List of Sultans of Sokoto

The Sokoto Caliph was the ruler of the Sokoto Caliphate. The official title is Sultan of Sokoto and includes the title "Amir-ul-Momineen". The post has become increasingly ceremonial since British rule, but the Sultan, considered a spiritual leader in the Muslim community in Nigeria, can still carry much weight with Fulani and Hausa people from northern Nigeria.

Entrance to the modern Sultan's palace in Sokoto
Sokoto Caliphate in the 19th century

Shaihu Usman dan Fodio, the founder of the dynasty of Sokoto State and of the Fulani Empire (consisting of the Fulbe Jihad states of which Sokoto was suzerain), never used the high style of Sultan (his son was the first to do so), but was simply titled Amir al-Mu´minin, also styled Fula: Lamido Julbe, lit. 'Governor of the believers'. The sultan of Sokoto is the leader of the Qadiriyya sufi order, historically the most important Muslim position in Nigeria and senior to the Emir of Kano, the leader of the less populous Tijaniyya sufi order.[1]

List of Sultans

As mentioned above, the Sultans were also styled Amir al-Mu´minin and Sarkin Musulmi ("King of the Muslims", basically the autochthonous form of the former, which is the Arabic style of Caliphs and other independent sovereign Muslim rulers that claim legitimacy from a community of Muslims); Mai, occurring in various Sultans' surnames, is another autochthonous title.

No.NameBirth and deathReign startedReign endedLineage
1 Muhammed Bello 1781
Unknown
–
1837
Wurno
(aged 58)		 21 April 1817 25 October 1837 Son of
Usman dan Fodio
2 Abubakar I Atiku 1782
Unknown
–
1842
Sokoto
(aged 60)		 26 October 1837 23 November 1842 Son of
Usman dan Fodio
3 Ali Babba bin Bello 1808
Unknown
–
1859
Sokoto
(aged 51)		 30 November 1842 21 October 1859
Son of
Muhammed Bello
4 Ahmadu Atiku 24 October 1859 2 November 1866 Son of
Abu Bakr Atiku
5 Aliu Karami 6 November 1866 18 October 1867 Son of
Muhammed Bello
6 Ahmadu Rufai 21 October 1867 12 March 1873 Son of
Usman dan Fodio
7 Abubakar II Atiku na Raba 16 March 1873 28 March 1877 Son of
Muhammed Bello
8 Mu'azu 6 April 1877 26 September 1881 Son of
Muhammed Bello
9 Umaru bin Ali 3 October 1881 25 March 1891 Son of
Ali Babba bin Bello
10 Abderrahman dan Abi Bakar 25 March 1891 10 October 1902 Son of
Abu Bakr I Atiku
11 Muhammadu Attahiru I 13 October 1902 15 March 1903 Son of
Ahmadu Atiku
12 Muhammadu Attahiru II 21 March 1903 1915 Son of
Ali Babba bin Bello
13 Muhammadu dan Ahmadu 1915 1924 Son of
Ahmadu Atiku
14 Muhammadu dan Muhammadu 1924 1931 Son of
Muhammadu dan Ahmadu
15 Hasan dan Mu'azu Ahmadu 1931 1938 Son of
Mu'azu
16 Siddiq Abubakar III 15 March 1903
Dange
–
1 November 1988
Sokoto
(aged 85)		 1938 1988 Grandson of
Mu'azu
17 Ibrahim Dasuki 23 December 1923
Dogondaji
-
14 November 2016
Abuja
(aged 93)		 6 November 1988 20 April 1996 (deposed) Great-great-grandson of Uthman dan Fodio[2]
18 Muhammadu Maccido 20 April 1926
Dange Shuni
–
29 October 2006
(near Abuja)
(aged 80)		 20 April 1996 29 October 2006 Son of
Siddiq Abubakar III
19 Sa'adu Abubakar 24 August 1956
Sokoto
–		 2 November 2006 Current Son of
Siddiq Abubakar III

Genealogical Tree of the Sultans of Sokoto
Mallam
Muhammadu
Fodio
1
Usman
dan Fodio
1804–1815		Abdullahi
dan Fodio
Emir of
Gwandu
2
Muhammed
Bello
1817–1837		3
Abubakar I
Atiku
1837–1842		6
Ahmadu
Rufai
1867–1873		Muhammed
Buhari
4
Ali Babba
bin Bello
1842–1859		7
Aliu
Karami
1866–1867		8
Abubakar II
Atiku na Raba
1873–1877		9
Mu'azu
Ahmadu
1877-1881		Umaru
Ngwamatse
Emir of
Kontagora		5
Ahmadu
Atiku
1859–1866		11
Abder Rahman
Atiku
1891–1902		Abdullahi
Barau
10
Umaru
bin Ali
1881–1891		13
Muhammadu
Attahiru II
1903–1915		16
Hasan dan
Mu'azu Ahmadu
1931–1938		Usman
Shehu		12
Muhammadu
Attahiru I
1902–1903		14
Muhammadu
Maiturare
1915-1924		Haliru
Ibn Barau
17
Siddiq
Abubakar III
1938–1988		15
Muhammadu
Tambari
1924–1931		18
Ibrahim
Dasuki
1988–1996
19
Muhammadu
Maccido
1996–2006		20
Sa'adu
Abubakar
2006–

References
  1. All Africa: "Nigeria: Updated - Kano Blasts Claim Over 60" By Ismail Mudashir November 28, 2014
  2. "Profile : The Sultan of Sokoto Bridges Two Worlds in Nigeria : Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, the country's most important Islamic leader, has proven to be adept at surviving factional temporal politics". Los Angeles Times. 1991-05-14. Retrieved 2020-04-04.

See also

Sources and references
  • Falola, Toyin, (2009) Historical Dictionary of Nigeria Scarecrow Press: Lanham, Md.
  • Burdon, J. A. (1907) "Sokoto History: Tables of Dates and Genealogy" Journal of the Royal African Society Volume 6, #24.
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