Kaduna

Kaduna

Kaduna is the capital of Kaduna State, the former political capital of northern Nigeria. It lies in northwestern Nigeria, along the Kaduna River. It is a trade center and an important transport hub as the gateway to Nigeria's northern states, thanks to its rail and essential road network. In 1900, Kaduna was founded by British colonialists. Sir Frederick Lugard, the first British governor of Northern Nigeria, picked the present site because of its proximity to the Lagos-Kano railway line. In 1917 it became the capital of the former Northern Region of Nigeria, a status it held until 1967. Nowadays, the city still has great influence and is the seat of various political, military and cultural organizations, particularly in Northern Nigeria. Kaduna is also the state capital of Modern Kaduna State, which is home to some of Africa's oldest civilizations, including the Nok civilization, which developed from about 1500 BC to 500 AD. Geographer and historian Ya'qubi documented the existence of the Hausa Kingdoms in the 9th century, which lasted until the region was annexed to the Sokoto Caliphate following the Fulani War in the early 1800s. The name Kaduna is probably derived from the Hausa word kada, meaning crocodile, as the Kaduna River was once home to a large crocodile population. An alternative version of the etymology of the name is the narrative associated with the Gbagyi word "Odna" for the Kaduna River, but the state's coat of arms has a crocodile symbol and most of the emblems associated with the state use crocodiles as well.