Bauchi State

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).[9] Bauchi and Adamawa were the two main sources of freedom and tourism for the Fulani empire of Sokoto.[10]

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.[11]

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.[12]

During 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 the Bauchi, Borno, and Adamawa provinces constituted the former North-Eastern 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.

Sharia law was adopted in June 2001.[13]

Bauchi State consists of twenty Local Government Areas (LGAs). They are:

Yankari National Park

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, Kano and Jigawa to the north, Taraba and Plateau to the south, Gombe and Yobe to the east and Kaduna to the 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.

From February 28 to May 10 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 July 15 to October 1, 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.[4]

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.[17][18][19]

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.[20][21][22]

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. But the Fulani are the main tribe. This means that they have backgrounds, occupational patterns, beliefs and many other things that form part of the existence of the people of the state.

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.[23]

The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University[24] is located in the capital city Bauchi. Other educational institutions located in the state include Bauchi State University,[25] Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic[26] and Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi.[27]

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.

West Chadic language groups spoken in Bauchi State:[28]

• North Bauchi languages
• South Bauchi languages

Languages of Bauchi State listed by LGA:[29]

Other languages of Bauchi State are Ajawa, Beele, Berom, Kanuri, Kwaami, Manga, Pero, and Piya-Kwonci.[29]

See also: List of governors of Bauchi State

The Governor of Bauchi State is the Executive, while the State Legislature, Bauchi State House of Assembly is located in Bauchi.

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.[32]

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.[33]

• Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, first and only Prime Minister of Nigeria
• Jude Rabo, vice-chancellor of Federal University, Wukari
• Sa'adu Zungur, poet and revolutionary

• Bauchi Light Railway

• Official website