spiritual guidance and sometimes financial assistance (11). However, these contacts were largely on a personal level, as they had no noticeable impact in Northern Nigeria. The claim that Sayyid Abd al-Rahman was planning to unite the Mahdists in Sudan and Nigeria into a fighting front against imperialism was unlikely and did not align with Sayyid's strategy of adhering to constitutional legitimacy. This exaggeration of the Mahdist threat appears to be largely driven by the desire of British officials in Sudan and Nigeria to get rid of "Wellesley's" tolerant stance towards the New Mahdiya (12), which had been prevalent in the Sudan government's policy since the Great War. Sayyid Abd al-Rahman tried in vain to announce himself to the Arab world. For example, in 1926, he asked the authorities for permission to perform the Hajj to Mecca. Since the Sultan of "Najd" had just taken control of the holy sites, the Sayyid, it seems, wanted to present himself there as if he were the recognized delegate or representative of the Sudanese nation, but the authorities refused his request. They did, however, allow him to announce that he had voluntarily abandoned the idea because the project was less risky and too costly (18).

1927-1944 The Economic and Political Development of the New Mahdiya Sayyid Abd al-Rahman al-Mahdi was also shrewd enough to realize that political power requires financial capability. Since the Great War, he had shown interest in work, trade, and especially agriculture. The government registered in 1915, in the name of the Mahdi's heirs, plots of land in Giza Aba containing rich forests, as another reward for his services. By 1926, the Sayyid had amassed a considerable amount of money by obtaining timber contracts, the Sudd dam works, and cotton cultivation. In mid-1926, as a result of his heavy family obligations, the Sayyid went bankrupt and requested a loan of 4,500 Egyptian pounds from the government. Fortunately for Sayyid Abd al-Rahman, the government had decided at that time to adopt a new policy to counter his growing political and religious influence. The most important aspect of that policy was the government's decision to make Sayyid Abd al-Rahman a wealthy capitalist by supporting his agricultural projects in the Blue and White Nile regions, on the grounds that he would be preoccupied with making money and would forget his political and religious claims. In his preface to this policy, John Maffey recorded, "The loan he requested, which turned into a gift, was considered, as was the offer of specialized expertise in technology and agriculture (19).

In addition to the generous assistance provided by the government, the competent management of the Sayyid's agricultural projects was another factor in their success. It was fortunate that many who supervised his commercial affairs, such as Abd Allah al-Fadil and Muhammad