Contribution à l'histoire des populations de Sud-Est nigérien: le cas du Mangari (XVIe-XIXe s.)

Maikorema Zakari's important book builds on Landeroin and colonial-era scholarship as well as general histories of Borno in an endeavor to trace the history of northern and northwestern provinces of imperial Borno. Today part of southeastern Niger (Kazal, Mangari, Kutus, Munio) and peopled by Kanuriphone groups of diverse origins (Manga, Dagra, and others) as well as nomadic groups like the Koyam, Sougourti, and Tomagheras, these regions of the Bornoan Empire have probably been underpopulated and politically decentralized for most of their history, particularly due to the expansion of the desert, the lower levels of rainfall and nomadic incursions, especially by the Tuareg. Nonetheless, some of the area's residents like the Koyam, Sougourti, and Tomaghera, have strong links to early Kanem (through various queen mothers) and very well, despite some practicing a nomadic lifestyle, could have been present in Borno by the 1300s. The site of Garoumele as one of the possible Sayfawa capitals before Birni Gazargamo might be suggestive of the area's past importance for the ruling house of Borno.

Since northern Borno was perhaps one of the first areas incorporated into an expanding Kanem state by the 1200s, and probably one of the early bases of the Sayfawa dynasty after their flight to Borno in the 1380s, Zakari begins the story there. Unfortunately, besides some oral traditions and the general centuries-long migrations of Kanembu and other peoples from the eastern shores of Lake Chad, Zakari does not have too much to work with to piece together the ancient past of southeastern Niger. Relying on general histories and analyses of Kanem-Borno, particularly Lange, Palmer, Zeltner, Brenner, and a few other scholars, plus archaeological and oral history insights, the rest of the book focuses on the period from around 1500 to the fall of Rabih. The resurgence of Sayfawa power by the late 1400s under Ali Ghaji and the powerful mais of the 1500s established Borno as the dominant power in the Central Sudan, and the historical trends of the center of the empire help somewhat with Zakari's endeavor to make sense of the local history. Unfortunately, much of the oral traditions collected at various sites is not particularly useful for events before the 19th century and memories of the various local dynasties are often unclear on collateral succession and chronology. Nonetheless, Zakari's study is an important work for local histories or sub-regional histories of Borno, aiding the reader in piecing together how Borno's territorial expansion has marked areas outside the core.

Under the rule of various local chiefs or dynasties with little authority beyond their own village, the area, which should have been protected by the central authority of Borno to defend it from the Tuareg, was, as Zakari's study suggests, deliberately kept that way by the Sayfawa and al-Kanemi dynasties to better rule or tax its inhabitants. Indeed, the rulers of Borno appear to have appointed local lawan or village chiefs by receiving gifts from prospective candidates, who then taxed the population while not effectively protecting the inhabitants. This contexts helps explain why the emergence of a strong local authority to defend the populace from Tuareg or Tubu raiders never developed, and why the emergence of Zinder as a strong kingdom in the 19th century presented another threat from the west. This may also explain why the Sufi or mystical Islamic settlement of Kalumbardo was under incessant threats from the Tuareg and Tubu in the 17th century. Indeed, besides the Shehus of the Koyam and the 19th century Islamic presence under Koso of Munio, one does not find strong evidence of widespread Islamic practices or beliefs beyond a superficial level. Nor does one have a clear idea on the antiquity of salt and natron production in Mangari but one would think it was also important in pre-19th century eras. So, archaeologists and historians have a lot of work to do to help us understand the process of Kanurization and regional studies of Borno's imperial phase.