The Unwanted Metonymy of the 1804 Usman Dan Fodio’s Jihad to the Contemporary Nigerian State

Abstract

This paper analyzes the eruption of some covert religio-political militant movements modeled after the 1804 Usman dan Fodio’s jihad who are engrossed with the penchant desire for launching jihads in Nigeria. It discusses also the Maitatsine’s imbroglio, Izala, the Shiites, the sharia propagandists between 1978 and 1999, Boko Haram’s insurgence and Fulani herdsmen onslaughts. It highlights the dangers of these disguised movements to the Nigerian socio political and economic existence and suggests some ways of checkmating their excesses.