The Uthmān dan Fodiyo Jihād, colonial rule and Islamic authority in Northern Nigeria: referencing within Boko Haram’s discourse

Akali Omeni

Small Wars and Insurgencies, 2025, vol. 36, issue 6, 1077-1105

Abstract: This article revisits the Uthmān dan Fodiyo Jihād (c. 1804) and colonial rule’s advent in Northern Nigeria a century later. As key storytelling themes in Boko Haram’s discursive mechanisms, both are frequently referenced in the movement’s corpus. While extolling the Jihad’s puritanical and unifying virtues, Boko Haram decries the influences of colonial rule and Westernisation. The group then criticises Muslim leaders for acquiescing to the government instead of denouncing it. Examining pre-colonial and colonial era events referenced by Boko Haram, the study interrogates how the movement employs historical references to legitimise its actions, mobilise support, and challenge existing political order.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/09592318.2025.2504119

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