosque .The Jama’t Izalat al Bid’a Wa Iqamat as Sunna and Jamatu Nasril Islam main branch is located in Kaduna metropolis. Also, the prominent Tijaniyyah leader Sheikh Dahiru Usman is in Kaduna, Furthermore,The Nigerian Islamic Movement (Nigeria) mover known as Ibrahim Zakzaky has his main branch in Zaria Kaduna State.

Other languages in Kaduna State are Bacama, Firan, Sambe.[27]

Kaduna is one of the largest centre of education in Nigeria, the slogan of the state is Center of Learning because of the present of many institution like; Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. There are many government school, include primary schools and secondary schools, all secondary schols in kaduna is own by either the state government, federal government or private organisation. there are many tertiary institution in the state. Zaria has the Ahmadu Bello University established (1962). Yhe state also has colleges for transportation and agriculture.[7]

The National Museum which was built in (1975) with archaeological and ethnographic exhibitions, the Kajuru Castle, Lugard Hall, Zaria walls and Gates and Nok settlements . in the state there are many architectural buildings like Ten storey, Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Murtala Square, Investment house, kaduna central market, Sultan Bello Mosque and so on. The palace of emire of Zazzau is one the oldest traditional buildings in Kaduna state.[28][29]

The entrance gate of Zazzau

Modern Architecture

The view of kajuru castle

Modern achitecture is present in the state as a result of civilization and development, majority of these architectural buildings were build by federal government or state government, while the residential ones are majority build by individuals, these buildings include, Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Ten storey building, Investment house, federal secretary, Ranchers Bees Stadium, Murtala square and so on.

Kaduna State has over 1,000 primary healthcare facilities to cater to every resident - even in the most remote village or ward of the state. To further improve on healthcare delivery, in 2016, the Kaduna State Government partnered with the UK Department For International Development (DFID) to install over 1.3 Mega Watts of Solar Systems in primary healthcare facilities across the state.[30]

In Kaduna State many sports are played, such as football,[31] golf, swimming, traditional wrestling and handball.[32][33] The Kaduna State government run a football club called Kaduna United F.C., the club participate in playing Nigerian Professional Football League but are under relegation.[34]

In Kaduna State an annual festival is organized by Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Kaduna State), the festival exposes folklore talent and through these process, to promote unity and encourage tourism and build culture in the State, it takes place in November or December of every year,[35] Cultural activities include: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha perform by the muslims in the state, the Tuk Ham, the Afan the Christmas and Easter Celebrations as well as the Kallan-Kowa celebrations.Kaduna has a museum and a park, the Kofar Gamji park and Zoo. Lord Lugard's Residence, is also a tourist attraction and it currently houses the state assembly.[35]

• Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab
• Ahmad Abubakar Gumi
• Shehu Idris
• Ahmed Makarfi
• Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa
• Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai
• Shehu Sani
• Uba Sani
• Sheikh Dahiru Usman
• Mukhtar Ramalan Yero
• Ibrahim Zakzaky
• Muhammad Auwal Albani Zaria

• 
  River Kaduna
• 
  Waterfalls in Kafanchan
• 
  Matsirga waterfalls Kaduna
• 
  Kamuku National Park Kaduna
• 
  ABU senatorial building
• 
  Ten Storey Building in Ahmadu Bello way Kaduna
• 
  Major planted flower
• 
  Kajuru Castle

• Kaduna
• Kaduna State Governor
• Kaduna State House of Assembly
• Kaduna State Judiciary
• Ministries of Kaduna State
• Kaduna United F.C.

• Nigeria Congress
• Nigeria Exchange

• Kaduna State Media Corporation
• Official State Government Website