Question

1. Discuss the socio-economic and political organisation of the Fulani in the history of West Africa.
2. Examine the impacts of Islam in the history of West Africa.
3. “The rise and development of the Hausa States in the modern State of Nigeria was attributable to economic reasons”. Comment.

Answer 1

1. The Fulani, otherwise called Fulbe, Fula, and Peul: establish one of the biggest and most broadly spread ethnic gatherings in Sub-Saharan Africa, living somewhere in the range of twenty African nations from Senegal to Sudan. They communicate in the Fulani language called Pulaar or Fulfulde and are known for their peaceful customs, even though throughout their long relocation from the Senegal Basin eastwards after the tenth century many have surrendered pastoralism and the migrant lifestyle and moved to farm or different urban wellsprings of their vocation.

A quest for the beginning of the Fulani isn't just worthless, it sells out a situation toward an ethnic character that strikes numerous anthropologists as significantly off-base. Ethnic gatherings are political-activity bunches that exist, among different reasons, to accomplish benefits for their individuals. Hence, by definition, their social association, just as social substance, will change after some time. Individuals whom students of history distinguish as Fulani entered present-day Senegal from the north and east. Surely, they were a blend of people groups from northern and sub-Saharan Africa. These peaceful people groups would in general move an eastern way and spread over quite a bit of West Africa after the tenth century.

Their reception of Islam expanded the Fulanis' inclination of social and strict prevalence over encompassing people groups, and that selection turned into a significant ethnic limit marker. The Toroobe, a part of the Fulani, settled in towns and blended in with the ethnic gatherings there. They immediately got noted as extraordinary Islamic ministers, joining the most elevated positions of the types of Islam, alongside Berbers and Arabs. The Town Fulani never put some distance between their Cattle Fulani family members, be that as it may, frequently putting resources into enormous groups themselves. Steers stay a critical emblematic store of Fulani esteems.

The social structure of the peaceful Fulani is populist, in stamped complexity to that of other Muslim gatherings, for example, the Hausa, and to most inactive Fulani. The impact of Islam on connection designs is apparent in the general inclination for cousin and other intralineage relationships. Most men are polygynous, the run of the mill family unit containing the family head, his spouses, and his unmarried youngsters.

The Fulani structure the biggest peaceful roaming bunch on the planet. The Bororo'en are noted for the size of their dairy cattle groups.

Lof the other Town Fulani were captives of the Fulani who currently relate to the gathering as a result of their high esteem. These urban tenants take part in all the exchanges one discovers Hausa towns from specialties to long-extend exchange all through Africa and the world.

Arts. The Fulani are not especially noted for modern expressions, aside from those related to cows. They do take part in leatherworking and some specialty creation.

Exchange/Trade. The Fulani are occupied with significant distance exchange, by and large including cows, with their Hausa partners.

Division of Labor. Grouping cows is a male movement. Tending and draining cows, be that as it may, are ladies' work.

Fulani will in general be the decision station among an Islamic people group in the northern regions of West Africa. They control the different northern emirates in what was Northern Nigeria, for instance. They likewise assume a significant job in the cutting edge legislatures of numerous West African states.

2. Commercial activities, migration, Muslim missionaries, Muslim solidarity, Education, Similarity with African culture, Oppression from African leaders, Conversion of local leaders, Jihads, Prestige- These are all the methods used in West Africa to spread Islam over there. Thus there happened some major impacts of Islam in the history of West Africa which are:

• The rulers who embraced journeys to Mecca brought with them innovation and researchers from the Muslim world. These affected and changed the political, monetary, and public activity in West Africa.
• Many individuals deserted their customary ways and received Islamic practices, for example, going to Juma petitions, fasting, and journeys to Mecca.
• Islam presented proficiency just as Islamic training; for the model, the Arabic language, and contents were instructed. Thus the urban communities of Niger became extraordinary focuses of learning.
• Islam assisted with joining realms with various clans, cultures, languages, and customs. Distinctive ethnic gatherings joined under one religion.
• The pioneers utilized instructed Muslims, for example, secretaries, chairmen, and judges. These were familiar with Arabic composing and perusing.
• The happening to Islam expanded and fortified exchange joins among West and North Africa; the Arab World and Europe.
• Islam offered to ascend to the development of little states which created into enormous domains that utilized the Islamic arrangement of government what's more, laws.
• The Sharia was a law brought into West African states.
• It disheartened the slave exchange among Muslims in West African states even though in western Sudan it supported bondage.
• It influenced African culture by disintegrating African customary social rehearses like taking liquor, restraining hounds, and so forth. Such a large number of Africans deserted their conventional ways.

3. In northern Nigeria, Muslim reformer and domain developer Uthman dan Fodio set up the Sokoto Caliphate in the mid-nineteenth century over the Hausa exchanging states. A dominatingly Fulani nobility administered over most of Hausa-talking average people, including the two dealers and laborers. Development of agribusiness, exchange, and specialties made this territory likely the most prosperous in tropical Africa in the nineteenth century, occupied with exchange both to the coast and through the conventional courses over the desert to North Africa.

The Hausa states, otherwise called the Hausaland, were autonomous political elements established by the Hausa individuals and arranged between the River Niger and Lake Chad. It was a political substance with no focal power, detached up until the mid-fourteenth century. Independent of their arrangements, they had a typical language, laws, and customs. The Hausas had some expertise in blacksmithing, fishing, chasing, agribusiness, and salt-mining. By around the 1500s, the northern city of Kano had gotten the most remarkable and was significant exchanging focus ivory, gold, slave exchange, salt, fabric, cowhide, and grains. Because of their absence of military aptitude and a focal overseeing body, they were viewed as free unions by the neighboring towns—which made them inclined to outside mastery. All the states stayed free until they were vanquished by a noticeable Islamic researcher, Usman dan Fodio, in a Holy Jihad (war) somewhere in the range of 1804 and 1815, which made the Sokoto Caliphate. It was later nullified when the British crushed the caliphate in 1903 and named the region Northern Nigeria.

In northern Nigeria, Muslim reformer and realm developer Uthman dan Fodio set up the Sokoto Caliphate in the mid-nineteenth century over the Hausa exchanging states. An overwhelmingly Fulani nobility managed over most of Hausa-talking ordinary people, including the two shippers and workers. Extension of agribusiness, exchange, and artworks made this zone likely the most prosperous in tropical Africa in the nineteenth century, occupied with exchange both to the coast and through the conventional courses over the desert to North Africa.