8000-Year-Old Dufuna Canoe Discovered In Yobe By Fulani Herdsmen 1987 .      According to archaeologists world over calibrated C-14 dates for the dug- out from Pesse, Netherlands discovered in 1957 existed over 8000 (8265 ± 275bp) years ago, remains the oldest in the world and later in 1992, Noyen-Sur seine in France, became the host of another ancient boat with about 8000 (7960 ± 100bp) years old, which is the second largest of such discovery in the world.

These discoveries further assert the expression of pride of many Europeans that their present dominance in technological advancements dates back to pre-historic age. Africa then, “was not considered in this context as no pre-historic fruits were known from Egypt or Sub- Saharan Africa with dates nearly as old as those of the European boats”, said Professor Peter Breunig, a German archaeologist.

Interestingly, on the 4th of may, 1987, in the Sahel environment of Yobe State to be specific, Dufuna village, which lies between Potiskum and Gashua local government areas along the komaduga Gana river, a discovery was made by a mundane Fulani man who was struggling as usual in the Lantewa Dune fields as the terrain is to dig a well at the outskirt of Dufuna for his livestock’s.

In the course of digging, Ya’u encountered a hard wood and he nearly got rid of it completely as an unnecessary hurdle in his quest to find water. But realising that the wood was perforated it then dawn at him that, “this may be an interestingly find”, said Abubakar Garba, an archaeologist and guardian connoisseur of Dufuna Canoe, with the Trans-Saharan Studies in the University of Maiduguri.
“The then Borno State Government before the creation of Yobe State contacted me as an archaeologist. That was how the journey back into 8000 years, right at Dufuna started”, said Garba.

According to him, Mallam Ya’u, the quintessential Fulani cow herdsman reported his find to the appropriate authorities and the initial excavation was sponsored by the University of Maiduguri, between 1989 and 1990, to ascertain whether what they were dealing with was actually a canoe”. The amount to be expended on further exploration was so enormous that neither the University nor the State and Federal Governments of Nigeria could have given much backing to the project, in view of our ailing economy,” said Garba.

However, with the collaboration of the Germans, through a project tagged Frankfurt/Maiduguri Joint Research Project, became the justification that the discovery of Dufuna canoe based on radio carbon dating is the third oldest in the world. Common sense, has it that Dufuna has elegant finishing, while the first two discoveries in Europe “whose blunts ends and thick sides seems crude in comparison with Dufuna”, said Breuniq, underscore the fact that the European boats maybe built during or around 8000 years but the elegance and mastery of Dufuna canoe showed an art long before 8000 years.

“It is highly probable that the Dufuna canoe does not represent the beginning of a tradition, but had already undergone a long development, and that the origins of water transport in Africa lie even further back in time” said Breuniq. Unfortunately, unlike Netherlands and France the unique artifacts of Dufuna canoe receives less attention from historians, the media and the authorities in an attempt “to prepare it for national and international exhibition” in sharp contrast to that of Europe that is revered by all.

by a Fulani cattle herdsman a few kilometers from the village of Dufuna in the Fune Local Government Area, not far from the Komadugu Gana River, in Yobe State Nigeria. Radiocarbon dating of a sample of charcoal found near the site dates the canoe at 8500 to 8000 years old, linking the site to Lake Mega Chad.

It is the oldest boat to be discovered in Africa, and the second oldest known worldwide.The canoe is currently in Damaturu the state capital.