The history of the Dagil clan, direct descendants of Yamtarawala, the founder of Pabir and its kingdom in the 15th century, is to a great extent linked to Mandaragirau.
[citation needed] Reports written by European colonialists,[1] established that Yamtarawala, the founder of the Babur tribe and its kingdom, came to Biu from Birni Ngazargamu in the early 15th century.
Mai Mari, the Chief of Mandaragirau at that time retained his Chiefdom until he was deposed in 1911 by Mr. J H C Elder, the then District Officer in charge of Biu area under some controversial circumstance.[which?]
Davies confirmed in his book that the site was at that time still plainly visible containing the ruins of some 15–20 compounds (including the Chief's which was 50 yards across) and had fine views.
It became a separate kingdom helping the Babur in war but not subservient to it" [7] The colonial administrators further stressed that Chief of Mandagirau was not regarded as a Galadima of Mai Biu, but his position was always independent.
"[10] According to oral tradition, during the reign of the 12th Babur Chief Mai Dawi, his elder son Ali Sokar was the heir apparent of the kingdom.
As he did not want to fight his brother over the matter however, Ali Sokar angrily left on a dagil horse with his followers and established his kingdom at a hilltop close to Virahyel.
The headquarters of the Dagil Kingdom was moved to the present Mandaragirau town probably towards the middle of the 18th century when the Chief defeated the original inhabitants of the Bwala clan and made one of them Thlerima (Galadima).
whitely, Assistant District Officer Biu (6/6/1917 – 28/10/1917), to the Resident Bornu province on the 26th January, 1918, nine (9) Chiefs ruled the Mandaragirau Kingdom in succession.
Actually the British had only one overall policy to conquer an area, obtain compliance to their authority and create a system of administration operationalized at first in tax collection, courts, and the ultimate right to choose and depose chief.
At Magumeri when the Resident asked for the Chief of Mandaragirau, he was informed that Mai Mari had declined his sermon and declared that the Europeans were not superior to him.
Mai Mari who refused to recognize the Babur Chief as superior vehemently rejected it and he continued to retain his chiefdom up to September 1911 when he was finally deposed.
In the case study conducted by Dr. Ronald Cohen he stated that two major problems emerged that time that threatened the extension of Biu sovereignty by the British.
And there was some opinion in the area that in terms of development, infrastructure and education Mandaragirau had been slighted in order to make sure that Biu's power and modernization supersedes that of her old rival.
The result of this incorporation was a series of armed confrontation and village burning in which the Bura were forcefully made to accept Pabir over – rule.
Elder, the Assistant Resident at this crucial period and Mai Ali Dogo (1908-1935) were able to cooperate with one another to achieve mutually agreed goals.
Mai Biu fully accepted the military superiority of the British and manipulated any information going to them to solidify and expand his own control over the entire Pabir-Bura area.
By 1921 when Elder finally left the area, the mutual trust and cooperation that had built up between these two men was a major factor in the creation of Biu Emirate.
In response to the petition Cpt A. L. Milroy, the Assistant District Officer Biu (10/3/1927-7/11/1927) wrote to the Resident Bornu Province on 16 April 1927 on the matter.
The Assistant District Officer concluded with a strong recommendation that Ali Boy's request should not "be upheld particularly in view of the Emir’s wishes".
In 1958, the British Government in Nigeria set up a Minority Commission to receive complains and resolve issues relating to community boundary, chieftaincy affairs etc.
In the presentation, they complained of "an unjust removal" of the 9th Dagil clan chief of Mandaragirau, Mai Mari, and called for the revival of their chiefdom.
He emphasized that "it was the Policy of the British Government gradually to bring the Buras, the Teras and the Mandaragirau people under the Chief of the Babur (Biu)".
Consequent upon the demise of Mai Mari, the then 9th Chief of Mandaragirau in 1911, his son Kadali who succeeded him was later relegated to the position of a village Head under Biu.
Following the appointment of Midala Madu (who changed his name to Mohammed Aliyu) as Emir of Biu on 20 September 1951, Malam Usman Pokta took over as District Head Babur on 1 January 1952.
(Davies 1954:83,92 & 103) The Village Areas under Babur District during the time of Galadima Usman Pokta were Miringa, Mandaragirau, Buratai, Gur, Gunda and Garubula.
The Association became a sort of a pressure group that mobilized the community and severally organized some activities and occasions at Mandaragirau through which requests for District were articulated and constantly sent to the various level of government in the state.
The present Emir of Biu Mai Umar Mustapha Aliyu in his magnanimity also appointed late Malam Hussaini Maina Mari as the first District Head of this area.
Hussaini left Mandaragirau for Maiduguri to come back later for the actual post installation ceremony to be organized by the Emirate Council and the people of his domain.
The main food crops grown include guinea corn, millet, maize, cassava, sweat potatoes and groundnuts, Many varieties of vegetables and fruits are also produced.