Esapa Korina (horse covering), unrecorded Nupe artist

In the 11th century, African leaders brought Islam into the lives of people living in what is now Nigeria, Niger, and Chad. In 1804, Fulani religious reformer Uthman dan Fodio formed the Sokoto Caliphate. This caliphate was an expansive Islamic empire that incorporated multi-cultural Hausa city-states and centers inhabited by Nupe and Yoruba people, many of whom were Muslims or practiced multiple faiths. The Sokoto Caliphate exemplified the urban cosmopolitanism of many West African cities. Often, royalty of the Sokoto Caliphate patronized male weavers, tailors, and embroiderers who created a range of stunning textiles in the style of this horse covering.
Saddle blankets are emblems of royalty used by elite Hausa and Nupe men during equestrian travel and special processions during Islamic holidays. The bright colors, intricate decoration, and intensive labor of its creation signal the wealth, status, and personality of the rider. This example was used by the His Royal Highness Alhaji Sanda Ndayako, the Etsu Nupe (King) of the Bida Emirate in northern Nigeria.