Mohammed Marwa Maitatsine
Encyclopedia
Mohammed Marwa best known by his nickname Maitatsine, was a controversial Islamic scholar in Nigeria
. Maitatsine is a Hausa
word meaning "the one who damns" and refers to his curse-laden public speeches against the Nigerian state.
in northern Cameroon
. After his education he moved to Kano, Nigeria in about 1945, where he became known for his controversial preachings on the Qur'an
. Maitatsine claimed to be a prophet, and saw himself as a mujaddid
in the image of Sheikh Usman dan Fodio
. Although a Koranic scholar, he seemingly rejected the hadith
and the sunnah
and regarded the reading of any other book but the Koran as paganism
. Maitatsine spoke against the use of radios, watches, bicycles, cars and the possession of more money than necessary. In 1979, he even rejected the prophethood of Mohammed and portrayed himself as an annạbi (Hausa for "prophet").
The British colonial authorites
sent him into exhile, but he returned to Nigeria shortly after independence. He returned to Kano and by 1972 he had a notable and increasingly militaristic following of Yan Tatsine. In 1975 he was again arrested by Nigerian police for slander and public abuse of political authorities. But in that period he began to receive acceptance from religious authorities, especially after making hajj
, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca
. As his following increased in the 1970s, so did the number of confrontations between his adherents and the police. His preaching attracted largely a following of youths, unemployed migrants, and those who felt that mainstream Muslim teachers were not doing enough for their communities. By December 1980, continued Yan Tatsine attacks on other religious figures and police forced the Nigerian army to become involved. Subsequent armed clashes led to the deaths of around 5,000 people, including Maitatsine himself. Maitatsine died shortly after sustaining injuries in the clashes either from the wounds or from heart attack.
, to where many Yan Tatsine adherents had moved after 1980. Over 3,000 people died. Some survivors of these altercations moved to Yola
, and in early 1984 more violent uprisings occurred in that city. In this round of rioting, Musa Makaniki, a close disciple of Maitatsine, emerged as a leader and Marwa's successor. Ultimately more than 1,000 people died in Yola and roughly half of the 60,000 of the city's inhabitants was left homeless. Makaniki fled to his hometown of Gombe
, where more Yan Tatsine riots occurred in April 1985. After the deaths of several hundred people Makaniki retreated to Cameroon, where he remained until 2004 when he was arrested in Nigeria.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. Maitatsine is a Hausa
Hausa language
Hausa is the Chadic language with the largest number of speakers, spoken as a first language by about 25 million people, and as a second language by about 18 million more, an approximate total of 43 million people...
word meaning "the one who damns" and refers to his curse-laden public speeches against the Nigerian state.
Background
He was originally from MarwaMarwa
Marwa may refer to:* Marwa, raga of Hindustani Classical Music* Marwa, Lebanese singer* Marwa Hussein, Egyptian hammer throw athlete* Marwa El-Sherbini, Egyptian woman murdered in a courtroom in Dresden, Germany* Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, hills in Saudi Arabia...
in northern Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
. After his education he moved to Kano, Nigeria in about 1945, where he became known for his controversial preachings on the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
. Maitatsine claimed to be a prophet, and saw himself as a mujaddid
Mujaddid
A Mujaddid , according to the popular Muslim tradition, refers to a person who appears at the turn of every century of the Islamic calendar to revive Islam, remove from it any extraneous elements and restore it to its pristine purity...
in the image of Sheikh Usman dan Fodio
Usman dan Fodio
Shaihu Usman dan Fodio , born Usuman ɓii Foduye, was the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate in 1809, a religious teacher, writer and Islamic promoter. Dan Fodio was one of a class of urbanized ethnic Fulani living in the Hausa States in what is today northern Nigeria...
. Although a Koranic scholar, he seemingly rejected the hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
and the sunnah
Sunnah
The word literally means a clear, well trodden, busy and plain surfaced road. In the discussion of the sources of religion, Sunnah denotes the practice of Prophet Muhammad that he taught and practically instituted as a teacher of the sharī‘ah and the best exemplar...
and regarded the reading of any other book but the Koran as paganism
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
. Maitatsine spoke against the use of radios, watches, bicycles, cars and the possession of more money than necessary. In 1979, he even rejected the prophethood of Mohammed and portrayed himself as an annạbi (Hausa for "prophet").
The British colonial authorites
Colonial Nigeria
Colonial Nigeria ran from 1800 till October 1, 1960 when it gained independence. Up until the amalgamation of 1914, the country's constituting parts existed as separate British protectorates.-Abolition of the Slave Trade:...
sent him into exhile, but he returned to Nigeria shortly after independence. He returned to Kano and by 1972 he had a notable and increasingly militaristic following of Yan Tatsine. In 1975 he was again arrested by Nigerian police for slander and public abuse of political authorities. But in that period he began to receive acceptance from religious authorities, especially after making hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
. As his following increased in the 1970s, so did the number of confrontations between his adherents and the police. His preaching attracted largely a following of youths, unemployed migrants, and those who felt that mainstream Muslim teachers were not doing enough for their communities. By December 1980, continued Yan Tatsine attacks on other religious figures and police forced the Nigerian army to become involved. Subsequent armed clashes led to the deaths of around 5,000 people, including Maitatsine himself. Maitatsine died shortly after sustaining injuries in the clashes either from the wounds or from heart attack.
Legacy
Despite Marwa's death, Yan Tatsine riots continued into the early 1980s. In October 1982 riots erupted in Bulumkuttu, near Maidaguri, and in KadunaKaduna
Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. The city, located on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna is at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census...
, to where many Yan Tatsine adherents had moved after 1980. Over 3,000 people died. Some survivors of these altercations moved to Yola
Yola, Nigeria
Yola is the capital city and administrative center of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Located on the Benue River, it has a population of 88,500 . Established in 1841, Yola was the capital of a Fulani state until it was taken by the British in 1901. Daytime temperatures can easily exceed during the dry...
, and in early 1984 more violent uprisings occurred in that city. In this round of rioting, Musa Makaniki, a close disciple of Maitatsine, emerged as a leader and Marwa's successor. Ultimately more than 1,000 people died in Yola and roughly half of the 60,000 of the city's inhabitants was left homeless. Makaniki fled to his hometown of Gombe
Gombe, Nigeria
Gombe is a city in northeastern Nigeria . It is the capital city of Gombe State and has an estimated population of 261,536. The city is the headquarters of the Gombe Emirate, a traditional state that covers most of Gombe State...
, where more Yan Tatsine riots occurred in April 1985. After the deaths of several hundred people Makaniki retreated to Cameroon, where he remained until 2004 when he was arrested in Nigeria.