Pragmatism in the Age of Jihad

Abstract

Without doubt, Gomez has made a great contribution to the understanding of Islam in Bundu. Although a few works have been published on Islam in West Africa, Gomez’s work is a valuable addition. The author begins by locating Bundu on the map of West Africa and explaining the scope of his research and the sources upon which he relies. Gomez attributes the success of Bundu as a state to its pragmatic policies, which, he alleges, were predetermined by its founders. By pragmatism he means: a policy in which the pursuit of commercial and agricultural advantage supersedes all other considerations, to the extent that alliances and rivalries with both neighboring polities and European powers are determined by economic expediency, and are subject to rapid and frequent realignment. (p. 2) Compliance with this policy implies that the foreign and domestic affairs are not based on advancing the claims of Islam, but rather on promoting peaceful coexistence among all groups, be they Muslim or non- Muslim, in Bundu. This book is designed for general readers. The author discusses major issues in Bundu and Senegambia before the imposition of colonial rule and administration. He analyzes critically the significant roles played by Almaamis (the imams) Malik Sy, Buba Malik, Maka Jiba, Amadi Gai, Bokar Saada, and Mamadu Lamine and provides a clear explanation of the Bundu state’s gradual development from the sixteenth century until 1902. He also shows the French administration’s insidious politics of divide and rule in St. Louis, Bakel, and Senegal, which was designed to weaken Bundu by instigating conflict between one imam and another and to control the trade in this area (pp. 95-97). Throughout his analysis, Gomez reiterates cautiously his thesis that Bundu’s leaders were never interested in advancing Islam or establishing a strong Islamic state. Rather, they were “essentially concerned with preservation and commercial expansion of the state” (p. 99). Toward the end of the book, he deals more with the leadership of Bokar Saada, who reigned for a long time despite the lack of popular sup port. Bokar Saada was a leader forced on Bundu by French administrators ...