Wale Akala Blog

The Rise and Fall of SOKOTO CALIPHATE Part 1.
   
                                                    
This write up is not intended to spite anybody or region, but to enlighten us about our history and events that took place before we were born.

The Sokoto Caliphate is an Islamic spiritual community in Nigeria, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’adu Abubakar. Founded during the Fulani Jihad in 1809 by Usuman dan Fodio, it was one of the most powerful empires in sub-Saharan Africa prior to European conquest and colonization. The caliphate remained extant through the colonial period and afterwards, though with reduced power.

The Fulani are traditionally a nomadic, pastoral community, herding cattle, goats and sheep, populating grasslands between the towns throughout West Africa. With increasing trade, a good number of Fulani also have settled in towns, forming a distinct minority.
The Fulani became mostly Muslims, as were the rulers of most of the states in the region the Fulani inhabit. The Islam of the rulers of these states was quite fragile, however, and they quickly reverted to the nationalistic animist religions when threatened. Over the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the Fulani began to launch scattered uprisings against rulers who were oppressing them. These established a number of small, and usually briefly lived, emirates in the west of the Sahel.
The most powerful states in the region were the city-states of Hausaland. They had large Fulani populations, who were generally considered second class citizens. Over the centuries, however, the Hausa and Fulani had become quite integrated. One of the more marginal Hausa states was that of Gobir. Poor and on the periphery of Hausaland, it was ruled by a remnant of the defunct Songhai Empire. This rule was noted for its despotism towards both the Fulani and the Hausa peasants.

One of the most revered religious scholars of the region, Usman dan Fodio, an urbanized Fulani, lived in Gobir. With the initial approval of Bawa, the ruler of Gobir, he was allowed to found a religious community at Degel. In exchange, dan Fodio blessed the monarchy and educated Bawa's nephew and heir Yunfa. When Yunfa became ruler, however, he decided to revoke the autonomy of dan Fodio's community and have dan Fodio assassinated.
Degel was defended, but unable to stand up to the army of Yunfa - dan Fodio and his followers retreated to Gudu. From exile dan Fodio called for a jihad against oppressors throughout the region that became the Fulani War. As a result, dan Fodio was joined by large numbers of Fulani and also many Hausa, this sparked a general uprising in Hausaland and most of the region's governments quickly fell. Dan Fodio was proclaimed as ruler of the new caliphate.