Amina

Amina (also Aminatu; died 1610) was a Hausa Muslim Warrior Queen of Zazzau (now Zaria), in what is now north central Nigeria. She is the subject of many legends, but is believed by historians to have been a real ruler. There is controversy among scholars as to the date of her reign, one school of thought believes she reigned from 1549 to 1566, and a second school proposes 1588–1589. She is often credited as the architect who created the strong earthen walls around the city, which was the prototype for the fortifications used in all Hausa states. She also had a strong army, which she used to expand her territory.

Early life and background

Amina was the daughter of Bakwa Turunku, the founder of the Zazzau Kingdom in 1536. Her mother's name was Bakwa. After the death of her parents, her younger brother Karama became king of Zazzau. Amina had grown up in the court of her grandfather and had been a witness to the military campaigns of her grandfather.

Reign

Amina became queen after the death of her brother Karama. Her reign was marked by continuous warfare. The objective of her military engagements was generally to secure trade routes for her kingdom. She is credited with popularizing the earthen city wall fortifications, which became characteristic of Hausa city-states since then. She ordered the building of a defensive wall around each military camp that she established. Later, towns grew around these camps, and the walls became part of the city structure. These walls are known as ganuwar Amina (Amina's walls).

Legacy

Amina is celebrated in Nigeria for her military exploits and her architectural innovations. In her honor, a statue was erected in the National Arts Theatre in Lagos State. There is also an educational institution named after her, the Queen Amina College in Kaduna, and multiple films and books have been written about her.

See also

• Hausa Kingdoms
• Zazzau
• Nigerian architecture

External links

• Amina, queen of Zaria at Britannica

Amina Resources
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