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{{Short description|Honorific title meaning "great leader" or "great king"}}
'''Lamido''' (Adlam: {{lang|ff|𞤂𞤢𞤥𞤭𞤣𞤮}}, pl. '''lamibe''' {{lang|ff|𞤂𞤢𞤥𞤭𞤦𞤫}} or '''lamidos''') is the [[Anglicisation]] of a term from the [[Fula language]] or Fulfulde, used to refer to a [[ruler]].  In the language it is properly '''''laamiiɗo''''' ({{lang|ff|𞤂𞤢𞥄𞤥𞤭𞥅𞤯𞤮}}, pl. ''laamiiɓe'' {{lang|ff|𞤂𞤢𞥄𞤥𞤭𞥅𞤩𞤫}}), derived from the verbal root ''laamu-'' meaning "leadership", and hence may be translated more specifically as "leader". The title ''laamiiɗo'' is higher in rank than ''laamɗo'', which means simply a "leader" or "king". Therefore, "laamiiɗo" means a "great king" or "great leader". It has been used by the traditional leaders of certain Fulani emirates in West Africa, originally as head of confederations of ruling and subordinate (often vassal) states. Its use persists within a number of post-colonial republics.

The word may have its origins from the old [[Serer people|Serer]] title ''[[lamane]]'' (or ''laman'') which means master of the land, inheritor or heir in old Serer (Fula and [[Serer language|Serer]] are closely related languages). The Lamans were the [[States headed by Serer Lamanes|ancient Serer kings]] before the fall of the Serer lamanic class in the 14th century. The Fula title ''Lam Toro''—who later became leaders of [[Futa Toro]], originated from the Serer title ''Laman''.<ref>The Seereer Resource Centre, ''Seereer Lamans and the Lamanic Era'' (2015) [in] The Seereer Resource Centre, [https://www.seereer.com/laman]</ref>

==States where the title "lamido" was used==
Examples of [[Fula jihads#Fulani jihad states|Fulani Jihad state]]s:
*[[Bauchi Emirate]], since its foundation in 1805.
*[[Adamawa Emirate]] (Fombina), since its foundation in 1809.
*[[Bibemi]], since its 1770 foundation, until the higher Muslim title [[Sultan]] was assumed.

==Compound title==
*'''Laamiiɗo juulɓe''' 'Emir of the Muslims ({{lang|ff|𞤂𞤢𞥄𞤥𞤭𞥅𞤯𞤮 𞤶𞤵𞥅𞤤𞤦𞤫}}, lit. ''those who pray'')' was a title, alongside the proper Arabic ''[[Amir al-Mu´minin]]'' (which was maintained), of the [[Imam]] [[`Usuman dan Muhammad Fodio]], the original leader of the largest of the [[Fula jihads]] (conquests by the Fula people in the name of spreading [[Islam]]) in [[Sokoto (city)|Sokoto]], the home state of the leader of the [[Fulbe jihad]], whose heirs (since 1817) adopted the title [[Amir al-Mu'minin|Sarkin Musulmi]] and became known as [[Sultan of Sokoto]], still considered the paramount ruler of traditional Islamic people in Nigeria
*'''Baban-Lamido''' in [[Adamawa Emirate|Adamawa]] (now partially in [[Cameroon]]) since its foundation in 1809

==Sources and references==
{{reflist}}
*[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Nigeria_native.html WorldStatesmen- here Nigerian Traditional states]
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[[Category:Royal titles]]
[[Category:Fula language]]
[[Category:Monarchs]]


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