AFRICAN
MATHEMATICS Pre-colonial Northern Nigeria
AHMAD KANI
There is ample evidence to prove that the scholars
of Hausaland and Borno were also consulting Coptic Solar Calendars in
determining their economic activities. The recovery of a book written
probably in Egypt on agrarian activities, from Bauchi in 1973 points
to the fact that some aspects of of the agricultural sciences were being
diffused in this area.The book, which is copied in a Sudanic script,
contains mathematical charts dealing with agronomic activities such
as the right time of harvest; the various directions of the wind;time
of germination; and the seasons during which insects appear. A conversion
table to lunar months is also made at the beginning of the book as a
guide for the users of the chart.
It seems that some scholars in the Central Bilad
al- Sudan especially the area of Katsina, were well versed in numerology
and astrology. The recovery of some books from Katsina areas such as
Borno by the late Professor M.A. al-Hajj and other researchers suggests
that the scholars of Katsina were versed in these occult sciences .
The 19th century Jihad movement in Hausaland
has been rightly described as an intellectual revolution which threw
the door of academic pursuit open in all its ramifications. Education
was a major preoccupation of the Sokoto Jihad. There is ample evidence
to suggest that Shaykh Uthman b. Fudi was teaching both simple and advanced
arithmetic (al-Yasir wa al-Gharib) to his students. Another evidence
of the incorporation of arithmetic and related sciences in the syllabi
of the schools in 19th century Hausaland is to be found with Abd al-Quadir
b. al-Mustafa who is reported to have studied medicine, astrology, arithmetic,
logic and astronomy.
Gloria Emeagwali (ed) Science and Technology in
African History, Edwin Mellen, NY, 1992
Documentary evidence at our disposal suggests
that earlier in 17th century West Africa some Ulama (scholars) of Kanem
-Bornu were highly skilled in the science of Ilm al-Awfaq (the science
of magic squares). By the 18th century, the Borno kingdom became the most
important center of learning of Mathematics in the Central Sudan attracting
peoples from adjacent areas linking this at times to the occult sciences.
Extract from
Ahmad Kani, Arithmetic in the pre-colonial Central Sudan in
Dr Kani is Professor of History. He has taught at Ahmadu Bello University
and also served as the Dean of Arts at the University of Sokoto.
Africa-related
sites on Maths (Ohio State Univ)
See related material and bibliography on African Mathematics:
The
Newsletter of the Commission for the History of Mathematics in Africa
See also works by Ron Eglash: