Gwandu

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Gwandu, also called Gando, is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria, with its headquarters in the town of Gwandu. It started as royal farmland (gandu) of Kebbi’s founder Muhammadu Kanta (reigned 1517–1561) and grew into a town because of fertile land and pasture. In the 19th century, after Kebbi declined, Gwandu became a co-capital of the Sokoto Caliphate, with its Emirs overseeing the western and southern lands. In 1906 the emirate’s capital moved to Birnin Kebbi. The name means “royal farmlands” in Hausa. The town sits in a valley with protective ridges that helped defence. It became a base for Usman dan Fodio and his followers during the jihad, and Muhammad Bello ordered a protective wall around the town in 1806. After Usman left, Gwandu remained important as the capital of the Gwandu emirate under Abdullahi dan Fodio.