Sokoto caliphate : it`s rise and fall

Abstract

Usman Dan Fodio was a Fulani mystic, teacher, philosopher, and revolutionary reformer, born on December 1754 in Gobir, Hausaland (Northern Nigeria). He was not pleased with the situation of things in his community. Therefore, he developed a critique against what the rulers of his time were doing, for what he saw as their greed, heavy taxation on the people, paganism, or violation of the standards of Sharia law, and above all the Hausastates were mingling the Islam with aspects of traditional religions. He launched a Jihad (holy war) between 1804/08, and he was able to defeat most of the rulers of the Hausastates and created in 1809 a new Muslim state, known as Sokoto caliphate that ensured the reformation of the whole society that was set up on the principles of justice and rule of law. The Sokoto Caliphate became one of the most powerful empires in sub-Saharan Africa prior to European conquest and colonization. However, the British influence became more pronounced in this area after the Berlin Conference (1884/85). In 1900, Frederick Lugard became high commissioner of the protectorate of Northern Nigeria, and in 1903, his troops conquered the two major cities of the caliphate, Sokoto and Kano and he took over the affair of the states. This brings about the fall of the caliphate. The Sokoto Jihad affected the course of history throughout the Savanna from Senegal to the Red Sea. In this regard, it is worthwhile looking into what brought about the fall of the caliphate. This research therefore, has examined various factors that led to the Jihad movement and its eventual fall.