Going to bed now as I have to get up early tomorrow. But let me quickly gist you guys about one of my favourite 19th century Nigerian characters - Muhammadu Mai Turare aka General Marafa
So in 1892, Sultan Abdurahman aka Danyen Kasko, decided to do the usual thing Sultans and leaders across Nigeria liked to do - settle a long-standing problem with violence
This time the troublesome people were the pesky diehards in Kebbi who gave the caliphate trouble *throughout* the 100 years of the caliphate (they even offered their services to the British to help beat up the Fulani when Lugard and his posse turned up).
Anyway, Danyen Kasko assembled a large army from across the entire caliphate and marched on Argungu for the showdown. But according to sauces, the marabouts used by the Sarkin Kebbi, Muhammadu Ismaila, were quite good and they told him what was coming and how to prevail
Ismaila came up with a plan where his men disguised and hid in trenches *outside* Argungu and allowed Danyen Kasko and his forces to march inside what was effectively a trap. They then sprung them from behind. The beating no be here
You know when you come from the north and they beat you so bad you flee through the south, that kind of beating. The Sokoto army took to their heels and Ismaila and his men chased them to apply the ‘final solution’. The caliphate would have been ended that day but for Gen. Marafa
Somehow in the confusion, he managed to rally some men and launched a counterattack. Tables were turned and it was now Ismaila’s turn to run back towards Argungu with his men
Back in those days, all titles were mostly hereditary. So the title of army commander was held by the descendants of the army commander during the jihad (Aliyu Jedo). Until that performance by Marafa. After that he took the title from the Jedo family
There were a lot of issues with motivation and finding willing and able soldiers. Many years before all this were reports of soldiers selling their weapons in exchange for food or money. Maybe they were being owed salaries, I cannot say as I wasn’t there
Anyway General Marafa built an elite private army (as far as I can see, he was the first person to do this, certainly in the north) made up from a tribe of Tuaregs, trained them and gave them weapons
He now used this army to solve a lot of the insecurity problems north of Sokoto. He did this very successfully. But as much as he could fight, he was also a sharp guy.
Fast forward to 1903 and Lugard’s forces are outside Sokoto with machine guns. (To be fair, Lugard had written that they didn’t have to fight). When the Sokoto army rushed them, machine gun fire cut a number of them down.
General Marafa took a lot at what was going on and rode his horse to Sultan Attahiru and said “Oga, e be like this fight no too make sense o”. He now did like this
Sultan was initially angry and wanted to continue fighting. But General Marafa told him “ok, continue. But know if everyone gets wiped out, it will forever be on your record that the candle blew out under you”
Sultan then relented and rode away. The battle had very few casualties. Lugard turned up and called all the chiefs, including General Marafa, to elect a new Sultan. They chose Attahiru II. In the space of 12yrs, General Marafa had saved the caliphate from destruction twice
And to end this story that has no moral or lesson attached to it - in 1915, Attahiru II died and General Marafa was chosen as the new Sultan Muhammadu Maiturare (a name he got because he loved fragrances) and he reigned until his death in 1924.
End of gist.
End of gist.
