| Gugua | |
|---|---|
| Sarkin Kano | |
| Reign | 1247-1290 |
| Predecessor | Naguji |
| Successor | Shekkarau I |
| House | Bagauda Dynasty |
| Father | Gijimasu |
| Mother | Munsada |
Guguaโ (also spelled Gujjua) was the King of Kano from 1247 to 1290. He was the son of Gijimasu and Munsada.[1][2]
Succession
editGugua was succeeded by Shekkarau I.[2]
Biography in the Kano Chronicle
editBelow is a biography of Gugua from Palmer's 1908 English translation of the Kano Chronicle.[2]
Gugua was the 7th Sarki. His motherโs name was Munsada.
He was a man of much tact and subtlety. He had a face remarkable for its expression. He was liberal, eloquent, wise, and magnanimous.
All these qualities he turned to account in ruling the pagans and in discovering the mysteries of their god. They hated him. When he knew that they hated him he said to his men, โHow shall I plan to get the better of these pagans and destroy their god.โ
Ture and Galadina Bangare and Berde Kilmo said, โThere can be no plan between them and us, nothing but war; we will conquer them and their god.โ
When the pagans heard of this they said in secret, โWhen the ears hear, then is the body saved.โ The chief pagans assembled at dead of night, 40 in number, at the foot of the sacred tree. Allah alone knows what took place there, They came forth when the sun rose and went to the Sarki.
They said, โO Sarki, when the night of Idi comes we will tell you the mysteries of our god.โ He agreed, for he was glad at heart, and gave them gifts abundantly.
That night an apparition appeared to the Sarki in his sleepโa man with a red snake in his hand. He struck the Sarki with the snake and said to him, โOf two things choose one. Either thou mayest know the mysteries, in which case thou wilt die, or thou mayest not know the mysteries, in which case thou wilt not die.โ
The Sarki said, โNo! No! No!โ
Now when the Sarki rose from his sleep he told his men what he had seen in the vision. They said to him,โWhat do you see in it?โ
He said, โWhat do you see?โ
They said, โWe see war?โ
The Sarki said nothing, he spoke not a word, but suddenly he was struck blind. He remained blind for many years.
He ruled Kano 44 years. 22 years he saw, and 22 he was blind. Then the power passed from him.
โโKano Chronicle
References
edit- ^ Last, Murray (1980). "Historical Metaphors in the Kano Chronicle". History in Africa. 7: 161โ178. doi:10.2307/3171660.
- ^ a b c Palmer, Herbert Richmond, ed. (1908), "The Kano Chronicle", Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, vol.ย 38, pp.ย 58โ98 โ via Internet Archive; in Google Books.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.