Galadima Dauda's seven-year raid

Overview

Once Kano paid tribute to Bornu and the kola road to Gonja opened, Kano needed captives to trade. From Dutse, Abdullahi Burja's Galadima, Dauda, led the army south against the Warjawa and other peoples towards today's Bauchi. For seven years he sent the Sarki a thousand captives a month; the Chronicle says no one was left in Kano but the Sarki and the very old. Called home, he stopped every three miles and founded a town, leaving 500 men and 500 women in each: 21 towns of slaves, the Ibdabu, which he ruled as their lord. M. G. Smith called it unprecedented in scale and in its systematic devastation.^[1],[2],[3]High confidence

The 21 towns are not named in the Chronicle and are not drawn.

Who took part

• Kano· Attacked
• Warjawa and other peoples south of Kano· Defended

What happened

1. Seven years

   A thousand captives a month

   The Galadima sends 1,000 captives a month to Kano; the Sarki sends horses and clothes in return.^[2],[3]High confidence

2. On the way home

   The 21 towns

   A town every three miles, with 1,000 slaves in each; he gives the Sarki 3,000 more on arrival.^[2],[3]High confidence

Kingdoms involved

• Kano

Sources

Every claim carries a confidence level: high (well attested), medium (one source or approximate) or disputed (sources disagree).

1. Wikipedia contributors. Kingdom of Kano
2. Wikipedia contributors. Abdullahi Burja (quotes Palmer’s Kano Chronicle)
3. Palmer, H. R. (translator). (1908). The Kano Chronicle. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 38: 58–98 (cited elsewhere, not yet checked directly)