THE MIGRATION OF BADE/NGIZIM PEOPLE OF YOBE STATE, NIGERIA

This article explores the migration of Bade/Ngizim people from their ancestor home to a new settlement area. This writing on the origin of Bade/Ngizim people, many authors and oral tradition narrated that Bade/Ngizim people are said to have come from the east in Saudi Arabia near Yemen. It is said that the place they came from the east was Birnin Badr that is the city of Badr. The city they inhibited was located around the valley. The Badr was a famous place in the history of Islam, where the ‘battle of Badr’ was fought by Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). They are said to have been dispersed together with other people as a result of the battle of Badr. Another source indicated that from Saudi Arabia they moved westward and settled in various places, such as Misra (Egypt), Kanem, and Ngazargamu. Many scholars raised questions as to whether Bade/Ngizim was Arabs. It is observed that like Bade/Ngizim, many of the Chadic groups claimed to have come from the east. Another sources such as Al-Makrizi also made mention of Bade/Ngizim as early as the 13th century when they inhibited the northern corners of the Lake Chad near the mouth of the Kumadugu Yobe.Also the emigration of the Bade/Ngizim Southward of the Lake Chad area was triggered by the state formation process within the Lake Chad region in the 13th century. It was indeed the refusal of the Bade/Ngizim to be assimilated by the Kanuri group that made them to withdrew from the Lake Chad region and subsequently settle along Kumadugu river valley to the west