Rising about 15 metres (50 feet) above the old city of Katsina in northern Nigeria, the Gobarau Minaret is more than an architectural landmark. For over five centuries it has stood as a symbol of Islamic learning, religious devotion and the enduring cultural heritage of Hausaland.
Origins and Historical Context
The exact date of the Gobarau Minaret’s construction remains a subject of debate. Oral traditions and some local chronicles associate it with the reign of Sarkin Katsina Muhammad Korau (c. 1493–1520), the first Muslim ruler of Katsina. Others place its completion in the early 16th century. Whatever the precise year, the minaret arose when Katsina was one of the great intellectual and commercial centres of the Sahel, trading with Timbuktu and attracting Islamic scholars from across West Africa.
Built initially as the central Friday mosque of Katsina, the structure reflected the city’s wealth and the growing prestige of Islam in the region. Its height made it one of the earliest surviving multi-storey buildings in West Africa, a feat that proclaimed both religious piety and political authority.
From Mosque to Madrasah
As the city expanded and newer mosques were erected, the original building gradually shifted from being the principal congregational mosque to functioning as a madrasah (Islamic school). Generations of scholars used its chambers for teaching Qurʾānic exegesis, jurisprudence and classical Arabic studies.
While the modern Katsina School of Arabic and Islamic Studies dates from the 20th century, the Gobarau Minaret is widely regarded as a spiritual ancestor of that tradition. Its centuries-long role as a centre of advanced Islamic learning helped secure Katsina’s reputation as a “city of scholars”, rivalled only by Timbuktu in the medieval western Sudan.
The minaret is built entirely of sun-dried mud bricks, using the Sudano-Sahelian style common across the savannah belt. A rectangular base tapers upward to a commanding tower, its thick earthen walls reinforced by wooden beams (toron) that also serve as permanent scaffolding for repairs.
Small slit windows admit light and air, while the massive mud walls provide natural insulation against the intense Sahelian heat. More than five centuries after its construction, the Gobarau Minaret remains structurally sound—an enduring testament to the engineering skill of Hausa builders and the adaptability of indigenous West African materials.
Cultural and Spiritual Legacy
For the people of Katsina, the minaret is more than a relic of the past; it is a living emblem of faith and scholarship. Local leaders and cultural organisations regard it as a touchstone of identity, linking today’s city to a golden age when Katsina’s scholars shaped Islamic thought across the region.
The Nigerian government, through the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), has designated the Gobarau Minaret a national monument. Yet like many earthen structures of the Sahel, it faces erosion and environmental stress, prompting ongoing calls for conservation to ensure that future generations can witness this unique heritage.
Significance in West African History
The Gobarau Minaret stands as a vivid example of pre-colonial Islamic architecture south of the Sahara. It shows how local Hausa building traditions blended seamlessly with Islamic design, creating a style that is both distinctively West African and part of a broader Muslim world.
Today, visitors who climb its base or simply stand in its shadow experience a tangible link to the centuries when Katsina rivalled Timbuktu as a beacon of Islamic scholarship, trade and diplomacy.
Sources
National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Heritage Documentation on Gobarau Minaret, Abuja.
The Gobarau Minaret endures not only as a striking mud-brick tower but also as a powerful reminder of the intellectual and spiritual vibrancy that defined medieval Hausaland and helped shape the Islamic heritage of West Africa.
The Federal Road Safety Corps, on Friday, urged motorists who are participating in the fasting periods, to ensure that they take rest at intervals, to avoid road crashes.
The FRSC Commander in-charge of the Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway corridor, Mr Nasir Mohammed, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ota.
He noted that the advice had become expedient following the commencement of fasting periods by both Christian and Muslim faithfuls.
NAN reports that Catholic faithfuls had commenced lenten season with the distribution of Ash on Wednesday, which period is marked by 40 days fasting.
In the same vein, Muslim faithfuls had also began observation of Ramadan in the Islamic calendar, which period is also marked by fasting.
Mohammed urged motorists to be cautious of fatigue and possible dehydration during the fasting periods, and ensure that they take hours of rest before returning to the steering.
He also warned motorists against over speeding and wrongful overtaking, which could lead to tragedy, adding that drivers must strictly adhere to all safety rules while on the road.
“We are appealing to motorists, especially Muslims and Christians who are fasting, to always observe the rest after every four hours of driving, to prevent avoidable loss of lives.
“Also, all motorists are enjoined to drive to stay alive; Wishing all safer roads and fuller life.” he said.
Ogun State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye has disclosed that the Nigerian Tiktoker, simply identified as Mirable, has been admitted to a State-owned health facility, and is currently receiving comprehensive medical attention.
Adeleye added that an investigation had begun and the survivor is presently receiving psychosocial support, and is responding positively to medical treatment.
The commissioner stated this on Thursday night shortly after visiting the survivor at the health facility, in the company of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, and the Medical Director of the facility.
According to her, the visit was aimed at assessing the survivor’s condition and ensuring that appropriate medical and welfare interventions were promptly administered.
The Commissioner praised the personnel at the State-owned medical facility and the State Ministry of Justice for their quick response, as well as the Nigeria Police Force and Ogun State Police Command for their rapid and timely action as soon as the case was transferred to the State.
“This structured approach is intended to protect the survivor’s welfare while guaranteeing that investigations are conducted professionally, thoroughly, and strictly on the basis of verifiable evidence”, Adeleye said.
She added that detailed examinations and all required clinical procedures are being carried out in line with established standards for managing cases of alleged sexual assault, while the security agency is carrying out their investigation simultaneously.
“The welfare, dignity, and safety of every survivor remains our utmost priority. The Prince Dapo Abiodun led- administration maintains a zero-tolerance stance on sexual and gender-based violence, stressing that “while we stand firmly with survivors, we are equally guided by due process.
“Investigations must be evidence-based, transparent, and fair to all parties involved, even as whosoever is found wanting would be made to face the full wrath of the law,” she said.
She urged residents to steer clear of speculative narratives or sensational commentary that could compromise due process while assuring them that the State Government would get to the bottom of the issue to ascertain the veracity of the claim.
Meanwhile, she assured members of the public that further updates would be communicated at the appropriate time as credible findings emerge from ongoing investigations.
Nigerian TikToker, known simply as Mirabel has finally opened up on the allegation of rape she earlier raised in a viral video.
It was recalls that the content creator, with the username @mirab351 had, alleged that she was sexually assaulted by an unknown man at her residence in Ogun State.
She claimed that the alleged rapist inflicted an injury on her privates with a blade.
Her story generated reactions across social media, causing the Nigeria Police to swing into action.
Some netizens, however, expressed scepticism on the factuality of the allegation, stating that the stories were not adding up.
But the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said on Thursday that the command was investigating the matter.
However, Mirabel, who opened up to Popular social media activist, Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, VDM said she had been into drugs and could be hallucinating.
