Changes and dynamics: History and evolution of political institutions in Hausaland till 1900

The political structure of pre-colonial states in Nigeria has been a subject of scholarly debate. While some scholars have categorized specific societies such as Hausaland as stateless, others have argued that the precolonial societies were evolutionary and had evolved their political institutions. Prominent among these debates was the type of political institution that emerged in each ethnic nationality, particularly in pre-colonial Northern Nigeria. This paper examines the evolution of political institution and administrative structure in Hausaland up to 1900. It interrogates the factors that facilitated the changes and dynamics in the political institutions. Furthermore, it aimed to calibrate the stages of evolution in the Hausa political institution. The study adopts a historical approach and uses secondary sources such as journals articles, books and unpublished works.