THE DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONS OF CITY WALLS IN THE SAVANNA BELT OF THE NIGERIAN AREA
THE DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONS OF CITY WALLS IN THE SAVANNA BELT OF THE NIGERIAN AREA
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Date
1985-07
Authors
ACHI, BALA
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Abstract
The purpose of this dissertation is to trace the development
and discuss the roa.jor functions which city walls
performed in the Savanna belt of the Nigerian area from
(1100 A.D, to 1503 A.D.) During this period, the Savanna
belt of the Nigerian area witnessed the development of
many cities and the: construction of city walls. This made
such walled settlements quite prominent in the history of the
Nigerian area. This development coincided with the period
when such settlements were undergoing significant demographic,
economic, political and religious changes. Despite
these, obscurity still shrouds much of the history of these
walled settlements. The construction of the walls, materials
used, the building techniques and the changes in the sizes
and shapes of the walls which reflected changes in population,
technology and culture of the society of trie Savanna region,
have hardly been studied.
It is suggested in this work that the consolidation
of the power of the Sarki, the evolution of the city and the
construction of the city walls are positively related to the
develoxjmental process. The increase in the power of the
Sarki was shown by the extent and elaborateness of the walls
of his city and towns. Thus, cities that grew to become
state capitals with extensive trading networks, stratified
social classes with communitarian values in labor relations
and relatively advanced technology, built very extensive,
high and thick walls. The size and nature of the walls built
are a reflection of the power of the Sarki, the functions
they were meant to serve, the nature and extent of the
society's technology, its values, beliefs and of its geographical
environment. In most cases, the walls served defensive,
economic, political and religious functions. Attainment of
security made possible by the walls enabled the walled
citiesj, to expand at the expense of relatively weaker areas.
This political expansion increased the power of the Sarki
and the economic base of the city through booty, enslavement
and the attraction of skilled craftsmen from relatively
unstable areas.
The work is limited to the Savanna belt, an area of
open vegetation, relatively enabling easy inter-communication
arid contact between societies. Although the study
focuses more on Kano, Zaria and Oyo-Ile, I have drawn upon
data that are related to ether city walls, stockades and
Manorial Castles both in Africa, Europe and Asia because
their development and functions had a number of similarities.
The development and functions of city walls in the Savanna
belt of the Nigerian Area cannot be understood in their
true perspective without a proper study of the emergence
and the consolidation of the power of the Sj3£ki, sources
of wealth and of labour of the city and the types of relationships
which existed between the city and the peripheral
towns and villages. It is suggested that the emergence of the
Sarki and the consolidation of his power, helped to tilt the
balance between the rural areas and the political centres
in favour of the latter. This went hand in hand with the
construction of the walls, territorial expansion by the
political centres and the emergence of states with the walled
cities acting as the states' capitals. This prominent role
of some of the walled cities continued up to 1903 when the
British forces shelled the walls and shifted the centre of
power from the walled city to the newly created towns.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE
OF MASTER OF ARTS (HISTORY).
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
FACULTY 0F ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA.
Keywords
DEVELOPMENT,, FUNCTIONS,, CITY WALLS,, SAVANNA BELT,, NIGERIAN AREA