Wadelai

Wadelai was a fort and administrative post located in the Lado Enclave, on the west bank of the Upper Nile in what is now South Sudan. It was founded in 1888 by Emin Pasha, the Governor of Equatoria, during the Mahdist War. Wadelai served as his base of operations and a refuge for those fleeing the conflict.

Following Emin Pasha's departure on the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition, Wadelai continued to be a significant administrative center under the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. It was strategically important due to its location along the Nile River and its potential for agricultural development. The area surrounding Wadelai was fertile and suitable for cultivation, and the fort was intended to act as a center for trade and agriculture.

Wadelai remained under Anglo-Egyptian control until the end of the Lado Enclave in 1910 when it was incorporated into the Uganda Protectorate. The population was largely relocated to other areas within Uganda, including the West Nile region. The site's significance declined following the transfer, and the name Wadelai is less well-known today. While it was a point of relative stability and governance for a period during a turbulent time, it faded from prominence shortly thereafter.