Due to sickness, I'm releasing a premium episode from the vault while I take the time to recover. This premium episode focused on Abraham Samuel, a mixed-race Caribbean man who joined a pirate crew seeking adventure, freedom, and riches, only to suddenly find himself king of his own small country in southern Madagascar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By the 1810s, the militant stage of the Sokoto Revolution was coming to an end. The Commander of the Believers, Usman Dan Fodio, had vanquished his enemies. What had started as a small social movement led by a charismatic iterant teacher had conquered the largest contiguous territory in the entirety of Africa. And, according to Fodio, this new state would be no ordinary empire, but a righteous state that carried on the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad himself. His imamate would be a government worthy to call itself Muhammad's successor: the Sokoto Caliphate.However, this would prove to be no easy task. Join us for our final part of our examination of the Sokoto Revolution, in which we take a critical and close look at the consequences of Fodio's  world altering movement, as well as the monumental progress and suffering that define its legacy.Support the show

Just as tensions are heating to a fever pitch between Usman Dan Fodio and the Gobirawa Monarchy, the sudden death of Sarki Nafata seems like a sign of future relief. The young prince Yunfa, a former student of Fodio, comes to the throne. However, Yunfa's ascent would not mark the end of tension between the Jamaa and Gobir. Rather, it was the final step in the escalation of Gobir into a state of civil war that would eventually envelope all of Kasar Hausa.Support the show

In this episode we trace the beginnings of the empire of Gobir, the early life of Usman Dan Fodio, his intellectual and political influences, and the beginning of his rise to prominence during the rule of Sarki Bawa.Support the show

In the early 19th century, Northern Nigeria underwent a dramatic social, political, economic, and religious transformation. The cause: a revolution. Led by the charismatic Shehu Usman Dan Fodio, a small army of revolutionaries managed to topple the centuries-old kingdoms of Kasar Hausa and replace them with a new order.  The Sokoto Caliphate was born.How did this happen? How should we view the Sokoto Revolution in retrospect? Was the Sokoto Revolution a violent jihad led by dangerous terrorists, the ideological ancestors of Boko Haram? Were they men and women fighting for freedom and dignity against wicked despots? And, perhaps the most pressing question of all: is there even a difference between a terrorist, revolutionary, and freedom fighter?Join us on our first special mini-series chosen by the topic of our patreon supporters: the Fulani Jihad of Usman Dan Fodio. Support the show

As the dust settles from the bloody war against Juaben, Asantehene Mensa Bonsu begins the hard work of trying to bring his crumbling empire back to a state of relative repair. Aiding him in this task is the radical reformer Owusu Ansah, a British-educated diplomat turned political advisor. As the duo struggles to reform the Ashanti Empire's civic and educational structures, the rise of a reactionary witch-hunting cult led by a charismatic demagogue threatens to destroy what's left of the fabric of Ashanti civilization.Quick note. Yes, I messed up pronunciation again. I should have been saying Domankama, not Domankwama. No idea where the w came from, it's not even written that way in the script lol. Oops.Check out the History of Yorubaland Podcast! https://www.buzzsprout.com/1977603:Support the show

Today we look into the origins of modern humanity, the spread of humans across the African continent, and the linguistic families that form the basis of most modern African cultures.Later Edit: I didn't realize at the time that "Berber" is actually something of a derogatory word for the Amazigh peoples of North and West Africa. Oops.If you'd like to support the show and learn more, please check out our associated website, click hereSupport the show