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ADAMAWA The LaamiiBe of Fombina: A Political History of Adamawa (1809-1901) Ray ou Rey-Bouba. Traditions historiques des Foulb de l'Adamwa Fulbe hooseere : les royaumes foulbe du plateau de l'Adamaoua au

XIXe si

cle : Tibati, Tignere, Banyo, Ngaoundere. Les lamidats du Diamare et du Mayo-Louti au XIXe sicle. L'histoire des Peuls Ferobbhe du Diamare : Maroua et Pette L'histoire de Tibati, chefferie Foulbe du Cameroun Les armes peul de l'Adamawa au 19e sicle

The ancient Emirate of Adamawa was a part of the Sokoto Caliphate, thepolitically dominant empire of the Central Sudan in the 19th century.

Adamawa was known as The wild east of the Caliphate, were Fulani settlersoccupied the vast highlands of Northern Cameroon and provided slaves forthe empire from the neighboring areas.One assumes that nomadic Fulani started to leave Futa Toro in Senegal,looking for new pastures andwaterfor their herds around the year 1000.Following the next four-five centuries, they had spread over the most of theSudan-zone west of Lake Chad. By the 16th century they had establishedthemselves at Macina (upstream from the Niger Bend) and were proceedingeastward into Hausaland. Some settled in the 19th century at Adamawa (inthe northern Cameroons). Many of the Fulani continued to pursue a pastorallife; some, however, particularly in Hausaland, gave up their nomadicpursuits, settled into existing urban communities.

The oldest written sources mentioning the Fulani in the Baghirmi empire(southeast of Lake Chad) are dated to the 16th century. Most probably, theFulani were welcomed bylocal ruler, as they brought with them cattle andconstituted a market for agricultural products. The groups of nomadicFulani had to pay a tribute in cattle to the local ruler, thus recognizing hisauthority. With time, a group of sedentary Fulani began to emerge. Theseoften distinguished themselves as educated Muslims and were highlyappreciated by the local rulers for their services as civil servants, teachersand legal advisers.

The Fulani came into contact with Islam already before their emigration from

Senegal. Conversion to Islam was especially widespread amongst thesedentary Fulani, while the Bororo (nomadic Fulani) were less receptive toIslam. Amongst the Bororo, Islam never created profound changes ofmentality, but laid as a thin shell above the traditional cultural heritage, andthis is pretty much how the situation remains today in the small remainingsocieties of Bororos. The sedentary Fulani in Futa-Tooro, Futa-Jallon,Masina, as well as those in Haussaland, were strongly influenced by Islam.

The Caliphate of SokotoAdamawa may be seen as the lastlinkin a chain of empires being Islamizedin the Sudan-belt during the last grand movement of Muslim expansion in

Africa. With the outbreak ofjihadin the West African Futa-Jallon (in modernGuinea) in 1725 stated the age of an Islam more militant and

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fundamentalist, promoted by the Fulani, sharply contrasting the earlierspread of Islam by peaceful Muslim traders.Haussaland (in modern Northern Nigeria) was loose groupings of nominallyMuslims, small haussa kingdoms. They were united by a common languageand culture, and the area was an important center of trade and education,

politically and economically highly developed. It is assumed that the Fulanibegan to settle here in the 15th century. A relatively high proportion of theseFulani establishing themselves in the Haussa towns were educated Muslims,assimilating well into Haussa culture.In 1804, Fulani in Haussaland rebelled against their Haussa rulers. Therebellion was led by the Fulani Uthman dan Fodio, one of the mostrecognized Muslim intellectuals of the region. It originated in the publicdenunciation of the religious and administrative circumstances in theHaussa kingdom of Gobir bydan Fodio. Haussa aristocracy, claiming to rulein accordance with the principles of Islam, were in reality only nominally

Muslims. As dan Fodio's denunciation only led to further oppression offaithful Muslims, he called on a rebellion. As the appeal for conquest spreadall over Haussaland, Fulani and other Muslims gathered around dan Fodioand participated in the fighting. Dan Fodio led them to success. Already in1810, almost all the Haussa kingdoms were subjugated. Muslim Fulaniempires were established and call emirates. The caliphate of the Fulani wasto become the biggest and most influential empire of Central Africa in the19th century.

The Emirate of Adamawa

Independently of the conquest in Haussaland, a local Fulani rebellion tookplace in the so-called Fombina the southern country (referring to thelands in the south of the Bornu empire, nowadays Northern Adamawa). Forsome time, a modest group of Fulani had been settled in towns and villagesruled by non-Muslims, so-called Kirdis. The areas of the Diamar plains andthe Benue lowland were excellent pastures and attracted more and more

Bororos. Around 1800, the local Fulani rebelled against the ruling Gisiga-

Kirdi, and were sustained by the neighboring Muslim Sultanate of Mandara.

Based on their strong cavalry and their strategic methods, they soonconquered the urban centers, and about 1810 the main town of the Gisiga,

Marva(Fulfulde: Maroua) fell into their hands. As early as one year after theappeal of holy war bydan Fodio, in 1805, the mobidoAdama of the Baclan

received the white flag of thejihad, and the title as chief of command againstthe Kirdi in Fombina. Adama thus received the title of Lamido Fombina or

emir, as he normally is called in European literature. He established hisheadquarters in Gurin by the River Faro, but later moved it to Yola by theRiver Benue in 1841. Fombina later became known as Adamawa, namedafter its founder Adama.

The new alliance with the Fulani from Haussaland and the religiousdimension ofdan Fodio'sjihadgave new force to the rebellion of the Fombina

Fulani..

About 1850, the conquest of Adamawa in general was fulfilled, with some 40

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established lamidatesand most of the indigenous population subdued by

Fulani rule or living as refugees in marginized areas.The large number oflamidateswere to develop in the decades before

European colonial conquest.From the 1850s onward, European explorers visited Adamawa; in the 1890s,

the British Royal Niger Company, French and German explorers competedfor obtaining treaties with the Emir (Lamido). In 1901 Britain and Germanypartitioned the Emirate, the larger part of it became part of GermanKamerun, the smaller western part, with the capital Yola, part of BritishNorthern Nigeria. The Germans established a Military Residenture in Garua,close to Yola, where they stationed one company of soldiers, obviously todiscourage the Adamawans from rising in revolt.

After 1901, the Emirs at Yola had to accept British domination; BoboAhmadu Ahmadu was deposed and exiled in 1909. The larger part of theirterritory, now located in German Kamerun was lost to their influence, only a

part of it being granted to Britain by the League of Nations in 1922 as a partof the mandate of British Cameroons.

Adamawa's Emirs

Independent Emirate Emirate of Yola under British Protection

1848-1872 Lawal 1901-1909 Bobo Ahmadu

1872-1890 Sanda 1909-1910 Iya

1890-1901 Zubeiru 1910-1924 Abba

1924-1928 Muhammadu Bello

1928-1946 Mustafa

1946-1953 Ahmadu

LamidosHouse of Modibo Adama

1848 - 1872 Hamman bin Adama 1797 - 1872 1872 - 1890 Sanda bin Adama, brother 1890 - 1901 Zubeiru bin Adama, brother, deposed by the British,

killed while fighting the Germans (2) 18.. - 1903 1901 - 1909 Bobbo Ahmadu bin Adama, brother, installed and

deposed by the British 18.. - 1916 1909 - 1910 Muhammad Iya bin Sanda, son of Sanda bin Adama

(s.a.), abdicated. 1910 - 1924 Muhammad Abba bin Bobbo Ahmadu, son of Bobbo

Ahmadu bin Adama 1... - 1924 1924 - 1928 Muhammad Bello bin Ahmadu, great-grandson of Modibo

Adama (1771 - 1848 ; r. 1806 - 1848) 1??? - 1928 1928 - 1946 Muhammad Mustafa bin Muhammad Abba (s.a.) 1900 -

1946(1) Most of its territory however became part of German Cameroon.(2) In order to escape French influence, he accepted protection of theR.N.C. as early as 1893.

Notable Adamawa Fulanis: Modibo Adama andAhmadu Ahidjo.

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Modibo Adama

In the early 1800's Modibo Adama brought the news ofUsman dan Fodio'sjihad in Sokoto. Modibo encouraged Fulbe from the area to join in the jihador holy war. Dan Fodio was asked to come and help, and Fulbe families

joined in the fight. They enslaved or drove out all non-Fulbes. The ruler of

the area lived in Yola (present-day Nigeria), was called a lamidate, and hadheads of families as chiefs under him. This jihad made the Fulbe the rulersof the area, and they named it Adamawa after Modibo Adama, their firstleader.

Ahmadu Ahidjo. A Pullo of common origin, he was also a product of theFrench school; he tried to get northerners from Cameroon to be more activein politics.

1946: elected to the Territorial Assembly

1948: founded the Association Amicale de la Benoue. 196?: vice-premier of the coalition government 1958: cofounder of the Union Camerounaise. January 1, 1960: first head of state of the newly independent

Cameroon.Ahidjo strengthened the Muslims, the north section of Cameroon, andespecially the Fulbe

Languages

Contrary to the rest of the Sokoto Caliphate, where Haussa became the pre-

dominant language, even among the Fulani, Fulfulde is the lingua francaofthe region, although different Kirdi languages were prevalent in certainareas. In the lamidates of Ngaoundr and Tibati, the Mbum language

became as widespread as the Fulfulde, even in the royal courts. Nowadays,French, and to a certain degree English, has taken over the role as lingua

francain Adamawa.

Traditions

The Fulani nomads live in wet season camps while planting and harvesting.The pastures are lush and green, and the cattle graze freely. These campsconsist of beehive-like huts made of woven twigs, leaves, and grass. Duringthe dry seasons they camp in portable huts, moving the cattle or sheep to

well-watered lands in the flood plains.Adamawa Fulani men hunt, trade livestock, and tend to the herds. While theolder men exercise the leadership of the tribes, it is the duty of the youngermen to move the herds. Young boys are responsible for helping their older

brothers with the herds. The women usually milk the cattle and sell butterin the markets.

The Fulani are a proud people who teach their young children to have tribaldignity. Fulani children are required to love their mothers and respect theirelders. They are also taught to strictly hold on to important Pulaaku values

such as generosity, honesty, and modesty.While Fulani children are still infants, marriages are arranged for them by

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their parents. When a boy is initiated into manhood, he moves into aseparate hut. This hut will eventually become the home of his fianc. Younggirls look forward to being married, since this will give them a higher socialstatus. Having many children will also bring them honor.

The Fulani have an unusual way of initiating boys into manhood. The young

boys must beat each other across the chest with walking sticks whileshowing no signs of pain. Throughout the rest of their lives, these scars areproudly shown as signs of courage.

There are many taboos within the Fulani culture. For example, they areforbidden to call a first son or daughter by name. When in public, wivesmust stay at a distance, but are watched over by their husbands. Goat meatmay not be eaten and beef is only eaten at formal ceremonies.

Culture Shock (nderkaaku)

The Revolt of Young Fulani Herders in Adamawa

With the changes introduced by the modern currents, the Fulani of theNgaoundr area in Adamawa are increasingly distraught by the changingrelationships between parents and children. When they become youngadults, boys do not obey their fathers anymore. They escape for a life ofadventure, called nderkaaku in the local Fulani language. The parents areoffended by this situation, even though it has taken place for manygenerations. This is especially true for a family without cattle. To seek theirown fortune elsewhere, the young men have to leave home. The Inheritancelaw which favors the eldest is also another source of rebellion.But the most pervasive influence is the city life. When the young men take

the cattle to the urban markets, they learn about modern life and becomefurther distant from their rural families. Overall though, despite the familydisapproval, this rebellion is seen as inevitable changes which may evencontribute to the enrichment of the family and to a dynamic FulaniDiaspora.

Glossary of Terms

ardoFulfulde ar'do, plural ar'du'be. In Adamawa, ardo could be translated aschief of district. Mostly a term of a clan leader of the

Bororo. In several dialects, ardo means leader of a group of Fulani, orsimply leader.Fulfulde Mbororo. Originally a condescending term, describing thenomadic Fulani. Alternative terms are Cattle-Fulani or Bush-Fulani. Emir

Arabic amr: actually meaning Commander, Leader, Prince, Emir. Emir isthe most common term in European literature for rulers in Adamawa orother places being direct subjects to the Sultan of Sokoto. The correct

term in Fulfulde would be laamiido(contrary to laam'do, which is calledLamido in European literature).

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Emirate

Arabic imaara, plural imaaraat: actually meaning Power, Emirate. In thiscontext it is referred to as a Fulani empire, headed by an emir. FombinaFulfulde Fommbina: actually meaning The South. Early term referring to

Adamawa.Jihad

Arabic. "Jihad has two meanings: one, non-violent struggling withinoneself for a life of virtue; the other, fighting for justice, a supreme goal inIslamic teachings. KanuriKanuri kanri: actually meaning a person of the Kanuri people, orkanur: Language or Culture of the Kanuri people. Important people andlanguage of the central Sudan. The Kanuri were the people heading thepowerful Bornu empire. Lamidate

This word is a European construction and does not exist in Fulfulde,where this unit is called laamu. The word is constructed of the Fulfulde

word laamii'doand the Arab emirate. Thus, Lamidate means Fulani

empire headed by alamido. Lamido

Fulfulde laam'do, plural laamibe. Originates in the verb laamaago;govern/head, and is a term describing the ruler of the inhabitants of aLamidate, which in turn is subject to an emir. MayoFulfulde maayo: River.

ModiboFulfulde moodibbo, plural moodi'b'be: Loanword from the Arabic

mu'addib: Term describing an educated man, normally teacher in a Koranschool. Sokoto Caliphate

The term Sokoto Caliphate is the European form. It has its origin in thecapital of the empire, Sokoto. The ruler of the empire called himself

sarkin musulmi, or ruler of the Muslims. Sufism

Within Islam, the Sufism is characterized by mysticism. While Islamnormally emphasizes the great distance between Allah and man, and

thereby often does not meet the needs of the faithful to come into contactwith the transcendent, Sufism opens a door to the unity with Allah. Forexample through the leading of an ascetic life or practicing suggestiveexercises, each and everybody could get to feel the closeness of Allah,however after going through a long process. Sufism, thus, was morepopular than orthodox Islam, and therefore more suited for the spread ofthe religion or mission. From the 12th century, Sufism became a

widespread popular version of Islam amongst ordinary people, the poorand the illiterate. In Africa it gained great popularity and became

widespread.

Abstract from: Rainer Chr. Hennig. Rise and Fall of the Adamawa Emirate(translatedintroduction to thesis, 1993).Jamtan

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