Argungu

Argungu is a town located in Kebbi State in northwestern Nigeria. It sits on the Sokoto River (also known as the Kebbi River) and serves as the seat of the Argungu Emirate. After the fall of the Kebbi Kingdom to Fulani forces around 1808, the Kebbi rulers relocated to Argungu and established a new emirate. Since then, the town has become a cultural and political center for the Kebbawa people, a distinct subgroup of the Hausa ethnic community.

Argungu is world-famous for its annual fishing festival, known as the Argungu Fishing Festival. This event is one of Africa's largest cultural gatherings, where thousands of competitors plunge into the Matan Fada River to catch the biggest fish in a spectacular traditional contest. The town is also home to the Kanta Museum, which preserves 16th-century artifacts and serves as the burial ground for past emirs. Additionally, the ruins of Surame, the 16th- and 17th-century capital of the Kebbi Kingdom, lie about 56 kilometers northeast of Argungu.

Today, Argungu remains an important agricultural and market center. The surrounding floodplains produce tobacco, groundnuts, rice, millet, wheat, and sorghum. The population consists mainly of Kebbawa, Fulani, and other ethnic groups, with Islam as the dominant faith. The traditional ruling family, the Lekawa, continues to select the emir, who plays a significant role in preserving local customs and governance.