The Historical And Geographical Relevance of Komadugu-Yobe River In The PreColonial History Of Northeastern, Nigeria

Mohammed Ibrahim Bare
Department of History and International Studies,
Yobe State University, P.M.B 1144, Damaturu, Nigeria
Email: mibare37@gmail.com Phone: +234-8062654710,
&
Babagana Boso
Department of Geography and Environmental Management
Yobe State University, P.M.B 1144, Damaturu, Nigeria.
Email: bosobabagana@gmail.com Phone: +234-8036951680,
Abstract
River Yobe which empties into Lake Chad has significantly contributed to the socio-economic
livelihood of the inhabitants of the Arid-Zone of Northeastern Nigeria since pre-colonial times.
Several ethnic groups existed in the river basin but, the autochthonous people of the area, are the
Bade tribe who were well-skilled fishermen and known for their sound cultural heritage – the Bade
fishing festival. Even though the river is located in the driest part of the country, it does not dry up
easily then and as such, River Yobe offered an incalculable advantage over the centuries in various
aspects of human endeavors ranging from farming/irrigation, fishing activities and livestock grazing.
As such, the river Yobe basin area began to witness a series of waves of migration as many
heterogeneous populations, nomadic groups inclusive, from different directions both nearby and far
away moved into the zone and settled permanently since the pre-colonial era. The Komadugu Yobe
Basin served as a centre for diplomatic missions with North Africa and beyond during the precolonial era. It is against this backdrop that the study area serves as the economic/commercial hub of
the Northeastern Nigerian-Arid zone. The study used both primary and secondary sources of data and
qualitative method of data collection were used in the study. As such, Key Informant Interview (KII)
were conducted with some community leaders and elderly persons among the various groups living in
the study area.
Keywords: Historical, Geographical, Komadugu Yobe River, Pre-colonial, Northeastern.
Introduction
The Komadugu Yobe River Basin in northern Nigeria is a vital agricultural region, serving
as the primary source of water for irrigation, drinking, livestock and industrial consumption.
However, the basin is experiencing increasing climatic variability and surface water
degradation, threatening the livelihoods of millions of people. Climate change,
deforestation, and unsustainable land use practices are exacerbating the situation, leading to
reduced water flows, increased water pollution, and decreased water quality.
The Yobe River, also known as the Komadugu Yobe, has played a vital role in the precolonial history of Nigeria’s arid zone. Located in West Africa, the river forms part of the
international boundary between Niger and Nigeria, stretching approximately 200 miles ¹. It
has a catchment area of around 148,000 km2
in the Sudan-Sahel zone of northeast Nigeria ².
Historically, the Komadugu Yobe River has been a crucial source of livelihood for…….