CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Maigatari town is the headquarter of Maigatari Local Government Area, found in Jigawa State of Northern Nigeria. It is located about 139 kilometers from Dutse, the state capital, as shown in map 1. The population of Maigatari was estimated in the 2006 national population census to be about 17,715 inhabitants.¹ The inhabitants of the area are mainly Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri, Igbo and Yoruba. Maigatari is bordered in north by Niger Republic and in the South by Gumel Local Government Area (LGA). It shares borders with Sule

Tankarkar LGA, to the east and Malam Madori (LGA) to the west and north east with Yobe State. Maigatari covers an area of 1500 square meters out of which 1250 square kilometers serve as grazing and cattle route². The area lies in the geographical zone known as Sahel- savanna.

The cattle market of Maigatari is located at the extreme end of Northern Nigeria and shares a common border with Niger Republic (See Map I) besides cattle, the market, like all Nigerian markets, sells a variety of goods, including food items such as millet, fish, sauce ingredients, vegetable and other agricultural produce.

Cattle trade is a major pillar of the local economy and even though many people specialize in trade in a variety of animals, such as cattle, camels, donkeys, horses, goats, sheep and chicken, among others, cattle remains the predominant article of trade in the market; hence the name Maigatari Cattle market.

The market was established in 1929 as a stop-over by merchants from Niger Republic coming to Nigeria to sell raffia, potash and cattle.^3. From its humble beginning, the market, over time, has attracted people from different places such as Igbo land and the Yoruba land.

Initially, sheds meant for other goods in the town served as collecting and exporting center for the various cattle merchants. Some of the cattle were imported while some were bred in

Nigeria and exported to other neighboring countries^.4

The vegetation is predominantly grassland. The Sahel- savannah vegetation covers most of the landscape. Four types of grasses dominate the grass field; these are Dectyloctaniun, (gude-gude) Denchrus,, Digitaria, and paspalum. Maigatari experiences a climatic condition similar to that of the Sahara desert and is faced with the problem of desert encroachment and scanty annual rainfall⁵. The climatic condition and soil type support the cultivation of cowpea, sorghum, millet and beans, groundnuts, maize, and benniseed.

The town has a network of roads: one route goes southwards and links Kano, Gezawa Koguyan Sabuwa, Garki Dadinduniya, Danladi, Kakuditsuru, and Gumel. A northern route goes from Dingas, Bangaya, Dogo-dogo, to Maigatari. The western route runs from MalamMadori through Gumel to Maigatari while an eastern route runs from Babura through Yandamo, Sule Tankarkar and Gumel to Maigataria (as shown in Map II). A track road leads from Maifaru via Danmakama, Dangwanki to Maigatari ⁶. There are various other trade routes that are linked with Maigatari. For example through the routes, commodities were transported by motor vehicles as well as by pack animals within and outside Maigatari community. Cattle and other items from Maigatari are sold in local, state and regional markets, especially within neighboring communities and the southern parts of Nigeria.

Maigatari is not connected to rail and water transport.

Like other parts of Nigeria, Maigatari has two climatic seasons: the rainy season and the dry season: The rainy season spans from June to September with an interval from September to November. This period is called “kaka”(in Hausa language), harvesting period. Hamattan (sanyi in Hausa language) caused by cold and dusty northeast winds occurs between October and February. The dry season usually has a high temperature; the mean annual temperature is about 44^oC.

In distant pre-colonial times, the rainfall in the area was less scanty than it is at present. The rainfall in those times supported some forest vegetation with rich wildlife. However, with time, human activities greatly diminished most of the primeval vegetation.

The annual burning of savanna trees by cattle rearers for pasture and the felling of trees for

agriculture, fuel, and building purposes has greatly denuded the grass fields of most of their natural vegetation.

Maigatari, like some other Nigerian towns, promoted and still promotes cattle trade as a principal agent of socio-economic development. Cattle made their first appearance in

Maigatari grass fields from Niger and spread to other parts of Nigeria many centuries ago⁷. The market holds weekly on Thursdays, though some transactions start on Wednesday and goes on up to Saturday. The market is patronized by both Nigerians and Nigeriens. This business between Nigerian and Niger Republic merchants has continued to attract more traders from all over Nigeria. Hence, the merchants converge at the village every week.

Over time¸ Maigatari livestock market gradually metamorphosed into a popular

rendezvous for selling various kinds of animals such as cattle, goats, sheep, camels, donkeys, horses and local chickens; but cattle is the most prominent of all the livestock sold in the market. Also, some craft items produced locally are sold; such as calabash, leather, and knives. Ploughs, local chairs, hats, and pots amongst others, are exchanged for some commodities that are not produced in Maigatari. These include yams, gari, sugarcane, potash, clothes, kola nuts, palm oil and oranges, amongst others from other places.

The organization of trade in Maigatari is predominantly in the hands of the Hausa and

is complex. Only some minor changes have occurred in the organization since its inception^8.

The market was headed by Sarkin Kasuwa under the custody of Maigatari Local Government Authority and Jigawa State government. He was assisted by some officials from both local and state governments to supervise the smooth running of market affairs. These officials include vigilante groups, the police, revenue collectors and inspectors.

It is not possible to give accurate data or a sound quantitative analysis of the number of cattle supplied to Maigatari cattle market during this period of study due to scanty data on the subject matter. However, useful hints collected from both written records and other sources suggest that a growing number of cattle were sourced from different places. According to Maigatari Livestock Veterinary Control Post (M LVCP) records, cattle supplied to Maigatari in 1995, stood at 16,243. The figures recorded as follows: 14,771 cattle in 1996; and 17,370 in 2006 and then dropped to 15,770 in 2007.⁹ Same sources show that the number reached 2000 cattle per week in 2011, goats and sheep’s, 1500; donkeys, 1000 and 500 for camels and 200 for horses. It needs to be stressed that not all cattle that enter the Maigatari pass through the MLVCP.

As the population of Nigeria increases, there have been more mouths to feed. Livestock products, especially cattle beef, constitute a significant part of the diet for more than 50% of the population. Other products like milk, hides and skins, and butter, are highly consumed in parts of the country, especially in the east, west, and the middle belt as well as outside Nigeria.¹⁰

One of the major challenges confronting Maigatari cattle trade is how to feed this growing population. This requires developing a strategy for livestock production facilities and capable institutions to harness the potentials of animals traded^. It is needless to emphasize the role cattle plays in the economic development of Nigeria. Agriculture is the main stay of Maigatari economy, over 70% of the population engage in this activity, which includes farming, food processing and livestock production. Red Mbororo breed of cattle dominates other cattle species in terms of the number reared and the life of the people revolves around cattle. While men head and sell cattle, women engage in subsidiary activities such as milking the animal, preparing butter and selling the by-products.¹¹

Cattle breeding serves as the main source of animal protein for the people, and three major variants of extensive cattle production system have remained predominant. They include the pure pastoralists for whom cattle breeding is the main, if not the only economic, pursuit. The agro-pastoralists practice crop farming and at the same time rear cattle. The extensive system of cattle rearing is based on indigenous breeds of long horn cattle notably the Red Mbororo in Nigeria in general, particularly in Maigatari, Jigawa State¹².

Before Nigeria’s independence, cattle trade in Maigatari was administered under the Land and Native Authority Ordinance. Cattle control rules were enacted in Northern Nigeria by colonial government. This remained in vogue until the British colonized Northern Nigeria. The Federal Republic of Nigeria became independent on 1^st October, 1960 and attained her republican status in1963. The post colonial government’s interest in the cattle trade focused on increased production of livestock. In the past, cattle development strategies failed to increase the number of productive animals due to appropriate packages of technology¹³. In 2007, as a result of the government interest in increasing livestock productivity, some measures were taken to bring about an improvement in the sector. These include the following:

1. Construction of boreholes

2. Construction of good roads

3. Reduction of tax per head of livestock from N200 to N100 and later from N100 to

N50.

4. Granting of soft loans to farmers, especially with regard for animal rearing or

production.

5. Creation of a government veterinary pharmaceutical office.

The government of Jigawa State promotes Maigatari cattle trade as a principal agent of socio-economic and cultural development by establishing a free border market zone for every individual to come and invest. Being the largest market for cattle in the state, the development and contribution of Maigatari in cattle trade and its economic and social impact have been widely recognized. It is up to the government to put in more effort to make the cattle trade attains its full potentialities¹⁴. Onwuka Njoku states that, development is concerned with how best to harness available human and natural resources, so that the productive forces in society are released. This involves economic utilization of manpower in a way that not only raises productivity but also makes it self -generating and self – sustaining¹⁵

Statement of the Problem

There is a potent domestic cattle trade sector in Maigatari which is predominantly informal, consisting of many subsistence enterprises, but with a huge contribution to the economy of the study area. This is in addition to some other market activities, spreading across the towns and villages of the study area; most of these have indirect nexus with the cattle trade.

Before now, research attention on cattle trade has been focused mostly on Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Lagos. Maigatari has not been given any research attention since its emergence as a cattle market in the 1960s. Yet, the town plays an important role in this aspect of the economy. In fact, Maigatari occupies a leading place in the cattle trade and other commercial activities. It enjoys the status of a town with a very fast growth of trading activities. Most of these commercial activities, like cattle trade and crafts, have not gained the attention of historians. The neglect of this market town by researchers leaves a lacuna in our understanding of the economy of the area over time; For instance, with respect to distribution of agricultural products and imports within Jigawa state. Maigatari plays a central role. It also serves as an entrepot in the trade of Jigawa State and neighboring states as well as with Niger Republic. The need to fill out this lacuna therefore can hardly be over-stressed.

Purpose of the Study

The broad purpose of this study is to research cattle trade in Maigatari from a historical perspective. In this regard, the following issues will be investigated and analyzed: the genesis and organization of the trade, and the role played by cattle as an epicenter of trade in Maigatari. Factors such as environmental, location and political, that have aided the rise of cattle trade to prominence and those which have impeded it from attaining its full potentials will also be discussed.

Significance of the Study

The study has both academic and practical significance. Firstly, by filling in some niches in the existing literature, the study will be advancing scholarly knowledge on the subject matter. Speculations arising from lack of knowledge of the subject will be laid to rest. Hopefully, this study will also stimulate further research in related areas. Secondly, the place of this trade in creating a bond of unity among the people of diverse ethnic origins participating in it should be of immense benefit to Nigeria currently grappling with the problem of nation building. The example of unity in diversity can be copied and applied in the sociology of a diversified nation of different cultures.

Thirdly, the job opportunities which cattle trade provides would be discussed along with its socio-economic benefit. This is of special significance in view of the alarming rate of unemployment in Nigeria, such jobs as those of revenue collectors, security personnel, cattle agents otherwise known as (Dillalai) transporters, animal residue collectors butchers known as “Pawa”, food vendors (Dako) and haulage businessmen. This will reduce the prevailing level of unemployment and increase economic growth by giving jobless youths a means to gain some income.

Fourthly, the study hopes to provide useful data and suggestions to guide the government in finding ways to instill nationalism, patriotism, mutual trust and confidence by coming together through trade, especially among Nigerians from diverse ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds and some effective ways in unifying citizens. Fifthly, the study will shed useful light on the immense benefit of the bilateral understanding between Nigeria and

Niger Republic and possibly with other countries.