The history of Zaar Development Association in Lagos date back to the late 1960s, when Lagos was the capital of Nigeria. Zaar people who mostly were Federal government workers. Most of them from the armed forces, and the police force, and few others. When the population began to grow, they decided to come together to be meeting regularly as people of the same culture and background. At some point in time. The Tangale people of then Bauchi State (now Gombe) joined them in their meetings.

They called it ‘Zaar cultural Association’, the Zaar people in Lagos embraced it. In 1970s the population of Zaar people in Lagos has increased significantly. This therefore, prompted them to elect among themselves leaders who would provide leadership. The Zaar cultural Association metamorphosed into what is now called ‘Zaar Development Association’(ZDA). It was for developmental purposes within Zaar land and Zaar people in all ramifications.

The ZDA Lagos State chapter has grown from 2003 till date providing leadership and sponsoring major projects and decisions in Zaar land.

The ZDA, Lagos was the first to contribute to the building of her National Secretariat in Tafawa Balewa. This was one of the giant decisions taken by ZDA Lagos to motivate other branches take the challenge of doing same.

In 2006, under the chairmanship of Barrister 1B Gambar ZDA Lagos appointed a 3 man committee to draft what was referred to as Z.R.P (Zaar renaissance Project) under the chairmanship of Dr. AH Yusuf (late). The committee produced a document which was later referred to as Z.D.S (Zaar development strategy).

These documents was accepted by the Lagos chapter of ZDA: The Lagos ZDA seek permission from the National ZDA for a retreat to present the documents to the National ZDA as a national project.

The ZDA was disturbed by the continued widening gap between the potentials of our young ones and our capacity to convert it to reality, a situation that has been perpetuated by poor infrastructural development in Zaar land culminated by the dearth of motorable roads, poor electricity supply, if any, lack of access to pipe borne water or sanitary disposal system, lack of health and educational facilities.

Convinced that there is an urgent need to reverse the decline in the quality of the socio-economic condition of the Zaar people, the congress of the ZDA sitting in T/Balewa on 4th March 2006, approved a report by ZDA Lagos.

The ZDA Lagos State has provided leadership over the years for the entire Zaar nation. The journey of Zaar emancipation started here in Lagos on the g® March 2003, at Mopol 20, where 37 persons gathered for a normal monthly meeting. On that day, election was held, the Late Mr. Bitrus Madaki was then the chairman seeking re-election, but Barr. IB Gambar emerged as the Chairman

On June 2003, a committee was set under the then Capt. JD Bulus, to fashion out modalities of new ZDA. A report was presented, accepted and implementation was carried out to bring Zaar people to the need to develop her people for the overall interest of the Zaar people under the caption Zaar Development Initiative (ZDI).

Other previous giant strides taken by ZDA Lagos State was the digging of ten wells in T/Balewa and Bogoro five each within the Zaar communities. This was in conjunction with St. John’s Catholic Church Bauchi seven of the ten was successful. The remaining three was stalled due to rainy season and disputes among the communities.

Lagos Chapter of the ZDA to host a retreat for Zaar community development stakeholders to examine, discuss and fine tune the first draft of the Zaar development strategy, the proposed community development manual! for the Zaar people. The Zaar Development strategy stakeholders retreat was held from 10″ – 14″ April, 2006 at the vocational training centre in T/Balewa and had in attendance the Zaar council of Elders, (Zauren Baba Gonto) Patriotic dignitaries, across Zaar nation, principal officers of National ZDA, the state chapters of ZDA, Zaar Women Development, Zaar Youth Development Association (ZAYODA), National union of Zaar students (NUZAS) and observers from T/Balewa and Bogoro Local Government Councils. The retreat offered the opportunity to undertake an exhaustive evaluation of the socio-economic endowrment nature was bestowed on us, a blessed platform destined to be great.

Affirming that in all measures aimed at socio-economic development in zaar land the Zaar people have vital roles to play, the broad based cross section of the Zaar people that attended the Zaar development stakeholder’s retreat resolves, to examine fourteen critical important areas needed to enhance the Development of Zaar as a people. At the end, the retreat came out with resolutions to be strictly looked at for implementation. There are many more of the Lagos state ZDA’s noble project for the cause of ZDA.

Finally, a working society was later produced as visions for Lagos chapter and the national after the general congress of ZDA ratified the blue print as was presented. Other achievements of ZDA Lagos are:

1. Registration of ZDA National with CAC
2. Economic empowerment of members by way of loan or skill acquisition
3. Acquisition of landed properties
4. A registered corporative society with the vision of becoming a microfinance bank in the near future
5. Development of zaar website called ‘www.zaartafawabalewa.org’
6. Education foundation called ‘Zaar Education Foundation’

As to the Zaar Chiefdom ZDA Lagos has participated fully in the quest for actualization and is still doing that. The ZDA Lagos has spent millions of Naira on litigations on the quest for Zaar Chiefdom and other crisis in the communities. Today the ZDA Lagos State chapter stands tall and is at forefront in the struggle for Zaar total emancipation in all fronts.