Pre-colonial Nigeria Research Articles

Igbo Cultural Diplomacy and Peace Building in Pre-colonial Nigeria

Igbo Cultural Diplomacy and Peace Building in Pre-colonial Nigeria

Post-Colonialism: An in-Depth Look at its Cultural Effects in Nigeria

Nigeria has since its independence experienced post-colonialism, which has shaped its culture in all forms including identity, language, literature, traditions, and even media representation. This paper therefore explored the effect of post-colonialism on Nigerian cultural values and practices. The theoretical underpinnings from Edward Said, Homi Bhabha, and Gayatri Spivak served as the theoretical pillars for analyzing the hybrid identities that emerge from the interaction of these diverse influences of colonial legacy. Nigerian identity is dynamic and complex, with traditions of pre-colonial Nigeria interwoven with colonial customs and values. The dominance of English has influenced Nigerian literature, with authors like Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie using the colonial language to express indigenous themes and challenge colonial narratives. The continuous practice of traditional rites by the Nigerian indigenes, especially in areas like music and festivities shows how Nigerian culture is vibrant and enduring. Thus, the media, especially via Nollywood, have also been seen to provide support in lending a voice to combat stereotyped and negative Western images to construct a more diverse and complex Nigerian society. Drawing from the findings presented in this paper, it can be inferred that post-colonialism in Nigerian culture consists of a constant re-configuration of cultural identity, during which traditional characteristics are maintained, modified and infused with cultural representations from other regions of the globe. This paper further proposed a way forward for future studies to build on the contributions made in this study to explore how globalization and technology has continued to shape the dynamic culture of the post-colonial Nigerian society and other post-colonial African region.

Women and Dynamics of Food Security in Pre-Colonial Nigeria: A Historical Perspectives

Women and Dynamics of Food Security in Pre-Colonial Nigeria: A Historical Perspectives

The Indigenous Logistics System in Africa: The Case of Nigeria, Past to Present

Background: Centuries after its introduction in Africa, the western-style logistics system has not replicated the same results as it has in other parts of the world. The continent continues to grapple with poor logistics infrastructure and low intra-Africa trade at a time when governments in Africa are committed towards the expansion of trade and manufacturing through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. There is a pressing need, therefore, for the development of a logistics system designed for the African socioeconomic environment and the peculiarities of the people. Methods: This paper examines the operations of the Indigenous Logistics Systems (ILS) in pre-colonial Nigeria and its development over time through qualitative data gathered from the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria and a review of literature. Results: ILS in Nigeria is the cultural creation of the people through the efficient management of available resources and the use of indigenous knowledge. The system derives its strengths and effectiveness from its availability, simplicity, affordability, and trust. Conclusions: The paper concludes that if improved with the application of simple technology, ILS has the answers to the challenges of logistics and Supply Chain Management (SCM) in Africa.

New directions for researching and writing African feminist histories

The field of African feminism, particularly Nigerian women, and feminist history, is large and expansive, covering significant topics and innovative methods and sources; yet many areas remain unexplored. In this paper, I investigate the landmarks in scholarship on women and feminist history in Nigeria and make a case for new directions. Women and feminist histories in Nigeria have focused on deconstructing the category of “women” arguing that this category and its corresponding social and cultural characteristics are western inventions. More so, that gender and gender relations were fluid concepts that did not lead to exclusion based on anatomical sex. In addition, other scholars have examined social practices like marriage, bride-price, and child labour while others have attempted critical biographies of elite Lagos women and analyzed the gendered nature of colonialism. I argue that a new research agenda must go beyond these topics in search of themes, methods, and sources to explore untapped sources and rare methodologies to chart a new course in the scholarship on Nigerian women and feminism. Underexplored topics include but are not limited to fame and protest in the pre-colonial era, sexualities scholarship that goes beyond binaries, gender and the environment and technologies of power such as guns in precolonial Nigeria. In terms of sources, new frontiers need to mine orality and oral literature to recover the voices of non– educated women who are not part of Christian cosmopolitan networks, Muslim women whose exploits in women and feminist history have been silenced by excessive attention to Christian women. Literary sources like novels and poetry, and visual evidence from photography have not received critical attention in women and feminist histories of Nigeria. I argue that these new sources and topics will lead to an inclusive history that is mindful of power in the writing of history.

Higher Education in Nigeria: The Development and Problems

The higher education institutions in Nigeria particularly the universities, have drawn a considerable amount of scholarly attention, critics, and sympathizers alike. With so much available documentation, giving a detailed report on the development of higher education in Nigeria will be more appropriate in the form of a book. This paper aims to capture a summarized version of available documentation on the subject. The paper traces briefly the history and development of higher education in Nigeria from colonial to the present (post-colonial) Nigeria. Also, a brief discussion on the methods or systems of education that was present in pre-colonial Nigeria. Universities (public universities) as institutions of higher education shall be the focal point of this paper. This is because they are the point of reference globally whenever the terms higher education or higher institutions are mentioned. For the viability of the nation’s development, efficient performance of the higher education system is required. Therefore, the economic impact and the problems facing the development of higher education were also discussed.

Ancient Niger Delta Trading States, 1884/85 Negative Sovereignty Treaties, Positive International Law, British Colonization & Good Governance towards the Advancement of Civilization in Nigeria

This socio-legal study examines the 1884/85 imperialistic vis-à-vis negative sovereignty treaties of friendship, commerce and protection, simply called treaties of protection, which were entered into by Great Britain and the Ancient Niger Delta Trading States, so as to maintain and strengthen the cordial relations that were existing between the parties. However, positive international law altered the hitherto proto natural law-based equal and cordial relations between the Ancient Niger Delta Trading States and the Western European nations, from the 15th Century AD, when the Portuguese explorers and merchants were dominant in the Niger Delta region, before the arrival of Great Britain and France in the region about the 18th Century AD. Positive international law, enhanced by British gunboat diplomacy associated with it, promoted Western imperialism and thereby enabled Great Britain to achieve her imperialist ambition of transforming the erstwhile naturally sovereign Ancient Niger Delta Trading States and their mainland and hinterland ethnic nationality areas into the 1885 British Protectorate of the Niger Districts. Based on British imperialist protectionism over the Niger Districts and the rest of pre-colonial Nigeria, the entire ethnic nationality areas of pre-colonial Nigeria became a single British colonial possession called the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria, otherwise called modern Nigeria, in 1914. The British colonial government eventually granted political independence to modern Nigeria in October 1960. From the background of the aforementioned 1884/85 negative sovereignty treaties and continuing agitation of separatist groups in post-colonial Nigeria for improvement of their lots, the study makes a case for good governance, boosted by ethos of natural law and the social contract of governance, towards the advancement of civilization in the country.

Problems and Prospects of Almajiri Integration Programme in North West Geo-Political Zone, Nigeria

The term Almajiri in Nigeria is used to describe those children or youths who left their hometowns in search for Islamic education. Unlike pre-colonial Nigeria, the Almajiri system of education flourished and recorded exceptional accomplishment in literacy and social services, but today the system is faced with a myriad of challenges with glaring abnormalities. The aim of this study was, therefore, to conduct an empirical inquiry into the problems and prospects of the integration programme in North West Geo-Political Zone, Nigeria. A total of 240 Almajiris/pupils and 60 mallams/teachers responded to questionnaires designed for the study, while 33 community leaders and school heads were interviewed. The study reveals that authorities are performing below expectations in the area of education, which hinders the achievements of quality education for Nigerian Almajiris. Shortage of qualified teachers in some schools and inadequate numbers of Almajiri integrated schools in North West Nigeria were also recorded. The researchers further discovered that the government is not consistent in its policies and programmes there were a lot of irregularities and corrupt practices in institutionalized education, including the Almajiri Integrated Programme. It is therefore, recommended that the government should be consistent in its policy and programmes for the betterment of its citizens. Authorities’ approach to quality education should be centred on the eradication of corrupt practices. Almajiri Integrated Programme should be handled as introduced by president Goodluck’s Administration.

From Bowls to Arms: The Almajiri School System and the Challenges of Internal Security in Niger State, Nigeria.

Background: insecurity has become a watchword in humanities; social sciences and a societal problem that has led to the destruction of human lives and acquired property worth millions of dollars. Historically, periarticular in pre-colonial Nigeria, practical modalities were put in place and monitored the welfare of the Almajiri children. Unfortunately, this beautiful system was later shortened by western colonialism. The paper x-rayed the nexus between Almajiri and internal security in Niger State, Nigeria.
 Objective: The paper x-rayed the nexus between Almajiri and internal security in Niger State, Nigeria.
 Method: The paper used a survey design in which data were gathered through personal observations by the authors and also the use of an in-depth interview of selected respondents.
 Findings: The study discovered that the cultural practice in which parents especially from the countryside send their children at a very tender age to the cities under the Almajiri school system paves way for the concentration of a large youth cohort with a strong sense of identity in those cities, in which factors such as unfavorable economic, poverty and political atmosphere combines with the prevailing cultural resistance against western education and value system to facilitate the process of radicalizing these youths.
 Implications/Originality/Value: the study argued that it is important for the Nigerian state to come up with a policy for compulsory and free primary and secondary school for all the Almajirai and not in separate schools as it is at present being practiced but in an inclusive one.

‘A son who is a man:’ receptive masculinity in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart

ABSTRACT Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart narrates the contestations of performing masculinity in precolonial Nigeria. Employing ideas by Michael Slote and Judith Butler, I focus on Nwoye’s character to show how Achebe deploys him to undermine social norms. Nwoye refuses to be a man in the traditional sense, thus enacting an alternative subjectivity in conflict with the hegemonic masculinity projected by his father. I argue that Achebe has created a character whose openness defines his relations with others in order to deemphasize the value placed on gender. Nwoye’s embrace of receptivity positions him to reflect on the precariousness around him and identify with the marginalized in society, thus underscoring the perils of enacting and valorizing male hegemony. Achebe’s depiction of receptive masculinity provides a means to reimagine and reconfigure modes of being a man, while reaffirming individual selfhood. This paper contributes to the growing scholarship on men and masculinities in postcolonial and African gender studies.

Quest for Miracle Healing and Prosperity in the New Religious Movements in Nigeria: Its Causal Phenomena

This paper x-rayed in a very precise form the theology of miracle healing and prosperity message expounded by the preachers of the new generation churches in Nigeria. Since however, this title is a bit too vast and ambitious for the limited scope and time of the discourse, the paper, therefore, investigated the salient issues involved in the theology of miracle healing and prosperity message as expounded by the preachers of the new generation churches in the south-east of Nigeria; though south-east/Igboland and Nigeria are used interchangeably. It also investigated how the theology amongst other factors has occasioned the proliferations of new religious movements in Nigeria. Other issues that are connected to the growth of the new religious movements in Nigeria and Igboland in particular examined in this study included the African’s quest for power, cultural identity, ethnic identity, health, and economic emancipation. The purpose of this study is to x-ray the impact of prosperity preaching and quest for miracle in the new religious movements in Nigeria. The findings showed that the import of the new religious movements in Nigeria is occasioned by the excesses of the colonial and missionary overlords in the pre-colonial Nigeria. Findings also indicated that the new religious movements came to fore in Nigeria as a religion of the oppressed in the cultural, social, religious and political spheres. It was developed as a rescue mission to the already degraded religion and tradition of the people. The methods of approach include historical and phenomenological methods. The study however recommends the theology of prosperity and miracle healing as a correct and sound teaching for not just the new religious movements but for all Christian churches in Nigeria. The study equally advocates that it would not be expounded beyond proportion so that the church would not be reduced to a mere miracle centers.

Evolution of Political Institutions and Government in Pre-Colonial Nigeria

Evolution of Political Institutions and Government in Pre-Colonial Nigeria

Overhauling the Contents of Islamic Law Courses in Nigerian Universities: An Overdue Phenomenon

Set on historical context, this paper examines generally the problems hindering the effective learning of Islamic Law (Sharīʻah) in the citadels of learning in Nigeria. In doing this, the paper highlights the history of legal education especially, the high level of teaching and learning of Islamic Law in the pre-colonial Nigeria and the contemporary problems facing quality Islamic legal education due to colonial antipathy for Islamic Law as well as shortcomings in the content of Sharīʻah law curriculum of the Nigerian legal education system. Using doctrinal research method, the paper finds that scanty contents of the Sharīʻah law courses taught to combined law students in Nigerian universities go contrary to the aims and objectives of the founding fathers of the Islamic legal education in Nigeria. To achieve a turn round and improve the situation, the paper recommends the need for overhauling of the contents of all Islamic Law courses in the Nigerian Universities.

British ‘Colonial governmentality’: slave, forced and waged worker policies in colonial Nigeria, 1896–1930

ABSTRACTIn this article, we explore employment policies and practices in Colonial Nigeria, during a period of planned development, from the late 19th to early 20th century. We consider the relationship between colonial government, commerce and development of a labour force against the working experiences and growing aspirations of many colonised locals. Our study draws on Michel Foucault's work on governmentality. We draw on an archive that comprises British government and colonial administrative reports, complimented by a range of official and unofficial documents of the period. There was a coexistence of colonial governmentality through waged labour (a non-traditional practice in precolonial Nigeria), sovereign power through localised rule by traditional leaders and slave labour) and forced labour (introduced by the British). In the Lagos area in particular there was concentration of commercial, administrative and waged employment, with Lagos also the main hub for the organisation of labour and the seeds of resistance to unfair working conditions and colonization among workers dissatisfied in particular with wage and taxation levels. We also use the Foucaudian approach of the deep archive, which captures the interplay between governmental policy and its outcomes, and accounts of the lived experience, as our method of evaluating our research archive.

Nupe Hegemony in Akokoland in the Nineteenth Century: A Study in Local Imperialism in Pre-Colonial Nigeria, 1845-1897

This paper examined the imperial exploits of Nupe among the Akoko communities of Northeast Yorubaland between 1845 and 1897. The study adopted the narrative and analytical methods of historical research. Data for the study was gathered through primary and secondary sources. These involved oral interviews with some community leaders that were purposively selected. Secondary sources like relevant books, journal articles, newspaper publications and internal materials were also consulted. It noted that one major factor that aided Nupe’s successful military imperial raids and subjugation of Akoko area was the lack of unity among the communities. This was itself due to intercommunal warfare in the Akoko region between 1800 and 1845. The wars weakened the local armies and prevented any joint military force against a common enemy, the Nupe. The paper further documented, extensively, the nature of imperial administration established by the Nupe in the Akoko area between 1845 and 1897. Some impacts of Nupe hegemony on Akoko communities during the period of study were also highlighted. The paper concluded that Nupe hegemonic and imperial rule in Akokoland could have continued beyond 1897 if not for the invasion of the British colonial masters.

Factors Affecting Technological Growth in Nigeria and the Way Forward

This paper spotlights Nigeria’s technological antecedence and the factors affecting Nigeria’s technological growth with a view to proffering solution for a robust technological and industrialized structural framework as a way forward to achieving sustainable technological growth. Majorly, due to relegation of useful indigenous technology as a result of distractions, inability to comprehend what actually is the meaning of technology, inability to identify her appropriate technology and the guiding principle for technology transfer, among others have made it vivid that after over fifty years of independence, Nigeria has been depending, in several areas, on foreign nations for her various technological and industrial needs. This research paper relied majorly on information sources, such as government documents, academic journals and articles, conference papers and personal observations and interactions with people carrying this same burden for Nigeria. From the study, colonialism truncated and hindered improvement in the indigenous skills and techniques of the pre-colonial economy. However, the development of indigenous skills and techniques of pre-colonial Nigeria is a pre-requisite to sound technological growth, rather than depending on foreign inputs, which must be properly monitored and developed to set the pace for Nigeria’s industrialization.

Caliphate Expansion and Sociopolitical Change in Nineteenth-Century Lower Benue Hinterlands

Abstract This article analyzes the processes of jihad, migration, and sociopolitical change in the lower Benue hinterlands of nineteenth century central Nigeria. It examines the dynamics at work in the expansion of the territorial, commercial, and symbolic frontiers of the Sokoto caliphate in this sector, as well as the impact commercial and political events spawned by caliphate expansion and consolidation in this area had on the experiences, sociopolitical organization, economies, and institutions of some non-Muslim communities. I explore the nonreligious lives that a religious movement progressively took on as it made its way through this multiethnic, politically diverse region of precolonial central Nigeria, focusing in particular on the experiences of the Agatu, a subset of the Idoma people, with the vagaries of the jihad. The article considers the proactive and reactive responses and adaptations of non-Muslim communities to the intrusions, raids, and demands of Hausa and Fulani Muslims possessing various degrees of caliphate affinities and affiliations. I argue that, although inspired by an expressed desire to construct and extend the frontiers of an ideal Islamic state, the jihad assumed a commercial character in this sector. Characterized by slave raiding and military intrusions, it left profound social and political legacies that those who encountered it had to contend with and adapt to during the tumultuous mid- to late nineteenth century.

Collective memory, coloniality and resource ownership questions: the conflict of identities in postcolonial Nigeria

The indigenous concepts of ‘public’, ‘identity’ and ‘ownership’ of natural resources in precolonial Nigeria were redefined with the evolution of the Nigerian nation state. In Eastern Nigeria, for example, the ‘public’ and ‘national identity’ revolved around small independent communities. These communities, within the ethnic space, owned the resources within their borders. However, the creation of the Nigerian state by British colonialism reconstituted ‘national identity’ and shifted ‘ownership’ from the community to the nation state. Using the framework of collective memory, the article examines identity constructions and ownership of natural resources. The article argues that while the nation state has become the dominant geospatial basis for individual and collective identity, the dynamics of power relations embedded in the Nigerian state since its creation often rehabilitates primordial identities, where communities find expression in resource control agitation. The article utilises both primary and secondary sources in its analysis. It focuses on perceptions of resource ownership among communities of South-eastern Nigeria.

Resistance of Achebe’s ‘Heroes’ Okonkwo and Obi Okonkwo: Defeated in the Flux of Nigerian Society?

This paper analyzes the resistance of Achebe’s two ‘heroes’ Okonkwo, the protagonist of Things Fall Apart, and Obi Okonkwo, the protagonist of No Longer at Ease. While Okonkwo takes up arms to preserve culture and tradition in a “things fall apart society”, Obi Okonkwo’s honesty and his love for Clara remain constant with him and he is “no longer at ease” in the flux of colonial Nigeria. In pre-colonial Nigeria, Okonkwo’s resistance to the white man’s religion, education and technology is defeated and Obi’s desire for a corrupt-free Nigeria fails during British colonial rule. In line with this development, we find Okonkwo’s son converting to Christianity. Eventually, Okonkwo commits suicide realizing that he is going to be defeated. However, the history of resistance does not end here and Okonkwo’s and Obi’s apparent defeats have far-reaching implications for Africa’s subsequent anti-colonial struggle.

Child Slaves in Pre-colonial Nigeria, c.1725–1860

During the eighteenth century, the number of child slaves leaving the ‘Nigerian’ region for the Americas increased and almost doubled after 1820. While the increase reflected shifts in the operations of the Atlantic trade, it also revealed the significance of slavery in pre-colonial Nigerian societies, which historically retained more child slaves than were sold abroad, even when the productivity of some children was uncertain. With a focus on the internal (intra-Nigeria) slave trade, this article examines the attraction of child slaves, their modes of enslavement, treatment and status, and the impact of slavery on children.