Alfa Yaya of Labé

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Alfa Yaya Maudo, of Labé in present-day Guinea, was a 19th-century ruler of the Fula people in the Fouta Djallon confederacy that included the interior of much of Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

In 1866, Alfa Yaya joined El Hadj Oumar Tall in the siege of Kansala, the capital of the kingdom of Kaabu. When Mansa Dianke Walli capitulated in 1867, ending Kaabu's independent existence, Alfa Yaya took charge of the territory.

During his rule, the French began pushing into the interior of Guinea. Alfa Yaya adopted a favorable stance toward the French, using them to enhance his own power, particularly from 1891 to 1896. His son was less favorable, and led a revolt that Alfa Yaya crushed.

Alfa Yaya made an accord with the French 10 February 1897, and proceeded to conquer other areas of Futa Jallon.

Alfa Yaya's relationship with the French went downhill in 1904, when French ceded part of Labé to the control of Portuguese Guinea, effectively taking away part of Alfa Yaya's territory. He planned a revolt, but a spy gave him away; he was arrested and deported to Dahomey in 1905. Released in 1910, he immediately began to organize resistance; he was again arrested in 1911 and taken to Port Etienne, where he died on 10 October 1912.

[edit] References

• Richard Andrew Lobban, Jr. and Peter Karibe Mendy, Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, 3rd ed. (Scarecrow Press, 1997), p. 72 ISBN 0-8108-3226-7
• Thierno Diallo, Alfa Yaya, roi du Labe (Fouta Djallon) (Dakar, 1984) ISBN 2858090513 page with book cover,