The History of Sarkin Muhammad Rumfa
Muhammad Dan Yakubu, known as Muhammad Rumfa was the Sultan of Kano from 1463 until 1499. His reign was characterized by wealth and opulence and signaled the rise of the Sultanate's commercial dominance in the region. Under the guidance of famed Berber Scholar, Muhammad Al-Maghili , he was also responsible for much of the Islamization of Kano. In total, the Kano Chronicle attributed twelve innovations to him including; extending the city walls, building a large palace, the Gidan Rumfa , promoting slaves to governmental positions and establishing the Kurmi Market . Rumfa's reforms also proved to be the catalyst that would propel Kano to its political peak, resulting in the first Kanoan Empire under his grandson Muhammad Kisoki . His era of oligarchs came to be eponymously known as the "Rumfawa", and would last until their replacement by the "Kutumbawa" in 1623. Muhammad Rumfa is considered by historians to be Kano's greatest rule