Dukku is a Local Government Area of Gombe State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Dukku. The Gongola River flows through the west and north of the LGA.
It has an area of 3,815 km2 and a population of 207,190 at the 2006 census. All the indigenous population of Dukku are Muslims, although there are Christian minorities who live peacefully with their hosts. Their major ethnic group is Fulani with Fulfulde being spoken as the major language followed by Bolewa, Hausa, Kanuri, Kare-Kare in no particular order.
The postal code of the area is 760. The north-easterly line of equal latitude 14°N and longitude 14°E passes through the LGA about 6 km to the southeast of the town of Dukku.
HISTORY
Before they finally settled in Dukku, being herders, they wandered around in search of pasture for their animals. They first inhabited in a settlement, according to oral tradition called Kamanei. But they didn’t last there because of the tyranny of the king of Kamanei who had a randy male child that would go first to every bride on her bridal night. This custom didn’t augur well with the Fulani who settled there, especially one of Arɗo Sambo’s son, Yero Nanaro who took an oath that he would slay the prince when the latter came to his bride on their first night. And Yero lived to his promise by slaughtering the prince when he came to their bridal night.
This incident forced Arɗo Sammbo and his people to spontaneously leave Kamanei on that night and moved further south, nonstop for weeks until they got to a settlement in Bauchi State, where they divided into three, with one following Arɗo Sammbo or Almuudo moving west until they got to a place called Lumpaaso, some few miles away from present Dukku, at the bank of Gongola River, one of the tributaries of River Benue under the territory of a Bolewa Chief of Kalam named Moi Duja.
The Chief of Kalam, Moi Duja accorded them great hospitality by allowing them to settle in his territory. But no sooner had they settled in Lumpaaso than they realised that the place was not conducive for them with their animals as it was very close to the river which makes it difficult for cattle grazing. Thus they complained to the chief who in turned ordered one of his palace sentinels, Madaki Dishe, to show them a better and more convenient place in his territory, which is the present settlement of Dukku.
The name Dukku is a Fulfulde word. The town name was initially Dukku ƴori, a combination of Fulfulde word, Dukku (a command word for erecting a pole to which a cow is tethered) and Bolewa word, ƴori (it is okay), but later shortened to Dukku for convenience.
The town is the headquarters of Dukku Emirate created out of Gombe Emirate in 2001.
Dukku has had seventeen laamɓe (singular: laamɗo), traditional rulers:
Several towns and villages make up Dukku LGA and these include Lafiya Yole, Kaloma, Hashidu, Walowa, Bawa, Bagadaza, and Gado. The population of Dukku LGA is estimated at 178,669 inhabitants with the majority of the area’s dwellers being members of the Fulani ad Bolawa ethnic divisions. Dukku LGA is home to the renowned Dukku Emirate which is overseen by the Emir of Dukku. Islam is the widely practiced religion in Dukku while the Fufulde and Hausa languages are commonly spoken in the area. Popular landmarks in Dukku LGA include the General Hospital in Dukku.
ECONOMY OF DUKKU
The inhabitants of Dukku LGA are predominantly farmers with a wide variety of crops grown in the area. A number of animals such as goats, cattle and donkeys are also reared in the area. Dukku LGA also has a booming trade sector with a number of markets located within the LGA and these provide latforms for the exchange of a wide range of goods and services.
