Muhammad Rumfa
Muhammad dan Yakubu, known as Muhammad Rumfa was the sultan of Kano from 1463 until 1499. His reign was characterized by wealth and opulence and signaled the rise of the Kano's commercial dominance in the region.Under the guidance of famed Berber Scholar, Muhammad Al-Maghili, he was also responsible for much of the Islamization of Kano.
In total, the Kano Chronicle attributed twelve innovations to him, including; extending the city walls, building a large palace, the Gidan Rumfa, promoting slaves to governmental positions and establishing the Kurmi Market. The Great Mosque of Kano was also built during his reign. Rumfa’s reforms also proved to be the catalyst that would propel Kano to its political peak, resulting in the first Kanoan Empire under his grandson, Muhammad Kisoki..
He was the first Sarki who used "Dawakin Zaggi" in the war with Katsina Emirate. He was also the first sarki who practised "Kame". He appointed Durman to go round the dwellings of the Indabawa and take every first-born virgin for him. He was the first sarki to have a thousand wives. His era of oligarchs came to be eponymously known as the "Rumfawa", and would last until their replacement by the "Kutumbawa" in 1623. Muhammad Rumfa is considered by historians to be Kano's greatest ruler due to the reforms executed during his reign.
Lineage and accession
The lineage of Muhammad Rumfa and his two predecessors is the subject of much debate. The Kano Chronicle lists Rumfa as the son of Yakubu, the nineteenth ruler of Kano and Fasima Berana. However, some sources list Rumfa, Yakubu, and Abdullahi Burja as paternal half brothers and others list Yakubu as the first of the Rumfawa. These sources state Rumfa's mother to be Fatima, a woman from Rano.Furthermore, some historians theorize that he came from Daura by way of Gaya or from Kula in Northern Gaya. It is believed that while the Rumfawa were likely descendants of Bagauda, their faction were primarily based in or ceased power with the aid of Gaya and possibly the backing of Bornu. The events that transpired in the reign of his predecessor signified the full assimilation of Gaya into Kano and saw the men of Gaya come into prominence in the state. The Kano chronicle states that after Yakubu's accession, the King of Gaya, Agalfati, who was also the son of the King of Machina, came to Kano and his kin assumed stewardship of various important towns in Kano, mainly, the historic Hadejia, Gayam, and Dal. The new ruler of Hadejia was also bestowed the stewardship of Garin Gabas. Dal was located strategically between Burum Burum, Rano and the pagans of Southern Kano. This could be seen as a reward for Gaya's role in the Rumfawa's accession or part of the terms for their submission to Kano. Gaya was one of the last major provinces to be fully incorporated into Kano.
Sultan of Kano
“He was a good man, just and learned. He can have no equal in might, from the time of the founding of Kano, until it shall end...surely there was no Sarki more powerful than Rumfa”Rumfa succeeded his father in 1463. His reign was characterized by unprecedented economic growth, numerous administrative reforms and great infrastructural development. Rumfa inherited a booming economy which saw a wave of migration of scholars and traders, mostly of Arab, Kanuri, Berber and Fula descent. The most notable of these migrants was popular Berber scholar Muhammad Al-Maghili who claimed to be a Mujaddid. He had a brief stop in Katsina before coming to Kano. It is said Al-Maghili was implored by the Islamic Prophet Muhammad in a dream to go west and spread Islam. He then took the soil of Medina as a sample and set out comparing the soil sample to each place he visited until he came to Kano where he saw a resemblance between the soils. There he concluded that he had found his destination. He came with many Islamic books and sought to teach the people about the Islamic faith. When he felt that he had accomplished his goal and learned men were ubiquitous, he left Kano for Masr, leaving Sidi Fari to carry on his work.
Under the tutelage of Al-Maghili, Rumfa made numerous Islamic reforms and encouraged the pure practice of Islam in the Sultanate, humbling the pagans in the process and banning their practices. He built a minaret on the site of the pagan sacred tree after cutting it down. Rumfa also built numerous mosques and during his reign Eid al-Fitr was first celebrated in Kano. Rumfa granted slaves positions in his government, some of whom he entrusted with the treasury. He is also said to have formed the "Taran Kano" who were meant to be advisers and Kingmakers. Kulle was first practiced by him. The Sultan established the Kurmi Market to improve trade and also installed an Ombudsman for better governance.
Al-Maghili wrote the book "On the Obligation of Princes" as a guide for the Kano Sultan and for a time was an influential figure in his court. Some of Maghili's descendants and that of his entourage are still in Kano.