Authenticating History With Oral Narratives: The Example of Ekajuk Clan in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

It is generally accepted that oral narratives serve as a veritable means for historical reconstruction. This holds true, particularly in societies where written documents do not subsist. The Ekajuk community, though very warlike, is a relatively small community that lacks a written history. The attempt to reconstruct the history of their migrations and settlements up to present day has necessitated this write-up which is intended to serve as a reference point for future historical or anthropological work in the area. The write-up is further expected to serve as a historical record for the teaching of Ekajuk history in Primary and Secondary schools in the area. Through interviews and oral renditions, the writer has traced Ekajuk movements and their supposed ancestors from Zululand in East Africa, through the Cameroon republic, to their present location in Nigeria. The exercise however, requires painstaking sifting of oral narratives to synthesize with oral information provided by elders in order to get a historical view-point. It is however, rewarding in the end.