KOLI TENGUELLA

Koli Tenguelle, a leading Fulani warrior and conqueror, was the founder of the Deniankobe dynasty which ruled the Futa-Toro (the valley of the Senegal River) from the 16th to the 18th century.

A vivid memory about Koli has survived in the historical traditions of the people who inhabited the area stretching from the Futa-Djalon to the Senegal River. The dates for Koli are uncertain (end of 15th or early 16th century): it is possible that there were in the Futa-Djalon several Koli whose names have been mixed up. J. Joire has stated that these traditions might have mistaken the Fulani Koli of the 15th and 16th centuries for the Maline N’Fa Koli, Sundiate’s lieutenant, who conquered Gambia in the 18th century. This is the reason why the traditions sometimes made him a Malinke, a son or grandson Sundiate (who lived in the 13th century), a statement which is chronologically unacceptable.

The Guinean historian Djibril Tamsir Niane has proved that the traditions mistook Tenguella and not Koli who is mentioned by the Portuguese chronicler as having raised a rebellion against the Mansa of Mali during the reign of Joao II (1481-1495). Tenguelle, a Fulani chief, settled in the region of Nioro, attacked the kingdom of Diara, was defeated and killed in 1512-1513 by a lieutenant of Askia of Gao (Tarikh-el-Fettach).

His son Koli (spelt Kalo) might have taken refuge in the Futa-Toro which was under the control of the Sultan of Wolof. Perhaps he killed the Sultan through a betrayal and took possession of one part of the country, the other part remaining in the hands of the Damel, the “leading Caid of the Sultan of Wolof” (Tarikh-es-Sudan).

To make the facts agree with the traditions, Maurice Delafosse supposed that Koli retired to Badia and the Futa-Djalon after 1512 and founded the Denianke monarchy there in 1534. It is likely that the story about Koli which is narrated in the traditions occurred before that date; either it took place under the joint leadership of Tenguella (the father) and his son Koli (whose memory only has survived) or Koli represented his father in the southern region.

The traditions say that Koli belonged to the Fulani group of the Ururbe (Ba); the Ururbe might have come from Termes and settled first in the Bundu and then near the swamp of Denia from which they took the name of their dynasty.

From Bundu, Koli crossed the Futa-Djalon, going up the Baffing valley, stopped at Tilbo then at Labẻ and finally in the Timbis. He settled temporarily at Gueme-Sangan (the region of Telimele) where can still be seen today the ruins of the stone wall he built. His warriors were can still be seen today the ruins of the stone wall he built. His warriors were Fulani and Malinke and other tribes then living in the Futa (Tyiapi or Cocoli, Baga, Coniagui, Badyaranke, etc).

From Gueme-Sangan, he might have started conquering the countries lying to the north and crossed the River Gambia basin (or probably more to the west). He might have defeated the Mandigo of the region but did not destroy their political supremacy. He might have brought with him the first wave of Fulani invasion into the Garou; and in return might have been arrested and defeated by the Biafad. He might have repelled westward the Serere and made an alliance with the Bour-Sine, one of whose women he might have married, and settled temporarily at Toubacouta.

According to the legend he followed a parakeet holding in its beak a cob of ripe millet (this is unusual during the hot season, except in the wet lands of the River Senegal valley), and reached Futa-Toro. He might have defeated the Bour-ba Wolof the Moors, and brought under his rule the local chiefs, former vassals of Diara. He settled at Goumel and founded the kingdom whose rulers bear after him the Malinke title, Silatigui (the road leader).

So Koli’s memory is associated with two historical facts: the first wave of Fulani invasion in the Futa-Djalon, the pagan “Pullis” (whose infiltration most likely might have started before the 15th century); and the founding of the Fulani Denianke dynasty in the Futa-Toro (which was overthrown by the “Torobe” muslins in 1776).

JEAN SURET- CANALE