Yunfa
Encyclopedia
Yunfa was a king of the Hausa
city-state of Gobir
in what is now Nigeria
. He is particularly remembered for his conflict with Islamic reformer Usman dan Fodio
.
Nephew and designated heir of Bawa, Yunfa appears to have been taught by Fulani
religious leader Usman dan Fodio as a young man. Though dan Fodio helped Yunfa succeed Nafata to the throne in 1801, the two soon came into conflict over dan Fodio's proposed religious reforms. Fearing dan Fodio's growing power, Yunfa summoned him and attempted to assassinate him in person; however, Yunfa's pistol backfired and wounded him in the hand. The following year, Yunfa expelled dan Fodio and his followers from their hometown of Degel
.
Dan Fodio soon called for help from other Fulani nomad
groups, and declared himself the imam
of a new caliphate
in jihad
against Gobir. A widespread uprising soon began across Hausaland, and in 1804, Yunfa appealed to rulers of neighboring city-states for aid. In December of that year, Yunfa won a major victory in the Battle of Tsuntua
, in which Dan Fodio's forces were said to have lost 2,000 men, 200 of whom knew the Koran by heart.
However, dan Fodio soon launched a successful campaign against Kebbi and established a permanent base at Gwandu
. In October 1808, the jihadists seized the Gobir capital of Alkalawa
and killed Yunfa.
Hausa people
The Hausa are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. They are a Sahelian people chiefly located in northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger, but having significant numbers living in regions of Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad and Sudan...
city-state of Gobir
Gobir
Gobir was a city-state in what is now Nigeria. Founded by the Hausa in the eleventh century, Gobir was one of the seven original kingdoms of Hausaland, and continued under Hausa rule for nearly seven hundred years. Its capital was the city of Alkalawa...
in what is now Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. He is particularly remembered for his conflict with Islamic reformer Usman dan Fodio
Usman dan Fodio
Shaihu Usman dan Fodio , born Usuman ɓii Foduye, was the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate in 1809, a religious teacher, writer and Islamic promoter. Dan Fodio was one of a class of urbanized ethnic Fulani living in the Hausa States in what is today northern Nigeria...
.
Nephew and designated heir of Bawa, Yunfa appears to have been taught by Fulani
Fula people
Fula people or Fulani or Fulbe are an ethnic group spread over many countries, predominantly in West Africa, but found also in Central Africa and Sudanese North Africa...
religious leader Usman dan Fodio as a young man. Though dan Fodio helped Yunfa succeed Nafata to the throne in 1801, the two soon came into conflict over dan Fodio's proposed religious reforms. Fearing dan Fodio's growing power, Yunfa summoned him and attempted to assassinate him in person; however, Yunfa's pistol backfired and wounded him in the hand. The following year, Yunfa expelled dan Fodio and his followers from their hometown of Degel
Degel
Degel is a town in northern Nigeria. Once a part of the Hausa city-state of Gobir, Degel is particularly noted for being the home of Fulani Islamic reformer Usman dan Fodio from 1774 to 1804. Dan Fodio built a large following in the area until, fearing his growing power, Yunfa of Gobir ordered...
.
Dan Fodio soon called for help from other Fulani nomad
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
groups, and declared himself the imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
of a new caliphate
Caliphate
The term caliphate, "dominion of a caliph " , refers to the first system of government established in Islam and represented the political unity of the Muslim Ummah...
in jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
against Gobir. A widespread uprising soon began across Hausaland, and in 1804, Yunfa appealed to rulers of neighboring city-states for aid. In December of that year, Yunfa won a major victory in the Battle of Tsuntua
Battle of Tsuntua
The Battle of Tsuntua, fought in December 1804, was one of the largest battles of the Fulani War.In 1804, Yunfa of Gobir realized the growing threat that his former teacher, Fulani Islamic refomer Usman dan Fodio, posed to the Hausa city-states. Appealing to the other Hausa rulers for help, Yunfa...
, in which Dan Fodio's forces were said to have lost 2,000 men, 200 of whom knew the Koran by heart.
However, dan Fodio soon launched a successful campaign against Kebbi and established a permanent base at Gwandu
Gwandu
Gwandu, also called Gando, is a town and emirate in Kebbi State, Nigeria. The seat of government for the emirate and district of this name is in Birnin Kebbi, which is the capital of Kebbi State and was capital of the historical Kingdom of Kebbi...
. In October 1808, the jihadists seized the Gobir capital of Alkalawa
Alkalawa
Alkalawa was the capital of the Hausa city-state of Gobir, in what is now northern Nigeria.In the early nineteenth century, Fulani jihadist Usman dan Fodio's forces repeatedly besieged Yunfa, Gobir's ruler, at Alkalawa. The city fell in October 1808, marking the end of resistance to Muslim rule in...
and killed Yunfa.