Introduction to Bauchi State

Bauchi State (Fula: Leydi Bauchi) is a state in the North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It is bordered by Jigawa to the north, Yobe to the northeast, Gombe to the east, Taraba and Plateau to the south, Kaduna to the west and Kano to the northwest. It takes its name from the historic city of Bauchi, which also serves as its capital. The state was formed in 1976 when the former North-Eastern State was broken up. It originally included the area that is now Gombe State, which became a distinct state in 1996.

Of the 36 states, Bauchi is the fifth largest in area and also the fifth most populous, with an estimated population of over 8,308,800 as of 2022. Geographically, the state is divided between the West Sudanian savanna in the south and the drier, semi-desert Sahelian savanna in the north with a small part of the montane Jos Plateau in the southwest.

A key defining characteristic of the state’s landscape is Yankari National Park, a large wildlife park in southern Bauchi State that contains large populations of waterbuck, African buffalo, patas monkey, hippopotamus, roan antelope, and western hartebeest along with some of Nigeria’s last remaining West African lion, African leopard and African bush elephant populations.

What is now Bauchi State has been inhabited for years by various ethnic groups, including the Bolewa, Butawa, and Warji in the central region; the Fulani, Kanuri, and Karai-Karai in the north; the Bankal, Jaku and Gerawa in and around the city of Bauchi; the Zaar and the Gwak in the south; the Dugurawa in the southeast; and the Jarawa in the southwest.

Religiously, the vast majority of the state’s population (~80%) are Muslim with smaller Christian and traditionalist minorities at about 15% and 5%, respectively. Evangelicals are the dominant Christian denomination but there are also adherents of the Roman Catholic faith. The Anglican Diocese of Bauchi is part of the Province of Jos, within the Church of Nigeria.

As a major agriculture-based state, the Bauchi State economy partially relies on livestock and crops, such as cotton, groundnuts, millet, tomatoes, and yams with advanced irrigation schemes increasing agricultural production since statehood. Other industries include food processing and canning facilities, tin and columbite mining, and tourism in Yankari National Park and its Wikki Warm Springs

Etymology

According to tradition, it was named after a hunter known as Baushe, who settled in the region before the arrival of Yakubu, the first traditional ruler of Bauchi emirate (founded 1800–10). Bauchi and Adamawa were the two main sources of freedom and tourism for the Fulani empire of Sokoto

Historical Background

What is today known as Bauchi State was created in 1976 from the North Eastern State of Nigeria. According to the 1991 census, the state has a population of 3,836,333 after the creation of Gombe State in 1996. Bauchi State is one of the states in Northern part of Nigeria that spans two distinctive vegetation zones, namely the Sudan savannah and the Sahel Savannah.

The Sudan savannah type of vegetation covers the southern part of the state. Here, the vegetation gets richer and richer towards the South, especially along water sources or rivers but generally, the vegetation is less uniform and grasses are shorter than what obtains further South, that is in the forest zone of the middle belt.

The Sahel type of Savannah which is also known as the semi-desert vegetation becomes manifest from the middle of the state as one moves from the South to the Northern part of the State.

The characteristics of this type of vegetation comprise of isolated stands of thorny shrubs. On the other hand, the southern part of the state is mountainous as a result of the continuation of the Jos – Plateau, while the northern part is generally sandy.

Senatorial Zone

The state is divided into three senatorial zones viz: Northern zone, Central zone and Southern zone each with a senator representing it in the Senate, while in the House of Representatives, the state has twelve representatives, and in the state House of Assembly, there are thirty-one members.

Local Government Areas

They are 20 Local Government Areas in Bauchi State, namely: Alkaleri, Bauchi, Bogoro, Dambam, Darazo, Dass Gamawa, Ganjuwa, Giade, Itas/Gadau, Jama’are, Katagum, Krifi, Miau, Ningi, Shira, Tafawa Balewa, Toro, Warji and Zaki.

Ethnic Groups

In addition, there are a total of 55 ethnic groups in the state which include Hausa, Fulani, Gerawa, Sayawa, Jarawa, Bulewa, Kare-Kare, Kanuri, Warjawa, Zulawa and Badawa. They have varied customs, festivals, historical backgrounds, occupational patterns and beliefs.

Vegetation

The vegetation types as described above are conditioned by the climatic factors, which in turn determines the amount of rainfall received in the area. The rainfall in Bauchi State ranges between 1300mm per annum in the south and only 700mm per annum in the extreme North.

This pattern is due to the fact that in the West African sub-region, rains generally come from the south as they are carried by the Sought Westerlies. There is, therefore, a progressive dryness towards the north, culminating in the desert condition in the far north.

Rainfall

Consequently, rains start earlier in the southern part of the state, in April with the highest record of 1300mm per annum and last longer. In contrast, the northern tip of the state receives the rains late usually around June/July and records the highest amount of 700mm per annum.

Weather

The weather experienced in the south and the north varies considerably. In the south, it is humidly hot during the early part of the rainy season. In the north, the hot, dry and dusty weather lingers on for a while. Under these leaders, the state has witnessed steady development in economic, political and socio-cultural spheres.

Languages

Nonetheless, there are cultural similarities in the people’s language, occupational practices, festivals, dress and there is a high degree of ethnic interaction especially in marriage and economic existence.Bauchi state comprises of six emirates. They are Bauchi, Katagum, Misau, Jama’are, Ningi and Dass.

Rivers

The state is watered by a number of rivers. They include Gongola and Jama’are rives, Gubi and Tilden Fulani Dams. There are also lakes like the Maladumba lake in Misau Local Government. All these provide necessary conditions that support agriculture.

Politics

Bauchi state has gone through series of transformation. From the colonial era up to independence, it formed part of the Bauchi-Plateau of the then Northern Region until the 1967 state creation exercise, when together with Borno and Adamawa provinces, they constituted the former North Eastern State.

What is now known as Bauchi, was until 1976 a province in the then North-Eastern State of Nigeria. According to the 2006 census, the state has a population of 4,653,066.

In the early 1800s, the Fulani jihad seized much of modern-day Bauchi State and formed the Bauchi Emirate under the Sokoto Caliphate. About 90 years later, a British expedition occupied the Emirate and incorporated it as Bauchi Province into the Northern Nigeria Protectorate which later merged into British Nigeria before becoming independent as Nigeria in 1960.

Originally, modern-day Bauchi State was a part of the post-independence Northern Region until 1967 when the region was split and the area became part of the North-Eastern State. After the North-Eastern State was split, Bauchi State was formed on 3 February 1976 alongside ten other states.

Twenty years after statehood, a group of LGAs in the state’s west was broken off to form the new Gombe State.

With the creation of Bauchi State in 1976, then comprising present Bauchi and Gombe State, it included 16 local government areas. The number of local government areas in the then Bauchi State was increased to 20 and later to 23.

However, in 1997 when Gombe State was created out of Bauchi and additional local governments were created in the country, Bauchi State was left with 20 local government areas as shown below.

Bauchi State has gone through tremendous transformation over the years. The Ajawa language was spoken in Bauchi State, but became extinct by 1940 as speakers shifted to Hausa.. Sharia law was adopted in June 2001

Geography

Bauchi State occupies a total land area of 49,119 km2 (18,965 sq mi) representing about 5.3% of Nigeria’s total land mass and is located between latitudes 9° 3′ and 12° 3′ north and longitudes 8° 50′ and 11° east.

The state is bordered by seven states, Jigawa to the north, Taraba for 54 km and Plateau for 360 km (220 mi) to the south, Gombe for 277 km (172 mi) to the east, Yobe for 188 km (117 mi) to the north-east, Kaduna to the west for 32 km (20 mi), and Kano for 131 km (81 mi) to the north-west.

Bauchi state is one of the states in the northern part of Nigeria that span two distinctive vegetation zones, namely, the Sudan savannah and the Sahel savannah. The Sudan savannah type of vegetation covers the southern part of the state.

Here, the vegetation gets richer and richer towards the south, especially along water sources or rivers, but generally the vegetation is less uniform and grasses are shorter than what grows even farther south, that is, in the forest zone of the middle belt.

The Sahel type of savannah, also known as semi-desert vegetation, becomes manifest from the middle of the state as one moves from the state’s south to its north. This type of vegetation comprises isolated stands of thorny shrubs.

On the other hand, the southwestern part of the state is mountainous as a result of the continuation of the Jos Plateau, while the northern part is generally sandy.

The vegetation types as described above are conditioned by the climatic factors, which in turn determine the amount of rainfall received in the area. For instance, the rainfall in Bauchi state ranges between 1,300 millimetres (51 in) per annum in the south and only 700 millimetres (28 in) per annum in the extreme north. This pattern is because in the West Africa sub-region, rains generally come from the south as they are carried by the southwesterlies. There is therefore a progressive dryness towards the north, culminating in the desert condition in the far north. So also is the case in Bauchi state.

Sumu Wildlife Park

Consequently, rains start earlier in the southern part of the state, where rain is heaviest and lasts longer. Here the rains start in April with the highest record amount of 1,300 millimetres (51 in) per annum. In contrast, the northern part of the state receives the rains late, usually around June or July, and records the highest amount of 700 millimetres (28 in) per annum.

In the same vein, the weather experienced in the south and the north varies considerably. While it is humidly hot during the early part of the rainy season in the south, the hot, dry and dusty weather lingers up north.

In addition to rainfall, Bauchi state is watered by a number of rivers. They include the Gongola and Jama’are rivers.

The Gongola River crosses Bauchi state in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area in the south and in Kirfi and Alkaleri Local Government Areas in the eastern part of the state, while the Jama’are River cuts across a number of Local Government Areas in the northern part of the state.

Moreover, a substantial part of the Hadeja-Jama’are River basin lies in Bauchi state, which along with various fadama (floodplain) areas in the state provides suitable land for agricultural activities. These are further supported by the number of dams meant for irrigation and other purposes. These include the Gubi and Tilde-Fulani dams.

There also lakes such as the Maladumba Lake in Misau Local Government Area that further provide the necessary conditions to support Agriculture.

Climate

Bauchi has oppressive wet season while the dry season is partly cloudy, and it is hot year round. Over the year, the temperature also varies. Like every other state in Nigeria, Bauchi state have not been spared in devastating effects of climate change.

On 11 July 2022, the acting Director-general of the Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (BASEMA), Mr Bala Lame, said “no fewer than 100 houses and several farmlands have been destroyed by devastating floods in Darazo LGA of the state”.

This he attributed to flooding after three days of persistent rainfall in the area. The average annual temperature ranges from 57 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, with occasional exceptions when it falls below 51 or rises over 104.

The greatest time of year to visit Bauchi for warm-weather activities, according to the tourist score, is from early December to early February.

Average Temperature in Bauchi

From 28 February to 10 May is the hot season, which lasts 2.5 months and has an average daily high temperature of over 96 °F. Averaging a high of 99 °F and a low of 74 °F, April is the hottest month of the year in Bauchi.

From 15 July to 1 October, the cool season, which has an average daily high temperature below 86 °F, lasts for 2.6 months. With an average low of 58 °F and high of 90 °F, January is the coldest month of the year in Bauchi.

Air Pollution in Bauchi

Particulate matter, which has a diameter of less than 10 microns and is 1/7th the thickness of a human hair, is a significant source of air pollution in Bauchi. These particles, which can include smoke, soot, dust, salt, acids, and metals, pose a serious threat to health because they may be inhaled into the deepest parts of the lung.

Erosion

Gully erosion, which has swept away bridges, culverts, and homes, is causing alarm among residents of the settlements of Alkaleri and Kirfi in Bauchi State.

Population

Bauchi State has a total of 55 tribal groups which include Gerawa, Sayawa, Jarawa, Kirfawa, Turawa Bolewa, Karekare, Kanuri, Fa’awa, Butawa, Warjawa, Zulawa, Boyawa MBadawa.

There are cultural similarities in the people’s language, occupational practices, festivals, dress and there is a high degree of ethnic interaction especially in marriage and economic existence. Some of the ethnic groups have joking relationships that exist between them, e.g. Fulani and Kanuri, Jarawa and Sayawa, etc.

The Durbar Festival is a major annual attraction.

Education

The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University is located in the capital city Bauchi. Other educational institutions located in the state include Bauchi State University, Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic and Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi. Federal university of health science Azare

Transport

Federal Highways:
  • A3: northeast from Plateau State at Rafin Jaki for 294 km via Bauchi, Darazo, and Lanpo to Yobe State at Baino as part of the Dakar-Ndjamena Trans-Sahelian Highway (Trans-African 5).
  • A237:  (as part of the Dakar-Ndjamena Trans-Sahelian Highway or TAH 5) east from Jigawa State near Garwa for 90 km as the Kano-Kari Rd via Zigau, Yana, Giade and Misau to A3 at Kari.
  • A345: as the Bachi-Bara-Gombe Rd east from Bauchi for 117 km via Alkaleri and Bara to Gombe State at Lariski.

Other major roads:

  • the Yana-Azare Rd north from A237 at Yana to Azare.
  • the Azare-Katagum Rd north from Azare via Gadau, Chibiyyi and Sakwa to Katagum.
  • southeast from Katagum via Gamawa and Lafia to Yobe State at Zindiwa.
  • the Azare-Potiskum Rd east from Azare via Bulkachuwa, Damban and Dagauda to Yobe State.
  • the Alkeleri-Kirfi Rd north from A345 at Budawaire along the east bank of the Gongola River to Gombe State as the Kunde-Riban-Gau Rd.
  • the Ningi Rd north from A3 in Bauchi via Kafin Madaki to Miya.
  • the Miya-Warji Rd north from Miya via Baima
  • the Warji-Gwaram Rd east to Jigawa State
  • the Jengre-Ningi Rd north from Plateau State at Zarya to Ningi.
  • the Ningi-Zakara Rd east to Zakara where the Zakara-Miya Rd continues east.
  • the Ningi-Shamaki Rd north to Jigawa State at Shabaki.
  • the Munchia-Zanabi-Jerkoya-Matugiwa Rd.
  • the Lumbu-Fulani Rd east via Jigawa and Gwom to Shabaki.
  • northeast from A3 at Darazo to Jigawa State at Basirka.

Railways:

  • The 1067 mm Cape gauge Eastern Line east from Jos in Plateau State to Gombe State.

Airport:

  • Bauchi Airport Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, 23 km north of Bauchi, near the village of Durum, replaced Bauchi Airport in 2014, with regular services to Abuja.

Languages

  • West Chadic language groups spoken in Bauchi State
  • North Bauchi languages
  • South Bauchi languages

Other languages of Bauchi State are:

  • Ajawa
  • Beele
  • Berom
  • Kanuri
  • Kwaami
  • Manga
  • Pero
  • Piya-Kwonci

Government

Like all Nigerian states, the executive arm of the state government is headed by a governor who is eligible for a re-election once.

As at 2019, the governor of Bauchi State is Bala Mohammed, who emerged victorious in the 9 March 2019 Governorship election with the political party PDP.

He was sworn in on 29 May 2019, making him the 6th democratic governor of Bauchi State and the 16th governor of Bauchi State overall. Baba Tela serves as the deputy governor of Bauchi State

Politics

The State government is led by a democratically elected governor who works closely with members of the state’s house of assembly. The Capital city of the State is Bauchi.

The electoral system of to the state is selected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive the plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least two -third of the State local government Areas.

If no candidate passes threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government Areas.

Conclusion

Bauchi State, located in northeastern Nigeria, is known for its rich cultural heritage, historical significance, and economic potential. It is home to diverse ethnic groups, including the Hausa, Fulani, and Sayawa, and has a strong agricultural base. The state capital, Bauchi, serves as a commercial and administrative center.

Bauchi is often referred to as the “Pearl of Tourism” due to its natural attractions, including the Yankari National Park, which is famous for its wildlife, warm springs, and eco-tourism potential. The state’s economy is primarily driven by agriculture, with crops such as maize, millet, groundnuts, and cotton playing a significant role. Additionally, mining and trade contribute to economic activities in the region.

Despite facing challenges such as infrastructure deficits and economic diversification needs, Bauchi State has been making efforts to improve education, healthcare, and security. Government initiatives and private investments are helping to boost development across various sectors.