Question

the sokoto caliphate, established in the early 19th century by usman dan fodio, spanned parts of present-day nigeria, niger, and cameroon, and was founded on the principles of religious reform and social justice. usman dan fodio, a fulani scholar and religious leader, initiated a jihad against the hausa kingdoms, which he perceived as corrupt and un - islamic. his movement was not merely a military conquest but also a socio - religious revolution that sought to purify islam and implement sharia law; among his most famous achievements was the introduction of sharia - based administrative reform, which required that judges and regional leaders be chosen for their islamic knowledge and personal piety rather than inherited status.
1 mark for review
which choice best states the function of the passage in the context of nigerian history?
a it introduces an organization and its motivating ideology, outlines actions of one of its leaders, and then highlights consequences of actions motivated by said ideology.
b it presents geographic information regarding the sokoto caliphate, discusses a cultural revival, and then concludes by tracing the economic consequences of the movement.
c it begins with a theological dispute, shifts to a description of its geographic extent, and then discusses a related reform that addressed potential inequalities.
d it elaborates on guiding motivations of a society’s founder, provides a brief autobiographical statement of the founder, and then demonstrates the results of that motivation.

Explanation:

• Option A: The passage introduces the Sokoto Caliphate (organization) and its ideology (religious reform, social justice), outlines Usman dan Fodio's action (jihad, administrative reform), and highlights the consequence of the ideology (leaders chosen for knowledge/piety, not status). This matches the passage's content.
• Option B: The passage does not discuss economic consequences or a cultural revival focused on economics, so B is incorrect.
• Option C: The passage starts with the establishment of the caliphate, not a theological dispute, so C is incorrect.
• Option D: There is no autobiographical statement from the founder; the passage is about the caliphate and the founder's actions, not a personal account, so D is incorrect.

Answer:

A. It introduces an organization and its motivating ideology, outlines actions of one of its leaders, and then highlights consequences of actions motivated by said ideology.