GAMAWA...
The History of this District consists in the history of isolated towns, of which the most important is Gamawa owing to the fighting, which took place between Katagum and Sarkin Gamawa Magaji in the time of Sarkin Katagum Abdu. Makawa is also important as being formerly the stepping stone for 'yan Sarki to high Sarautas. A short account of the eldest and most important towns is given below.
A. Gamawa. There are three sites to this town of which the oldest is Gamawa Gujinbara {North east of present town} it is said to have founded by a Habe named Gamua who came from Kun near Lake Chad.
There are five Habe Chiefs, whose name are known.
1. Gamua
2. Bidboni
3. Mai baloneye
4. Warjabba
5. Mai karo
In the time of Mai karo one Hardo Yero came from Bagirmi and settled at Gurbiri East of Koron. When Mallam Zaki captured Tashena, he made his submission and asked for a town to settle in. Mallam Zaki gave him Gamawa but before occupying it he died and his son Ibrahim Kura with the aid of Mallam Zaki captured Gamawa and killed Mai karo. Ibrahim Kura lived in the town for five years and then died. Adamu or Gorko, his brother succeeded him and lived for twenty nine years in the place. In his time Shehu Laminu captured the town and Gorko fled to Kirehabi, where he died. In this engagement Shehu Laminu killed about 200 men and captured a great many cattle. He however only stayed for 24 days and then returned to Bornu.
For two years Gamua was unoccupied. Then Sarkin Katagum Dan Kauwa gave the place to Sarki Atawa, who belonged to the same family as the former Chiefs. He was the Hardo Manuwa and cousin to Gorko. He reigned for six years and was then removed from the Sarauta by Dan Kauwa, because he was too old to keep authority. He went to Korori and was there for one year before his death. He was succeeded by Dan Baba, son of Liman Adandaya, brother of Mallam Zaki, who after a brief Sarauta of five years was turned out by Sarkin Katagum Abdurrahman for depopulating his town. He then went to live in Katagum. He was succeeded by Ibrahim, son of Gorko who in his turn was removed from Sarauta by Sarkin Katagum Abdulkadir after seven years for the same reason as Dan Baba. During these years raide were made continuously by the slaves of the Shehu and so during the reign of Ibrahim they removed to the recent site known as Gamawa Kori. After Ibrahim, Suruma Meddi, a distant relation was given the Sarauta but after a reign of only seven month he died.
Abba Shua, son of Balarabe and Mairam, grandson of Dan Kauwa succeeded but after a reign of three years he was driven out of Gamawa Kori by Danbabuje, a Bedde Chief and fled to Shira. Ibrahim was then restored Kadr and was Chief fo twenty four years but was again turn out by Haji for permitting highway robbery and murder on the road to his town. During this time Gamawa Kori was evacuated and they removed to the present site Gamawa Bureri owing to serenity of water. He was succeeded by Magaji son of Alkali Adamu of Keffi. In whose reign the war with Katagum arose.
There was a further reason for this war a full account of which has been given in the report on the Galadima District, of which I was not informed before. It would seem that the Sarkin Musulmi sent to Sarkin Katagum Abdu, calling him in to Sokoto. He was unable to go and sent Waziri Saidu in his place. Sarkin Musulmi then wrote to all Chiefs under Sarkin Katagum ordering them to break from their allegiance, as he had refused to obey his orders. He wrote to Sarkin Katagum and told him he would not allow him even to drink the water outside Katagum town, called Kabajam, or the Sarkin Ruwa, if he did not come in to Sokoto. Yariman Chinade was to be made Wakili of the Emirate. The Sarkis in obedience to orders refused to follow Katagum.
Sarkin Gamawa at this time was at the height of his power and had collected horses and guns from Rabeh Mamadu son of Sarkin Katagum Abdu, hearing of this conflagration, collected a force at Sokwa, of which he was then Sarki and set out to attack Sarkin Gamawa. Yerima Chinade had advanced as far as Gadia and reinforcements had came in from the other Chiefs. Mamadu drove them all away at Bagalu, west of the site of the new station at Gadia and then went on to Korori where he defeated and killing Sarkin Gamawa.
After Magaji's death Gorko, grandson of Atawa the father of the present Chief, was given the Sarauta and was succeeded this year by his son Ibrahim. There are no less than five walls in the present town of Gamawa, all of which were filled with people in the time of Magaji; since his time the town has been depleted and is now comparatively small.
2. KEFFI.....
Archive Eap535/blu.
