Ikara is a town and local government area (LGA) in Kaduna State, northern Nigeria, located around (85km) north-east from the city of Zaria. Ikara as an LGA consists of these towns its located between 10°2¹ to 11°5¹ north and villages: Ikara, Malikachi, Furana, Danlawan, Kurmin Kogi, Janfalan, Auchan, Paki, and Pala.[1]
The Local Government council is chaired by Sadiq Ibrahim Salihu.[2][3]
The main tribes of the people of the area are Hausa and Fulani.[4] Their religions are Islam and Christianity. Their main occupation is farming. They produce Maize, Guinea corn, Beans, Soya beans, Rice, Cassava, Tomatoes, Sugar cane, and many other crop products.[5]
The evolution of human settlement in Ikara was greatly influence by environmental, economic and social considerations. The evolution dates back as far as 1808 when the Jukun people inhabited the town of Ikara. They were immigrants who fled attack of the Muslims scholars from Kano for their refusal to accept Islam. They settled under the Ikara Mountain (Dutse Lungu) for a brief period of time they later came settle in a plain area near the mountain.[6] The Jukun people were believed to be the founders of Ikara town and name it "Ikara" which means "lets hide here" or "a hiding place" in the Jukun language.[7]
The Maguzawa are people who were originally pagans or who may converted to christianity later in the 20century. The maguzawa were originally Hausa speaking people mostly found in area around katsina, kano and northern zaria.
They were termed “maguzawa” by the Hausa people and Fulani muslim after the jihad because they did not accept the islam religion but retain to tradition pagan worship. However most of these people so-called maguzawa have been converted to Christians and such cannot be termed maguzawa in real islamic sense of word; in spite of this, the name persisted
The fulani were said to have come and settle in the area mainly for ecological reasons. The Fulani who were mainly Bororuji(wanderers) came to ikara because the town was suitable for cattle grazing and probably sought to escaped the payment of jangali(tax) to the rulers of their various area, with large family unit. However, according to oral tradition, in spite of all these settlements, ikara could not be regarded as town as there were was no definite ruler over the town until 1879, when magaji Abubakar, a man who hailed from kura, a town in kano state . He organised the settlements into a town and he became the first villarge head in 1897. He was turbaned by shehu kwasau, sarkin zazzau (Emir of zazzau) as the village head with title “Dagachin ikara ”
This Local Government depends mainly on farming and cattle reading. Ikara has a strong division of labour according to age and sex. Many men have more one occupations such as farmers and traders. The women of Ikare get money through processing of foods and selling food items at home or market places.[8][9]
The wet season is oppressive and overcast, with temperatures ranging from 53°F to 97°F. The temperature varies throughout the year, though mostly during the dry season. [10][11][12]
There are thirteen Secondary Schools in this Local Government namely:[13]-
Government science secondary school, Ikara
Government Girls Secondary School Ikara
Government Secondary School, Ikara
Government Vocational Training School, Ikara
Government Secondary School, Pala
Government Secondary School, Auchan
Government Secondary School, Paki
Government Secondary School Jamfalan
Government Secondary School, Malikanchi
Government Secondary School, Danlawal
Government Secondary School, Rumi
Ikara Comprehensive Academy (Private)
Raising Star Academy Ikara
(Private)
Emmanuel Nursery, Primary and Secondary School, Gidan Tanko Jamfalan (Private).
Government Secondary School Ikara is a popular secondary school operating in Ikara town, the school is rated high in terms of provision of qualitative education.
There is no distinct geographical features in the LGA The LGA has borders with Makarfi Local Government in the west, Soba in the south, Tudun Wada in Kano State in the North. Kubau by the South
^Michael, O.Sowemimo (2013). The chronicles of Ikara English and Hausa (in Both English and Hausa). Kaduna Nigeria: Wemscorp publisher. pp. P 11.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
Nigeria
