Arewa (Niger)

Aréoua (also: Arewa ) is a landscape and a former state in Niger.

Geography

Aréoua lies in the region of Dosso Niger to the west. The area adjacent to the neighboring state of Nigeria. Important places are Matankari, the former capital Aréouas and Dogondoutchi, Guéchémé, caracara, Sokorbé, Tibiri and Zabori. By Aréoua the valley Dallol Maouri runs.

Population

Aréoua forms a zone of transition between the ethnic groups Hausa and Zarma, the Hausa language and the language Zarma. The state population of Aréoua were the Maouri who speak either Zarma or Hausa. In addition, several immigrants settled, among other things, Gobir, vein and Birni - N'Konni. In addition to Islam, the dominant religion in Niger, and Christianity, and especially the religious traditions of Azna are common in Aréoua. In the village Lougou has the Sarraounia a traditional religious leader of their headquarters

History

The founding legend of the state Aréoua refers to the further east Bornu Empire. Ari, a son of the Sultan of Bornu Kaloumbou is said to have begotten on a trip to Gao the daughter of the head of the village of Bagaji a son named Akazama ( Hausa for " he was "). Bagaji (also: Bagagi ) heard today as an administrative village to the municipality of Matankari and is the oldest existing settlement in Aréoua. Akazama wanted to visit one day his father Ari in Bornu, which, however, was now dead. For Akazama met his grandfather Kaloumbou who used him as Serki n'Aréoua (ruler of Aréoua ). The name derives, therefore, from about Aréoua Arioua from the personal name Ari. Another explanation is that the name comes from aréoun Hausa word meaning " north". Ari and Kaloumbou, who settled in the now defunct village Toullou at Bagaji, are the ancestors of the dynasty of Aréoua.

One of its successor, the reigning from 1767 to 1786 Mato, founded Matankari ( Mato n'Gari, " village of Mato " ) as the new capital. Soon after, the jihad of Usman dan Fodio Fulbe began under whose conquests Aréoua threatened. It benefited first of its isolated location. To the west and east of Aréoua were then still uninhabited areas that separated it from vein and Birni - N'Konni. In addition, the still independent city Argungu the Fulbe blocked the way to the west. So it came initially Aréoua still fight off an attack by Fulani from Gando. Beginning of the 19th century, however, weakened by famine Maouri had to agree to a peace treaty, committed to the Aréoua annual tribute payments to the Fulani Emirates Gando and Kebbi.

1868 and 1873 there were revolts in several Serki n'Aréoua the subordinate villages, including in Bagaji, Dogondoutchi and Lougou. It was only after 1873 experienced the area, apart from the occasional predation by Tuareg, again a long period of peace. The mission Voulet - Chanoine subjugated 1899 Aréoua the dominion of France. 1906 laid the Serki n'Aréoua, now as a subordinate of the French administration, his seat of power after Dogondoutchi.