Day Sokoto Caliphate, Kanem-Borno Empire strengthened bonds

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar and the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin Al-Kanemi recently met in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital where the revered northern monarchs strengthened their bonds, Daily Trust Saturday reports. A rapturous laughter swept through the audience as the Sultan expertly proceeded from the usual […]

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar and the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin Al-Kanemi recently met in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital where the revered northern monarchs strengthened their bonds, Daily Trust Saturday reports.

A rapturous laughter swept through the audience as the Sultan expertly proceeded from the usual protocol preceding a session of presentations to a tradition of banters that have sustained the amity between the descendants of the two entities that controlled northern Nigeria in the pre-colonial times. 

The animosity generated by the Sokoto Caliphate and the Kanem-Borno Empire clash over the reformation of Islam in the 19th century gradually transformed to a fascinating amity between the descendants of the original principals of the two entities.

The amity is characterised by banters whenever and wherever a Fulani and a Kanuri meet. They would always exchange jokes and tease each other, each arguing that he is the master of the other.

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That was what happened between the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the descendant of Shehu Uthman Danfodiyo, the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, a Fulani, and the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin Al-Kanemi, the descendant of Shehu Muhammad Al-Amin, fondly called Shehu Laminu, the king of the Kanem-Borno Empire at the time of the 19th Century jihad. 

The Sultan was just about to present the keynote paper at the annual Barewa Old Boys Association (BOBA) lecture series held in Maiduguri on November 26, 2022. 

The Sultan, custodian of the Fulani culture, opened his speech, appreciating the reception accorded to the Barewa Old Boys Association (BOBA) by their host, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, which he described as second to none, “I mean second to the one in Sokoto.”

He recalled that his first visit to Maiduguri was when he followed his father as a 13-year-old prince to the palace of the Shehu of Borno, which was the first and only visit of the late Sultan “The Reformer.”

He also admitted that his first visit as a teenager had created a lasting bond that the two emirates have continued to enjoy till date, “Even though, at that time, I had no clue of how the town of Maiduguri looks like.”

With nostalgia, Sultan said one of the reasons he agreed to come to Maiduguri and deliver the lecture was to “strengthen” his relationship with the Shehu of Borno.

“We have been very close since the Almighty Allah brought us together, and coincidently, he is also the 20th Shehu on the throne like me.

“Let me explain to you that I and Shehu respect each other with so much trust. 

“When the 30-year-old mosque was being built at the palace and when it was completed, I told Shehu that I was close to one of the imams in Madina and I would invite him to commission the edifice for its worth, but he said no, insisting that I would rather do the commissioning.

“That shows the respect and trust we have for one another. Even when I insisted, Shehu stood his ground and said this was Nigeria and no imam would come from elsewhere to commission the project. He wanted the imam in Nigeria because we are one big family.

“That was how the mosque was commissioned in February 2019 before power was handed over to Governor Zulum. 

“These are few of the reasons I accepted to deliver this lecture, as well as solicit the attention of our political leaders as we approach the 2023 general elections. I need to remind them of what leadership is all about and what we should be doing as leaders,” the Sultan said.

Although mindful of the insufficient time for extensive Fulani-Kanuri banters, the Sultan jeered a little more, plunging the crowd at the Borno Government House Multipurpose Hall into a rapturous laughter.

In the tradition of a most revered monarch, the Shehu of Borno kept calm as the Sultan enjoyed his jokes and jeers at the Kanuri, revealing no inkling of whatever was up his sleeves. 

Would he, as the custodian of the Kanuri culture and tradition and a proud descendant of Shehu Laminu, tease back at this Fulani claim? Would he, as the host, not tease back? Considering the tradition, however, he was expected to do so. Such jokes strengthen the over 200-years-old amity.

The Shehu started by thanking BOBA for choosing to hold this year’s event in Maiduguri, which is the first in the terror-troubled North East.

Smiling mischievously, he fired back at his guest, the Sultan, saying, “For all this while, the reformers were afraid to visit Borno until they got the nod from Shehu; but the servants (the Fulani) can always come to their masters (the Kanuri) whenever they wish; they are welcome.”

There was another round of rapturous laughter.

Having teased the Sultan to the fascination of the audience, who had apparently enjoyed the exchange of banters by the two principals, the Shehu reverted to a serious mood for the business of the day.

He announced that the annual national Qur’anic recitation competition being headed by the Sultan would come up on December 14, 2022. 

He commended the Sultan for taking over 100 students from Borno to study in Sokoto at the peak of Boko Haram insurgency.

Zulum, who equally joined in the banter but in favour of the side he belonged to, said he heeded Shehu’s offer that, “The servants (the Fulani) can always come to their masters (the Kanuri) whenever they wish.”

Those who graced the occasion include the governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum; Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Saad Abubakar; Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai; Emir of Fika, Alhaji Muhammadu Abali Ibn Idrissa, and former governor Kwara State, General Alwali Kazir.