DECLARED MONUMENTS IN NIGERIA

City Wall, Zaria:

The Gidan Makama is on an ancient site and dates back to about 1750. It is one of the oldest buildings in Kano.

The construction of the building reflects its ancient tradition and unspoiled architectural character. The large compound is divided into three enclosures, each of them entered by separate monumental gate-house (Zaure) set along the road in the northern perimeter wall (garungida). Three Zauruka and two Western groups of buildings preserve the earthern work traditional structure. The flat roof of the gate house is surrounded by a continuous parapet with thick-set finials called Zanko at the corners. Another pair of Zankwaye decorate the top of demu. Gemu means beard (a slightly projecting House beard), and this name has been given to a number of structural elements that are corbelled or contilevered; here the term gemu means a slab of masonry projecting from the wall and bracketed over the lintel. The gemu rises up to the parapet level and forms a flat canopy above the door. The ceilings of the gate - houses are supported by pillars, which are rectangular and quite heavy and taper towards the top and are headed with capitals. Each capital is extended further back at the top of all four sides by short brackets of azaras forming a cross which support the beans of tauyi, whose outer ends are laid on the corbels set in the walls.

The whole system was devised so as to be between the span of azaras used in construction. The courtyard, filling Kofar gida, is reached by an inner door of the house gate. It is enclosed on both sides by low walls and at the back by a vestibule of the main cluster of rooms. The first interior is called soron ajuye takelmi (building where shoes are put down by the visitor) or otherwise soron yara (building for boys, young servants of the Makama who usually slept there). The soron ajuye talakalmi is abour 21' x 12' and was originally lit by a couple of narrow window set in its western wall, which shelters them from eastern winds and rain. The ceiling has three azara across-beams, each of azaras are plastered.

The soron fadanci is a large reception room devoted to social occasions. It is there that the Makama received his guests in formal setting. The architect so designed the structure as to offer an unimpaired view of the whole interior. A splendid type of domed roof was adopted for this reception room, while four arches give the impression of crowing the square interior.

The building situated in the South-east corner of the large square in front of the Emir's palace and at the Western end. South side of the Nassarawa Road has been repaired and reconstructed by the Department of Antiquities, and contains the Kano Museum.

Declaration:
Declared monument on 23rd April, 1959. The house and the compound..