Land Management in the Sokoto Caliphate: Lessons for Contemporary Nigeria

Abstract

This paper contributes to the quest for a suitable land management model for Nigeria through an examination of the contributions of . the Sokoto triumvirate Uthman Dandodio, Abdullahi Danfodio and Muhammad Bello (the most prominent of the leaders of the caliphate) to land management by reviewing their works and the writings, of contemporary scholars on the issue to ‘provide a synthetic exposition of the caliphate’s land management system. It discusses the caliphate’s land tenure and land development system, preservation and reservation of land resources, management of water resources, pastures and farming as well as urban land planning and administration. The paper also evaluates the caliphate’s land management policies in terms of their relevance and implications for contemporary land management.