ATTAHIRU (Sultan) Muhammadu

Muhammadu Attahiru 1, son of Ahmadu and grandson of Abubakar Atiku and direct descendant of SheikhUsman DanFodiosucceededthethronein 1902. Before him Sultan Abdurrahman had done what he could to resist any forceful occupation of his landbya band of European adventurers under the guiseof colonisation. It was therefore only natural, that on ascension to the throne Sultan Attahiru rebuffed allovertures byEugard which probably precipitated military action against him. The British forces wanted badly to take Sokoto being the centre of the Caliphate. Sultan Attahiru on his own part had a duty to defend to the last his inheritance and bastionof identity hence his resolve to resist any occupationof his land by the advancingBritish soldiers. Itisnow history that with military might surpassing thatof the Fulani warriors, the British conquered the area. Sultan Muhammadu Attahiru, true to type fought gallantly to save what was his domain by right. While fleeing from Sokoto on the 1' fof March 1903, after a reign just of justfive…