A Literary Review Of The Medieval Arabic Writings On Kanem - Borno

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Abstract

Consequent upon thè need of Arab - Muslim rulers to acquire information such as would assist in handling commercial and politicai relations with some Islamic empires situated at Africa South of Sahara, Arab geography and history developed in thè 7,h Century. Arab geographers. travellers, and traders produced a corpus of literary works in Arabie, which later became thè primary source of eariy African historiography. In spite of thè tremendous significance of these Arabie writings, to thè reconstnictkm of African history, with particular reference to Kanem Bomo, some lìmitations abound in thè works, bome out of technical reasons. This has made thè writings lo be scarcely considered for historical materials sensu strido. This paper examines some cf ire technical rrrblems associated with these literary writings in historiographical perspectives as il icbtes to Kanem Bomo Empire.

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