This paper examines pre-Kanuri Borno societies focusing more on the „So‟ that were not given much relevance historically. It is in this view that the paper attempts to examine the place of the pre-Kanuri inhabitants of Borno in the history of the area and bring to the fore their contributions to human civilization, particularly in the Chad Basin Area before the arrival of the Sayfawa into Borno. It appears like the history of Borno started only with the coming of the Sayfawa into the area as documented in most reference materials. The „So‟ were the most notable pre-Kanuri inhabitants of Borno. Perhaps there were many ethnic groups who probably dispersed to other locations in the Benue Valley, Bauchi Plateau and some parts of Hausa land. These groups of people left some imprints in terms of civilization that we are able to understand through archaeological and ethnographical researches. The Method that was adopted in writing this paper is documentary analysis, using a multidisciplinary approach that cut across history, ethnography, archaeology and oral tradition. Data collected were critically analysed and interpreted. Findings revealed that the area was well inhabited long before the arrival of the Sayfawa, although, little was known about the pre-Kanuri inhabitants due to lack of enough sources to contend with. In conclusion, the area is noted for a civilization that flourished for thousands of years. As such, there is the need for more research on the area to reveal more on the pre-Kanuri Sayfawa people.