₦airaland Forum

Curtin, Philip D.; Lovejoy, Paul E. / Africans in bondage: studies in slavery and the slave trade : essays in honor of Philip D. Curtin on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of African Studies at the University of Wisconsin
(1986)

Alagoa, E. J.
Chapter 6: The slave trade in Niger Delta oral tradition and history, pp. [125]-Map 7.1 PDF (4.1 MB)

Page 131

NIGER DELTA ORAL TRADITION AND HISTORY
shrines on their original settlements that are sited in the
center of the island between the Atlantic and the Akassa Creek.
The original settlements are named ama-ogbo, central town or
town center. The reason for locating the towns away from the
river was clearly to escape the attention of pirates and slave
raiders.

The village of Elem Bakana in the Kalabari area is still
located in its old site away from the river. When I visited
the village in 1964, the men sang songs in which they suggested
that it was necessary to ensure that even the smoke from their
fires could not be seen by canoes passing on the river (Alagoa
1972: 140). Elem Bakana, as well as the neighboring villages
of Bukuma, Obonoma, and Udekama, may have been raided by
Kalabari slave dealers. These communities were of a different
culture and spoke a language different from the Kalabari. But
it would appear that raiding took place even among Kalabari-
speaking communities. Thus, the traditions concerning Agbaniye
Ejike, King of Bile, who ruled in the eighteenth century, state
that he raided and sacked all the neighboring Kalabari commu-
nities.


In a praise song to King Amakiri of Elem Kalabari, the
savagery of Agbaniye Ejike is contrasted with the constructive
leadership of Amakiri, who extended his authority by serving as
protector of the threatened communities (Alagoa 1972: 139).
In the western delta, the Ijo communities were placed in a
peripheral position in relation to Itsekiri and Benin. In
response they preyed on the trade of these two kingdoms,
sometimes supplying slaves to Itsekiri. Ijo piracy is reported
in most of the accounts of European visitors to the western
delta, and Ijo traditions confirm these piratical activities as
well as the supremacy of Itsekiri in the overseas trade (Alagoa
1972: 25-83).


The Kabo, for example, were notorious for their
piracy on the Forcados River. The Erohwa, an Isoko group, were
driven inland from their old site on the Forcados close to the
site of Patani, one of the best known raiding communities
(Hubbard 1948: 96-97).


There are few, if any, published accounts of European
raids for slaves in the Niger Delta, or indeed, on most of the
Nigerian coast. The Portuguese were more directly concerned
with the business of collecting slaves in the Congo, Angola,
and the Senegambia. A tradition among the Kabo suggests that
the idea of European raids for slaves was not a far-fetched
one, however. The Kabo account of how they lost control of the
slave trade on the Forcados River to the Mein group relates to
fear of European raids. During a period of low water, a rumor
spread that the Europeans would come up the river in the
following flood season and capture any persons they saw
(Hubbard 1948: 186; Alagoa 1972: 74-75). The Kabo proceeded to
dam the river and to divert it from their settlements. By the
following flood season, the river had been effectively rechan-
nelled through the territory of the neighboring Mein.

cc lalasticlala

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/AfricanStudies/AfricanStudies-idx?type=turn&id=AfricanStudies.Lovejoy&entity=AfricanStudies.Lovejoy.p0145&isize=text

Montracine:
Our friend Yanbaba on this one.;
DIFFERENT REACTIONS OF NIGERIANS TOWARDS THE ROUGH-HANDLING OF SEN. IKE EKWEREMADU IN GERMANY.

Seun:
Has it stopped?

fergieboy:
Why you edit.. Fear of ban

Seun:
Has it stopped?

Ekpeitit:
This Asari is an idiot, wetin concern Ijaw person with Biafra.
MUMU.

CrestMan:
While I honestly don't support violence in any form in resolving issues, I think Sen. Ike was callous and didn't apply wisdom based on his outfit.
I think he should be charged for attempted suicide!

MyGeneration:
all these hate una dae spread since the incident happen about Nigeria and Hairs/fulani and Igbo leaders, if the Nigerian govt gets his hands on those people who assaulted the senator, them go show them chom chin, real chom chin.

that time them go humble pass Obinwanne in fbi custody

Xisnin:
Use the brain in your head.
Kanu, the cowards said he has instructed Ipob terrorists to attack Igbo politicians
abroad and here you are looking for an excuse.
I hope the attack continues because that would be the best thing for Nigeria.

Guestlander:
I thought Ibos respect individual rights of people to practice that they believe. Why should some faceless group of people tell you what you can wear or not wear?

itsme01:
says atiku slaves, or didnt you see the richest igbo slave go to daura to build a library for his masters

conquered 5%ters since we conquered you people over 40 years ago, you lot have been wandering aimlessly


...

itsme01:
lol says who 5%ters who act like savages and babarians , who will vote your type

..

itsme01:




i wish ibos could disgrace all their national leaders and shame them before 2023....



...

tohyorsih2:
Nawa oo! see as you carry the matter for head like gala. SMH

Gadafii:
This frodd is the dumbest murrfuka I ever heard of,he is so dumb and clueless

He doesn't deserve a poosie,not even a crumb

How can u be Soo weak and low, because of woman,when there are still plenty tilapia fishes in the pond

He blew his chances with venita,now everyone see him like a week and unerect preeq,he just dey follow the Esther girl like fly,can u imagine

Eteka1:
The news that IPOB members attacked immediate past Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu at an Igbo event organized in Germany has gone viral, with many wondering what could have triggered the attack.

It appears he was attacked by IPOB (a group known for their intolerance to opinion that doesn't tally with theirs) because he wore a shirt bearing the Nigerian Coat of Arms.