Shehu Uthman Dan Fodio of Sokoto

Founder of the Sokoto Caliphate

The northern Nigerian city of Gobir itself faced a powerful threat from the Fulanis. Austere and fanatical in their religion, they no longer tolerated the laxness and growing corruption of the Hausa rulers. In 1804 they revolted against these regimes declaring jihad on the rulers. William Winwood Reade, author of The Martyrdom of Man, gave an account of the relevant facts: "Othman [sic] Dan Fodio, the Black Prophet … went out of Mecca, his soul burning with zeal. He determined to reform the Sudan [i.e. that part of Africa] … Dan Fodio sent letters to the great kings of Timbuktu, Haoussa [sic], and Bornu [sic], commanding them to reform their own lives and those of their subjects, or he would chastise them in the name of God … Dan Fodio united the Fulah [i.e. Fulani] tribes into an army which he inspired with his own spirit. Thirsting for plunder and paradise, the Fulahs swept over the Sudan; they marched into battle with shouts of frenzied joy, singing hymns and waving their green flags on which texts of the Koran were embroidered in letters of gold."

Many ordinary Hausas joined the Fulani campaigns. They empathised with the Fulani attack on the luxury, injustice, and high taxation associated with the Hausa Sarkunas (i.e. kings - plural). Moreover, the government officials were not above confiscating livestock and other goods of ordinary people. Nor were they above capturing young women to serve in the harem.

In 1812 the Shehu (meaning 'teacher'), Uthman Dan Fodio triumphed over the Hausa kings. Ruling from Gobir, he changed the name of the city to Sokoto. The empire he built became the Sokoto Caliphate. Establishing a centralised government, he began a stability in the region that ultimately created an economic boom. Hausaland had seen nothing like it since the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Kano cotton, for example, clothed half of West Africa. Furthermore, the Shehu and his descendants were scholars of impressive intellects. Dr Davidson wrote that: "To Uthman, his brother Abdullah and his son Muhammad Bello are attributed some 258 books and essays on a variety of theoretical and practical subjects."

http://www.whenweruled.com/articles.php?lng=en&pg=28

Fodio's crusade in Northern Nigeria was basically political, though had a religious undertone.

abadaba:

Fodio's crusade in Northern Nigeria was basically politica,l though had a religious undertone.

Yes, the Hausa kings were unfairly taxing the Fulani pastoralist. Religion was also used, because the rulers of the different Hausa states were nominal Muslims.

Fodio's march to Bornu exposed his ulterior motives. Purely political.

Andre Uweh:

Fodio's march to Bornu exposed his ulterior motives. Purely political.

But the man gave up a life of luxury and power and went back to seclusion and teaching. His son Mohammed Bello actually forged the Sokoto Caliphate.

Many aspects about this man's life is just amazing!

The entire Fodio's exercise was chiefly political. He divided the sultanate into two, and handed his son Sokoto and his brother got Kebbi. Was that not a political move?.

I hope the animal is rotting in hell

CAMEROONPRIDE: I hope the animal is rotting in hell

That is a very mean thing to say.

Cameroonpride, where do you know him from?

AndreUweh:
Fodio's march to Bornu exposed his ulterior motives. Purely political.

Omenani:


Shehu never marched to Borno. It was the Bornoan flagbearers who rebelled against their rulers. Although they were successful in the beginnings, Shehu's followers were driven back from some of the conquered areas by Sheikh Muhammad Al-Amin El-Kanemi. I think they were only able to retain Katagumi under Mallam Zaki (the Lion Mallam) and some other emirates.

Shehu Uthman Dan Fodio of Sokoto


Founder of the Sokoto Caliphate

The northern Nigerian city of Gobir itself faced a powerful threat from the Fulanis. Austere and fanatical in their religion, they no longer tolerated the laxness and growing corruption of the Hausa rulers. In 1804 they revolted against these regimes declaring jihad on the rulers. William Winwood Reade, author of The Martyrdom of Man, gave an account of the relevant facts: "Othman [sic] Dan Fodio, the Black Prophet … went out of Mecca, his soul burning with zeal. He determined to reform the Sudan [i.e. that part of Africa] … Dan Fodio sent letters to the great kings of Timbuktu, Haoussa [sic], and Bornu [sic], commanding them to reform their own lives and those of their subjects, or he would chastise them in the name of God … Dan Fodio united the Fulah [i.e. Fulani] tribes into an army which he inspired with his own spirit. Thirsting for plunder and paradise, the Fulahs swept over the Sudan; they marched into battle with shouts of frenzied joy, singing hymns and waving their green flags on which texts of the Koran were embroidered in letters of gold."

Many ordinary Hausas joined the Fulani campaigns. They empathised with the Fulani attack on the luxury, injustice, and high taxation associated with the Hausa Sarkunas (i.e. kings - plural). Moreover, the government officials were not above confiscating livestock and other goods of ordinary people. Nor were they above capturing young women to serve in the harem.

In 1812 the Shehu (meaning 'teacher'), Uthman Dan Fodio triumphed over the Hausa kings. Ruling from Gobir, he changed the name of the city to Sokoto. The empire he built became the Sokoto Caliphate. Establishing a centralised government, he began a stability in the region that ultimately created an economic boom. Hausaland had seen nothing like it since the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Kano cotton, for example, clothed half of West Africa. Furthermore, the Shehu and his descendants were scholars of impressive intellects. Dr Davidson wrote that: "To Uthman, his brother Abdullah and his son Muhammad Bello are attributed some 258 books and essays on a variety of theoretical and practical subjects."

http://www.whenweruled.com/articles.php?lng=en&pg=28

That British author is very ignorant of the Shehu. He never went to Mecca for example.

Dan Fodio did not unite the "Fulani tribe". He and his disciples led the Jihad beginning from 1804 and were supported by other Mallams, Zamfarawa men who were then under the vassalage of Gobir and Kebbawa who were against their ruler.

Keep in mind that Hausaland was afflicted by economic crisis then, which explained the heavy tax burdens of the then Sarkis. And Gobir was not renamed as Sokoto. Sokoto was a new town built by Bello after the war (as were many town such as Tambuwal, Rabah, Shinaka and many other forts that became thriving economic town). Gobir's capital was Alkalawa was destroyed and never rebuilt.
The Hausa dynasty relocated in Tsibiri (Niger) from where it fought against the Sultans of Sokoto.

Read more about the Jihad. It's a very interesting period. Shehu was criticized by other Mallams (most notably the Shehu of Borno el-Kanemi). Bello said that during the last 2 years of his life, Dan Fodio could hardly sleep, given the accusations that were levelled against him by el-Kanemi.

You might be surprised to know that Fmr. One of President Yaradu'a's forefather who was a revered Fulani Mallam in Katsina, was one of the critics of Shehu dan Fodio.

Thats not a picture of Dan fodio man,that's a picture of some scholar, forgot his name, but that's not Dan fodio.

Usman Dan Fodio was actually born in Gobir, Nigeria, which means he's Nigerian, not Senegalese as most people (like myself) assume.

Obviously, he probably had ties with his kin from the western part of Africa, but he was Nigerian I should think.

In that case, the wars of those times could probably be regarded as the initial Nigerian civil wars, except the country had not been named Nigeria yet.

The Fodiawa likely did not have any relations with their kinsmen by the time Usman dan Fodio was born. The first of his ancestor to settle in Gobir was Musa Jokollo, and he came to Hausaland around 1450, more than 300 years before Dan Fodio's birth (in 1754).

Shehu Usman was the son of Muhammad Fodio, son of Usman, son of Salihu, son of Haruna, son of Muhammad Gurdo, son of Muhammad Jabbo, son of Muhammad Sambo, son of Masirana, son of Ayyub, son of Buba, son of Abubakr, son of Musa Jokollo.
There's 11 generations between the two of them. If Dan Fodio was a "recent settler" as many people ignorantly assume, he would never have the basis to transform Hausaland as he did

Yes, most people assume he had been a recent settler in the north and had gone there as a preacher. I also assumed the same.

From your post, it seems his great great grandfathers were also born in Nigeria?

tpiar:
Yes, most people assume he had been a recent settler in the north and had gone there as a preacher. I also assumed the same.

From your post, it seems his great great grandfathers were also born in Nigeria?

Yes, they were long established in Gobir.
I would guess that his forefathers Musa Jokollo and Abubakr (Musa's sons) were the ones that weren't born in Hausaland. But all the rest up to him were natives of Gobir

Thats interesting.

Gobir itself was founded in the 11th century it seems, by migrants from Saudi Arabia, Yemen or Sudan.

GorkoSusaay:


That British author is very ignorant of the Shehu. He never went to Mecca for example.

Dan Fodio did not unite the "Fulani tribe". He and his disciples led the Jihad beginning from 1804 and were supported by other Mallams, Zamfarawa men who were then under the vassalage of Gobir and Kebbawa who were against their ruler.

Keep in mind that Hausaland was afflicted by economic crisis then, which explained the heavy tax burdens of the then Sarkis. And Gobir was not renamed as Sokoto. Sokoto was a new town built by Bello after the war (as were many town such as Tambuwal, Rabah, Shinaka and many other forts that became thriving economic town). Gobir's capital was Alkalawa was destroyed and never rebuilt.
The Hausa dynasty relocated in Tsibiri (Niger) from where it fought against the Sultans of Sokoto.

Read more about the Jihad. It's a very interesting period. Shehu was criticized by other Mallams (most notably the Shehu of Borno el-Kanemi). Bello said that during the last 2 years of his life, Dan Fodio could hardly sleep, given the accusations that were levelled against him by el-Kanemi.

You might be surprised to know that Fmr. One of President Yaradu'a's forefather who was a revered Fulani Mallam in Katsina, was one of the critics of Shehu dan Fodio.

where can I get articles on usthma dan fodio

masseratti:
where can I get articles on usthma dan fodio

This is a good introduction. You can have read many other publications on WebPulaaku

http://webpulaaku.net/defte/hasJohnston/toc.html

GorkoSusaay:


This is a good introduction. You can have read many other publications on WebPulaaku

http://webpulaaku.net/defte/hasJohnston/toc.html

thanks

GorkoSusaay:
The Fodiawa likely did not have any relations with their kinsmen by the time Usman dan Fodio was born. The first of his ancestor to settle in Gobir was Musa Jokollo, and he came to Hausaland around 1450, more than 300 years before Dan Fodio's birth (in 1754).

Shehu Usman was the son of Muhammad Fodio, son of Usman, son of Salihu, son of Haruna, son of Muhammad Gurdo, son of Muhammad Jabbo, son of Muhammad Sambo, son of Masirana, son of Ayyub, son of Buba, son of Abubakr, son of Musa Jokollo.
There's 11 generations between the two of them. If Dan Fodio was a "recent settler" as many people ignorantly assume, he would never have the basis to transform Hausaland as he did

In addition none of the leaders of the prominent Fulani clans that participated in the jihaad were also recent arrivals, infact none of them was born outside present day Nigeria.

Baaballiyo:


In addition none of the leaders of the prominent Fulani clans that participated in the jihaad were also recent arrivals, infact none of them was born outside present day Nigeria.

Some people are being willfully ignorant here.