OBA AND HER NEIGHBORS IN ANAMBRA STATE: A STUDY IN INTER-GROUP RELATIONS 1900-1977

Inter-group relation is not an entirely new field in historiography. Scholars of different backgrounds have expressed divergent views on changes that have occurred in this area of study. Oba and her neighbours appear to enjoy some peaceful and harmonious relationship with their neighbours, through their social interactions and economic relations, especially, through cultural festival, marriage, trade and agriculture, though not without occasional skirmishes. Given the nature of their relationship, this study investigates the factors at play in the society in the face of growing conflict in Igboland and Nigeria at large. Two factors account for the changes in the contour and dynamics of relations between the people. This inter-alia includes colonial rule in the area beginning from 1911-1960 and the Nigeria Civil war, 1967-1970. The study examines the issues intrinsic in the changes brought by the two episodes to the form of relationship existing between Oba and her neighbours.  The main aim of this research amongst other things; is to contribute to a more Understanding of inter-group relations between Oba and Her Neighbours, sustain and maintain the peaceful relationship between Oba and Her Neighbours, and also to help the younger generation have a mental picture of Oba community and Her neighbours, both in Nigeria and in diaspora. The main source of collecting data was oral information from interviews that were carried out on different people from Oba and her neighboring towns. Secondary sources such as books, journals and unpublished projects/works were equally used. All the evidence collected from primary and secondary sources were placed side by side for comparison or contrast and analyzed to ascertain their historical validity. The work concludes that, in spite of the marked changes brought on the society mainly through colonial administrative reorganisation, Western education, Christianity and the Nigeria Civil war, the people have maintained mutual relationship as people that share common ancestry.

 

 

The concept of inter-group relations has received various scholarly interpretations and definitions. These definitions point to interaction between two or more groups. A. E. Afigbo, writes of inter-group relations as one that presupposes contact and interaction between groups, each of which has an identity, to make some input into the relationship¹. Sheriff and Sheriff (1969, p. 88) defines inter-group relations as the state of friendship or hospitality, corporation or competition, dominance or subordination. It also has to do with alliance and their respective members². Jones M. Jaja also describes inter-group relations as the relations, or interactions between two or more groups of people. Inter-group relations refer to both individual’s interactions involving members from different groups and the collective behavior of groups in interaction with other groups at either intra or inter. 

Conceptually, group here refers to units of people who possess distinct homogeneous language and cultures like the Hausa and Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba, Isoko amongst others. He went further and classified inter-group relations in to six types; assimilation, pluralism, amalgamation, segregation, explosion and genocide³. A simple definition of pluralism can be sited in Merriam wester dictionary as a situation in which people of different social classes, religions, races, etc. are together in a society but continue to have their traditions and interests. Pluralism occurs when each group retains its identity while peacefully and respectfully existing with other groups.  Harry Eckstein termed pluralism or plural society as a society divided by segmented cleavage. Pluralism exists where political divisions fellow very closely special concerned lines of objectives salient in a society. Segmented cleavages may be of a religious ideological, regional, cultural, ethnic or racial nature⁴. 

Jonas M. Jaja described pluralism as a framework of interaction in which groups show sufficient respect and tolerance of one another and they fruitfully co-exist and interact without conflict or assimilation⁵. For the purpose of this study, the focus is on the intergroup relations; Oba and Her Neighbours. 

In the study of pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial history of Obaland, there is no doubt that no group of people can live in isolation of the other, and no state or region can completely ignore their neighbours. Inter-group relation is as old as man and very pertinent for human survival. It should be stressed that in pre-colonial Igbo society, there were relationship amongst the Igbo groups. This relationship occurred in different ways such as political, social and cultural, religious and economic. Oba and Her Neighbours, the focus of this research, is one of the groups that is geographically located in Igboland, Eastern Nigeria. 

Oba has nine quarters namely, Urueze, Umuogali, Isu, Okuzu, Abime, Ogwugwu, Ogbenwe, Aboji, and Ezelle. It is situated at the Northern part of Anambra state bounded by Idemili River and the neighboring towns of Ukpor and Umuoji in the North. Ekulu River and the towns of Oraifite and Akwa-ukwu in the South. Ojoto and Ichi in the East. Ose River and the towns of Obosi and Odekpe in the West. Oba is approximately eight kilometers to Onitsha via Enugu/Onitsha express way in Anambra state of Nigeria⁶. 

The people are predominantly farmers and hunters. They also engage in the production of palm wine, palm oil, kernel, yam, cocoyam and so on. They also rear animals such as fowl and goat, all of which provide them means of livelihood. Agriculture in the area was more of subsistence than commercial farming. Oba and her neighbours (Oraifite, Obosi, Umuoji, Okwuzu, have had one form of interaction or the other. The interactions have been in the area of economics or trade relations, social and political relations. These relations manifest through marriages, cultural activities and wars. The interactions have been peaceful sometimes and hostile at other times. 

Inter-group Relations 

On Inter-group relations Afigbo writes that "it is now known that different Nigerian ethnic cultural groups sought through their rich traditions of origin and through accounts of the rise and expansion of their social and political system, to preserve inter alia, their perceptions of the relationship which existed, between them and their neighbours⁷. Nonetheless, among Oba and Her neighbours, relations can be established through common historical origin, ancestry or factors of a common language, customs, religion and traditional belief system, trade and festivals, among others. These factors bind the people closely together but can also trigger them to war. Through war (intra/inter-ethnic or communal) contacts were also created. Most communities in Igboland came in to contacts through different movements. For instance, Oba and Her Neighbours, the focus of this research have benefited in the course of their social, political, economic and cultural ways.

Oba and her Neighbours, constitute a group of communities in Igboland located in present day Anambra state, Nigeria. From precolonial period, these group of people have lived in harmony, interacted and cooperated in various ways in their relationship. The origin of their co-existence is difficult to establish because of the paucity of written record during the period. Vital information in this regard has been passed down orally through generations. The essence of this research is to carry out research in to their interaction in order to know how they responded to the challenges they encountered in the course of this inter-group relations. 

Overtime, certain events affected relations amongst the people. One of these is the problem arising from boundaries and landmarks. The others include colonial rule that have brought far-reaching changes in the area. Another essential factor was the Nigeria civil war which affected the nature of relationship amongst the people. The nature and form of relationship and interaction amongst the people had been under studied. Hence, there is little or no literature works on the area, with special regard to inter-group relations. Because of the absence of any serious research on inter-group relations from the period (1900-1977) in the area, knowledge of the relations between the people was lacking. This makes the reconstruction of the history of interaction between Oba and Her neighbours a herculean task. This research therefore seeks to address these challenges such as non-availability of documentary evidence, paucity of written records on this subject. It also intends to bridge the gap on inter-group relationship between Oba and Her Neighbours in order to promote peaceful co-existence with them.        

The aim of this research is to help contribute to an understanding of inter-group relations between Oba and her neighbours. While the objectives of this study among other things are;

This project is relevant because of reference source material for scholars who would like to engage in further research on inter-group relations in Nigeria. The researcher hopes to interpret the relations from a historical point of view and lay particular emphasis on the social impact of inter-group relation. It will portray the changes in the dimension of the relations over the period under study. This research will be useful to policy makers and analysts, government administrators, peace builders and as many people that are passionate and willing to enhance their knowledge. 

The study centres around Oba and Her neighbours within the period of (1900-1977). 1900 marks the beginning of the twentieth century and terminates in 1977 with the landmark event of the coronation of His Royal Majesty, Igwe Peter Chukwuma Ezenwa (Eze Okpoko 1), the very first Igwe of Oba. 

 Amongst the challenges encountered during the project included the uncooperative attitude of some interviewees/informants who for some undisclosed reasons did not want to reveal relevant information on the subject matter. Also, there were certain logistic challenges encountered by the researcher during fieldwork for data collection. Beside the roads, were in bad state, thereby making travels and visits to informants cumbersome, difficult and expensive. What is more there was the challenge of financial difficulty in an effort to accomplish the task of the research. Nevertheless, the quest for knowledge and the zeal to successfully complete the research work, helped to overcome most of the challenges.  The fuel subsidy removal this year also heightened the transportation difficulty to and from the research area                                                                     

The term inter-group relations refer to both individual interactions involving members from different groups and the collective behavior of groups in interaction, at either the intra or inter-communal level. While a community is seen as a group of people sharing a common understanding and often the same language, laws, mores and/or traditions.

 Jones M. Jaja describes inter-group relations as the relations, or interactions between two or more groups of people. Inter-group relations refer to both individual’s interactions involving members from different groups and the collective behavior of groups in interaction with other groups at either intra or inter⁸. 

"Research Methods in History", written by Jaja M. and Adagogo-Brown E. is a valuable resource book, for anyone embarking on a journey into historical research. This comprehensive guide covers the methodology used by historians to gather and analyze information to understand the past. One of the strengths of this book is its clear and accessible writing style. It starts by explaining why historical research is important and how to formulate research questions effectively. It then delves into the practical aspects of collecting historical data, whether through archives, interviews.

One of the standout features of the book is its emphasis on source evaluation. It provides valuable guidance on how to assess the reliability and relevance of historical sources, a crucial skill for any historian or history student. The book goes beyond the basics, offering insights into different research methods used by historians, from document analysis to surveys, ensuring that readers have a well-rounded understanding of historical research approaches. Moreover, 'Research Methods in History' offers practical tips on presenting research findings effectively. Clear communication of historical research is just as important as the research itself, and this book recognizes that fact. 'Research Methods in History' is a highly recommended resource for students, researchers, and anyone interested in conducting historical research. It equips readers with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the fascinating world of uncovering and interpreting the past⁹."

 C.N Chiokwe in his book "Oba Community Social Structure". stressed the origin, migrations, traditions of Oba people. He was able to trace the origin of Oba and the Igbo as a whole to have migrated from Israel, which has been debunked by resent researcher. Chiokwe did a wonderful job in breaking down the customs and traditions of Oba people. In a nut-shell his work centred on the background, nature, political organization and way of life of the people. Nevertheless, Chiokwe's work never emphasize on how Oba related or interacted with her neighbours over time, which is the major focus of this present work¹⁰. The trend now is to look inwards for the migration of groups from one area of Africa to the other depending on the circumstances. 

Another book that is useful to this work is Nwanko Tony Nwaegeigwe's, "The Igbo's and their Nri Neighbours". This is a study in the politics of Igbo culture and origin. It discussed the Nri factor in the history of Oba. His work adds to the general understanding of the dynamics of the origin and history of Oba people, but falls short of any detail with respect to inter-group relations between Oba and her neighbours during the period under review, though it is not the focus of this work, but it has relevant information¹¹.

A. E. Afigbo in his book, "The Igbo and their Neighbours; Inter-Group Relations in South Eastern Nigeria to 1953, explained the nature and forms of relationship between the Igbo of eastern Nigeria and Her neighbours. Afigbo gave some detailed information concerning factors that propelled these interactions such as, trade, need for human labour, cultural festivals etc. In his words, often times these interactions led to diplomatic treaties between communities as a way of bringing a lasting peace. It could also be inter-marriage between the royal families to seal their agreements or friendship with blood covenant. He further pointed out that, the need for a community to interact with her neighbours is very vital and pertinent¹².

Also, another book from the same author; "Ropes of Sand: Studies in Igbo History and Culture", mentions the historical origin, migration and settlement of Oba and its neighbours. This book provides limited details on the relationship that existed between these people. However, the book provides the researcher with insights into the legends of origin, migration and settlement which reflect in the oral traditions of the peoples of the area¹³.

A.G, Hopkins in his book, An Economic History of West Africa¹⁴. Emphasized on economic history, the origin, trade routes and the level of African involvement in trade. With the aid of his work, the researcher was able to obtain the source of origin of crops such as maize, cassava, cocoyam, plantain amongst others. Hopkins added that, they could have been introduced in similar way from the same area. Meanwhile, cassava has its origin from South America, he further traced the routes of diffusion to West Africa: Through a direct route from Brasilian and the Iberian Peninsula, the Portuguese introduced this crop during the Atlantic Slave Trade. 

Different books have been written closely related to these works. It does appear that, no book or literature has properly addressed the subject under consideration, most particularly the relationship existing between Oba and her neighbours. Rather greater attention has been given to the origin and migration of the different groups.

 From the ancient period attempts at reconstructing the history of most societies in Africa have been based on oral tradition/oral history. For this study, the main source of collecting data was oral tradition from interviews that were carried out on different people from Oba and her neighboring towns. Secondary sources such as books, journals and unpublished projects/works were equally used. All the evidence collected from primary and secondary sources were placed side by side for comparison or contrast and analyzed to ascertain their historical validity. The method adopted in this research is both descriptive and historical narrative (describing the people, who they are, where they came from, values and custom), which makes for effective understanding.

 This work is organized into five chapters and presented as sequentially and chronologically as possible. Chapter one deals with the introduction which shows the direction of the research, chapter two gave an overview of Oba community. Chapter three focuses on the prelude to colonial rule and its impact on the people's relations. Chapter four take a look at aspects of political development after independence and post-civil war relations of Oba and her neighbours. The last chapter five is the summary and conclusion of the study.