HISTORY OF BIRNIN ZAUMA

To unravel the history of any region where record-keeping culture was at its lowest ebb, is not an easy task. However, there are elements of nature that preserve some undisputable historical facts aided and given weight by verbally
transmitted stories of events that transpired in laying the foundation of Birnin Zauma and the details of its development as a settlement. Birnin Zauma is a populated settlement in Bukkuyum Local Government Zamfara State situated on a hilly terrain beside River Zamfara. According to reliable sources, Birnin Zauma or Zoma as formally pronounced was founded more than 350 years ago. A legend has it that its founder was a hunter called 'Dan Kayaye'
The historical hypothesis that places Zauma at that age is based on firmly established historical record which portrayed the revivalist tour of Shaykh Usmanu Danfodiyo and his visit to Birnin Zauma as mentioned in the book titled "Great Lives" published by Ministry of Education Sokoto. The conclusion is drawn from the time of Shehu's visit to Zauma some few years before the Battle of Kwatto in 1804 (209 years ago). Shehu met a populated settlement of devoted Muslims in Zauma and built a large mosque there. This points to the fact that Shehu could not have built such a large mosque if the settlement was new and had only few houses. Thus, Birnin Zauma was a populated and well established settlement at the time of Shaykh Usman Danfodiyo that it could had been founded some 150 years before the historical revivalist tour.
If the 209 years of the Battle of Kwatto and 150 hypothetical years of Birnin Zauma settlement before Shehu's visit are summed up, the figure 359 years stands to be the probable age of Birnin Zauma.
Some sources show that Birnin Zauma and the old deserted Sabon Birni at its western outskirt were founded by brothers. Sabon Birni whose only surface relics are dye pits, broken pots, pieces of pottery ovens, dotted baobab trees and crumbling ancient wall was founded by a man called Bazai.