Many of the Sokoto Fulani have also spread into southern Niger. While some of the Fulani living in this area are educated aristocrats, others are Bororo, or semi-nomadic herdsmen (part-time shepherds, part-time farmers). The Sokoto Fulani, then, are composed of the ruling class (Toroobe) and the semi-nomadic shepherds (Bororo). The area they occupy is an open grassland with narrow forested zones. Camels, hyenas, lions, and giraffes inhabit this region. Though the temperatures are extremely hot during the day, they are much cooler at night.

What are their lives like?
The semi-nomadic Sokoto Fulani engage in some supplementary farming, along with animal breeding. Millet and other grains are their main crops. Milk, drunk fresh and as buttermilk, is their staple food, and meat is consumed only during ceremonial occasions. The cattle are herded by the men, although the women help with milking the cows. The women also make butter and cheese and do the trading at the markets. Among the Fulani, wealth is measured by the size of a family's herds.

The semi-nomadic Sokoto Fulani live in temporary settlements. During the harvest, the families live together in small huts that make up village compounds. Each compound is surrounded by the family's garden. During the dry season, the men leave their wives, children, the sick, and the elderly at home while they take their herds to better grazing grounds. Each village has a chief or headman to handle village affairs. Story-telling is a big part of the Fulani lifestyle. After the evening meals, the older men tell legends and folk stories to the younger men and women, who listen to every word in awe.

Because the Fulani often overgraze the land and do not use any crop rotation methods for farming, much of the vegetation in the area has become depleted. The oil palm however, has been carefully preserved, since these trees are valued for making wine, soap, wax, and baskets.

The settled Sokoto Fulani (the Toroobe, or ruling class) are an influential people who live in towns and cities. They are educated and dominate the leadership of Islam in the area. Many of them are government workers, tax collectors, or municipal rulers. Although they may own some cattle, their real interests lie in administration, law, religion, and education. Their children are encouraged to go to school and do well.

The settled Sokoto Fulani are very intelligent people. In fact, the Sultan of Nigeria belongs to this ruling class. Because the Fulani were a moral, pious group who had an interest in learning, the duties of the Muslim church were passed to them, eventually making them the leaders of the Muslim faith. Mallams ("men of learning") are revered and treated with respect in their culture.

What are their beliefs?
The Sokoto Fulani of Niger are virtually all Muslim, strictly adhering to the moral codes of Islam. The genuinely godly among them strive to attain sanctity and, in turn, supernatural powers.

What are their needs?
Although four missions agencies are currently working among the Sokoto Fulani of Niger, very few Sokoto have converted to Christianity. Much prayer is needed to loosen the hold that Islam has on their lives.

The dense population of various cities, including Sokoto, has created health problems for the Fulani, among other groups. This is primarily due to polluted water. Many have died from malaria and other water-carried diseases. Perhaps Christian doctors and nurses will have the greatest opportunity to minister to the Sokoto Fulani.

Prayer Points

• Ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into Niger to minister to the physical and spiritual needs of the Sokoto Fulani.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to grant wisdom and favor to the four missions agencies that are currently targeting the Sokoto Fulani.
• Pray for effectiveness of the Jesus film among the Sokoto Fulani.
• Ask God to anoint the Gospel as it goes forth via radio in their area.
• Pray that God will give the Sokoto Fulani believers boldness to share Christ with their own people.
• Take authority over the spiritual principalities and powers that are keeping the Sokoto Fulani bound.
• Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the spiritual soil of Niger through worship and intercession.
• Ask the Lord to bring forth a triumphant Sokoto Fulani church for the glory of His name!

See also the following related groups: the Adawama Fulani of Cameroon; the Bagirmi Fula of Chad and the Central African Republic; the Bauchi Fulani of Nigeria; the Benin/Togo Fulani of Togo; the Bororo Fulani of Cameroon; the Fula of Benin and Burkina Faso; the Fula Jalon of Guinea, Mali, Senegal, and Sierra Leone; the Fula Kita of Mali; the Fula Macina of Mali and Maruitania; the Fula Toro of Senegal; the Fula Kunda of Guinea Bissau, and Senegal; The Fulani of Chad, Gambia, and Sudan; the Gurma Fulani of Burkina Faso; the Krio Fula of Sierra Leone; the Sokoto Fulani of Nigeria; the Liptako Fula of Burkina Faso; the Toroobe Fulani of Nigeria; and the Western Fulani of Niger.

THE PEOPLE

• People name: Sokoto Fulani
• Country: Niger
• Their language: Fulfulde Niger
• Population: (1990) 850,400
  (1995) 1,006,700
  (2000) 1,188,600
• Largest religion: Muslim (Malikite) 99.9%
• Christians: <1%
• Church members: 1,007
• Scriptures in their own language: New Testament
• Jesus Film in their own language: None
• Christian broadcasts in their own language: Available
• Mission agencies working among this people: 4
• Persons who have heard the Gospel: 393,400 (40%) Those evangelized by local Christians: 51,300 (6%)
  Those evangelized from the outside: 342,300 (34%)
• Persons who have never heard the Gospel: 613,100 (60%)

• Country: Niger
• Population: (1990) 7,731,400
  (1995) 9,151,400
  (2000) 10,805,000
• Major peoples in size order: Zerma 23.7%
  Tazarawa 14.9%
  Sokoto Fulani 11%
  North Hausa 6.6%
  Adamawa Hausa 6%
• Major religions: Muslim 91.2%
  Ethnic religionist 8.5%
  Christian 0.3%
• Number of denominations: 14