ancestors
conquered this area less than two centuries ago in a jehad led by Othman
Dan. Since then, you Fulani have feudalistically dominated the Hausa,
but that is coming to an end."

The Emir had come to his feet again, in his rage, and now he towered
over the table behind which the two sat as though about to physically
attack them. "You speak as fools," he raged.

"Are you so stupid as to believe that these matters you have brought up
are understandable to my people? Have you ever seen my people?" He
sneered in a caricature of humor. "My people in their grass and bush
huts? With not one man in a whole village who can add sums higher than
those he can work out on his fingers? With not one man who can read the
English tongue, nor any other? Would you explain to these the matters of
transferring gold to the Zuerich banks? Would you explain to these what
is involved in accepting dash from road contractors and from politicians
in Lagos?"

He sneered at them again. "And do you realize that I am church as well
as state? That I represent their God to my people? Do you think they
would take your word against _mine_, their Kudo?"

In talking, he had brought a certain calm back to himself. Now he felt
reassured at his own words. He wound it up. "You are fools to believe my
people could understand such matters."

"Then actually, you don't deny them?"

"Why should I bother?" the Emir chuckled heavily.

"That you have taken for personal use the large sums granted this area
from a score of sources for roads, hospitals, schools, sanitation,
agricultural modernization?"

"Of course I don't deny it. This is my land. I am the Kudo, the Emir,
the Galadima Dawakin. Whatever I choose to do in Kano and to all my
people is right because I wish it. Schools? I don't want them corrupting
my people. Hospitals for these Hausa serfs? Nonsense! Roads? They are
bad for they allow the people to get about too easily and that leads to
their exchanging ideas and schemes and leads to their corruption. Have I
appropriated all such sums for my own use? Yes! I admit it. Yes! But you
cannot prove it to such as my people, you who represent my son. So
be-gone from Kano. If you are here tomorrow, you will be arrested by the
same men of my bodyguard who even now seek my son, Alhaji Fodio. When he
is captured, it will be of interest to revive some of the methods of
execution of my ancestors."

The Emir turned on his heel to stalk from the room but th