Gooya, Goya or Gòoya is an archaeological site, ancient city and a mountainous valley with many hollows, caves and gorges found in Fika local government area, Yobe State, Nigeria.[1][2][3]
It is considered one of the tourists attraction sites in Yobe and the deepest gorge valley in Nigeria.[4][5][6][7] The site is presently a home for various wild animals like hyenas and monkeys. It was used for a defensive retreat by the Karai-karai people against invading neighbouring tribes during intertribal wars.[8] Oral traditions showed that it was the former territory of the Karai-karai people as evidence of human existence in the area is shown as remains of the former city walls and ruined homes are still visible.[9][10]
Oral history has it that after the rule of Ayam, Dakau and many other rulers, news reached Mai Idris Alooma (1580 - 1617) about his kinsmen i.e. the Karai-karai people. As a result, the narration said, Alooma marched to the Karai-karai land of western Kanem Borno with the sole aim of taking all the Karai-karai people to a place near him. The news of his trip and intent reached the Karai-karai people. The people on the other hand decided to leave for Gooya (a deep gorge) which the Karai-karai people especially those who came via the Gongola basin discovered as the fortified place for retreat whenever they felt they had no enough time to alert the rest of their kin and kith elsewhere on the oncoming of any danger.[11]
Mai Gireema was the leader who led the Karai-karai people to Gooya.[12]
^Hassan B., Adamu (1993). Peoples of Western Kanem Bornu (A Historio-Linguistics perspective) (First ed.). Yobe State, Nigeria: Mbeeno Club, Potiskum. p. 40.
^Kariya Gambo, Adamu Hassan (2001). Karai-Karai People and Language (A Package for Barakau 2001) (First ed.). Yobe State, Nigeria: Mbeeno Club, Potiskum. p. 53.
