Usman Dan Fodio
The Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, has inaugurated the documentation of literary works of the founder of Sokoto caliphate, Sheikh Usman Danfodio, and other reformists on the internet.
Speaking at the inauguration of online pages of the literary works in Sokoto yesterday, Wamakko said the initiative was meant to preserve the unique Arabic manuscript collections written by Usman Danfodio and other leaders of the caliphate.
He explained that by putting the materials on the internet, the invaluable treasures were being preserved for posterity and made accessible to researchers in Africa.
The governor said the posting of the literary works of the former Sokoto jihadists came at the right time in view of their significance to the development of the society
According to him, the works also included important Islamic manuscripts collections in the caliphate.
Wamakko, who spoke through his Deputy, Mukhtari Shagari, noted that the world has become a global village, where information could be accessed in any part of the world at finger tips via the internet.
The governor said it had become necessary for Muslims to wake up from their slumber by ensuring that they were not left behind in all spheres of human endeavour.
He maintained that through the collections, researchers and scholars all over the world could assess the works and contributions made by the leaders of the Sokoto caliphate to education and research.
Wamakko stated that Usman Danfodio spent all his life in the propagation of Islam not only in the North but in neigbouring countries.
In a remark, the state Commissioner of Religious Affairs, Prof. Musa Maitafsir, said the documentation of the literary works of the past leaders of the caliphate, would assist researchers in Africa in the pursuit of knowledge.
He reiterated the commitment of the state government to promote the works of the former leaders of the caliphate.
Maitafsir added that apart from the works of Usman Danfodio, others documented included that of Abdullahi Fodio and Mohammed Bello.
-------Mohammed Aminu, This Day, February 11, 2013
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