Why did Bornu resist the Fulani jihad?

Bornu resisted the Fulani jihad primarily because its leaders and scholars rejected the ideological justification used by Usman dan Fodio and his followers.12

While the Fulani reformers argued that the jihad was necessary to overthrow rulers who mixed Islam with traditional practices, the clerical class in Bornu possessed its own long-standing Islamic traditions. A distinguished scholar and statesman, Muhammad al-Kanami, emerged as the leader of this resistance. He challenged the Fulani assertion that they held a unique right to interpret Muslim law, arguing that jihad was not an acceptable tool to use against other Muslims, even those accused of backsliding.1234

Under al-Kanami’s leadership, Bornu mounted a spirited national defense that successfully turned the tide against the Fulani forces by 1811, effectively preserving the kingdom's independence from the Fulani Empire.14