Site Documentation Investigative Report Of The Ancient Ruins Of Daniski Cultural Landscape Of Fika L.G.A, Yobe State, Nigeria.

By Kasim Isa

Kanempress

20th May 2023

Name of Property	Ancient abandoned settlement of Daniski
Location: (village/town)	Daniski, Fika LGA of Yobe State
Core Land area	450ha of abandoned hilltop settlement (The Moi’s Palace 10 ha2, Moi’s Mosque 40m2 x 45m2, Royal Cemetery 95m2, Dalla Banni 1-7km2)
Geographic coordinates	Lat.      11°18′43″N, Long.      11°14′0.3″E (11°312022)                (11°233429
Altitude:	422yd a.s.l Coord. Accuracy: 3937 yd
Property Owner	Daniski Community
DESCRIPTION	Ruins of Ancient settlements with serial archaeological sites.

BACKGROUND HISTORICAL INFORMATION ON CIVILIZATION AT DANISKI HILLS

Bole (bòo pikkà also known as Bolanchi, Ampika, Borpika, Bolewa, Bolawa is a West Chadic language spoken in Nigeria. Historical records indicate that, the Bolewa of Fika developed a strategic buffer State between Borno and Hausa land in North-eastern part of Nigeria around 16^th C AD. This kingdom flourished as a centralized polity like other powerful Western Sudanese States like Ghana, Mali Songhai, Kanem Bornu, Kwararafa among others. Joshua (2022)” the Bolewa tribe appears to have eastern origins, tracing their westward movements from the Middle East. The Bolewa are believed to have left Yemen in Southern Arabia a little after 940 AD. Between 1100 AD and 1500 AD, they moved westward to the shores of Lake Chad and into Nigeria. They are known for their hard work, educational advantage and connections”. Archaeological evidences are available to vindicate the assertions because the Ruins of Ancient Daniski Dynasty is the genesis of this civilization among the hilly terrain before metamorphosing into an expanded kingdom of Fika and beyond.

Existing literatures and oral traditions traced the origin of the Bolewa people to the Middle East and their history began with the migration of Bolewa people from Daniski hill-top to the present day Fika lowland settlement which resulted in the relocation of its seat of power. Historical information claimed that, Moi Ibrahim Dazara was the last king on the Daniski Landscape as a result of migrations to the lowland settlements for solace. The movements were in batches when the Emirate was relocated to the present-day Fika. The remaining people on the hilltop settlement followed the Emir to the new settlement with their culture and tradition. These migrations were however not to a single destination but across the expanse of arable land. These movements consequently marked the beginning of population dispersion on the landscape to other settlements within and outside the region.

The Bolewa people under the Fika Emirate are described as one of the most organized Traditional Institution with a hierarchical Community Administration System which the British colonial Forces met on their arrival to the area. According to M. M. Aliyu (BOLDU Report 2:179) and the Colonial Anthropologists narrated that the Bolewa people were derivatives of Jukun people with indications that after leaving Yemen, the Bolewa were believed to have been one branch of the kwararrafa group that moved together with other groups including Jukun, which afterward, they left the Kanuri people along with multi etnic groups at Gazargamu and first settled at Kibla, Pindiga while other columns settled at Fika before climbing the Daniski Hills to establish a sedentary settlement.

Daniski hills was the administrative seat of power of the Bolewa people around 16th century. The Civilization at the hilltop flourished for over two centuries before the people started migration to the lowland in 1805. Oral tradition claimed that the last set of migration to the lowlands was in 1954.

After the final migration from Daniski hill in 1805 in search of greener pasture, the Bolewa people founded Fika town situated along present day Potiskum–Gombe road. This town is still significant as it once served as the Administrative Headquarters of present day Fika Emirate before the Emir moved to the present Headquarters at Potiskum in 1924.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The Bolewa civilization and the political history between 16^th and 17thC AD has been rated as one of the most organized traditional institutions in the western Sudan that faithfully evolved as a centralized polity with massive deployment of manpower in building City enclosure walls, the palace of the paramount ruler, the central mosque and series of socio-economic activities that supported the civilization and the chieftainship. The practice of traditional rites, belief systems and cultural ceremonies are quite unique with outstanding universal significance.

The traditional settlement pattern bears an exceptional testimony to a living tradition with artistic and technological ensemble which illustrates significant stages in human history over a span of time. The round vernacular architecture, city enclosure walls, gates, corrals and sacred places had been consistently maintained.

For over two centuries, the growing population of Bolewa people at Daniski hills which was generally under pilled by the productive capacity of the peasantry, developed a sophisticated economy as evidenced by the socio-economic activities like iron smelting, dyeing, subsistence agriculture and animal husbandry which continually sustained livelihood.

The position of the paramount Ruler as the political and spiritual head of the people is magnified on the strategic diverse palace as the seat of power among the Community. Other structures like the palace, horse stable, the Guards quarters are indicative of strong Royalty System.

The geographical location of Daniski between Kanem Bornu and Ancient Kano was along the transit of Trans Saharan trade routes in which two of the trade routes entered into the Nigerian territory. The people of Bolewa enjoyed the proceeds and experiences of inter-regional contact between the Berbers and other natives of West African region particularly on international trade, embracing Islam as a religion and pattern of dressing evidenced from the remains of a central mosque, use of North African attires and adoption of Islamic architecture.

SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY VALUES OF THE SITE
Most of the built heritage are in ruins because it is an abandoned settlement but the terraces of house foundations, city walls, corrals and gates are visible with clear ground building plans. Sacred places and activity areas are still intact with signages installed by the host community. The biodiversity and the ecological setting of the hilltop settlement on an expanse of land area is quite unique with aesthetic and scientific values. The ancient settlement pattern is based on vernacular architecture of earthen structures in circular and square formations constructed with mud bricks. There are also evidences of diffused architectural technology especially Islamic and Hausa traditional architecture in building mosques and the palace of the Paramount Ruler. In describing structural remains of the settlements system, it bears evidence of densely populated landscape with a robust economy and power of a centralized polity that supported faithful evolution of a civilization that dates back to 16^th C AD. The general historical development is a testimony of cultural continuity with significant features and factors of outstanding utilization of natural environment and control of large number of populations in the region’s history.  

Attribute 1: Sacred Rock Boulders for spiritual selection of a new King: Gusho Annin Moi; (Dutsen Sarakuna) is an arranged sacred Rock Boulders in which the King Makers uses spiritual powers of the ancestors to scrutinize and choose potential candidate for installation as a king whenever the position of the king is vacant. This is an ancestral Rock Boulders of Bolewa people in which all contending members from the Royalty aspiring to be a king are subjected to spiritual screening and selection to exhibit fairness and the will of the ancestors to prevail.  The boulders are arranged in pillars; one on top of the other. It has Royal and spiritual significance in determining which of the Princes shall be the next king with a view to avert dispute among Princes for succession to the throne.

Historical information and oral tradition had recorded series of instances of dispute for succession to the throne whenever the king is dead or the position is vacant for a new king to emerge. On that ground, it becomes mandatory for the king makers to present all potential princes to climb and sit on the sacred boulders one after another. The Rock often shakes violently denying the wrong princes ability to sit on it but remains calm as the rightful king sits on it.

Attribute 2: The Emir’s Palace (Bani Moi) Fadan Sarki

The Emir’s palace (Bani Moi) known in Hausa as Fadan Sarki is where the traditional seat of power and authority reside. This palace was built by the community for the Emir who is the paramount Ruler of this kingdom for his official Residence: This palace has a land area of 10ha and consists of  ruins of complex buildings with several courtyards; Silos (Rhombus), harems, stables, private mosques to among others.  

The palace contain complex building structures and courtyard built with local raw materials such as; grasses, hays, fodders, mud clay and perhaps; makuba among others.

Attribute 3: Royal Cemetary (Bure Annin) Makabartar Sarakuna      

The Royal cemetery (Bure Annin Moi) kwown in Hausa Makabartar Sarakuna. The Royal Burial Ground is a site designated for graves of the royal family. The Royal Family Burial Ground is situated some few meters outside the Emir’s palace. ( Bani Moi)  at the opposite side of the House, facing the entrance gate. The burial ground consists of series of graves of successive Royal personalities for over two centuries.

Attribute 4: Silos (Gare Kina Fikka) Rumbuna Silos (Gare Kina Fikka (Rumbu) are in built vernacular storage structures. Presently, the silos are in ruins but terraces of the foundations are still preserved and visible. The Emir’s palace (Bani Moi) had several silos for storing grains belongs to the paramount Ruler (Moi). The palace silos are not located inside the palace premises, but about 10m away from the enclosure walls of the Emir’s palace. Other wealthy individuals in the community have their own private silos for storage of both cah and food produce. The significance of these silos is for analogy to successful farming communities in African history.

Attribute 5: City Walls and Gates (Bo Gawuna Bada) This attribute consists of City walls, c0ompound enclosure walls, gates and corrals depicting vernacular architecture and large settlement with abundant manpower. Prominent entrance gates include Bo Gawuna. Bada, the entrance Gate situated at the Northern side of Daniski Hills which is now in ruins. In addition, a dug trench was annexed to the City walls (Garu) for further fortification for community protection. The dimension of the city walls from the Northern gate is about 1.7km to the left and 2.5kms to the right of the Emir’s Palace. For the use of the trench, the community in the afternoon uses logs of wood as slabs to enable the people to cross over the trench. At night, the people remove the slabs to allow the trench serve as a barrier for security reason. The gates were said to have led to two most prominent markets of Dogo Abare and Potiskum around the region in historic times;

Attribute 6: Friday Central Mosque (Mashidi Juma) Masallacin Juma’a        

Friday Central Mosque is a feature of a diffused belief and architecture. Friday Central Mosque (Mashidi Juma) Masallacin Jumma’a is located at a strategic location of the settlement close to the Emir’s palace. Islamic religion came to this community as early during the Trans Saharan trade as historical evidences show that Islamic religion came from North Africa through the trans Saharan Trade Routes into Kanem Borno first and passes through the lands to the Kurmi Market in Kano and Sokoto thereafter before the launch of Jihad of 1804. Beside the Daniski Central Mosque, is an Islamic school (Tsangaya) close to the North gate which is attached to the Central Mosque (Mashidi).

Attribute 7: Colonial Residential Area (Bo Bani Nasara) When slave trade was finally abolished in 1807 all over the World, The European super powers came to Africa with a new vision of scrambling and partitioning of Africa. During this period, slave trade was replaced with legitimate trade which led to the occupation and colonization of Nigeria by the British. During this period, the British colonialists aligned with powerful traditional Institution including Daniski for them to achieve Indirect Rule system in Northern Nigeria. As a result of this indirect Rule, The Colonial Residential Officer with his counterparts including an adventurer, Capt. Roy Clive Abraham established their quarters at the Daniski Landscape as one of its administrative service Center in Northern Nigeria in 1924. History information show that, the colonialists learnt the Bole language and also built a Military Barrack on the hills of Daniski.

Attribute 8: Dye Pits (BO BAHBA MARINA) One of the important economic activities that sustained livelihood is dye. The activity area is a socio-economic site with different types of business ventures practiced by the community to support their families and the community at large. The dye pits are used for dying of traditional attires and re-branding of their clothes.  Bo BahBa (Marina) Dyeing profession among this community had survived for hundreds of years due to efficiency and market. The pits are plastered with local adhesives that made them very strong to resist effects of high temperature and precipitation.

Attribute 9: Ancient water well (Bozo Ganga) Rijiyar Giginya  

This has been the longest surviving water well that provide water for human and animal consumption to the Daniski Community. The well never dry up till today. The landscape has several seasonal water ponds across the settlement which augment the Bozo Ganga (Rigiyar giginya) as sources of water: However, whenever the ponds dried up during the dry season, the Bozo Ganga (Rigiyar giginya) serves as the central water point in the city. The diameter of the pit is about 10cm wide but the depth has not yet been ascertained. There is a believe among the people that the water in this well will never run dry and up till whenever a stone is thrown inside, a sound of immense water is made to confirm that the well still contain water.

Attribute 10: Iron smelting furnaces and slags

In the activity area, there are several remains of iron smelting furnaces along with abundant iron slags and tuyer fragments on the landscape. This will infer that, the Daniski people smelted iron and produced iron implements and weapons before the superior European iron products flooded West African Markets in the 19^th C AD. In human history, iron smelting technology was regarded as a complicated technology which developed at a single source at the Far East and later diffused to other parts of the World including Sub Saharan Africa. The exact place and when iron smelting technology emanates is still contentious among two school of thoughts namely independent innovation and the Diffusionists School of thoughts. However, archaeological evidences from this site indicate that, there had been intensive iron smelting profession before the introduction of European iron products to Sub Saharan Africa through the invention of Industrial Revolution in England during the first half of 18^th C. AD. Archaeological evidences had further proved that, there were several places in the Nigerian region that smelted iron like Daima in the Chad Basin, Taruga near Abuja among others whose products .replaced Stone and Bronze Ages in Africa.

Attribute 11: Sacred Baobab Tree 1 (Falima Boi)

The Baobab Tree is a Sacred a place in memory of the fallen heroes and wars the Daniski people fought. The Baobab Tree (Fali Ma Boi) is a gigantic baobab tree which served as an armory where hunters and warriors always hang their weapons after a battle or hunting expedition. This Baobab Tree is still existing on the landscape.

Attribute 12: Sacred Baobab Tree 11 (Kushi Gando)     

his feature is a mysterious Baobab Tree (Kushi Gando). This mysterious Baobab tree: is believed to have spiritual powers that it relates between the people and the forefathers. Oral tradition claimed that, the tree always laid her right arm branch flat on the ground in obeisance (worship) down ward every Thursday from morning till evening to appease the existing relationship between the Daniski people and their ancestors.

Attribute 13: Mysterious Baobab 111 (Kushi Madaka)  

Anther mysterious Baobab tree (Kushi Madaka). This feature is another Amory for the Warriors and Hunters of Daniski. Oral Tradition also claimed that, weapons were brought to the Daniski community by the Gudi People who dwells in the Northern part of Daniski Mountains. The Baobab Tree (Koshi Madaka) accept the weapons for safe keep and will be released to the people any7 time they desire.

Attribute 14: Prince Adam Palace (Bani Moi Adam Bakam)     

Historical records present that the Princes in Daniski Land don’t live in the same palace with the kings of Daniski land, as such; they often build their own houses outside the king’s palace. Prince Bani Moi Adam Bakam was the last prince that descended down the hills and built his mini palace before he later became the king and ascended the throne on the hilltop.

Attribute 15: The City Center (Dalla Banni)         The city center (Dalla Banni) is a square for commercial and social activities on the hilltop settlement. It is situated in the heart of the city. It has a diameter of about 15m^2.The area is characterized by ruins of collapse structures which are in mounds. The enormous mounds construed as a result of the collapsed houses which signifies that they were built with such historic significance that entails the history of those who once lived on the hill. There is evidence of scattered potsherds, iron slags, tuyer fragments and rock boulders among the Dalla Banni settlement.

Attribute 16: The Royal grave yard at Fika With the gradual migration of the Bolewa people from Daniski hills to the lowland. The last Emir settled at Fika where the civilization continued. From !05 to 1948, the graves of all the Emirs that ruled the land ere buried in this cemetery except the last Emir that Migrated from Fika to Potiskum. The palace and the graveyard ar property protected. The burial provides chorology of the kings and the numbers of the Kings that ruled Fika over this long period of time.

THE INTANGIBLE HERITAGE

Cultural Festivals and ceremonies

This refers directly and tangibly with events, beliefs, artistic and literary works of outstanding significance. From time to time, the Emir of Fika organizes tourism excursions to Daniski Hills in order to visit some places like Gusho Annin Moi and to also experience the mild climate of Janna Kadi (safe haven).

More also, whenever researchers come to the palace or Tourists and wishes to visit Daniski hills, the Emir often arranged a team of Palace Officials and groups of Vigilantes to escort the researchers uphill with attached interpreters.

Most of the trips the Emir organizes are for tourism or in appreciation of ancestral homeland of geographical features, legend and myths, sight-seeing etc.

At the foot of the Daniski Hills, where Bani Adam Bakam’s palace was situated is a designated place for cultural fiestas such as; Traditional Festivals, Sallah celebration, Durbar, Games, Marriage ceremonies, Symposiums, Conferences, Coronation and Installation of Lambas among others.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Having forensically examined the site, I certify that, it is an abandoned ancient settlement that flourished as a centralised polity which bear outstanding traditional settlement pattern with a tradition and civilization that is living outside the Landscape.
2. There are serial archaeological sites and sacred places which the community had mapped out and labelled for the purpose of documentation and further Research.
3. The lowland settlement of Fika is an extension of the Daniski cicilization and chieftainship with existing palace of the Emir and labelled Graves of successive Kings from 1805.
4. An archaeological excavation by a team of Archaeologists is required to determine the periodization of the civilization and to ascertain historical facts from the remains of data that will be obtained from scientific anaysis and interpretation.
5. The Department of Monuments, Heritage and Sites should be deployed for in depth research and documentation of the Site to facilitate its gazetting and declaration as a Heritage Site for its protection and sustainable development.
6. The Fika Emirate Council and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments should organize a round table conference for enhance protection and use of our cultural heritage to community leaders, teachers and local government officials.

COMMENDATION

1. His Royal Majesty, the Emir of Fika is hereby commended for his tremendous effort to Partner and support National Museum Damaturu to seek for professional advise and expertise to protect, conserve and promote this rich cultural heritage in his domain.
2. The Curator and staff of National Museum Damaturu along with Daniel Ishaya from Dikwa are hereby commended for the resilience and effort they put in mapping and documenting the landscape properly. In addition, their advise and commitment had help in no small measure to preserve the landscape from total destruction through farming, slash and burn for agriculture and fetching of firewood.
3. The National Commission for Museums and Monuments also deserve commendation for effective listening ears and responding appropriately at the period of needs.
4. The Village head and community members had been exhibiting cordial relationship and synergy with the staff of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and the Fika Emirate Council.