Emirate of Say

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Emirate of Say

The Emirate of Say was an Islamic state in what is now Niger. It was founded in 1825 by Alfa Mohamed Diobo, a Qadiriyya Sufi leader who had come from Djenné, Mali, in 1810. Diobo built his power through his religious status and with protection from the Sokoto Empire, another Fulani Muslim state. At its height, Say was known as a center of Islamic learning and piety, and it is said to have about 30,000 people and even organized trans-Saharan caravans.

The capital was the city of Say. The rulers were descendants of Diobo and held the title al/aize (son of the cleric). The rulers were:
- Alfa Mohamed Diobo (1825–1834)
- Boubacar Modibo (1834–1860)
- Abdourahman (1860–1872)
- Moulaye (1872–1874)
- Abdoulwahidou (1874–1878)
- Saliha Alfa Baba (1878–1885)
- Amadou Satourou Modibo (1885–1893)
- Halirou Abdoulwahabi (1893–1894)

Common languages included Arabic, Fulani, Songhai, and Zarma. The Emirate practiced Islam and today its territory is part of Niger.