break under a tree, a little history of kano, renovation of the kano wall

i grew up in what some call the second largest city in nigeria (which i myself would not consider so cause of port harcourt in the south). Kano, the capital of the north, (or at least of Kano state), with a population of just under 4 million inhabitants, was founded around the first millennium AD. It was a prosperous hausa emirate, and an important stop in the Saharan trade route. Things changed in the 19th century when the emir, local leader, was overthrown by Usman Dan Fodia, while the latter led the jihad against kano. The emir is still the an important figure till this day. Soon afterwards Nigeria became a british colony. In modern day history kano has been one of the first states to adopt sharia as state law. It is a major city of the cotton industry. Most of the population are Hausa but a certain number of Yoruba and Ibo (mostly being Christians while the hausa are muslims) have moved to kano in order to run businesses. They have not been able to assimilate and still live in a separate part of town Sabon Gari (new town), a busy and lively area filled with shops, businesses, bars, and a huge outdoor market. this area lies right beside walls and one of the gates to the old town, the very heart of hausa kano, where the price of living space cost more then anywhere else in kano. Many times riots have broken out over smaller or bigger matters and they always ignite in Sabon Gari.