Muhammad Rumfa  Muhammad Rumfa was a Sultan of the Sultanate of Kano, located in modern-day Kano State, Northern Nigeria. He reigned from 1463 until 1499. In total, the Kano Chronicle attributed twelve innovations to him. Among Rumfa's accomplishments were extending the city walls, building a large palace, the Gidan Rumfa, promoting slaves to governmental positions and establishing the Kurmi Market. He was also responsible for much of the Islamization of Kano, as he urged prominent residents to convert. Rumfa's reforms proved to be the catalyst that would propel Kano to its peak, resulting in the first Kanoan Empire under his grandson Muhammad Kisoki. He ushered a new faction of Kano Oligarchs, eponymously known as the "Rumfawa", which would last until their replacement by the "Kutumbawa" faction led by Muhammad Alwali I in 1623. Many Historians in agreement with the Kano Chronicle assert Rumfa to be Kano's greatest king. Muhammad Rumfa was the son of Yakubu, the nineteenth ruler of Kano and Fasima Berana. "“He was a good man, just and learned. He can have no equal in might, from the time of the founding of Kano, until it shall end...surely there was no Sarki more powerful than Rumfa”"  Rumfa succeeded his father in 1463. His reign was characterized by unprecedented economic growth, numerous administrative reforms and great infrastructural development. Rumfa inherited a booming economy which saw a wave of migration of scholars and traders, mostly of Arab, Kanuri, Berber and Fula descent. The most notable of these migrants was popular Berber scholar Muhammad Al-Maghili who claimed to be a Mujaddid. He had a brief stop in Katsina before coming to Kano. It is said Al-Maghili was implored by the Islamic Prophet Muhammad in a dream to go west and spread Islam. He then took the soil of Medina as a sample and set out comparing the soil sample to each place he visited until he came to Kano where he saw a resemblance between the soils. There he concluded that he had found his destination. He came with many Islamic books and sought to teach the people about the Islamic faith. When he felt that the he had accomplished his goal and learned men were ubiquitous, he left Kano for Masr (Egypt), leaving Sidi Fari to carry on his work.