Di tori of West Africa fight for freedom no go complete if dem no put Samory Toure for di center of am.

African history books dey see Toure from different angle, each one dey show di different side of him strong character.

Some people dey call am "warrior king" because of di glory wey him military success bring. Others dey call am "empire builder" because of how e sabi join people together and set up government for big areas. Many people just dey call am "hero" because of di big impact wey him life get for him people.

But to really understand wetin Toure mean for West African history, you go need sabi how all dis things join together to make am di powerful person wey e be.

Di beginning of di legend

Toure no just sabi fight war; him military skill na di shield wey protect West Africa freedom. Him empire-building no just dey about power; e show say African people fit get their own way of government even as colonial powers dey try take over. Him heroism no just dey about courage; e represent di spirit of resistance wey inspire plenty generations for West Africa.

Di 70 years wey Toure live — from 1830 to 1900 — dey full of action, inspiration, and e shape di history of modern West Africa well well.

Anti-colonial roots

Before colonial powers begin draw line for Africa anyhow, West Africa dey as one big region wey people fit waka freely. Na for dis time for di 1800s, France start to dey push hard to control di area, wey later dem go call French West Africa. Dis colonial area include countries like Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, and Côte d'Ivoire.

As France dey push enter West Africa, na Toure lead di first group of people wey stand up to resist dem.

Trader wey turn warrior

Toure na from Kankan for Guinea e come, and as e still dey young, e follow him papa footsteps as trader. At di same time, e dey learn Islamic education, wey e use join di principles of religion with him business.

But for 1853, di Cisse clan kidnap him mama during one of di raids wey dem dey do to find slaves. Toure sacrifice himself, offer to become slave to di Cisse leader so dem go free him mama.

Even though dem later free him mama, di experience change Toure life. For di time wey e dey as slave, e study Quran well and learn how to fight under di guidance of di local chiefs.

After seven years, dem free Toure, and na from there e begin show as leader. E return to him homeland for Guinea, gather people from di Camara clan, and start to build him strong army.

Him power dey grow

Toure train di people wey e gather with military skills and Islamic education. Him territory begin expand, cover big parts of eastern Guinea. E promote him friends and family to leadership positions for him army.

Him influence no stop for Guinea; e reach Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Côte d'Ivoire. Him army dey grow well well.

Weapons and strategy

By di time France wan take over West Africa by force, Toure army don reach 65,000 soldiers. E use him power import weapons from Sierra Leone, wey dey under British rule that time. E even set up him own firearms factory with help from some British and French soldiers wey no dey happy with their government.

Toure capture gold mines near Guinea border with Sierra Leone, wey give am more resources to fight.

Back to di old ways

Toure plan to bring back di old Mali Kingdom wey dey from di 1200s to di 1600s. E use plenty resources to promote Islamic education for West Africa to make people believe in him mission.

Di "Napoleon of Africa"

Toure efforts make Islam spread fast for Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Liberia for di late 19th century. For 1881, di French try to scatter Toure empire but dem no expect di kind fight wey him army give dem. Dem call am "Napoleon of Africa" because of di way e fight.

But di French no gree; dem come back two years later. By dis time, di Berlin Conference wey divide Africa don dey plan to limit Toure power.

Di fight between Toure army and di French last for two years, and plenty people die for both sides. Di French lose big for Bure, Sierra Leone, for 1885.

Agreements and retreat

Di fight end for 1886 when Toure sign three agreements with di French. For one of di agreements, e give up control of Sierra Leone and later Niger. By 1891, di French attack Toure again, and e lose di most important parts of Guinea, including di capital, Conakry.

Toure retreat go Côte d'Ivoire and later Liberia.

Weakened army

By 1898, Toure and him army dey for Liberian forest to fight di French again. But hunger and people wey dey run from di army weaken dem. By May 1, di French capture Toure and carry am go Gabon, where e die for June 1900.

Toure legacy no die; him great-grandson, Ahmed Sekou Toure, later lead Guinea to independence and become di first president.