Abstract:
Gozaki emerged as a political entity adjacent to Katsina, Zazzau and Kano Kingdoms by c.1500 A.D. The growth and development of Gozaki occurred in different stages. Firstly, it emerged as a hilltop settlement in Dutsen Kuraku (Kuraku hill) and thereafter a plain settlement which was characterised by the emergence of Garuruwa (towns) under the authority of Masu Gari. The Masu Gari were the heads of the towns that emerged in the area and had a number of villages under their administration. Also, the Masu Gari were superiors to the occupational heads in their respective towns. The occupational heads anchored various occupations, such as farming, hunting and smithing in each town. The emergence of the towns was as a result of the sophistication of the economy which developed beyond subsistence level. Agriculture was no longer centred on food production for the teeming population; it served industries, as large hectares of land were deployed in the production of cotton for the textile industry in the Gozaki area and beyond. There was the production of goods beyond subsistence level which led to the development of commerce. This paper used primary sources, particularly oral sources and Archaeological reconnaissance derived from the field. The sources have been critically examined for the reconstruction of the history of the area of study.
Keywords: Gozaki, Katsina Kingdom, Political Entity, Migration, Settlements.
DOI: 10.36349/sokotojh.2023.v12i01.002
