Ibrahim IV of Bornu

Ibrahim IV (Ibrāhīm bin Aḥmad ), called Ibrahim Lefiami, (Ibrahim is sometimes also recorded under the Kanuri name Bura.) Ibrahim served as little more than a ceremonial puppet ruler under the shehus Muhammad al-Amin al-Kanemi and Umar Kura. He attempted to reassert the traditional power of the mai twice, first in 1837 and then in 1846, but was killed during the second attempt. Ibrahim was only briefly succeeded by his son, Ali V Minargema, before the office of mai was abolished for good.

Life

Accession to the throne Ibrahim was a son of mai Ahmad Alimi. As indicated by the name Lefiami, his mother was named Lefiya. In the early 19th century, Dunama had called on the religious scholar and military leader Muhammad al-Amin al-Kanemi for help against the Fula jihads. In 1817, secretly inviting the Sultanate of Bagirmi to invade the empire and kill al-Kanemi. The plot backfired, as the Bagirmi troops accidentally attacked Dunama's forces instead and the mai was killed in battle.

Attempts to reassert power In 1837, al-Kanemi died and was succeeded as shehu by his son, Umar Kura. The plan was strategically sound, since the majority of the shehu 's army was absent from Kukawa at the time. Umar Kura learnt of the invasion when the Wadai army was approaching the Chari River and quickly realised that Ibrahim was behind the plot. Umar Kura had Ibrahim imprisoned and gathered the available troops to fight the invaders. The shehu camped near Kousséri but he was unable to fight against the Wadai army since neither force could cross the nearby river. After a few days, the Wadai army located a ford in the river and could surprise attack Umar Kura's forces. Umar Kura was forced to retreat to Kukawa, where he executed Ibrahim before fleeing north-west to join forces with his brother 'Abd ar-Rahman. Ibrahim was reportedly buried at Kukawa.

The Wadai forces managed to capture and partially destroy Kukawa, where they installed Ibrahim's son Ali V Minargema as mai. When Umar Kura and 'Abd ar-Rahman's forces returned, the Wadai army fled, leaving Ali and his supporters to face the shehu 's forces alone. Ali was defeated and killed in the subsequent battle, whereafter Umar Kura had the office of mai abolished.