Umaru bin Ali (c.1824–1891) was Sultan of

Sokoto Sokoto is a major city located in extreme northwestern Nigeria, near the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River. As of 2006 it has a population of over 427,760. Sokoto is the modern-day capital of Sokoto State and was previously the c ...

from 3 October 1881 to 25 March 1891. He succeeded Sultan Mu'azu after the latter's death in September 1881. Ali was a great grandson of

Uthman dan Fodio Usman Ɗan Fodio ( ar, عثمان بن فودي, translit=ʿUthmān ibn Fodio; 15 December 1754 – 20 April 1817) was a Fulani scholar, Sunni Islamic religious teacher, revolutionary, and philosopher who founded the Sokoto Caliphate and ruled ...

, grandson of

Muhammed Bello Muhammadu Bello ( ar, محمد بلو) was the second Sultan of Sokoto and reigned from 1817 until 1837. He was also an active writer of history, poetry, and Islamic studies. He was the son and primary aide to Usman dan Fodio, the founder of the ...

and son of

Aliyu Babba Aliyu Ibn Abdullahi-Maje Karofi was an Emir of Kano, a state in what is now Northern Nigeria. Also known as Babba and Mai Sango- ''The Gun User''. Emerging at the end of the Basasa, his reign was marked by a series of costly wars and fortificatio ...

. Ali was a great-grandson of

Usman dan Fodio Usman Ɗan Fodio ( ar, عثمان بن فودي, translit=ʿUthmān ibn Fodio; 15 December 1754 – 20 April 1817) was a Fulani scholar, Sunni Islamic religious teacher, revolutionary, and philosopher who founded the Sokoto Caliphate and ruled ...

. Prior to becoming Sultan, Ali held the title of Sarkin Sudan and lived at a ribat in the town of Shinaka. During his reign, he mounted three expeditions. The first expedition was a follow-up of Mu'azu's campaign against

Sabon Birni Sabon Birni is a Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Sabon Birni. Sabon Birni shares a border with the Republic of Niger to the north. It has an area of 2,354 km and a population of 207,599 at ...

while the second was against Madarunfa. The third expedition mounted was against

Argungu Argungu is a city in Nigeria's Kebbi State, situated on the Sokoto River. As of 2007 Argungu had an estimated population of 47,064. The city is the seat of the Argungu Emirate, a traditional state. The city is a major agricultural center for the ...

, an aftermath of a peace proposal that was rebuffed by Argungu; the commander of the expedition team was Sarkin Lifidi Lefau. However, the Kebbawa came prepared and confronted the expedition in open field, the Sokoto army was routed and Lefau killed. Even though some of the expeditions were unsuccessful in capturing major towns, there were still some war booty and presents delivered to the Sultan also the

Fulani The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people ( ff, Fulɓe, ; french: Peul, links=no; ha, Fulani or Hilani; pt, Fula, links=no; wo, Pël; bm, Fulaw) are one of the largest ethnic groups in the Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. ...

Emirs continued to send presents to Sokoto. Some settlements were also re-organized and expanded during this period, marafa Maiturare developed Gwadabawa, a quarter north of Sokoto and brought together a commendable force. Vizier Muhammad Bukhari, Sarkin Kaya and the local ruler of Bakura expanded settlements in the eastern region of

Zamfara Zamfara (Hausa: Jihar Zamfara Fula: Leydi Zamfara 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤶𞤢𞤥𞤬𞤢𞤪𞤢) is a state in northwestern Nigeria. The capital of Zamfara state is Gusau and its current Governor is Bello Matawalle. Until 1996, the area was ...

.Last Murray. P. 125 In 1885, Umaru signed an important treaty with the

Royal Niger Company The Royal Niger Company was a mercantile company chartered by the British government in the nineteenth century. It was formed in 1879 as the ''United African Company '' and renamed to ''National African Company'' in 1881 and to ''Royal Niger Co ...

. According to

Goldie Clifford Joseph Price MBE (born 19 September 1965), better known as Goldie, is a British music producer and DJ. Initially gaining exposure for his work as a graffiti artist, Goldie became well known for his pioneering role as a musician in th ...

, Sokoto agreed to give the Royal Niger Company exclusive trade privileges within its domain and entire rights to the country on both sides of the

River Benue The Benue River (french: la Bénoué), previously known as the Chadda River or Tchadda, is the major tributary of the Niger River. The river is approximately long and is almost entirely navigable during the summer months. The size of its bas ...

in return for a yearly subsidy of three thousand bags of cowrie shells.

References

{{reflist Sultans of Sokoto Year of birth uncertain 1824 births 1891 deaths