Borno Under Rabih Fadl Allah, 1893-1900: The Emergence of a Predatory State

bibliographic database

Periodical article

Title:	Borno Under Rabih Fadl Allah, 1893-1900: The Emergence of a Predatory State
Author:	Mohammed, Kyari
Year:	1997
Periodical:	Paideuma
Volume:	43
Pages:	281-300
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Nigeria Northern Nigeria
Subjects:	Bornu polity traditional rulers History and Exploration Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups)
About person:	Rabih Fadl Allah
Link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/40341740
Abstract:	Rabih Fadl Allah, a Sudanese adventurer, conquered and occupied Borno, Nigeria, between 1893 and 1900. This occupation was unprecedented in the long and chequered history of Borno. For the first time, the Borno State came under ruthless military dictatorship and foreign domination. This paper examines the nature of the Borno State under Rabih Fadl Allah. It gives an overview of the central administration, provincial administration, economy, taxation and revenue, agriculture, and internal and external trade. It shows that agriculture stagnated under the Rabih regime, leading to an acute food crisis which threatened Rabih's position internally by 1898. Commerce ceased, while plunder, booty, taxation and tribute collection became the most important economic activities of the State. Rabih's belligerent posture, hectoring diplomacy and his neighbours' perception of his intentions, real and imagined, combined to make his position extremely precarious. This made it easy for the French, who had allied with Baghirmi forces and Borno partisans, to defeat him in April 1990. Bibliogr., notes, ref.