Bayajidda

Bayajidda (Hausa: Bàyā̀jiddà) was, according to the legends surrounding most West African states before the 19th century, the founder of the Hausa states.^[1]

Most accounts say that Bayajidda came from Baghdad. Bayajidda came first to Borno where he was given one of the Mai's daughters as a wife, and then later lived for a while in Hausa land where he married the Queen of Daura, who also gave him a Gwari mistress as a reward for slaying "Sarki", said to be a great snake which deprived her people of access to water. By the Queen of Daura, Bayajidda had a son called Bawo, another called Biram by the Borno princess, and yet another son, Karbagari, by his Gwari paramour. Bawo is said to have succeeded his father and had six sons who became the rulers of Daura, Katsina, Zazzau, Gobir, Kano and Rano. These, together with Biram, which was ruled by the son of Bayajidda and of the Borno Princess, formed the "Hausa Bakwai" or the "Hausa 7". However, Karbagari the son of the Gwari mistress had seven sons too who ruled Kebbi, Zamfara, Gwari, Jukun, Ilorin, Nupe and Yauri which are referred to in this tradition as the "Kannai Bakwai" or "Seven Less than the Hausa Bakwai"^[2]