List of Sultans of Sokoto

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Entrance to the modern Sultan's palace in Sokoto

"Sokoto Caliph" was the ruler of the Sokoto Caliphate. The official title is Sultan of Sokoto and includes the style "Amir-ul-Momineen". The post has become increasingly ceremonial since British rule, but the Sultan, considered a spiritual leader in the Muslim community in Nigeria, can still carry a lot of weight with Fulani and Hausa people from northern Nigeria.

Shaihu Usman dan Fodio, the founder of the dynasty of Sokoto State and of the Fulani Empire (consisting of the Fulbe Jihad states of which Sokoto was suzerain), never used the high style of Sultan (his son was the first to do so), but was simply titled Amir al-Mu´minin, also styled Lamido Julbe (a corruption of 'Emir of the Fulbe').

[edit] List of Sultans

As mentioned above, the Sultans were also styled Amir al-Mu´minin and Sarkin Musulmi ("King of the Muslims", basically the autochthonous form of the former, which is the Arabic style of Caliphs and other independent sovereign Muslim rulers that claim legitimacy from a community of Muslims); Mai, occurring in various Sultans' surnames, is another autochthonous title

21 February 1804-1815: Imam Usman dan Fodio (b. 1754 - d. 20 April 1817)
1815/ formally 20 April 1817 – 26 October 1837: Muhammed Bello (1781 - 1837)
26 October 1837- November 1842: Abu Bakr Atiku (1782 - 1842)
November 1842 – 21 October 1859: `Aliyu Baba dan Bello "Mai Cinaka" (1808 - 1859) = Ali bin Bello I "Mai Katuru" (1842-1859)
21 October 1859 – 2 November 1866: Ahmadu `Atiqu dan Abi Bakar "Mai Cimola" (c.1807 - 1866) = Ahmad bin Atiku I dan `Usuman
2 November 1866 – 20 October 1867: `Aliyu Karami dan Bello (1809 - 1867) = Ali bin Bello II
October 1867 – March 1873: Ahmadu Rafaye dan `Usuman (c.1814 - 1873) = Ahmad Rufa'i
March 1873 – March 1877: Abu Bakar `Atiqu II dan Bello "na Rabih" (1812 - 1877) = Abu Bakr bin Bello
March 1877 – September 1881: Mu'azu Ahmadu dan Bello (1816 - 1881) = Mu'adh bin Bello
September 1881 – 25 March 1891: `Umaru dan `Aliyu Baba (1824 - 1891) = Umar bin Ali
25 March 1891 – 10 October 1902: `Abd ar-Rahman dan Abi Bakar "Mai Kano," "Danyen Kasko" (1828 – 1902)
13 October 1902 – 15 March 1903: Muhammadu Attahiru I dan Ahmadu (18?? - 1903)
March 1903 – June 1915: Muhammadu Attahiru II dan `Aliyu Baba (b. 18?? - 1915)
1915 – 1924: Muhammadu dan Ahmadu "Mai Turare" (?-1924)
1924 – January 1931: Muhammadu dan Muhammadu "Tambari" (?-1935)
1931 – 1938: Hasan dan Mu'azu Ahmadu (?-1938)
17 June 1938 – 1 November 1988: Abubakar dan `Usuman as-Siddiq (1903 - 1988), usually referred to as Alhaji Sir Abubakar III
6 November 1988 – 20 April 1996: Ibrahim Dasuki dan Khaliru (1923 - ?)
21 April 1996 – 29 October 2006: Muhammadu Maccido dan Abubakar (1928 - 29 October 2006), usually referred to as Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido
2 November 2006 – current: Muhammed Sa'adu Abubakar