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Kingdom divided · 1893–1902

Borno divided four ways

In 1893 the Sudanese warlord Rabih az-Zubayr conquered Borno, destroyed the shehus’ capital at Kukawa and ruled from Dikwa.

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Overview

In 1893 the Sudanese warlord Rabih az-Zubayr conquered Borno, destroyed the shehus’ capital at Kukawa and ruled from Dikwa. France killed him at Kousséri in 1900, and the three colonial powers then shared out the old empire. The British took most of Borno west of Lake Chad and made Abubakar Garbai its shehu. He ruled from Maiduguri from 1907. Germany kept Dikwa and the land south of the lake as part of Kamerun, where a cousin, Sanda Mandarama, ruled as shehu of ‘German Borno’. France took Kanem, east of the lake, for Chad, and the land north of it for Niger. That is why there are two shehus in Borno State today, of Borno and of Dikwa. Dikwa passed to Britain in 1916 and joined Nigeria after the plebiscite of 1961.[3],[1],[2],[4]High confidence

The rings outside Nigeria are rough and clipped at the border. Gwoza was part of the Dikwa Division of the Northern Cameroons; it is included with Dikwa here.

Who took part

What happened

  1. 1893 · Kukawa

    Rabih takes Borno

    Rabih az-Zubayr defeats the shehu’s armies, destroys Kukawa and makes Dikwa his seat.[1],[2]High confidence

  2. 14 January 1900 · Dikwa

    A shehu under French protection

    The French recognise Sanda Kura of the al-Kanemi line as shehu at Dikwa, to give a legal cover for their war on Rabih.[3],[4]High confidence

  3. 22 April 1900 · Kousséri

    Kousséri

    A French army under Lamy and Gentil, with Bagirmi and Bornoan allies, defeats and kills Rabih. Lamy also dies, and Rabih’s head is shown on the walls of Kousséri.[4]High confidence

  4. 23 August 1901 · Gujba (approximate)

    Fadlallah falls at Gujba

    Rabih’s son Fadlallah, seeking British support, is caught by French forces at Gujba and killed.[3]High confidence

  5. 1902–1907 · Maiduguri

    British Borno and German Borno

    British forces occupy Borno in March 1902. Abubakar Garbai leaves Dikwa to be shehu of British Borno, ruling from Maiduguri from 1907. Sanda Mandarama stays at Dikwa as shehu under the Germans.[1],[2]High confidence

  6. 1916–1961 · Dikwa

    Dikwa comes back

    Britain takes Kamerun in the First World War, and Dikwa is governed as part of British Cameroons. In 1961 a plebiscite joins the Northern Cameroons, Dikwa among them, to Nigeria.[2]Medium confidence

Kingdoms involved

Sources

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

  1. Wikipedia contributors. Borno Emirate
  2. Wikipedia contributors. Dikwa Emirate
  3. Wikipedia contributors. Kanem–Bornu Empire
  4. Wikipedia contributors. Rabih az-Zubayr