This is my second history writing piece about ancient West Africa for history. My second writing is a diary entry based on Sonni Ali Ber, the leader of Songhai since 1464.
November 18, 1491
I, Sonni Ali Ber, have been the ruling monarch of Songhai, West Africa, since 1464. I’m obviously a fantastic leader if the people added Ber to my name symbolizing I’m Sonni Ali the Great. Even though those I’ve enslaved may disagree, I’ve done many great things for Songhai. By 1476, I controlled the inland delta region from the west of Timbuktu to the Niger and the lakes region to the south. I was raised as a part of an exclusive ruling class, a warrior horseman. I am a warrior and a man of the people!
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| Picture from: http://egyptsearchreloaded.proboards.com Picture of Sonni Ali Ber |
As the “best” leader of Songhai, I’ve accomplished a lot of things that make me proud of myself. One of the prolific things I’ve done is creating oral traditions as a magician of great power. Instead of following Mali’s Empire system of Islamic city rules over non-Islamic rural people, I mixed an unorthodox observance of Islam with traditional African religion. I am not a man of elite ruling class of Muslim clerics and scholars, I am a man of the people! I’m regarded as a magnificent military commander who carried out a strategic campaign along the Niger River. I had no choice but to retaliate against the Muslim leader of Timbuktu when they failed to provide transport for my troops to cross the river and I’m glad I made that decision. I’m proud of myself for leading my kingdom through a series of conquest at the expense of the Mali Empire. I lead the Songhai empire that took over Mali. Overall that was the greatest accomplishment I’m proud of to this very day of ruling 27 years.
Many people have been affected of what I’ve done, for the better or worse. Slaves are popular to trade around here. During the conquest of the old Mali empire I obtained three groups of peasants which I turned into slaves. The slaves were initially required to cultivate a measure of land and provide grain for the king. However, I grouped the slaves into villages and gave each a common quota to be used by the villages. Unfortunately for them, any children born to slave parents became slaves or they had to be transported to the trans-Saharan market. I’ve equally affected the people of Songahi. Depending on your parents’ occupation, you had a chance of being a slave or an average working person.
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| Picture From: http://www.novica.com Picture of African Maks |
Being schooled in the traditional arts of the region, I was well versed in the forms and techniques of warfare when I came to power in 1464 in the kingdom of Songhai. I am the fifteenth consecutive ruler of the Sonni dynasty that begun in 1355. Our dynasty has been around one hundred and thirty-six years. I have been told stories about one of my ancestors, Sonni Sulaiman Mar, who wrested Songhai away from the Mali empire towards the end of the fourteenth century. Askia Mohammed Touré, emperor of the Songhai Empire in the late 15th century, made Sonhai a wonderful empire by extending his control throughout much of West Africa. In a way, he has inspired me.
Some people support me and others, such as the chroniclers, don’t. Chroniclers are the people who keep historical account of facts and events arranged in chronological order. The chroniclers believe that I, Sonni Ali, am portrayed as a capricious and cruel leader. I know that I am a great powerful leader despite what some may say. I’m known from the oral traditions as a magician of great power. For ruling Songahi twenty-seven years proves I’ve had a good amount of support. I shall be remembered for decades to come, after all the people of Songhai added “the Great” to my name. As I continue to grow old, I hope people remember me for who I really am, not what the chroniclers dictate me to be.
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