Abubakar Garbai

Abu Bakr ibn Ibrahim Kura al-Kanemi, known as Abubakar Garbai and Bukar Garbai, was the last ruler of the Kanem–Bornu Empire, ruling as shehu in 1900 and in 1901–1902. He later served as the first shehu of British Borno (the modern-day Borno Emirate), a traditional state under the British Northern Nigeria Protectorate and later Nigeria Protectorate, in 1902–1922.

Garbai was a son of Ibrahim Kura, who had ruled as shehu in 1884/1885–1885/1886 and came to power in the aftermath of French and British conflicts against the Sudanese warlord Rabih az-Zubayr, who had ruled Kanem–Bornu in 1893–1900. After Rabih's defeat, Garbai's brother Sanda Kura was made shehu by the French. Sanda Kura's rule was dissatisfactory to the French, who replaced him with Garbai in July or August 1900. Garbai's reign saw conflict with Rabih's son, Fadlallah, and came to an end as France, Britain, and Germany carved up the territories of the Kanem–Bornu Empire under their own colonial spheres of influence. In April 1902, Garbai accepted an offer to serve as the figurehead ruler of the British portion of the empire.

Garbai maintained a large degree of autonomy and power under the British, particularly in regards to tax collection and dispensation of justice. It was initially intended to rebuild the ruined old Kanem–Bornu capital of Kukawa, though this proved infeasible and Garbai instead chose Maiduguri as his seat. During World War I (1914–1918), Garbai helped the British with local support, which helped to ensure a relatively swift British victory over German troops in the region. Garbai's territory and autonomy was subsequently increased. Garbai continued to serve as shehu until his death in 1922.

Abubakar Garbai was a son of Ibrahim Kura, who ruled as shehu in 1884/1885–1885/1886. The Kanem–Bornu Empire was conquered by the Sudanese warlord Rabih az-Zubayr in 1893–1894. Garbai first fled to Cross Kauwa but eventually submitted to Rabih at Dikwa.

In late 1898, Garbai joined his elder brother Sanda Kura in the struggle against Rabih. After the defeat of Rabih at the battle of Kousséri in 1900, Sanda Kura was installed with French support as Kanem–Bornu's new ruler at Dikwa, az-Zubayr's former capital. Sanda Kura agreed to French demands for monetary compensation, a large fee of 30,000 Maria Theresa dollars but was dissatisfactory to the French authorities in other ways, exhibiting notable cruelty to his former enemies and refusing French demands to drive away the Baggara Arabs.

Dissatisfied with Sanda Kura, the French withdrew their recognition of him as shehu and had him arrested and exiled. In July/August 1900, Sanda Kura was replaced as shehu with his brother Abubakar Garbai, who was considered more pliable. Garbai was installed at Dikwa and agreed to pay the remaining sum owed to the French (21,000 Maria Theresa dollars) and to drive away the Baggara Arabs.

Meanwhile, Rabih az-Zubayr's son Fadlallah tried to secure British support as ruler of Bornu. Garbai tried to assert his rule as shehu by sending an army led by the eunuch Mestrema Musa to occupy the city of Maiduguri, within the British colonial sphere of influence. Fadlallah beat Musa to Maiduguri, reaching the city on 26 November, and was able to defeat Musa's 1,500-strong army with minimal losses. Fadlallah had Maiduguri burnt and marched on Dikwa. Garbai and most of Dikwa's population fled to Ngala and Fadlallah retook the capital without opposition on 30 November. Garbai requested support from the French general Félix Adolphe Robillot [fr] but the French faced difficulties in consolidating their forces in order to face Fadlallah. Robillot advised Garbai to withdraw to securely French territory but Garbai swore to defend Ngala to his death. Fadlallah reached Ngala on 6 December, where he decisively defeated Garbai's army despite being outnumbered. In the aftermath of the battle, Garbai fled to Kanem, east of Lake Chad, where he unsuccessfully tried to enlist the protection and support of the Senussi Order. Neither the French colonial authorities or anyone in Bornu knew what had happened to Garbai. Refugees from the battle appointed Masta Gumsumi as the new shehu, though real power was in the hands of Mestrema Musa.

Robillot militarily intervened in December, reoccupying Dikwa on 31 December and pursued Fadlallah's forces until mid-January. Garbai returned in February 1901 and Masta Gumsumi fled from Dikwa. In June, Fadlallah returned again and occupied Burguma. Fadlallah's advance frightened Garbai, who temporarily abandoned Dikwa again and fled to the lands around the Chari River, seeking French protection. Fadlallah's army was engaged by French forces at Gujba on 23 August 1901, with Fadlallah killed in the ensuing battle.