When it ended, the battle of Kansala, a battle fought between Muslim Fulas and animist Mandinkas ended just as it was predicted by the Nyancho ruler Mansa Janke Wali in “Turubang” which means: total annihilation. The battle ended in the total destruction of Kansala by the Fula and with it the collapse of the Kaabu Empire.

According to the traditions when Janke Wali, the Kaabu emperor, was told about the advancing Fula army towards Kansala, he sent out scouts to assess the Fula army. These scouts were said to saddle their horses and rode for eight days without sighting the rear of the advancing army because of their large numbers. When the Fula army arrived they surrounded Kansala but for three days neither side dared to fire the opening shot.

According to the traditions the reasons for not fighting for three days on either side were based on marabout advice. The Timbo marabout, Abdu Khudus, had warned the Fulas not to fire the first shot at he Nyanchos for they can destroy the Nyanchos only when they allow them to fire the opening shot.

At the same time the marabout Fode Barika Dramme had warned the animist Mandinka, “Don’t fire at the Fulas until they first shoot at you. If they shoot first, you will drive them back to Futa”. This Fode Barika Dramme was a Jahanka. Although the Jahankas were Muslims they were also mandinkas and sometimes work for the Nyanchos.

Time passed at the Nyanchop fortress in Kansala and finally the Nyanchos became angry and felt insulted by the Fula armies. Over their wines they complained to Janke Wali who reminded them. “both our Jalang and our marabout have warned us not to shoot at them first. “But that is cowardice” the Nyanchos protested. So the Nyanchos fired upon the Fulas first and the battle of Kansala had started.

The Kaabunkas at first were able to cut off the heads of many of the Fulas who attempted to scale the walls leading to the Nyanchos fortress, but the Fula persisted in greater numbers. Finally when the Nyancho women saw the Fulas beginning to jump into the fort, the first Fula who had ever come into the fort unbound, they knew the worst was near. The Nyancho women of Kaabu began to jump headlong into the wells preferring to die rather than become slaves of the Fulas. At this point Janke Wali told his war captains that his fort was now truly named “Turubang”.  Turning to his griot he said “you must leave and tell my story to my grand children. When a man’s rule is about to die he should die with it.” Are you mistaken or is it cowardice that makes you ask me to do this? Asked the griot. “I can never serve any other master.”

Janke Wali called his sons, and said to them, “put fire to the seven gun powder stores”. When six of the powder houses had exploded the battle of Kansala had ended. Kansala was totally destroyed and  lay in ruins. It was only after the destruction of Kansala and the death of Janke Wali that the other towns of Kaabu became aware of the Fula invasion, but it was then too late to save the empire.

The Legacy of Kaabu

Senegambian griots still sing of the battle of Kansala, many of them describing it as Pyrrhic victory of Futa Jallon over the Nyanchos. They maintain that it was a victory that was as bad as a defeat of the 25,000 men in the Futa Jallon army it was pointed out, only 4,000 returned home.

At the battle of Kansal, the Nyuanchos showed themselves to be the proud and recklessly brave descendants, of Tirimang and Balaba. This point is illustrated by the story of how the Nyancho, Faramba Tamba of Kapentu, was so incensed at the idea that Fulas should are to take up arms and come against Nyanchos as men and equals that he refused even to draw his weapon. Instead he took a stick and went out to meet the Fulas on foot, and was trampled down by their horses.

In the years after the fall of Kansala Fulas replaced Nyanchos as rulers of most of the former Kaabu states. In some states such as Pachensi and Bajare where the Mandinkas were the majority, Nyanchos still retained leadership and autonomy in return for a nominal tribute to Futa Jallon. However, after the death of Janke Wali none of the Nyanchos was capable of pulling Kaabu together again. The Almamy of Timbo then directed that Kaabu be divided into two major Fula provinces Kaabu and Fulladu both to be tributaries of Futa Jallon. The newly-formed province of Kaabu, the heart of the old empire,  in what was to become Guinea Bissau, was divided between clans of pure Fulas, the Mballo’s and Jao’s.

Fulladu, composed of the northern and northeaststern states of the old empire, mostly in what is now Senegal and the Gambia was given to the half Mandinka, half Fula Baldeh family who, on the Gambian side, remain chiefs in the area up to this day.

The Kingdom of Fulladu Rise of the Kingdom

The kingdom of Fulladu was established in 1870 after the Fula overthrow of the Kaabu Empire. One of the men who figured prominently in bringing about the fall of Kaabu, as we have seen, was Alpha Mollo, Baldeh. Originally known as Molloh Egge Baldeh, ghe received the title “Alpha” and the rulership of Fulladu from the Almamy of Timbo as a reward for his leadership and assistance in the Fula campaign against Kaabu.

During his reign, Alpha Molloh divided the 48 small mini states which comprised Fulladu into five major provinces and placed four of these provinces under chiefs of proven valour. These chiefs served as regional governors and also acted as judges.

One of these chiefs was Alpha Molloh’s brother, Bakari Demba Baldeh, who governed the province of Jimara. Alpha Molloh himself assumed direct rule over Firdu. The other provinces of Fulladu were Mambua, Patinkuta and Kamako. During his rule Alpha Molloh invited several marabouts to Fulladu in order to spread Islam in the kingdom. Alpha Molloh did not rule for long. After consolidating his power he died in 1874 at Dandu in mordern Guinea-Bissau.

Fulladu under Bakari Demba

According to the oral traditions, when the great Tukulor marabout of Futa Toro, Alhaji Omar Taal, first visited Alpha Molloh’s house, Kumba Wude, Alpha’s wife, had greeted the marabout most hospitably. Alhaji Omar was said to predict to Alpha Molloh that her son, Demba Kumba Wude, later to be known as Musa Molloh would be king. Both Alpha Molloh and his son, Musa, expected Musa to succeed to the throne of Fullady because of Alhaji Omar’s prediction.

However, When Alpha Molloh died the religious elders of Fulladu met to choose a new leader and their choice fell on Alpha Molloh’s brother, Bakari Demba who became king and established his capital at Korop in Jimara.

Musa Molloh reluctantly agreed to accept his paternal uncle as king, but only on the condition that he would continue the policies of Alpha Molloh. However, once Bakary Demba took power, he threatened to dismiss the chiefs and become sole ruler of Fulladu. He drove several marabouts out of Fulladu and tried to return the country to animist beliefs and practices.

Bakary Demba governed Fulladu for 12 years during which time he had the cooperation of Musa Molloh as well as his son Dansa Sajel and Dikori Kumba who was Musa Molloh’s brother.  In the 13th year of his reign, however, Bakari Demba became increasingly aware of Musa’s opposition to his policies. Meanwhile, Bakari Demba was now facing growing opposition from several client kings of Fulladu including Alpha Mbuko of Kolda Karantaba. Alpha Mbuko was a pure Fula. Together with other pure Fulas they objected strongly to mixed Fulas being the sovereign of Fulladu. This opposition merely strengthened the Baldehs who decided to march on Kolda Karantaba and suppress the revolt.

However, when Musa Molloh was ready to go to Kolda Karantaba at the head of an army, Bakari Demba and Musa’s brother Dikori Kumba refused to join him. Musa’s warriors had told him that Bakari Demba and the others intended to betray him by deserting him in the heat of battle. Musa’s warriors advised him to see the help of Sheikh Sadibu Haidara of Sahel. Sheikh Sadibu sent his son, Sheikh Mafju, to respresent him. He promised Musa victory. Thus feeling reinforced, Musa Molloh marched on the Kolda Karantaba accompanied by his cousin, Danso Sajel. After six days of hard fighting both armies ran out of gunpowder; the defenders of Kolda karantaba made a break for it. The Baldeh army pursued them and soundly routed these pure Fulas.

After other battles with the forces of he Mandinka war chiefs Fode Kaba Dumbuya, Musa Molloh returned to Fulladu determined to eliminate all opposition to his prophesied kingship. He first got rid of his own full brother Dikori Kumba. With Dikori Kumba out of his way Musa then marched on Bakari Demba’s town, Korop. Bakari Demba’s town fell to Musa’s forces but he was able to escape to Niani, where he was exiled until Musa later gave him permission to return to Fulladu. He died at his village, Bakari Demba Kunda located between Kosemarr and Bakadaji.

The only man left from among Bakari Demba’s followers able to challenge Musa’s authority was Bakari Demba’s son, Danso Sajel. However he offered Musa his allegiance which Musa accepted for a shortime. However, with rumours that Dansa Sajel was planning to go to Futa Jallon in order to raise an army against him, Musa ordered the captains of his army to assassinate him. With Dansa Sajel’s death, Bakari Demba’s reign had come to an end and Musa Molloh Baldeh became the king of Fulladu.

Musa Molloh Baldeh king of Fulladu

At the height if his reign, just before he migrated to the Gambia, Musa Molloh through wars and conquests claimed control over some 45 small provinces in what later became parts of Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Senegal and the Gambia. Fulladu’s territory lay between 14 degree and 15 degree west longitude, bounded on the north by the river Gambia.

To he south, it extended as far as the Cacheo River and at some points continued on to the Rio Geba in modern Guinea-Bissau. Musa Molloh was a warrior king and a leader of the Fula independence movement in the Senegambia area of the late 19th century.

Profiting from the grievance of the Fula living under oppressive Mandinka rule and by the vaccurn of leadership Fode Kaba’s raids had created on the south bank of the Gambia river, Musa Molloh and an army of 20,000 men swept through Tumana, Jimara, Europina, and Niamina and then south into Portuguese territories on the Casamance. Returning to the Gambia in 1879 he crossed the river in alliance with the leaders of the two large Fula states flanking the upper river valley, Bakari Saada of Bondu and Alpha Ibrahima, Almamy of Tinbo abd together they conquered Kantora, Wuli and Niani. Most of the Mandinka population of these areas fled before Musa Molloh’s forces and his Fula followers occupied the land which henceforth became known as Fulladu.

Government of Fulladu

By the 1880s Musa Molloh had imposed a complex administrative superstrcture over tradtional authorities from Jarra to Kantora on the south bank of the Gambia River. The territory was divided into districts administered by his principal followers and members of his family who now included not only Fulas but also Mandinka Serahule and Wollof. Musa Molloh received the title of Modibo and the district leaders that of Lamdo Tokosel. The district chiefs were responsible for divisions of this army, recruited within their areas.

When Musa Molloh went to war, all territorial leaders had to accompany him. Musa held supreme military as well as civil authority Village chiefs in Fulladu continued to be chosen by their local village councils but held office with Musa Molloh’s approval. They were responsible for collecting taxes and settling minor disputes, although serious cases like cattle stealing were heard by Musa himself.

Alongside the territorial hierarchy was an organised network of Musa’s personal agents, responsible to the Modibo alone. Fula tax collectors gathered the taxes from the local chiefs for him, and large numbers of slaves and freemen were employed as spies and messengers through out the districts of the state.