USMAN DAN FODIO AND THE BIRTH OF GOMBE
USMAN DAN FODIO JIHAD AND THE BIRTH OF GOMBE
Ayoola, Akinkunmi Olamide
mide_ayoola2002@yahoo.com
Discussing Gombe without tracing it from the 1804 Usman Dan Fodio's Jihad is as if one has never done a fair play to the whole story – one has no better choice, than going back into history.
In the 18th century, reformation movements like the Fulani jihad of Usman Dan Fodio took place in Saudi Arabia, Cyrenaica, Egyptian Sudan and Western Sudan. These movements differ from one another, but they still had a common objective which was "a return to the pure and primitive faith of Islam purged of heresies and accretions." This meant the attempt to restore the original model of Islamic state as it was believed to have existed in the time of the prophet. The Fulani jihad led by Usman Dan Fodio however was among Jihads in the Sudan in the 18th and 19th century. – beginning with Muhammad Ibn Ali Al-Sanusi in Cyrenaica, Shehu Ahmadu and Al-hajj Umar Ibn Said in the Western Sudan and Muhammad Ahmad Ibn Abdullah in the former Egyptian Sudan.
Usman Dan Fodio's jihad was a revolutionary movement with certain characteristics which are identical to others. It established theocratic states in the Northern Nigeria. It succeeded in breaking down local ethnic loyalties substituting a higher loyalty which transcended boundary of kith and kin.
According to Ajayi (1962) "Jihad is a religious duty practiced by the Quran and endorsed by the Sunnah and it is also the duty of every believer to summon others who are not Muslim into the fold of Islam. If they prove unyielding, they should be fought against." Crowder (1962) in his own view "for according to the Sharia or Muslim law, revolt against the state is legitimate if the ruler places obstacles in the way of the practice of the Muslim faith or mixes Muslim with pagan practices." Viewing these, one is tempted to believe that Usman Dan Fodio's Jihad was a form of Holy war against the pagan rulers of the Hausaland and that he was particularly forced into the war by circumstances.
Usman Dan Fodio, the leader of 1804 Jihad in the Northern Nigeria was born in Gobir to Toronkawa clan which migrates from Futa Toro. His father Fodio was among the thirteenth descendants of the leader of the migration. These Fulani emigrants were of two sects. One sect stuck to the nomadic life and they were referred to as the "Bororoje" or cattle Fulani while the others remained in the town, that is, why people referred to them as Town Fulani or "Fulani Gidda". Those who remained in towns were well educated and highly spiritual. This is where Usman Dan Fodio belonged – he was well educated. Usman was born in 1744 while his brother Abdullah was born in 1756; together they were brought up as strict Muslims of the Maliki School. Usman, a man of great intellectual gifts, a quick pupil could as well be regarded as multilingual because he spoke several languages. He and his family lived in a village known as Degel and thence his learning became famous and his preaching pulled great crowds. Having started his career as a teacher and a preacher at Degel in Gobir, he moved on missionary tours to other parts of Hausaland especially Kebbi and Zamfara where he also had some followers. His fame reached King Bawa of Gobir and he appointed Dan Fodio as tutor to the royal family. Usman Dan Fodio's continuous insistence on a puritanical form of Islam and his condemnation of illegal taxes and pagan practices meant a criticism of the kings of Gobir. Niveh (1957) explains that Usman, who is usually called Shehu, gained more and more influence and the chiefs of Gobir became more and more jealous and offended. Usman argued that the king of Gobir by his action has shown himself not to be a Muslim and a land is to be considered a land of Islam or a land of unbelief according to the religion of its ruler. He pointed out that the king had proved himself a non-Muslim by the fact he had attacked and persecuted Muslims. His unbelief was shown by the way in which he followed un-Islamic practices. For instances, the veneration of rocks and trees, consultation with magicians and soothsayers and imposition of illegal taxes. These criticisms and the growing fame of Usman was a threat to the throne. King Bawa died and he was succeeded by Nafata. Yunfa again succeeded Nafata in 1802. Yunfa also resented these criticisms of Usman Dan Fodio. He took drastic measures against further conversion of his people to Islam. The wearing of the turban by men and veil by woman were forbidden. These were customs which gave Shehu's (Usman) party the cohesion and sense of common identity which the Habe kings feared. There then arose a clash between Yunfa and one of the disciples of Usman Dan Fodio – Abdul salami. As a result of this clash, king Yunfa decided to attack Dan Fodio, but the plot failed. So, Usman together with his family and his followers fled to Gudu on the 21st of February, 1804; this flight, according to one author, had been likened to that of the prophet from Mecca to medina and is accordingly locally known as the "Hegira". The disciples gathered round Usman, as well as large numbers of Hausas, some of Yunfa's advisers inclusive. Abdullah, the Shehu's brother was at this time quoted as saying "Truly this matter has become intolerable; recourse must be had to arms. There can be no doubt that the situation demands a prince to manage our affairs, for Muslims should not be without government". As a result of this Usman Dan Fodio was elected as the Caliph, the "Amir al-mu'minin", or the Commander of the faithful.
The Jihad initially began with the flight of Usman Dan Fodio and his followers from Degel to Gudu on February 21, 1804 as mentioned earlier, he was proclaimed a leader of the faithful by his disciples who promptly embarked on a military action against the Hausa states beginning with Gobir – Abdullah, Usman Dan Fodio's brother, he entrusted soldiers to engage and defeat the army of Yunfa, (Sarkin Gobir).Encourage by his initial success, which also won Dan Fodio and his flag-bearers greater followers. The Jihadists proceeded to wield the crescent against other Hausa and neighboring states. Kebbi and Zaria fell in 1805, Katsina in 1807, Daura in 1808, Kano in 1809 and by 1810 they had conquered and taken over most of the states. Other states won by individual captains of Usman Dan Fodio included Gombe, the topic of this discussion, Bauchi, Katagum, Missau, Keffi, Lafia, Nasarawa and Adamawa. Effort was made to invade Bornu in 1808 but they recorded failure. However, the impact of the Jihad on Bornu contributed to the displacement of Saifawa by the Shehu Dynasty which reigns in Bornu to this day.
Moving back a bit, in the year 1805, Shehu arranged a permanent base at Sabongari, twenty miles north of anka, Zamfara capital. And from all over the North, he always received delegations of Fulanis. In exchange, he gave out his blessing and calling on them to rid the entire country of unbelievers, as well as to establish Islam throughout Hausaland. The flags which were given out by Usman Dan Fodio were regarded as emblems of his authority and to show that their bearers were acting for him.
Notables among these flag-bearers were Yaqub and Buba Yero. Buba Yero together with Yaqub was Usman Dan Fodio's pupils. They both came from the Bauchi Province. Niveh (1957) analyses, "It says a very great deal for the fame of Usman Dan Fodio and for the desire for learning that must have been shown for those men to travel all that way to sit at his (Usman) feet and learn from him". Having received a flag each, Yaqub moved homeward via Benue and Gongola, Lafia Beriberi and into Lere, the abode of the Pagans, settled down, and reigned with justice in Bauchi, a great city he founded in 1809 until he passed on in 1845, while BUBA YERO, in his own part moved East, subdued all the surrounding peoples and even made expeditions into Jukun country. He was more successful toward South where for a time the Fulani of Muri came under his jurisdiction. He eventually founded the Emirate of Gombe.?
REFERENCES
Ayoola A. Olamide (2002): Usman Dan Fodio Jihad: A Political Struggle; Unpublished Term Paper Presented on HISTORY 201, O.A.U. Ile-Ife
Crowder, Michael (1978): The History of Nigeria, Faber and Faber Ltd., London
Daniel F. (1926): "Shehu Dan Fodio" Journal of Africa Society XXV
Hassan Alhaji and Na'ibi Mallam Sha'aibu (1952): A Chronicle of Abuja.
Hodgkin Thomas (1960): Nigeria Perspective, London; 2nd Edition 1975
Ayoola, Akinkunmi Olamide
mide_ayoola2002@yahoo.com
Discussing Gombe without tracing it from the 1804 Usman Dan Fodio's Jihad is as if one has never done a fair play to the whole story – one has no better choice, than going back into history.
In the 18th century, reformation movements like the Fulani jihad of Usman Dan Fodio took place in Saudi Arabia, Cyrenaica, Egyptian Sudan and Western Sudan. These movements differ from one another, but they still had a common objective which was "a return to the pure and primitive faith of Islam purged of heresies and accretions." This meant the attempt to restore the original model of Islamic state as it was believed to have existed in the time of the prophet. The Fulani jihad led by Usman Dan Fodio however was among Jihads in the Sudan in the 18th and 19th century. – beginning with Muhammad Ibn Ali Al-Sanusi in Cyrenaica, Shehu Ahmadu and Al-hajj Umar Ibn Said in the Western Sudan and Muhammad Ahmad Ibn Abdullah in the former Egyptian Sudan.
Usman Dan Fodio's jihad was a revolutionary movement with certain characteristics which are identical to others. It established theocratic states in the Northern Nigeria. It succeeded in breaking down local ethnic loyalties substituting a higher loyalty which transcended boundary of kith and kin.
According to Ajayi (1962) "Jihad is a religious duty practiced by the Quran and endorsed by the Sunnah and it is also the duty of every believer to summon others who are not Muslim into the fold of Islam. If they prove unyielding, they should be fought against." Crowder (1962) in his own view "for according to the Sharia or Muslim law, revolt against the state is legitimate if the ruler places obstacles in the way of the practice of the Muslim faith or mixes Muslim with pagan practices." Viewing these, one is tempted to believe that Usman Dan Fodio's Jihad was a form of Holy war against the pagan rulers of the Hausaland and that he was particularly forced into the war by circumstances.
Usman Dan Fodio, the leader of 1804 Jihad in the Northern Nigeria was born in Gobir to Toronkawa clan which migrates from Futa Toro. His father Fodio was among the thirteenth descendants of the leader of the migration. These Fulani emigrants were of two sects. One sect stuck to the nomadic life and they were referred to as the "Bororoje" or cattle Fulani while the others remained in the town, that is, why people referred to them as Town Fulani or "Fulani Gidda". Those who remained in towns were well educated and highly spiritual. This is where Usman Dan Fodio belonged – he was well educated. Usman was born in 1744 while his brother Abdullah was born in 1756; together they were brought up as strict Muslims of the Maliki School. Usman, a man of great intellectual gifts, a quick pupil could as well be regarded as multilingual because he spoke several languages. He and his family lived in a village known as Degel and thence his learning became famous and his preaching pulled great crowds. Having started his career as a teacher and a preacher at Degel in Gobir, he moved on missionary tours to other parts of Hausaland especially Kebbi and Zamfara where he also had some followers. His fame reached King Bawa of Gobir and he appointed Dan Fodio as tutor to the royal family. Usman Dan Fodio's continuous insistence on a puritanical form of Islam and his condemnation of illegal taxes and pagan practices meant a criticism of the kings of Gobir. Niveh (1957) explains that Usman, who is usually called Shehu, gained more and more influence and the chiefs of Gobir became more and more jealous and offended. Usman argued that the king of Gobir by his action has shown himself not to be a Muslim and a land is to be considered a land of Islam or a land of unbelief according to the religion of its ruler. He pointed out that the king had proved himself a non-Muslim by the fact he had attacked and persecuted Muslims. His unbelief was shown by the way in which he followed un-Islamic practices. For instances, the veneration of rocks and trees, consultation with magicians and soothsayers and imposition of illegal taxes. These criticisms and the growing fame of Usman was a threat to the throne. King Bawa died and he was succeeded by Nafata. Yunfa again succeeded Nafata in 1802. Yunfa also resented these criticisms of Usman Dan Fodio. He took drastic measures against further conversion of his people to Islam. The wearing of the turban by men and veil by woman were forbidden. These were customs which gave Shehu's (Usman) party the cohesion and sense of common identity which the Habe kings feared. There then arose a clash between Yunfa and one of the disciples of Usman Dan Fodio – Abdul salami. As a result of this clash, king Yunfa decided to attack Dan Fodio, but the plot failed. So, Usman together with his family and his followers fled to Gudu on the 21st of February, 1804; this flight, according to one author, had been likened to that of the prophet from Mecca to medina and is accordingly locally known as the "Hegira". The disciples gathered round Usman, as well as large numbers of Hausas, some of Yunfa's advisers inclusive. Abdullah, the Shehu's brother was at this time quoted as saying "Truly this matter has become intolerable; recourse must be had to arms. There can be no doubt that the situation demands a prince to manage our affairs, for Muslims should not be without government". As a result of this Usman Dan Fodio was elected as the Caliph, the "Amir al-mu'minin", or the Commander of the faithful.
The Jihad initially began with the flight of Usman Dan Fodio and his followers from Degel to Gudu on February 21, 1804 as mentioned earlier, he was proclaimed a leader of the faithful by his disciples who promptly embarked on a military action against the Hausa states beginning with Gobir – Abdullah, Usman Dan Fodio's brother, he entrusted soldiers to engage and defeat the army of Yunfa, (Sarkin Gobir).Encourage by his initial success, which also won Dan Fodio and his flag-bearers greater followers. The Jihadists proceeded to wield the crescent against other Hausa and neighboring states. Kebbi and Zaria fell in 1805, Katsina in 1807, Daura in 1808, Kano in 1809 and by 1810 they had conquered and taken over most of the states. Other states won by individual captains of Usman Dan Fodio included Gombe, the topic of this discussion, Bauchi, Katagum, Missau, Keffi, Lafia, Nasarawa and Adamawa. Effort was made to invade Bornu in 1808 but they recorded failure. However, the impact of the Jihad on Bornu contributed to the displacement of Saifawa by the Shehu Dynasty which reigns in Bornu to this day.
Moving back a bit, in the year 1805, Shehu arranged a permanent base at Sabongari, twenty miles north of anka, Zamfara capital. And from all over the North, he always received delegations of Fulanis. In exchange, he gave out his blessing and calling on them to rid the entire country of unbelievers, as well as to establish Islam throughout Hausaland. The flags which were given out by Usman Dan Fodio were regarded as emblems of his authority and to show that their bearers were acting for him.
Notables among these flag-bearers were Yaqub and Buba Yero. Buba Yero together with Yaqub was Usman Dan Fodio's pupils. They both came from the Bauchi Province. Niveh (1957) analyses, "It says a very great deal for the fame of Usman Dan Fodio and for the desire for learning that must have been shown for those men to travel all that way to sit at his (Usman) feet and learn from him". Having received a flag each, Yaqub moved homeward via Benue and Gongola, Lafia Beriberi and into Lere, the abode of the Pagans, settled down, and reigned with justice in Bauchi, a great city he founded in 1809 until he passed on in 1845, while BUBA YERO, in his own part moved East, subdued all the surrounding peoples and even made expeditions into Jukun country. He was more successful toward South where for a time the Fulani of Muri came under his jurisdiction. He eventually founded the Emirate of Gombe.?
REFERENCES
Ayoola A. Olamide (2002): Usman Dan Fodio Jihad: A Political Struggle; Unpublished Term Paper Presented on HISTORY 201, O.A.U. Ile-Ife
Crowder, Michael (1978): The History of Nigeria, Faber and Faber Ltd., London
Daniel F. (1926): "Shehu Dan Fodio" Journal of Africa Society XXV
Hassan Alhaji and Na'ibi Mallam Sha'aibu (1952): A Chronicle of Abuja.
Hodgkin Thomas (1960): Nigeria Perspective, London; 2nd Edition 1975
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