The Adamawa Emirate II

Establishment of Fombina
The jihad in the region later called Adamawa was an offshoot of Uthman dan Fodio’s jihad in Hausaland. Despite the jihad battles in the north and west of Adamawa by Buba Yero and in Uba, Bazza and Kanem-Bornu, the Fulbe of Adamawa were not interested until five years later in 1809.

A Fulani warrior (1912)

Horsemen in Yola (1955)
News about the jihad eventually reached Adamawa through the activities of Buba Yero of Gombe. Some Muslim Ardo’en held a meeting in Gurin to reach a decision on how to approach the situation. They reached an agreement to send a delegation to Uthman in Sokoto to get advice on their situation and get legitimacy if he decides they were eligible to launch the jihad. They appointed Modibbo Adama, a learned teacher who was familiar with Sokoto, as the leader of the delegation. The delegation reached the Shehu after months of travel and presented him with their message. After reviewing the situation, Uthman instructed them to launch the jihad in Fombina (‘southlands of Sokoto and Bornu’). Furthermore, he chose Adama as the leader, appointing him Lamido Fombina.  The reason for Uthman’s decision to pick Adama, according to a manuscript dated March 1809 in Yola, was:
…since you tell me that some of the fulani leaders did not come with you, but they sent you to come and receive the flag of the jihad from me and take it back to them. I instruct you to tell them that it is you to whom I have given this jihad flag, and tell them that whoever obeys you obeys me, and whoever swears fealty to you, it is exactly as if he had sworn fealty to me.

Another version states:
When you return tell them this is what Shaihu gave you. Say also that I accept their greetings. Bid them place their hands in yours; whoever gives his hand to you, joins hands with me. Tell them I greet them. Make flags for them like this that I have given you, give them the flags, with the orders I have laid upon you. You are the envoy; whatsoever they desire let them tell it you, then do you come and tell me.

Reactions to Uthman’s directive
Modibbo Adama bin Hassana was the son of an Ardo named Modibbo Hassana. Early in his life he left his relatives and clan in Adamawa to attain knowledge. His pursuit led him to Bornu where he studied under a renowned Mallam (Islamic teacher) called Kiari. He was there for many years learning and teaching Islam. After his study in Bornu, Adama returned to his people in Adamawa who were now settled in Gurin, a new settlement they established a few years back. During his time in Bornu, it is theorised that Adama heard about the jihad in Sokoto and most likely came back to inform his people back in Adamawa. Adama stayed in Gurin for some time, teaching the Fulbe Muslims in the community, until the meeting regarding the jihad took place.

A man in Yola (1902)
The reactions to Uthman’s decision to pick Adama as the leader shocked the Ardo’en who felt that he was not worthy of such an appointment. Adama had very humble beginnings. His father was an ordinary Mallam. Adama lacked wealth and prestige. He was no warrior owing to his lean and tall stature. His only qualification was his knowledge of Islam and ability to explain concepts clearly. He was a fairly popular teacher in his community even receiving a license to teach (Ijazas) from his Mallam, Kiari of Kukawa. Adama was also described as “an honest man, God fearing and unambitious for possessions”. These qualities likely influenced the Ardo’en to choose him as the leader of the delegation that was sent to Sokoto. They probably thought that a man with such humble origins would not be chosen to lead the jihad. However, to Uthman, these qualities made him the ideal leader for such a cause. These qualities also made Adama trustworthy in Uthman’s eyes, which was an important quality to him as he expected reports from Adama regarding the jihad and affairs of his new emirate.
On Adama’s arrival to Gurin, he was eagerly welcomed with many people waiting to receive Uthman’s message and directive. As he relayed the message and informed them on his appointment as ‘Lamido of Fombina’, his audience started reacting differently. Despite the initial mixed reactions to this news, most of the Fulbe Muslims, and later other Muslims, of Adamawa eventually rallied behind Modibbo Adama, who preferred to be referred to as Modibbo Adama rather than Lamido Adama.

Beginning of the Jihad
Modibbo Adama’s first priority was to strengthen the unity of Muslims. He appealed to the Fulbe Ardo’en to drop differences and inter-clan conflicts and to unite as Muslims. Adama preached to non-Muslim leaders and their people to convert to Islam and join the new Muslim confederation where there would not be discrimination based on race or ethnic background. Many non-Muslims converted to Islam and joined the jihad because of Adama’s pleading. The Batta of Zummo, Malabu and Holna in particular, embraced Islam and joined the Muslim force at Gurin. By 1810–1811, a considerable number of recent converts and refugees from Bornu, many of whom were Fulbe and Shuwa Arabs, were part of the jihad Army in Adamawa. Uthman dan Fodio ordered Adama not to engage in war with the Batta and Verre:
I enjoin you not to conquer the pagans of the Batta end Verre or enslave their children. Because even if they oppress you, you are forbidden to retaliate in force and recover by force what they seized from you. But if God grants you victory over them you must let them live their own lives and not disperse them completely, and if they ask for peace you should agree.
Many Fulbe lived among the Batta people. The Batta had large numbers and were well organised socially and politically. They were seen as a formidable force. They were experienced and fierce fighters who were also effective in archery with their utilisation of poison arrows. The Batta were separated into many groups and clans but the Fulbe Muslims feared that they would unite under one force to fight them. This can lead to a long war introducing constant instability in the emirate.
The Verre had fewer numbers than the Batta. They were not as organised and generally avoided wars. They have been forced to flee from their original settlements by Batta and Jukun forces. They resettled in the Verre hills in the 18th century. The Verre welcomed Fulani pastoralists, particularly from the Ba’en clan, after they were also forced to flee by the Batta. These two groups regularly came together to defend against raids from the Batta. It was in the interest of the Fulbe to maintain this relationship during the jihad. The Verre also had a large supply of iron and were valuable smiths who skilfully made arrow heads, knives, hoes, and spears.