Theshehu (sheikh) was the ruler of the lateKanem–Bornu Empire, at this stage often referred to as justBornu orBorno, from 1846 to the end of the empire in 1902. Theshehus belonged to theal-Kameni dynasty, the descendants of the scholar and military leaderMuhammad al-Amin al-Kanemi, who became the firstshehu in 1809. Al-Kameni became the effective ruler of Bornu in the aftermath of theFula jihads, supplanting the power of the earlier line of rulers (themais).^[1][2] Themai continued to be a figurehead ruler until 1846, when the lastmai was killed and al-Kanemi's sonUmar Kura assumed full power over the empire.^[3][4]

After 1902, the line ofshehus has continued to rule the non-sovereignBorno Emirate inNigeria, one of the country'straditional states. Theshehu continues to serve as a ceremonial leader, preserving political and cultural continuity with the Kanem–Bornu Empire.^[5] Junior branches of the family also serve asshehus of theDikwa Emirate (also established in 1902) and theBama Emirate (established in 2010).

Theshehus are numbered after uninterrupted periods of rule. The turbulent reigns ofshehuAbubakar Garbai in 1900–1922 has for instance resulted in Garbai being counted as the 11th, 13th, 14th, and 15thshehu, because of depositions and retreats.^[6] From this it follows thatMustafa ibn Umar al-Kanemi is considered the 19thshehu of Bornu,^[7] and that the incumbentAbubakar ibn Umar Garba al-Kanemi is considered the 20th,^[8][9] despite being the 14th and 15th person, respectively, to hold the office.

No.	Portrait	Name	Reign	Succession, notes	Seat
1		Muhammad al-Amin al-Kanemi (Laminu)	October/November 1809 – 8 June 1837[10]	Islamic scholar and military leader who was pivotal in defending the Kanem–Bornu Empire during theFula jihads.[2] Accumulated enough power to supplantmaiDunama IX Lefiami as thede facto ruler of the empire.[1][2] Technically assumed the style ofshehu in 1814, at the time of the construction of his seat atKukawa, but dated his reign to late 1809.[1]	Ngurno[11] (1809–1814) Kukawa[1] (1814–1837)
2		Umar bin Muhammad al-Kanemi (Umar Kura)	8 June 1837[10] – 4 October 1853[12] (first reign)	Son of Muhammad al-Kanemi.[13] The puppetmaiIbrahim IV Lefiami tried to take power in a civil war[14] but was defeated and killed in 1846.[3] After brief conflict with Ibrahim's sonmaiAli V Minargema,[15] The office ofmai was abolished[3] and Umar assumedde jure power over the empire.[4] Deposed by his brother in the winter of 1853.[12]	Kukawa[16]
3		'Abd ar-Rahman bin Muhammad al-Kanemi (Darman)	4 October 1853[12] – 3 September 1854[17]	Son of Muhammad al-Kanemi. Seized power from Umar in a coup in the winter of 1853. Deposed and executed by Umar less than a year later after a counter-coup.[18]
4		Umar bin Muhammad al-Kanemi (Umar Kura)	3 September 1854[17] – December 1881[10] (second reign)	Returned to the throne through a counter-coup.[18]
5		Abu Bakr bin Umar al-Kanemi (Bukar Kura)	December 1881 – November 1884 or February/March 1885[10]	Son of Umar Kura. Bukar Kura's death after a short reign was unexpected and created a brief succession crisis.[17]
6		Ibrahim bin Umar al-Kanemi (Ibrahim Kura)	November 1884 or February/March 1885 – October 1885/February 1886[10]	Son of Umar Kura. Bukar Kura's sonKyari was considered to young to rule and the aristocracy initially backed Abba Mastafa, a son of Muhammad al-Kanemi. Despite this, Ibrahim seized power with the backing of the slave gunmen.[17]
7		Hashim bin Umar al-Kanemi (Ashimi)	October 1885/February 1886 – November/December 1893[19]	Son of Umar Kura.[20] Defeated in battle by the Sudanese warlordRabih az-Zubayr in August 1893. Fled across theYobe River, abandoning the capital ofKukawa.[21] Deposed in favor of Kyari, son of Bukar Kura, who then had him assassinated.[22]	Kukawa[21] (1886–1893) Maganwa[23] (1893)
8		Muhammad al-Amin bin Abu Bakr al-Kanemi (Kyari)	November/December 1893 – February/March 1894[19]	Son of Bukar Kura.[17] Defeated by Rabih az-Zubayr and executed.[10]	Geidam[23]
9		Sanda bin Abu Bakr al-Kanemi (Sanda Wuduroma)	February/March 1894[19]	Son of Bukar Kura. Fled to southern Bornu after Kyari's death, where he was madeshehu in opposition to Rabih az-Zubayr. Captured and executed after less than a month.[10]	—
Interregnum 1894–1900: Bornu was conquered by the Sudanese warlordRabih az-Zubayr in 1892–1894. After the death of Sanda Wuduroma, Rabih became the country's undisputed master.[10] Kukawa was destroyed[22] and Rabih established a new capital atDikwa.[21] The empire was transformed into a brutal military dictatorship under Rabih, who ruled asemir.[24] The French deemed Rabih an illegitimate usurper to justify conquests in the region[25] and defeated him alongside Bornuan allies at thebattle of Kousséri.[26] Rabih's sonFadlallah bin Rabih briefly succeeded him but was himself defeated by the French at Gujba in 1901.[27]
10		Umar Sanda ibn Ibrahim Kura al-Kanemi (SandaKura)	14 January – July/August 1900[19] (first reign)	Son of Ibrahim Kura. Led a group of al-Kanemi loyalists against Rabih az-Zubayr and was supported by French forces in the ensuing war. Proclaimed the newshehu in January 1900 and installed at Dikwa in April, after Rabih az-Zubayr's defeat.[27] Removed from office by the French due to dissatisfaction with his governance.[27]	Dikwa[27][28]
11		Abu Bakr ibn Ibrahim Kura al-Kanemi (Abubakar Garbai)	July/August[19] – 6 December 1900[29] (first reign)	Son of Ibrahim Kura. Made the newshehu at Dikwa by the French after the deposition of Sanda Kura, Abubakar Garbai being seen as more pliable.[27] Lost Dikwa to Fadlallah bin Rabih on 30 November[30] and defeated atNgala on 6 December, whereafter he fled toKanem for two months (during which his whereabouts and status was unknown to the people).[29]	Dikwa[27] (Jul./Aug.–Nov.) Ngala[29] (Nov.–Dec.)
12		Muhammad al-Mustafa ibn Umar al-Kanemi (Masta Gumsumi)	Early December 1900 – February 1901[19]	Son of Umar Kura and uncle of Abubakar Garbai and Sanda Kura.[31] Madeshehu by refugees from Ngala after Abubakar Garbai went missing.[29] Dikwa was reoccupied by the French on 31 December 1900[32] and Gumsumi ruled there until Abubakar Garbai's return[33] in February,[19] when he fled from the city.[33]	Dikwa[33][34]
13		Abu Bakr ibn Ibrahim Kura al-Kanemi (Abubakar Garbai)	February[19] – May/June 1901[34] (second reign)	Shehu again upon his return from Kanem.[33] Abandoned Dikwa again upon news of Fadlallah bin Rabih's advance toBurguma, seeking French protection along theChari River.[34]
Interregnum 1901: Abubakar Garbai was still recognised asshehu in June–August 1901,[19] but his brief abandonment of Dikwa until the defeat of Fadlallah in August[35] is still counted as an interregnum.[6]
14		Abu Bakr ibn Ibrahim Kura al-Kanemi (Abubakar Garbai)	August 1901 – April 1902[36] (third reign)	Undisputed ruler after Fadlallah bin Rabih's defeat. Became figurehead ruler in the British part of Bornu in April 1902, whereafter he left Dikwa and the entire country fell under British and French colonial rule.[27]	Dikwa[27]

Abubakar Garbai left for British Bornu,^[27] where the line ofshehus continued to serve as (non-sovereign)shehus of theBorno Emirate, a traditional state inBorno State, Nigeria.^[37] Dikwa, which fell under French rule, was placed under a junior branch of the family, beginning with Abubakar Garbai's relativeSanda Mandarama.^[27] Sanda Mandarama's successors continue to rule the separateDikwa Emirate asshehus, also a traditional state in Borno State.^[37]

The British suggested that Abubakar Garbai take up residence atMafoni, though he instead selectedMonguno as his temporary seat, wishing to maintain a degree of independence and separate himself from the British military.^[38] The people of Bornu, and Abubakar Garbai himself, appear to initially have been under the impression that the British presence was a temporary affair,^[38][39] though theshehu agreed to certain British provisions, such as the abolition ofslavery.^[38] It was originally intended to rebuild the old al-Kanemi capital atKukawa.^[40][38] Abubakar Garbai moved there in 1903^[41] and was invested asshehu among its ruins byFrederick Lugard in 1904.^[40] The ruined Kukawa was at the time however little more than "one large cornfield" and was no longer located along any major trade routes.^[40] The city also had an inadequate water supply and was inconvenient for the British since it was far from their major settlements.^[41] On 9 January 1907, Abubakar Garbai instead moved his capital to Yerwa, later calledMaiduguri,^[40][41] which has since remained the capital of the Borno Emirate.^[6][8]

No.	Portrait	Name	Reign	Succession, notes	Seat
15		Abu Bakr ibn Ibrahim Kura al-Kanemi (Abubakar Garbai)	2 April 1902[38] – 1922[19] (fourth reign)	Previously the last sovereignshehu. Formally appointed "Shehu of Borno" by the British on 2 April 1902[38] and invested asshehu in a ceremony at Kukawa byFrederick Lugard in 1904.[42] Swore a official oath of allegiance to Britain only in 1904, with some conditions.[39] Confirmed as chief of the indigenous administration in Borno in 1914, with autonomy on taxes, police, and law.[39] Aided Britain duringWorld War I with transport, funds, and military information.[43]	Monguno[40] (1902–1903) Kukawa[41] (1903–1907) Maiduguri[40][41] (1907–1922)
16		Umar Sanda ibn Ibrahim Kura al-Kanemi (SandaKura)	1922[19] – middle of 1937[44] (second reign)	Reinvested asshehu after Abubakar Garbai's death.[19][45] Remembered for his involvement in the production of books on Bornuan history, used in schools in Borno State.[46]	Maiduguri[6][8]
17		Umar ibn Muhammad al-Kanemi (Sanda Kyarimi)	25 May 1937[47] – 29 December 1967[48]	Son of Kyari (theshehu in 1893–1894).[49] Previously served asshehu of Dikwa.[50]
18		Umar ibn Abubakar Garbai al-Kanemi	27 March 1968[51] – 20 August 1974[52]	Son of Abubakar Garbai[52]
19		Mustafa ibn Umar el-Kanemi	21 February 1975[53] – 21 February 2009[7]	Son of Sanda Kyarimi.[48] Selected to follow Umar ibn Abu Bakr in 1974 and invested asshehu by GovernorMusa Usman in 1975.[54]
20		Abubakar ibn Umar Garba el-Kanemi	2 March 2009[8] – present	Son of Umar ibn Abubakar Garbai.[9] Invested asshehu by GovernorAli Modu Sheriff in 2009.[8]

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