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War · 1835–1857

Masaba, Umaru Bahaushe and the founding of Bida

Mallam Dendo's sons fought over Nupe for twenty years.

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Overview

Mallam Dendo's sons fought over Nupe for twenty years. Masaba, the half-Nupe son, rebelled against Usman Zaki, fled from Raba to Lade in 1835, allied with the old-line Etsus at Zugurma and Eggan, raided the Ebira and Bunu, and was beaten at Takuma. Then the war-chief Umaru Bahaushe, a soldier from Bornu, defeated Masaba at Lade and sent him to Ilorin, crushed the old Tsoede line at Yeti, and ruled Nupe himself. Umaru Majigi rallied the Fulani, the Bini towns and the old-line Etsu Ma'azu Isa; Usman Zaki came back with a Gwandu army; and in 1857 they ran Umaru Bahaushe down at the walled Bini war-camp of Bida. He drowned crossing the Gbako river near Badeggi, and Bida became the capital of Nupe.[1],[2],[3]Medium confidence

rulers.org gives Umaru Bahaushe 1848–1856; Sidi has his fall in 1857.

Who took part

What happened

  1. 1835–1841 · Takuma

    Masaba beaten at Takuma

    Usman Zaki's commander Andi Boshi defeats Masaba and his allies.[1]Medium confidence

  2. c. 1847 · Lade

    Umaru Bahaushe takes Lade

    The war-chief defeats Masaba at his capital; many of Masaba's men go over to him.[1],[2]Medium confidence

  3. c. 1848 · Yeti

    The old line crushed at Yeti

    Umaru Bahaushe defeats the Tsoede claimants; Etsu Maza is killed and Ma'azu Isa escapes.[1]Medium confidence

  4. 1857 · Bida

    Bida: the usurper falls

    After years of fighting around the Bini war-camp of Bida, Umaru Bahaushe is beaten and drowns in the Gbako river near Badeggi. Bida becomes the capital.[1],[3]High confidence

Kingdoms involved

Sources

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

  1. Sidi, Sheshi T. (2023). Political Crisis in Nupe Kingdom of Nigeria, 1800–1857: The Rise and Fall of Mayaki Umaru Bahaushe, the Etsu Nupe That Never Was. African Journal of History and Archaeology 7(1): 8–20
  2. Cahoon, Ben. Nigerian traditional polities (ruler lists)
  3. Idrees, Aliyu A. (1989). Collaboration and the British Conquest of Bida in 1897: The Role and Achievement of the Indigenous Interest Groups. African Study Monographs 10(2): 69–82