<P> Around that time, Fulani people, invading from the west, were able to make major inroads into Bornu . By the early 19th century, Kanem - Bornu was clearly an empire in decline, and in 1808 Fulani warriors conquered Ngazargamu . Usman dan Fodio led the Fulani thrust and proclaimed a holy war (the Fulani War) on the allegedly irreligious Muslims of the area . His campaign eventually affected Kanem - Bornu and inspired a trend toward Islamic orthodoxy, but a Muslim scholar - turned - statesman, Muhammad al - Amin al - Kanemi, contested the Fulani advance . </P> <P> Muhammad al - Amin al - Kanemi was a Muslim scholar and non-Sayfawa commander who had put together an alliance of Shuwa Arabs, Kanembu, and other seminomadic peoples . He eventually built in 1814 a capital at Kukawa (in present - day Nigeria). Sayfawa mais remained titular monarchs until 1846 . In that year, the last mai, in league with the Ouaddai Empire, precipitated a civil war . It was at that point that Kanemi's son, Umar, became king, thus ending one of the longest dynastic reigns in international history . </P> <P> Although the dynasty ended, the kingdom of Kanem - Bornu survived . Umar eschewed the title mai for the simpler designation shehu (from the Arabic shaykh), could not match his father's vitality, and gradually allowed the kingdom to be ruled by advisers (wazirs). Bornu began a further decline as a result of administrative disorganization, regional particularism, and attacks by the militant Ouaddai Empire to the east . The decline continued under Umar's sons . In 1893, Rabih az - Zubayr led an invading army from eastern Sudan and conquered Bornu . Following his expulsion shortly thereafter, the state was absorbed by the British ruled entity which eventually became known as Nigeria . From that point on, a remnant of the old kingdom was (and still is) allowed to continue to exist in subjection to the various Governments of the country as the Borno Emirate . </P>

Factors that contributed to the decline and fall of borno empire