The History of Rugu Town (present Illela Rugu Town of Katsina, Nigeria)
The town, Rugu town is now called “Illela” located in Safana local area under Katsina Satate, Nigeria.
Many people might have not heard about this olden Empire called “Rugu” because of dynamic changes in life’s journey.
Over two hundred of years, there was hundred of warriors from Gobir empire migrated to the south, and settle at Rugu Forest (Dajin Rugu, some say Rubu), they are the Ancestors and the Founders of Rugu. Gobir empire comprised the present North-west states in Nigeria and Southen part of Niger Republic States.
There was no specific reason for their migration, but remember, it was a normal culture of ancient people to migrate. People of olden days could migrate due to certain reasons, like misunderstanding with their rulers, diversity of believe, environmental problems, looking for a greener pasture, insecurity, struggles to form a new province, family crisis, and many many more.
They travel through Zamfara province and settle in Rugu forest beside a large rock or hill called "Dutsen Rugu".
They settled with their family, cattle, horses, camels, donkeys, poultries, slaves and farm products. They were farmers by profession and practicing Islam as religion.
The Rugu rock comprises several narrow but long inner hollows
It also has an underground wider caves with conducive environment used as a hide-out by women, children, and olden ages against enemies during war.
It also has an underground wider caves with conducive environment used as a hide-out by women, children, and olden ages against enemies during war.
It contained water lodges forms by the inner spring flowing regularly used for drinking and domestic usage.
With the help of that water people could stayed inside for a longer period of time, like weeks or a couple of month, which is why its difficult to attack them easily during past periods of war.
There were monkeys and bears inside the Rugu hill, this does not prevented them (the ancient people) from sharing the cave with the wild animal under careful measures.
Occasionally there was a records of encounters with wild animals which causes injury and death, more particularly to the domestic animal.
With the help of that water people could stayed inside for a longer period of time, like weeks or a couple of month, which is why its difficult to attack them easily during past periods of war.
There were monkeys and bears inside the Rugu hill, this does not prevented them (the ancient people) from sharing the cave with the wild animal under careful measures.
Occasionally there was a records of encounters with wild animals which causes injury and death, more particularly to the domestic animal.
At the southern part of the rock it contains water lodge and its green, but at north its somehow dry with scrubs of rocks.
Rearing of Domestic Animal
Among their domestic animals are cattle, sheep, goats, horses, chicken, camels and the rest.
Among their domestic animals are cattle, sheep, goats, horses, chicken, camels and the rest.
Animals like cattle, goats and sheep were reared by children and they remained not far inside forest to avoid wild animal attacks.
Leadership and Political History
There was a man among them who was their leader, he was generous and brave, he was nominated as their king. According to them, any body who was more brave and knowledgeable among them was their leader. The have their laws and ethics of living, any one caught disobeying would be punished accordingly.
They settle at the Edge of a Mountain called Dutsen Rugu (mountain Rugu) which is large but unknown to many.
After they settled, they built their houses using soil, trees and grasses, the town was surrounded by a fortress constructed using soil, to prevent invaders and attackers.
The houses were built much closed to each other to allowed easy communication and for security purposes.
The ancient town has a medium scale fortress which was built by slaves and youths men among them, the remains of the fortress are still there, its very thick wall which cannot be demoliished easily.
The houses were built much closed to each other to allowed easy communication and for security purposes.
The ancient town has a medium scale fortress which was built by slaves and youths men among them, the remains of the fortress are still there, its very thick wall which cannot be demoliished easily.
The King House was located at the centre of the town for protection against attackers.
The Empire
The empire was not very large, it comprised neighboring towns, among them are Runka, Baure, Babban Duhu, Wagini, Zakka, Rayi, Shamushalle, Ruma (before it was capture by Dan-waire warrior), and many small villages.
The ruler was called Sarkin Rugu, he has assistants like Galadima, Ajiya, Sarkin yaki, Garkuwa, and many more.
Farming and Hand-Creatives
The ancient people of Rugu are excellent farmers which was facilitated from their habitats and environmental endowments.
They produced corns like maize, millet, guinea corn.
Cereals like rice, and wheat
Tubers like potato
The present day people of Illela-Rugu are great farmers
They produced beans, Sugar cane, weeds, nuts, cotton and corns
Their hand creative included weaving, decoration and soil containers arts
They used sand ports for cooking and boiling purposes during the ancient period.
This could be used in fencing and as bed.
There was a kind traditional grinding stones for grinding of food like millet and maize.
Rugu Forest
Dajin Rugu (as our people called it) is one of biggest forest in Nigeria, The People of Rugu located at the edge of the forest.
The mangrove savannah forest was evergreen throughout the season in some parts
While other sections remained semi-dry.
There were many categories of wild animals, among them are elephants, lions, hyenas, oxen, antelopes, monkeys, bears, different form of reptiles and many not mentioned.
Presently due to deforestation, hunting and dryness of water lodges and reservoirs, most of the animals has disappeared. You could only found few numbers of monkeys and seasonally there is elephants.
But some part of Niger republic still possessed number of wild animals.
It is located in present Safana, Batsari, Jibia, Danmusa, etc towns of Katsina and some part of Niger republic. It has a thousand of kilometers dimensionally.
The forest area stretches from the Dajin Rugu to the Kontagora Forest.
