His resistance ended an 18-year truce and continued until the fall of the Caliphate in 1903, cementing Kebbi's independence as an irreversible reality.
Under Nabame's uncle, Muhammadu Hodi, the Kebbawa waged fierce resistance against Gwandu, the vassal state of the Caliphate overseeing the area.
The Gwandu forces found Karari seated on his shield, holding his rosary in a posture of prayer, and killed him.
He quickly gained favour and trust in Sokoto, particularly with Caliph Ali Babba (r. 1842–1859), who reportedly regarded him as a son.
His revolt quickly gained momentum, with support coming in from his Kebbawa kinsmen and his father's former allies in Arewa and Zabarma.
A combined army from Gwandu and Sokoto attempted to capture Nabame's Argungu but was ultimately forced to retreat.
The Kebbawa frequently organised raiding parties and engaged in guerrilla warfare, preventing the Caliphate from ever fully subduing them.
[2][7][8][9][10] Yakubu Nabame came to be revered among the Kebbawa who regard him as "a heroic figure, like Wallace or Bruce, who snapped the fetters of servitude and led his people back to dignity and freedom".