The ‘Ulamā in Borno: Their Status and Relationship With the State

The place and status of ‘Ulamā as a major factor in the history of Borno are beyond all question. It is impossible to discuss much of Borno’s history, both past and contemporary, without paying attention to how ‘Ulamā have contributed to the intellectual, political, social, and economic development of the polity. First, they contributed greatly to the Islamisation of various places and peoples within and outside the polity. Second, the ‘Ulamā promoted literacy and scholarship. Third, some of the ‘Ulamā had succeeded in rescuing and building states and encouraged learning. The‘Ulamā’s blessing and prayer are also solicited in several individual rites of passage; and they are normally asked to preside over rituals related to naming ceremonies of newborns, marriage, and death. Yet, no research has been made on the status, position, and roles of the ‘Ulamā in Borno as well as their relationship with the state. This study, therefore, is designed to fill in this existing gap. To achieve this objective, this study is set in a historical framework and the main source of data is written materials gathered mainly from public and private libraries.