This was another popular question among the candidates and some of those who attempted it got it right. It demanded the candidates to explain the pre-Jihad factors of homogeneity among the Hausa states. However, few candidates considered the Jihad as part of the factors and got it wrong. The common factor of unity among them included but not limited to the following under listed points.

1. Most Hausa laid claim to common ancestry; they shared the Bayyajida legend;
2. they shared a common language – Hausa;     
3. they shared common religious belief in their deities and later Islam. Adherents

      saw themselves as brothers irrespective of state of origin

4.leaders of both traditional religion and Islam exercised great influence among

                        the City States without boundary limitation;

5.students moved from one state to another to study under renowned muslim

scholars.  Such students maintained strong links with one another and with  their teachers.