Ashimi became Shehu of Borno in 1885 at the death of his brother Ibrahim Kura. As it had already been the case for his two predecessors, his reign was marked by an intense political and economical crisis in Kukawa.^[1] Parfait-Louis Monteil, a French army officer who met Ashimi in 1891, believed that he had little direct involvement with the running of the kingdom; he also reported that the Shehu seemed pious, rather scholarly, and was someone who hated the thought of war.^[2][3]

In 1893, Ashimi lost two battles against Rabih az-Zubayr who was trying to invade Borno. His nephew Kyari, who was chosen to become the new Shehu, assassinated him in N'galagati near Geidam.^[4]

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• Kanuri Studies Association