Muhammad Bukhari bin Uthman

Bukhari was one of the eight commanders of the Sokoto jihad. He participated in campaigns in the southern region of the Sokoto Caliphate, including Nupe, alongside his cousin Muhammad Wani, Abdullahi's son.^[3]: 52 He was also actively involved in the Gwandu campaigns, aimed at pacifying the region. In 1805, Bukhari joined Abdullahi's forces in a campaign against the Hausa kingdom of Kebbi. After the fall of Birnin-Kebbi, the Sarkin Kebbi, Muhammadu Hodi, fled the capital. However, in 1816, Hodi mounted a fierce resistance against the Caliphate from his strongholds in Kimba, Augi, and Argungu, which ultimately ended in 1826 when he was killed by Bukhari.^{[4]: 248–249}

After the jihad was won in 1808, Usman dan Fodio appointed his brother Abdullahi to govern the western and southern regions of the Caliphate. Abdullahi tasked Bukhari with overseeing the southern territories of his emirate. Around this period, Bukhari founded the fief of Tambawel which grew to become the main stronghold in the southern regions of the Caliphate, second only to Gwandu. However, the importance of the fief diminished during the reign of Caliph Abu Bakr Atiku (1837–1842).^[3]: 79 Starting in 1812, Bukhari was also tasked with administering Nupe after Abdullahi retired from government affairs.^[5]

In January 1818, a fierce revolt broke out in Kalambaina, a town near Gwandu. The rebels were followers of Abd al-Salam, who had also rebelled against the Caliphate a month earlier. The Kalambaina revolt lasted two years until a combined force led by Caliph Muhammad Bello, Atiku, Bukhari, and Wani successfully captured the town. The victory at Kalambaina reunited Gwandu and Sokoto, who had experienced slight hostilities after Abdullahi was passed over in favour of Bello to succeed Usman as Sarkin Musulmi in 1817.^[1][3]: 70

In 1836, the emirate of Ilorin faced an attack from a combined force of Oyo and Borgu. Bukhari, alongside his cousin Muhammad Sambo, led an army consisting of forces from both Sokoto and Gwandu to aid in the defense of Ilorin. Although the Oyo-Borgu forces initially pushed Bukhari's army back to Ilorin, their morale collapsed after the Sarkin Borgu, alongside several other important Oyo and Borgu figures, was killed in battle, allowing the Sokoto-Gwandu forces to successfully defend the city.^{[4]: 401 [6]} The conflict also led to the death of the last Alaafin of Oyo, leading to the eventual fall of the Yoruba empire.^[7][8]

Following the death of Bello in 1837, there was no clear successor as he refused to name one. Bukhari and his older brother Abu Bakr Atiku were the leading candidates. After much deliberation, the Council of Electors chose Atiku as the new Caliph.^{[3]: 81 [9]: 146} Despite Bukhari's distinguished military record (particularly his successes in Ilorin the previous year), and his reputation as a poet, he was passed over. Some suggest this was due to his ghazal poems, while others believe it was because he had suffered a leg injury after falling from his horse, breaking his leg at the critical juncture, making him unfit for office.^[2][10]

Bukhari was a noted scholar and poet who wrote in classical Arabic. Today, twenty of his qasa'id survive and are preserved around Nigeria.^[2][3]: 99 He was also known for his controversial ghazal poems.^{[2][11]: 364}