Emir Muhammadu Dikko in the Service of British Colonial Administration and Katsina City of Northern Nigeria, 1907–1944 AD

Abstract

 Following the British conquest of Northern Nigerian polities, there was the
installation/appointment of indigenous traditional rulers in service of British
colonial administration and their indigenous communities, of which Katsina
Emirate, was not an exception. Therefore, this paper, using historical
methodology that include primary and secondary sources, analyses the role of Emir Muhammadu Dikko (1907–1944 AD) as an outstanding figure in
colonial services and his people. The paper posits that the Emir's 37 years of administration in Katsina Emirate brought transformation, which made him one of the most progressive Emirs in Northern Nigeria. To achieve this, he departmentalized the Native Authority into education, medical department, works, agriculture, veterinary, police, and prison. More so, he was the first to establish Native Treasury in the Northern Provinces and ensure adequate spread of Western education, especially with the establishment of Katsina College, which became a breeding ground for elites and politicians in Northern Nigeria. Other areas of development include and health care services, electricity, and water supply for the development of Katsina Emirate, which made Katsina city one of the urban centres of attraction, and one of the  political hubs Northern Nigerian politics, with so many Katsina indigenes occupying sensitive positions during and after the British rule in Nigeria. Further to this, the Emir Dikko was the first Emir to visit England. The paper concludes that the outstanding performance of the Emir Dikko contributed in making Katsina the centre of education, civil service and hospitality.