Nigerians disagree over legacy of a 19th century Fulani Muslim ruler In Sokoto, an old city in northern Nigeria, Usmane Dan Fodio's tomb attracts pilgrims from all over West Africa. For many Muslims, this scholarly and reformist Fulani is considered a saint. In 1808, he established the Caliphate of Sokoto, an Islamic state that extended from Burkina Faso to Cameroon.