The Kanem- Bornu

Much of the history of great African empires is ignored. The Kanem- Bornu Empire is a example of a massive African Empire.

Ngazargamu or, Gazargamo was the capital of the Bornu Empire from ca. 1460 to 1809. Situated 150 km west of Lake Chad in the Yobe State of modern Nigeria the impressive remains of the town are still visible. The surrounding wall is 6.6 km long and in parts it is still up to 5 m. high. The town was built by Mai Ali Gaji after the final defeat of the Dawudid branch of the Sefuwa ruling dynasty. The city was then an important centre for trade and learning, at its height home to around 20,000 inhabitants.
In 1809, after several years of indecisive warfare, Gazargamo was besieged and destroyed by Malam Zaki, in the Fulani jihad.1

“Today the famous city of Ngazargamu now lies in Yobe state. The state government is now making moves to preserve the structural and other heritages that are incidental to the ancient city’s history”2. A press statement issued by the spokesman of Yobe state, Abdullahi Bego, ‎said an eight man committee of scholars and politicians had been established to begin the task of preserving Ngazargamu’s heritage.3 “His Excellency Governor Ibrahim Gaidam has approved the completion of an eight-man committee for the demarcation, restoration and conservation of the ruins of Birnin Ngazargamo, one-time historic capital of Kanem Borno Empire”, the statement reads.4
This place is not listed as a historical site, hopefully this changes in the near future as it helps show the rich culture of the once great city in the Kanem Bornu Empire. The remains of the city are the only remains of Ngazargamu and should be preserved as much as possible. I can potentially see this becoming a museum too, but most likely just a historical site.

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