12 Things You Need to Know About Kano State,Nigeria And Why You Must Visit.

Kano State is located in North-Western Nigeria and created on May 27, 1967 from the old Northern Region. It is bordered to the north-west by Katsina State and to the north-east by Jigawa State, then to the south-east by Bauchi State and the south-west by Kaduna State. Jigawa State was carved out of Kano State in 1991.

Kano had about 10 million people according to the 2006 census figures, and 44 local government areas which comprise of the following: Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Kano Municipal, Tarauni, Nassarawa, Kumbotso, Ungogo, Dawakin Tofa, Tofa, Rimin Gado, Bagwai, Gezawa, Gabasawa, Minjibir, Dambatta, Makoda, Kunchi, Bichi, Tsanyawa, Shanono, Gwarzo, Karaye, Rogo, Kabo, Bunkure, Kibiya, Rano, Tudun Wada, Doguwa, Madobi, Kura, Garun Mallam, Bebeji, Kiru, Sumaila, Garko, Takai, Albasu, Gaya, Ajingi, Wudil, Warawa, and Dawakin Kudu.

The state has a lot of tourist attractions, and the following are some of them:

1. Tiga dam/Rock Castle: Tiga dam is among the best attractions within the state of Kano where fishing activities and boating take place. At the far end of the dam is Rock Castle Hotel which was purposely built to accommodate Queen Elizabeth and her entourage during her visit to Nigeria in 1960.

2. Kano central mosque: This is located within the Emir’s Palace – a fascinating architecture constructed in the 15th century. Although it has gone through series of modifications, the masterpiece architectural design still bears the hallmark of Arabic influence and culture.

3. Kurmi market: This market was instituted during the trans-Sahara slave trade when Emir Muhammadu Rumfa was on the throne over 400 years ago. It is the oldest public market in northern Nigeria and renowned for traditional wares such as carvings, calabashes, ancient jewelries, brassworks, leather products, and pottery among other things.

4. Kofar Matar dyeing pit: The local natives in Kano State dyed clothes as their traditional work, and the places where they dyed the fabrics can still be seen today. The pits are still operational in some other places, and here tourists can learn the art of cloth-dyeing and designs being carried out in the dyeing pits.

5. Dala hills: The Dala hills is where the first settlers in Kano dwelt when they first arrived the city thousands of years ago, and the first inhabitants used the hills to model their housing and villages. The hills still retain tourism values that visitors will find fascinating anytime they visit the hills in Kano.

6. Kano walls: The Kano city walls was constructed in the 14th century and is 14 km radius from the center of the city. It provided protection against marauders and external aggression in the olden days, and served as defensive landmarks on which the people relied upon for safety from attackers.

7. Gidan Rumfa: This is the present palace of the emir and built in the 13th century during the reign of Emir Muhammadu Rumfa. It is an aristocratic complex with various facilities and sections that told of enduring edifices in an expansive landscape. There is also a mosque within the palace grounds.

8. Gidan makama house: This used to be a palace of the emir of Kano but now used as a museum to tell the story of the Hausa people in Kano. The museum now tells the history of the people from the 9th to 20th century period, including the Jihad period and the British invasion of 1901. This museum is a must-see for every tourist to Kano; and tourists might also want to check out Gidan Dan Hausa which is also the Kano State museum.

9. Mallam Kato Square: This square in Kano metropolis is a recreation center erected on a piece of land initially used by a Quranic mallam who was displaced by British colonial masters. The embattled mallam prophesied that no buildings would be erected on the land and today, it has become a public square for people to carry out social activities.

10. Buturiya wetland game reserve: This game reserve is 40km distance from Hadejia. It is a place to watch migrant birds and a rich sanctuary for pelicans, knob-billed goose, yellow-billed stork, grey hornbill, and white-faced duck among others.

11. There is also the Falgore game reserve which is a 1,000 square kilometer reserve established in 1949 in the southwestern part of Kano along Jos road. Here visitors can see various wildlife such as jackal, leopard, serval, hartebeest, bush baby, spotted hyena, buffalo, warthog, oribi, red fronted gazelle, red flanked duiker, bushbuck, patas monkey, green monkey etc.

12. Other attractions: Other attractions in Kano State are the Minjibir weaving center, Dawakin Tofa pottery, Audu Bako zoological garden, Kusalla dam and fishing center, Roxy amusement park, Park Dawakin Kudu, Murtala Muhammed Library, Kajuru Castle, and Challawa Gorge dam among others.