Askia Mohammad Benkan, also Askiya Muhammad Bonkana, ruled the Songhai Empire

Songhai Empire

The Songhai Empire, also known as the Songhay Empire, was a state located in western Africa. From the early 15th to the late 16th century, Songhai was one of the largest Islamic empires in history. This empire bore the same name as its leading ethnic group, the Songhai. Its capital was the city...

 from 1531 to April 1537. After Mohammad Benkan's uncle, the founder of the dynasty, Askia Mohammad, had grown old, his son Askia Musa

Askia Musa

Askia Musa or Askiya Musa was a Soninke ruler of the Songhai Empire in the 16th century. He deposed his aging father Askia Mohammad I in 1529 in a bloodless coup. He then battled to retain his position, killing a number of his brothers and between 25 and 35 of his cousins. In 1531 a group of his...

 deposed him in a bloodless coup, assuming the throne himself.

Shocked by Musa's ruthless actions to eliminate rivals Musa's brothers conspired together and killed him. Its was during this chaos that Benkan, the Kurmina-fari (the Kurmina Governor) and son of Umar Komadiakha (brother of Askia Mohammad), was able to seize control from Alu (one of the son's of Askia Mohammad) and take the position of Askia.

To secure his position Benkan then banished Askia Mohammad, his paternal uncle to the island of Kangaba, in the River Niger to the west of Gao

Gao

Gao is a town in eastern Mali on the River Niger lying ESE of Timbuktu. Situated on the left bank of the river at the junction with the Tilemsi valley, it is the capital of the Gao Region and had a population of 86,663 in 2009....

. He appointed his brother Uthman to his former position as Kurmina-fari. The Tarikh al-Sudan contains this description of his court:

Askiya Muhammad Bonkana furbished the court splendidly, enlarging it, adorning it, and embellishing it with more courtiers than ever before. He supplied sumptuous garments, different types of musical instruments, and male and female singers. He gave out abundant largesse and benefactions. During his reign divine favours were bestowed, doors were opened, and blessings poured forth.

Benkan tried to reverse his uncle's policy of relying on the towns, preferring instead to gather support from the peasants. However after a series of military failures, most notably suffering a terrible defeat at the hands of Muhammadu Kanta, the Sarkin of Kebbi. Muhammad Benkan was himself deposed in 1537, and was succeeded by Askiya Ismail son of Askiya al-hajj Muhammad

Askia Mohammad I

Askia the Great was a Soninke emperor of the Songhai Empire in the late 15th century, the successor of Sunni Ali Ber. Askia Muhammad strengthened his country and made it the largest country in West Africa's history...

. Muhammad Bonkana went blind before he died in around 1559.

Kanta was once the Leka-fari and a Barde, one of the great captains of Askia Mohammed. However Kanta had revolted against Askia and with his followers moved into the territory of the Kebbawa taking control and establishing the independent state of Kebbi.