On 'Portraits' of Usman dan Fodio again

Last year I mentioned here a number of alleged photographs of Usman dan Fodio and drawings that purportedly portrayed the Shehu that I had encountered as illustrations in newspapers and elsewhere. I wondered whether such a portrait – either a photograph taken in dan Fodio's lifetime or a portrait at least sketched after meeting the man himself – could actually exist. 

I suppose, I found it hard to imagine that any of the sheikh's contemporary disciples would have produced such a drawing, let alone had access to a camera to take a photograph. I still do. Just consider his admonition of the customs of the Hausa-dynasties that his jihad dethroned.

'One of the ways of their governments is their … wearing whatever clothes they wish, whether religiously permitted or forbidden […], and living in decorated palaces, whether religiously permitted or forbidden and spreading soft (decorated) carpets as they wish, whether religiously permitted or forbidden …'

(Kitab al-Farq, transl. by Hiskett 1960: 567)

Another 'Portrait' of Usman dan Fodio

Here is another photograph that is presented as a portrait of Usman dan Fodio.

(Source: Slideplayer)

I found this one because it was used in a student's PowerPoint presentation that somebody uploaded to the web. Whether these students are at secondary school or undergraduates I cannot tell from the website. But, I hope they are not at university because, once again, there is no information here about the origin of the photograph. – Don't students these days learn that they have to reference their sources, including their image sources? 

(Source: Slideplayer)

 Anyway, this one is particularly puzzling. I don't know if I am being prejudiced here but to me the man in the picture, the one on the horse does not look Nigerian at all. What do you think? It puzzles me even more since the same presentation in another slide includes this 'portrait' drawing of Usman dan Fodio that I have already mentioned here a few days ago.

(Source: Slideplayer)

'Portraits' of Sheikh Usman dan Fodio

When I flicked through the papers this morning – online, if you must know – I came across an article in the Daily Trust that extolls the virtues Usman dan Fodio and his generation of northern Nigerian political leaders. It sets them up as good examples of leadership and argues that current President of Nigeria Muhammad Buhari should take inspiration from them to solve the current crisis of leadership in his government.

Now, I don't want to get into political arguments here. I only mention this article – here, in a space that I said I'd use to organise my thoughts for my art historical writing – because it was illustrated by a photograph of a smiling elderly man. The caption underneath the photograph identifies the man in the picture as 'Shaikh Usumanu Danfodio'. Now, the founder of the Sokoto caliphate may not have been the only Sheikh named Usman (or Osman or Usumanu) in the family. However, the article makes it pretty clear that it is him that the author is concerned with. This makes it likely that the photograph has been included to illustrate that very Usman dan Fodio who in the early 19^th century waged war against the established ruling dynasties in Hausaland, conquered most of what is now northern Nigeria and founded the Sokoto Caliphate.