page_title: Karamokho Alfa
section_title: Legacy
hierarchical_section_title: Karamokho Alfa / Legacy
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Enfants peuls de Doucky. Photo prise à fr:Fouta-Djalon.
context_page_description: Karamokho Alfa was a Fula religious leader who led a jihad that created the Imamate of Futa Jallon in what is now Guinea. This was one of the first of the Fulbe jihads that established Muslim states in West Africa.
  Alfa Ba, Karamoko Alfa's father, formed a coalition of Muslim Fulbe and called for the jihad in 1725, but died before the struggle began. The jihad was launched around 1726-1727. After a crucial, concluding victory at Talansan, the state was established at a meeting of nine Fulbe ulama who each represented one of the Futa Jallon provinces. Ibrahima Sambeghu, who became known as Karamokho Alfa, was the hereditary ruler of Timbo and one of the nine ulama. He was elected leader of the jihad. Under his leadership, Futa Jallon became the first Muslim state to be founded by the Fulbe. Despite this, Karamokho Alfa was constrained by the other eight ulama. Some of the other Ulama had more secular power than Karamokho Alfa, who directly ruled only the diwal of Timbo; for this reason the new state was always a tenuous confederation.
context_section_description: Karamokho Alfa died around 1751 and was formally succeeded by Ibrahim Sori, his cousin.  
  Ibrahim Sori Mawdo was chosen after failure of Alfa Saliu, son of Karamoko Alfa,who was too young.
  Ibrahim Sori was an aggressive military commander who initiated a series of wars.
  After many years of conflict, Ibrahim Sori achieved a decisive victory in 1776 that consolidated the power of the Fulbe state. The jihad had achieved its goals and Ibrahim Sori assumed the title of almami.
  Under Ibrahima Sori slaves were sold to obtain munitions needed for the wars.  This was considered acceptable as long as the slaves were not Muslim. 
  The jihad created a valuable supply of slaves from the defeated peoples that may have provided a motive for further conquests.
  The Fulbe ruling class became wealthy slave owners and slave traders. Slave villages were founded, whose inhabitants provided food for their Fulba masters to consume or sell. 
  As of 2013 the Fulbe were the largest ethnic group in Guinea at 40% of the population, after the Malinke (30%) and Susu (20%).
  The jihad in Futa Jallon was followed by a jihad in Futa Toro between 1769 and 1776 led by Sileymaani Baal.
  The largest of the Fulani jihads was led by the scholar Usman dan Fodio and established the Sokoto Caliphate in 1808, 
  stretching across what is now the north of Nigeria.
  The Fulbe Muslim state of Masina was established to the south of Timbuktu in 1818.  
  Karamokho Alfa came to be thought of as a saint. 
  A story is told of a miracle that occurred more than a hundred years after his death.
  The chief of the Ouassoulounké, Kondé Buraima, opened Karamokho Alfa's tomb and cut off the left hand of the body.
  Blood poured from the severed wrist, causing Kondé Buraima to flee in terror.
caption: Children in the village of Doucky in Futa Jallon in 2005
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