El Hadj Umar Tall vs Obalokun

El Hadj Umar Tall completed the Hajj to Mecca and was initiated into the Tijaniyya Sufi order. He received authorization from the order's leaders to spread Tijani teachings in West Africa, which became the ideological foundation for his later jihad.

Umar Tall launched a military campaign against the Bambara kingdom of Kaarta, defeating its forces and incorporating the territory into his growing Toucouleur Empire. This victory established his reputation as a military leader and expanded his control over the Senegal River region.

Umar Tall's forces captured the Bambara capital of Segou after a prolonged siege. The conquest of this major city solidified his control over the Niger River valley and marked the peak of Toucouleur territorial expansion.

Umar Tall died during a rebellion in the Macina region, reportedly killed by an explosion of his own gunpowder stores at the village of Tijaniya. His death led to the fragmentation of the Toucouleur Empire and succession struggles among his sons.

Obalokun established diplomatic and commercial relations with Portuguese traders along the coast. He allowed European merchants to enter Oyo territory and trade for slaves, ivory, and pepper. This opened Oyo to the Atlantic slave trade, which would become a major source of wealth and power for the empire.

Obalokun is credited with significantly expanding and reorganizing Oyo's cavalry, importing horses from the north. This military reform made Oyo's army one of the most powerful in the region, enabling future conquests and the empire's expansion into a major power.