King Aliyu Yaji Dan Tsamiya was one of the rulers of Kano. Yaji I reigned from 1359 to 1385 (over 700 years ago). King Yaji is a prominent figure in history. He led a religious revolution, and he was the king who conquered Rano and forcefully incorporated it into Kano (as the phrase da karfi da Yaji—"with force and Yaji"—originates in the Hausa language).
King Yaji inherited the throne from his father, King Tsamiya of Kano. His mother's name was Maganarku.
King Yaji was the eleventh king in the Kano royal lineage. His birth name was Ali, but his fierce temperament earned him the nickname "Yaji" (meaning "spiciness" or "heat"). He expelled the King of Rano from Zamnagaba. He stayed in Bono for two years, then went to Kura and lived among the Ajawa, Warjawa, and Arawa.
It was during his reign that the Wangarawa from Mali came to Kano and brought Islam. King Yaji warmly welcomed the Wangarawa, and under the guidance of Abdulrahman Zaite, he accepted the prayer (salla). Historical records list other scholars, including Yakubu, Mandawari, Famori, Bilkasirn, Kanaji, Dukere, Sheshe, Kebe, Murtuku, Liman Jibrin Yallabu (father of the King of Pawa), Gurdumlius, Auta, Laual, and Liman Madatai.
He built a mosque for them at the spot where he destroyed the idol of Tsimbirbira (in the Dala area). He was also the first King of Kano to build a Friday mosque (Juma'at Mosque) in the Juma neighborhood within Kano city—the neighborhood itself deriving its name from that Friday mosque. King Yaji declared Kano an Islamic Sultanate.
Yaji appointed Malam Zaite as Alkali (Qadi), Laual as ladani, Gurdamus as his Imam, and Auta as the teacher of animal slaughter. He then commanded all his subjects across Kano's towns to observe the five obligatory daily prayers. He also built another mosque facing the Ka'aba beneath a tree in Kano.
The King of Gazarzawa Resists Islam
The King of Gazarzawa, one of the remaining pagan rulers, would nightly gather his people to defecate and then wipe themselves on the mosque walls. Seeing this, the king posted a guard, but they did not stop; they would deceive the guard. They persisted in this vile act until the Wangarawa prayed to Allah to blind them. After being blinded, the King of Gazarzawa was deposed and given the title Sarkin Makafi (King of the Blind)—originally the blind chiefs of Dala. This marked the beginning of the blind chiefs' rulership in Kano.
Furthermore, the king ordered all subjects of his emirate to pray, and they obeyed. After this, King Yaji waged war and conquered Santolo. He asked the Wangarawa scholars to pray for him before his campaign against Santolo. At that time, Santolo was the only major territory remaining that resisted, and conquering it would break the backbone of all idol worshippers. The Wangarawa and the people of Kano united, raised a strong army, and marched on Santolo. On the first day, the battle raged without a clear victor. At dawn the next day, the king prepared for battle. As they engaged that day, Allah granted them victory.
King Yaji ruled Kano for thirty-seven years. Indeed, he brought great progress to the Kano Emirate.
Legacy
Yaji I is regarded as one of the greatest kings and warriors in Kano's history. He is remembered as the first King of Kano to lead an Islamic jihad in the region. Yaji's deeds played a crucial role in paving the way for Kano's rise among the Hausa states and the Sudanic region of Africa.
The Praise Song (Kirari) of Yaji
"Yaji, who eats up the hill, scatterer of armies, Lord of the city"
Family
Yaji had children including Kanajeji and Aunaka. Kanajeji became the 13th King of Kano.