Dawud Nikalemi

Dawud, called Nikalemi, was a son of mai Ibrahim I Nikale and succeeded his half-brother Idris I as mai of Kanem in about 1353. Taking the throne over Idris's many sons provoked civil war, and the Sayfawa split into the Dawudid and Idrisid branches.

Dawud was the first mai to face the Bilala invading from the east; they defeated him, seized the capital Njimi and killed him at Melfala near Lake Fitri about 1363. His death began a centuries-long conflict between the Sayfawa and the Bilala. He was succeeded by his son Uthman I.