Janke Waali
a) Mansa Sibo was the first ruler of Kabu kingdom. It was foretold that the Kabu kingdom would decline during the reign of a ruler known as Wally.
Janke Wally ascended to the throne when the Kabu kingdom was in existence for six hundred and six years. He predicted that the kingdom would end during his lifetime. He built a fortress and it was called Turubang.
Seven years after construction of the fortress Janke Wally had a dispute with the people of Mbandang. So, the people of Mbandang and Alfa Molloh requested support from Fouta Timbo. Almami Omar the leader at Timbo mobilized twelve hundred men and attacked Janke Wally.
When they arrived in Kabu, they were cautioned against instigating an attack on the people of Kabu, likewise, the people of Kabu were advised the same.
The presence of Timbo’s men in Kabu angered Janke Wally’s men and they ignored the advice and launched an attack. With the Kabu fighters all inside the fortress Timbo invaded there.
When this occurred, the Kabu fighters decided to commit suicide by jumping into a well. Among them was, Biji, Fenda Sanneh and Sona Salum. Many other men and women of Kabu committed the same act rather than being enslaved by the Fulas forever.
References to entities made in the recording
Persons: Mansa Sibo, Janke Wally, Alfa Molloh, Almami Omar
Biji, Fenda Sanneh and Sona Salum
Relationships:
Mansa Sibo was the first ruler of Kabu
Janke Wally was the last ruler of Kabu
Almami Omar was the leader at Timbo
Places: Kabu, Timbo, Mbandang
Actions:
Almami Omar and his men from Timbo attacked Kabu and defeated them
Janke Wally and many in Kabu committed suicide when they were defeated
Time references:
Janke Wally ascended the throne when Kabu kingdom was 606 years
Additional information:
Janke Wally and many of his people committed suicide to prevent them being captives forever.
b)
When Janke Wally realized that he was defeated, he ordered the burning of both gun and gunpowder stores. There was a huge explosion and the entire town was set on fire, then the Fula fighters retreated and fled.
After they left, the survivors went in search of others survivors and Nyima Manjang was found alive.
Nyima Manjang later got married to Sheriff Mulay Bakari. They had children and among them, were Yahya, Yankuba, and Sheriff Seedy.
Timbo defeated Kabu because they possessed more fighters however, despite this, the people of Kabu never fled for their lives. Instead, they stood by their ruler to the very end.
It is said that the Koring clan will never fight against the Nyancho clan. Sankulleh is the ancestor of the Koring clan at Kunung Mansa Sansang. The clan members are known to be great fighters.
They are related to the Nyancho clan who are descendants of Tiramakang and the Koring clan are Sunjata Keita’s descendants. Tiramakang was one of Sunjata’s war generals.
Ngansumana, a member of the Nyancho clan was betrayed and killed at Bambadinka when the town of Kansala was destroyed. His sister expressed that the death of Ngansumana was not the end of the Nyancho clan.
When the survivors of Kabu Kansala fled, they resettled at Bere Kolong. While in Bere Kolong they were attacked again by Timbo.
Foday Baraka Darame an Islamic scholar (Marabout) in Kabu, converted Mansa Bakari to Islam. Mansa Bakari was commonly referred to as Mansa Kolli. After converting to Islam, he relocated to Sonkunda.
While in Sonkunda, he was attacked by assailants and he fled. His wife Jenaba was captured and taken to a ruler named Mansa Edrissa. She gave birth to a child called Kumba Njosanne who later married Alfa Yiramang in Labe. Together they had a child named Alfa Yaya, who later gained prominence and was highly respected.
References to entities made in the recording
Culture:
Language:
Persons: Janke Wally, Nyima Manjang, Sheriff Mulay Bakari, Yahya, Yankuba, Sheriff Seedy, Sankulleh, Tiramakang, Sunjata Keita, Ngansumana, Foday Baraka Darame, Mansa Kolli, Jenaba, Mansa Edrissa, Kumba Njosanne, Alfa Yiramang, Alfa Yaya
Relationships:
Janke Wally was the Kabu ruler
Nyima Manjang survived the Kabu war and was married to Sheriff Mulay Bakari
Tiramakang was the ancestor of the Koring clan
Sunjata Keita was the ancestor of the Nyancho clan
Places:
Timbo, Kabu, Kunung Mansa Sansang, Kansala, Bambadinka, Bere Kolong, Sonkunda and Labe
Movements:
The people of Kabu fled after the war and resettled at Bere Kolong
Mansa Bakari moved to Sonkunda
Actions:
Ngansumana one of the Nyancho clan members was betrayed and killed at Bambadinka
Foday Baraka Darame converted Mansa Bakari to Islam
Mansa Bakari was attacked at Sonkunda and his wife was captured
Alternative names: Jobarte, Jobarteh, Jobateh, Jebate, Amadou, Susso, Suso, Mansur, Diaye, Ndiaye, N'Diaye, Njie, Njai
Published by NCAC - National Digital Archive of The Gambia, initiated by University of Hamburg, Asia-Africa-Institute, Germany, funded by Gerda Henkel Foundation, Germany
