The empire was originally established as a federation of Mandinka tribes called the Manden Kurufa ( literally Manden Federation ) .
Empire later became an empire ruling millions of people from nearly every ethnic group imaginable in West Africa .
The empire was originally established as a federation of Mandinka tribes called the Manden Kurufa ( literally Manden Federation ) , but it later became an empire ruling millions of people from nearly every ethnic group imaginable in West Africa .