Abubakar Garbai left for British Bornu, where the line of
shehus continued to serve as (non-sovereign)
shehus of the
Borno Emirate, a traditional state in
Borno State, Nigeria. Dikwa, which fell under French rule, was placed under a junior branch of the family, beginning with Abubakar Garbai's relative
Sanda Mandarama. Sanda Mandarama's successors continue to rule the separate
Dikwa Emirate as
shehus, also a traditional state in Borno State. The British suggested that Abubakar Garbai take up residence at
Mafoni, though he instead selected
Monguno as his temporary seat, wishing to maintain a degree of independence and separate himself from the British military. The people of Bornu, and Abubakar Garbai himself, appear to initially have been under the impression that the British presence was a temporary affair, though the
shehu agreed to certain British provisions, such as the abolition of
slavery. It was originally intended to rebuild the old al-Kanemi capital at
Kukawa. Abubakar Garbai moved there in 1903 and was invested as
shehu among its ruins by
Frederick Lugard in 1904. The ruined Kukawa was at the time however little more than "one large cornfield" and was no longer located along any major trade routes. The city also had an inadequate water supply and was inconvenient for the British since it was far from their major settlements. On 9 January 1907, Abubakar Garbai instead moved his capital to Yerwa, later called
Maiduguri, which has since remained the capital of the Borno Emirate. == Family tree ==