KARGI

This is believed to be one of the earliest settlements of the Hausa people that existed long before the foundation of Birnin Zaria. It lies about 110 km to the north east of Zaria on a flat thickly wooded land and well watered by several streams.
It is difficult to say with some degree of certainty, the precise date of the establishment of the area. This is also due to the nature of archaeological study on the area, which is not extensive enough. However, the archaeological study so far conducted on the area indicated that it was inhabited as far back as 1600 A.D. The implication of this date to the history of Kargi is that it is suggesting a late date for the establishment of the settlement as opposed to earlier date suggested by the Kargi manuscript for its formation. According to the Kargi manuscript, migrants who first settled at Kawuri, and later on at Rikochi, Wuchichiri, Turunku, Kufena and Zaria founded the state of Zazzau. And that Madaki Gungumi was the first Sarki at Kargi and was a contemporary of Sarki Gunguma of Zazzau. In view of this confusion it was suggested that the material remains from which the date was obtained must be of recent.
Important factors in the development of Kargi as a settlement included the security provided by the inselbergs of the area, fertile soil and availability of water and iron ore. The above factors seemed to have stimulated the growth of the area into an important political and religious centre. The process of state formation in Zaria involved the assimilation of this ancient centre into a unified political system