Where does “wali” come from?

wali (Hausa) comes from Arabic وال, from Arabic وَلِيَ — to administer, to govern; to be near, to govern.

wali (Hausa): vizier a traditional title

Definitions

  1. vizier a traditional title

Ancestry of “wali”, step by step

wali traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Arabic وال

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Arabicوالregent, governor, prefect of a province;...
2Arabicوَلِيَto administer, to govern; to be near, to govern

via Arabic وَلِيّ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Arabicوَلِيّnear; custodian, protecter, helper
Every word from Arabic وَلِيَEvery word from Arabic وال