Kaduna one of the major states in the country and it is located in the Northern part of Nigeria. The name Kaduna is derived from the Gbayi ethnic group, which have lived in this part of the country for centuries.
However, several sources have been linked to the name, Kaduna. Some sources claim that it is derived from the Hausa word for crocodile, Kada while others associated it with the Gbayi people.
But before the state of Kaduna came to being, Zaria which is a part of Kaduna was quite popular. It was one of the seven Hausa States of the early 15th century and among the largest. Zaria is also known as Zazzau and the inhabitants are called Zage-zage or Zazzagawa.
Ancient tradition has it that the name Zazzau was derived from a famous sword which was honoured in those days by the Zazzagawa and helped to give a kind of ethnic identity years before the recognition of any king by Zaria people.
During the colonial times, the Governor General, Lord Frederick Lugard made Kaduna the capital of Northern Region.
After independence, Kaduna remained pivotal and by 1967, it had become the capital of the North Central State, which was created from the Northern region. In1976, the military head of State, General Murtala Mohammed gave the state its name and in 1987, the military administration of General Ibrahim Babangida created the state of Katsina from Kaduna.
One of the earliest civilizations in Africa which is the Nok tribe was located within the geographical area that makes up Kaduna today.
The motto of the state is the Centre of Learning because it is home to several prestigious institutions. Some of these include:
- The Nigerian Defense Academy (NDA),
- Ahmadu Bello University (ABU),
- Nigerian College of Aviation, Zaria,
- Barewa College and
- Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic among many others.
The population of Kaduna based on the census of 2006 is estimated at 6.3 million people and the current governor of Kaduna state is Mallam Nasir el-Rufai.
Currently, Kaduna State has over 1,000 primary healthcare facilities and these centres spread to every nook and cranny of the state hence are able to cater to every resident – even in the most remote village or ward of the state.
The government has a strong drive towards quality healthcare delivery as a result in 2016, the State Government partnered with the UK Department for International Development (DFID) to install over 1.3MW of Solar Systems in primary healthcare facilities across the state.
In 2015, Kaduna State launched a new logo with the motto of the state, ‘Work and Worship’ embedded on it. This motto was the old slogan of Northern Region
Other elements on the logo include:
- Green vegetation which represent Agriculture, Economy, Abundance and Conservation
- Crocodile which stands for Strength, Resilience, Indestructibility and Ancestry
- Cattle which represent Fertility, Abundance and Nourishment