THE SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE ARAB NOMADS IN PRE-COLONIAL WADAI

ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to discuss the social conditions of the Arabs in the Sultanate of Wadai in the pre-colonial period. The paper takes off by considering the setting of wadai, which offers brief note on the land and people of the polity; it then proceeds to trace the evolution of the sultanate, the immigration of the Arabs into the polity and, further examines the social conditions of the Arabs therein. Finally, the conclusion attempts to draw out some of the results of this study i.e. a peaceful co-existence was forged between the people of the Sultanate and the Arabs and this by extension culminated with the social integration of the Arabs into the state and society of Wadai in the period covered by this study.