USMAN DAN FODIO AND THE BIRTH OF GOMBE

USMAN DAN FODIO JIHAD AND THE BIRTH OFKing Bawa died and he was succeeded by Nafata.
GOMBEYunfa again succeeded Nafata in 1802. Yunfa also
 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Ayoola, Akinkunmi Discussingresented these criticisms of Usman Dan Fodio. He
Gombe without tracing it from the 1804 Usman Dantook drastic measures against further conversion of
Fodio’s Jihad is as if one has never done a fairhis people to Islam. The wearing of the turban by men
play to the whole story – one has no better choice,and veil by woman were forbidden. These were
than going back into history.customs which gave Shehu’s (Usman) party the
In the 18th century, reformation movements like thecohesion and sense of common identity which the
Fulani jihad of Usman Dan Fodio took place in SaudiHabe kings feared. There then arose a clash between
Arabia, Cyrenaica, Egyptian Sudan and WesternYunfa and one of the disciples of Usman Dan Fodio
Sudan. These movements differ from one another, but– Abdul salami. As a result of this clash, king Yunfa
they still had a common objective which was “adecided to attack Dan Fodio, but the plot failed. So,
return to the pure and primitive faith of Islam purged ofUsman together with his family and his followers fled
heresies and accretions.” This meant the attempt toto Gudu on the 21st of February, 1804; this flight,
restore the original model of Islamic state as it wasaccording to one author, had been likened to that of
believed to have existed in the time of the prophet.the prophet from Mecca to medina and is accordingly
The Fulani jihad led by Usman Dan Fodio howeverlocally known as the “Hegira”. The disciples
was among Jihads in the Sudan in the 18th and 19thgathered round Usman, as well as large numbers of
century. – beginning with Muhammad Ibn AliHausas, some of Yunfa’s advisers inclusive.
Al-Sanusi in Cyrenaica, Shehu Ahmadu and Al-hajjAbdullah, the Shehu’s brother was at this time
Umar Ibn Said in the Western Sudan and Muhammadquoted as saying “Truly this matter has become
Ahmad Ibn Abdullah in the former Egyptian Sudan.intolerable; recourse must be had to arms. There can
Usman Dan Fodio’s jihad was a revolutionarybe no doubt that the situation demands a prince to
movement with certain characteristics which aremanage our affairs, for Muslims should not be without
identical to others. It established theocratic states in thegovernment”. As a result of this Usman Dan Fodio
Northern Nigeria. It succeeded in breaking down localwas elected as the Caliph, the “Amir
ethnic loyalties substituting a higher loyalty whichal-mu’minin”, or the Commander of the faithful.
transcended boundary of kith and kin.The Jihad initially began with the flight of Usman Dan
According to Ajayi (1962) “Jihad is a religious dutyFodio and his followers from Degel to Gudu on
practiced by the Quran and endorsed by the SunnahFebruary 21, 1804 as mentioned earlier, he was
and it is also the duty of every believer to summonproclaimed a leader of the faithful by his disciples who
others who are not Muslim into the fold of Islam. If theypromptly embarked on a military action against the
prove unyielding, they should be fought against.”Hausa states beginning with Gobir – Abdullah,
Crowder (1962) in his own view “for according toUsman Dan Fodio’s brother, he entrusted soldiers
the Sharia or Muslim law, revolt against the state isto engage and defeat the army of Yunfa, (Sarkin
legitimate if the ruler places obstacles in the way ofGobir).Encourage by his initial success, which also won
the practice of the Muslim faith or mixes Muslim withDan Fodio and his flag-bearers greater followers. The
pagan practices.” Viewing these, one is tempted toJihadists proceeded to wield the crescent against
believe that Usman Dan Fodio’s Jihad was a formother Hausa and neighboring states. Kebbi and Zaria
of Holy war against the pagan rulers of the Hausalandfell in 1805, Katsina in 1807, Daura in 1808, Kano in 1809
and that he was particularly forced into the war byand by 1810 they had conquered and taken over most
circumstances.of the states. Other states won by individual captains
Usman Dan Fodio, the leader of 1804 Jihad in theof Usman Dan Fodio included Gombe, the topic of this
Northern Nigeria was born in Gobir to Toronkawa clandiscussion, Bauchi, Katagum, Missau, Keffi, Lafia,
which migrates from Futa Toro. His father Fodio wasNasarawa and Adamawa.  Effort was made to
among the thirteenth descendants of the leader of theinvade Bornu in 1808 but they recorded failure.
migration. These Fulani emigrants were of two sects.However, the impact of the Jihad on Bornu contributed
One sect stuck to the nomadic life and they wereto the displacement of Saifawa by the Shehu Dynasty
referred to as the “Bororoje” or cattle Fulaniwhich reigns in Bornu to this day.
while the others remained in the town, that is, whyMoving back a bit, in the year 1805, Shehu arranged a
people referred to them as Town Fulani or “Fulanipermanent base at Sabongari, twenty miles north of
Gidda”. Those who remained in towns were wellanka, Zamfara capital. And from all over the North, he
educated and highly spiritual. This is where Usman Danalways received delegations of Fulanis. In exchange, he
Fodio belonged – he was well educated. Usmangave out his blessing and calling on them to rid the
was born in 1744 while his brother Abdullah was bornentire country of unbelievers, as well as to establish
in 1756; together they were brought up as strictIslam throughout Hausaland. The flags which were
Muslims of the Maliki School. Usman, a man of greatgiven out by Usman Dan Fodio were regarded as
intellectual gifts, a quick pupil could as well be regardedemblems of his authority and to show that their
as multilingual because he spoke several languages. Hebearers were acting for him.
and his family lived in a village known as Degel andNotables among these flag-bearers were Yaqub and
thence his learning became famous and his preachingBuba Yero. Buba Yero together with Yaqub was
pulled great crowds. Having started his career as aUsman Dan Fodio’s pupils. They both came from
teacher and a preacher at Degel in Gobir, he movedthe Bauchi Province.  Niveh (1957) analyses, “It
on missionary tours to other parts of Hausalandsays a very great deal for the fame of Usman Dan
especially Kebbi and Zamfara where he also hadFodio and for the desire for learning that must have
some followers. His fame reached King Bawa ofbeen shown for those men to travel all that way to sit
Gobir and he appointed Dan Fodio as tutor to the royalat his (Usman) feet and learn from him”. Having
family. Usman Dan Fodio’s continuous insistence onreceived a flag each, Yaqub moved homeward via
a puritanical form of Islam and his condemnation ofBenue and Gongola, Lafia Beriberi and into Lere, the
illegal taxes and pagan practices meant a criticism ofabode of the Pagans, settled down, and reigned with
the kings of Gobir. Niveh (1957) explains that Usman,justice in Bauchi, a great city he founded in 1809 until he
who is usually called Shehu, gained more and morepassed on in 1845, while BUBA YERO, in his own part
influence and the chiefs of Gobir became more andmoved East, subdued all the surrounding peoples and
more jealous and offended. Usman argued that theeven made expeditions into Jukun country. He was
king of Gobir by his action has shown himself not to bemore successful toward South where for a time the
a Muslim and a land is to be considered a land of IslamFulani of Muri came under his jurisdiction. He eventually
or a land of unbelief according to the religion of its ruler.founded the Emirate of Gombe.?
He pointed out that the king had proved himself a 
non-Muslim by the fact he had attacked andREFERENCES
persecuted Muslims. His unbelief was shown by theAyoola A. Olamide (2002): Usman Dan Fodio Jihad: A
way in which he followed un-Islamic practices. ForPolitical Struggle; Unpublished Term Paper Presented
instances, the veneration of rocks and trees,on HISTORY 201, O.A.U. Ile-Ife
consultation with magicians and soothsayers andCrowder, Michael (1978): The History of Nigeria, Faber
imposition of illegal taxes. These criticisms and theand Faber Ltd.
growing fame of Usman was a threat to the throne.