This was a time of revolutions around the world. The American Revolution, French Revolution, & the Haitian Revolution. All were reactions against tyranny & inequality, leading to new definitions of justice & renaissance. Africa was not left out.

The Republic of Haiti & the Sokoto Caliphate were established in the same year; 1804. Dan Fodio died in 1817, at age 62. By this time he had established an Empire of some 30 Emirates administered from the seat of his Caliphate; Sokoto.

Dan Fodio was succeeded by his son, Muhammed Bello. By early 20th century, the Sokoto Caliphate fell to the British army in 1903 & was incorporated into its protectorate in Northern Nigeria.

The Caliphate is far from forgotten. Its belief systems live on through the Sultans & Emirs in the polytheistic Northern Nigeria

His ultimate ambition or that of his son Bello was to reach the coast in Lagos

Nice write up

In north west nigeria we are witnessing in real time the same trajectory of aggression by fugitive herders against natives. Many communities are currently ruled by these bandits. These sedentary farming communities are weak compared to their aggressors who have nothing but the shirts on their backs and weapons - their families if any, are far away in the desert.

Fodio and his cohorts brought no dynamic change actually to the arewa society. Mode of governance, language, culture, etc remained just the same, and slavery continued in earnest.
All that changed was the ethnicity of the rulers.