A Brief History Of Borno State
Borno is a state in the northeastern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It has the second largest land mass of states in Nigeria and is the eleventh most populous state.
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Borno State has 27 LGAs, grouped into three Senatorial
Districts. There are over twenty languages spoken in this state, and the
dominant religious belief is Islam. The present governor of the state is
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum.
The word BORNO or BORNU means “Home of Berbers”. Berbers are
the indigenous population of the Maghreb region of North Africa.
The word BORNU was originally coined from the Arabic word
“Bahar” or “Bahr” which means SEA and “Nuhu” which refers to the Prophet Nuh.
So, another meaning of the term could be SEA OF NUH.
The word MAIDUGURI on the other hand, is a compounding of the
words MAI(king) + DUWURI (a thousand). So, it means, LAND OF A THOUSAND KINGS.
Food for thought: When reciting “BORNO — MAIDUGURI” we’re saying,
“Home of Berbers — Land of a Thousand Kings.”
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| Map Of Borno State |
How poetic!
Borno State as we know it today, started as the Kanem-Bornu
Empire, and spanned across areas in present-day Nigeria, Niger, Libya, Chad,
and Cameroon.
In the year 1902, the British Colonialists officially
incorporated Borno into the Northern Nigeria Protectorates, and in 1907, formed
a new capital at Maiduguri which retains its position to date.
On 3rd February 1976, North Eastern State was
divided into Gongola (now Yobe), Bauchi, and Borno State with Group Captain
Mustapha A. Amin being its first governor in its new capacity as a state. His
immediate predecessor was Governor Muhammad Buhari, and his immediate successor
was Governor Tunde Idiagbon.
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It is a sad irony that a state with the slogan HOME OF PEACE
is now rife with unrest and insurgency. We pray that peace and plenty are soon
restored to the Home of Berbers — Land of a Thousand Kings.
