1945. Challenges Awan's ascendancy was to the SIM missionaries a major breakthrough to spread Christianity across the region. Already, they had made Gworok town their headquarters in the southern part of Zaria province. However, his ascendancy was seen as a threat to the Zaria Emirate aristocrats who envisaged a danger to their interest in the Atyap area and the neighborhood due to the continuous enlightenment through education; Christian missionary activities by the SIM and its members; and more threatening, the tendency of the new western-educated Christian chief aiding the Atyap against them. In May 1946, there was a revolt by the Atyap in the Zangon Katab district, north of the independent Chiefdom of Gworok, who wanted their separation from the Zaria Emirate and the creation of an Atyap Chiefdom and Awan was blamed by the Emir of Zaria, as reported by the British colonial Resident, G. D. Pitcairn, for escalating the crisis. In the report, Pitcairn wrote: On a subsequent visit to Gworok (Kagoro) by Pitcairn where he met with Awan to confirm the Emir's allegations, he ended up warning Awan to avoid such acts. Death Gwamna Awan was the longest-serving traditional ruler in Northern and Middle Belt (central) and the entire Nigeria and in Africa as at the time of his demise in the early morning hours of Wednesday October 1, 2008 at the age of 93 at the ECWA Evangelical Hospital, Jos, after a protracted illness. Among other monarchs of the old Northern Region of Colonial Nigeria, like Attah of Igala, Aliyu Obaje (56 years); Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar III (50 years); Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero (51 years); Emir of Daura, Muhammadu Bashar (41 years); Lamido of Adamawa, Aliyu Mustapha (57 years); Sarkin Katagum, Muhammadu Kabir (37 years); Emir of Lafia, Mustafa Agwai (43 years); Emir of Daura, Abdurrahman (1911-1966); Awan had the longest reign of 63 years. References People from Kaduna State Nigerian traditional rulers 2008 deaths 1915 births