Is Queen Amina A Real Figure or Just A Myth?

Is Queen Amina A Real Figure or Just A Myth?

Everyone must have heard the story of the legendary Queen Amina of Zazzau, and how she conquered cities and empires and ruled over men, how with ingenuity she ordered tall walls to be built around Zaria and how she was a fearless warrior. The list goes on about her greatness, the question on everyone’s mind rather remains how true is such a story, and is the story of Queen Amina, a myth fact, or a legend?

Brief History of Amina of Zazzau

Amina was born in 1533 to king Nikatau and queen Bakwa Turunku, rulers of the Hausa tribe of Zazzau in what is now located in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Amina was the oldest of 3 children of the royal bloodline. Her brother’s name was Karama and her sister was Zaria, whom the British colonial masters would later rename Zazzau in the twentieth century.

Amina is said to have been named heir apparent to the throne of Zazzau when she was only 16 years old. Bakwa, Zazzau’s twenty-second habe, was either Amina’s father or mother, according to historical traditions. Despite the fact that during her father’s reign, there was a reasonable level of peace and prosperity, the history of Amina and her predecessors is littered with military expeditions aimed at boosting trade.

At a very young age, Amina had shown a likeness to war and politics, and her grandfather had helped bolstered this passion she had. With her display of strength and military prowess, Amina was made leader of the warriors during her brother – Karam’s reign.

After the death of her beloved brother, Amina assumed the role of leadership in 1576, and the role came seamlessly to her. Within a short period of time, Amina had gathered over twenty thousand ready ground soldiers, and about a thousand on horse soldiers ready to explore neighboring towns and villages.

Amina never married as she was totally against the concept of subjecting herself to male dominance. And over her years of rulership, she had received several marriage proposals from men of affluence and class, and she rejected them all. Although,  it is said that she took several lovers and killed them afterward.

Amina was killed in 1610 in a battle after a 34-year reign in the grips of power. Under her reign, she is said to have conquered several cities, towns, and villages, and the popular walls surrounding Zaria city are said to be a child of her ingenuity.

Myth, Legend, and Controversy

The spectacularity of Amina and her several conquests have spurred up debates amongst scholars and historians as to the authenticity of available information.

One of the generally accepted baselines regarding Amina is the fact that a personality similar to Amina did exist, but the point of argument arises as to the conquests and expeditions carried out by Amina. Also, another argument is that the Amina of Zazzau as described by historical books isn’t the same as the actual Amina that existed.

Many elements of her life are disputed by historians; however, the idea that she existed is widely accepted, and she is assumed to have been a Muslim ruler.

Much of what is known about Queen Amina comes from the Kano Chronicles, a Muhammed Bello, Sultan after Danfodio translation of pre-colonial African tradition based in part on unidentified Hausa manuscripts. Other information was gleaned from Nigerian oral traditions.

In this regard, Queen Amina’s name largely remains legendary in Hausaland and beyond. Her military prowess and fight performance were boosted by legend, and the extent of her military prowess and war performance remains largely unknown.

Inconsistency in Historical Texts

Some of the controversies associated with Queen Amina of Zazzau are closely related to the fact that Queen Amina described by the Kano Chronicles, isn’t the same as that in Infakul Maisuri – a book from Kano said to be written by Muhammadu Bello, son of Usman Fodio. Also adding to the fact that asides from these two sources, there is no third source that carries a similar story of Queen Amina, no contemporary source has documented such a figure, written or otherwise.

The Name Factor

Another argument is the fact that Queen Amina’s name, during the time she is said to have lived wasn’t a Muslim name at that point, looking at the pattern of her name compared to that of her siblings and parents.

A Case of Mistaken Identity?

Lady Flora Shaw, the wife of Lord Lugard -overseer of colonial Nigeria, wrote that the people of Middle belt Nigeria used to worship a fertility Goddess known as ‘Queen of Al Mina’, a name Hausa Chroniclers ignorantly changed to Queen Amina. A well-known story of Kisra, the Nupe King of Zozo, and how it was hijacked by the Hausa storytellers.

Dispute by Leading Scholars

Acclaimed historians such as Professor Abdullahi Smith and Professor Murray Last have all discarded the credence to any premise that such a personality had ever existed in Zazzau.

Conclusion

To date, historians have all presented and are still presenting their proofs on the fact that an important personality like Queen Amina had ever lived or not, or to what extent the assumed reality on her actual accomplishments was.

People all over the world like to believe in myths and legends, they give people a sense of purpose and belonging to the world.

If a personality like Amina could have ruled what was a male-dominated society in the fifteenth to the sixteenth century, it gives the womenfolk hope as to the endless possibilities the world could unleash for them.

A myth or not, until there is an unchallengeable proof of the fact that she did not exist, it is okay for people to hold on to their acclaimed heroes as she is believed to be one of the female heroes who helped shaped Nigeria.

The Northy Letter Week 49 December 2021

The Northy Letter Week 49 December 2021

My hands and feet are freezing right now and I could be in bed, enjoying some warmth but I have to write to you. We can’t lose communication, I know it’s important to me, is it important to you? Here are what we have for this week:

Monday

The New Year is approaching and I bet you have some plans for it. Maybe I can convince you to add one more thing to your list. Wouldn’t it be interesting to learn a new language? Yes? Yes! Here are 7 Quick Ways to Learn a New Language by Yourself Quickly. Just picture yourself mamacita-ing your way into Spanish.

It’s a little embarrassing that as I write to you now, my bio is nothing to write home about. I always feel I don’t have to try writing a good bio because I don’t have many great achievements and I go online and everything seems so much harder so I usually just wing it. But then, I’m trying to find a remote job and I have to write a better bio. Tell me we are in the same boat. If we are, Umar Farouk Kabir has a solution – How to Write a Professional Bio with Examples. 

Are you intelligent? Or an investor? What if I told you that you could be both? Pick up Benjamin Graham’s The Intelligent Investor and let’s make it work. You’re about to tell me you hate reading but is this how you want to live your life comrade? These are the 15 Books Every Investor Should Read. You’re smart, I know you’ll give them a chance.

Tuesday

You’re not a great spender, I am not either. I am so reckless with money and I can’t keep track of where they disappear to once I start going through them but with the help of Umar Farouk Kabir, I have The 10 Best Expense Tracker Apps in 2022 to start afresh. It wouldn’t hurt to start when the year starts.

Find Out Your Ideal Job When You Take This Quiz. If you’re confused as to what path to take in life, maybe this is a sign to take this quiz and find out. Don’t just fold your arms and wait for fate. We’ve never been quitters so let’s not start now.

Wednesday

You have heard of yeast infections, vaginal infections but you haven’t heard of vaginismus? Maybe this is because our society frowns upon conversations that are even in the slightest bit sexual. However, this is a major concern because This Woman Has a Rare Medical Condition, She Doesn’t Have a Hole. You should read this because Wow! Yeah, it is that shocking.

Pineapple is such a fruit and we have always known that fruits are good for pregnant women so why it is that pineapple is bad for them now? Find out on 10 Foods You Should Avoid When Pregnant, No. 5 is the Worst. I was shaking with anger until I saw the reasons, you’d stop shaking too if you saw them.

Thursday

What’s that thing people say? What a man can do, a woman can do better. Such is the story of Queen Amina. A woman whose story passes down through the Hausa People. Read the Biography of the Great Queen Amina of Zazzau and see how she led an army of men into war.

I can bet a thousand dollars You Won’t Believe How the Famous Arewa Knot (Dagin Arewa) Originated. That thing is everywhere but I have always looked at it as a logo, nothing more. Turns out there’s more to it than being just a symbol.

Saturday

Weekends are times of the week where you have more space to increase your kitchen expertise by trying new recipes or improving on the ones you have. On that note, learn How to Make Awara (Soya Beans Cake) and How to Prepare Your Delicious Dan Sululu. These are foods you eat not because you are really hungry but because you just crave them. The spice is out of this world.

Sunday

I have a dream of home-schooling my kids until they are 5 years old because I truly believe home-schooled kids are smarter than their peers. Montessori Education as a Tool for Arewa Mothers is the best place to start. If you are thinking about this too, then I have got you covered for the future or now.

And we have come to the end of our newsletter for the week. I hope you had fun with it as I did, aaaaaand I can’t wait to see you next week bud!