Gwandu
About
Gwandu, also called Gando, is a town and local government area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. It serves as the seat of a local government area within the state.
History
Gwandu was established by Muhammadu Kanta, founder of the Kebbi Kingdom, and was used as royal farmland (gandu) by the kingdom's rulers for centuries. After the founding of the Sokoto Caliphate in the 19th century and the decline of Kebbi, Gwandu became a co-capital of the Caliphate, from which its Emirs oversaw the western and southern territories. The capital of the Gwandu Emirate was later changed to Birnin Kebbi in 1906. The name Gwandu derives from the Hausa word gandu, meaning royal farmlands. The settlement grew from a small village under the royal farmer of Kanta Kotal into a town, attracting Fulani pastoralists with its fertile land and pasturelands. After the Kebbi expedition during the Sokoto jihad, Gwandu became a significant base for Usman dan Fodio and his followers, and Muhammad Bello ordered a protective wall built around the town in 1806. It became the capital of the Gwandu emirate under Abdullahi dan Fodio.
Source: Wikipedia: Gwandu
Key Facts
State
Kebbi State