Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

The Sokoto Caliphate occupies an important place in the historiography of the Bight of Benin, shaping the region's political and social trajectory in ways still felt today.

The years 1804-1903 represent a formative period for understanding the sokoto caliphate in the Bight of Benin, one that continues to inform present-day scholarship.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite considerable historical scholarship, the precise role of the sokoto caliphate in the Bight of Benin during 1804-1903 remains a subject of ongoing debate, with existing accounts often relying on incomplete or contested source material. This study re-examines the available historical record to offer a clearer account.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To trace the role of the sokoto caliphate in the Bight of Benin during 1804-1903.
2. To examine the factors that shaped the sokoto caliphate during this period.
3. To assess the consequences of the sokoto caliphate for the Bight of Benin.
4. To situate these findings within the broader historiography of the period.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What role did the sokoto caliphate play in the Bight of Benin during 1804-1903?
2. What factors shaped the sokoto caliphate during this period?
3. What were the consequences of the sokoto caliphate for the Bight of Benin?
4. How do these findings relate to the broader historiography of the period?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to historians and students of history and international studies, contributing a focused account of the sokoto caliphate in the Bight of Benin to the existing historiography, and offering a reference point for future comparative or regional studies.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited chronologically to 1804-1903 and geographically to the Bight of Benin, reflecting a clearly defined scope; developments outside this period and region fall outside its remit.