1. Jihad in the West African savannah
HI177 | Africa since 1800
Term 1 | Week 5
Dr Sacha Hepburn
Fulani cloth, 19th century
metmuseum.org

4. The West African savannah
Mobile population
Pastoral Fulani (Fulbe) people, drifted eastwards owing to climate change
Northern Nigeria (‘Hausaland’) populated by agricultural people, plus some manufacturers and traders
Connected with societies north of the Sahara and on the coast – but not fully integrated into such systems

5. The coming of Islam Role of Berber traders from north of the Sahara
Booming Hausa economy  expansion of Islam in 17th/18th centuries
Urban, literate phenomenon
Futa Jalon (1725-c.1750) and Futa Toro ( ).

6. Fulani jihad states

7. Emergence of the Sokoto Caliphate
Disputes about the role of Islam in Gobir
Usman (Usuman, Uthman…) dan Fodio ( )
Criticism of un-Islamic practices of ruling elites
Influence of 15th-century scholar al-Maghili
Hijra and declaration of jihad
1804 – outbreak of war with Gobir
1809 – proclamation of Sokoto Caliphate
1817 – Usman dies, suceeded by Muhammad Bello – expansionist jihad continues

8. The Sokoto Caliphate, c. 1820

9. Spreading jihad Masina Tukolor Founded in 1818 by Sheku Ahmadu
A real theocracy? Austere society, strict enforcement of Muslim rules
Tukolor
Western savannah belt – Senegambia
Al-Hajj Umar Tal ( )
Declared jihad in 1852
War with Masina
’Empire’ fractured with death of Umar

10. What inspired jihad? Islamic faith? Fulani ethnicity?
Religious beliefs of leaders and followers
Global connections – imitating Muhammad, Saudi Wahhabism?
Fulani ethnicity?
Socioeconomic grievances?
Enslavement of Muslims
Cattle tax (jangali) and restrictions on grazing
Are these factors mutually exclusive?

11. The jihadic state, i: politics
Enormous size of Sokoto Caliphate required decentralized administrative structure.
Religious authority (baraka) held together at centre.
Built on existing structures of government.
Careful balance between centre and periphery, old and new, elite and masses.

12. The jihadic state, ii: society
Urbanisation: cities as fortified centres of power
Genuine commitment to Islam
Spread of language
Arabic as administrative lingua franca
Entextualising local vernacular
Role of women
Commitment to education, but also seclusion
Prominent role played by Nana Asmau

13. The jihadic state, iii: economy
Sokoto economy was highly monetised
Growth of plantations
Textile production and regional trading networks
Slavery
50%-70% of population of cities were slaves
Jihad and slave-raiding
Female slaves, for domestic service and as concubines

14. The coming of colonial rule
Islam provided a sense of unity in resistance to colonial rule
British principle of ‘indirect rule’ originated in colonial policy towards the conquered Fulani and Hausa
British transferred substantial authority back to the emirs
‘Indirect rule’ later used as model in other British colonies

15. Concluding thoughts
Connections and similarities with other processes of change in Africa
Islam as a state-building ideology
Reformism or revivalism?
How significant was the role played by leaders?
Longer term impact: Indirect Rule, Islam in West Africa