Politics in Pre-Colonial Niger Delta: Reflections on the Role and Contributions of Women

KIU Journal of Humanities

B.E. AWORTU, B.T. MCHAEL Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract. Women all over the world are active Keywords: Women, Politics, Niger Delta, Pre- members of society who have contributed colonial immensely to the growth and development of their societies. In the Niger Delta, women have 1. Introduction contributed in no small measure to the political development of the region. This paper therefore Political organization in the pre-colonial Niger examines politics in pre-colonial Niger Delta Delta societies was direct rather than with a focus on the role and contributions of representative. Most would agree that power was women. In the Niger Delta, women seem to have more evenly distributed and spread in direct been deprived of some political privilege in the democracies, as practiced in the pre-colonial past due to the patriarchal nature of the society. Niger Delta societies. In representing However, some prominent female personalities democracies, only a minute fraction of the in pre-colonial Niger Delta played significant population sits in positions of power while in role in the development of their societies. This direct political organization or democracies study adopts the use of primary and secondary every eligible member can directly influence sources of data in generating the required data. decisions. The multi-disciplinary approach was used and knowledge from related disciplines enriched the Woodburn (1982) asserts that greater equality of available historical data. The study reveals that wealth, power, and prestige was achieved in pre- women in the Niger Delta were actively colonial societies. In his consideration, this involved in politics. Some of them held equality is an opinion because pre-colonial chieftaincy titles, served as priestesses to deities, societies have direct, individual access to served in the military and above all discharged resources, means of coercion, and mobility. All political duties in their communities. Women these factors equally limit imposition of control also made their political contributions by by one individual or another. Pre-colonial Niger indirectly influencing their husbands and male Delta societies allowed much more participation relatives on important matters and decision of women in politics. However, in pre-colonial making. However, women in pre-colonial Niger Niger Delta societies there was no operation like Delta politics were not granted equal political a general assembly where all members of the opportunities as their male counterparts which group can present an opinion on any discussion negatively impacted on the overall participation and attempted to sway the other members of women in politics. The study therefore through persuasion. A leader in a particular recommends equal political opportunities for situation may have no weight given to his or her both male and female folks in the region and opinion but he or she did not have any formal political consciousness on the part of women. authority and cannot force the other members of the group to comply with his or her wishes (Awortu, 2018).

KIU Journal of Humanities

Moreso, the only potential stratification in periodical or occasional renewal of societies political life was through age and sex. Regarding constitute the instruments of political action. An age, it was the older members of the group who understanding of this concept of the nature of often have more influence in informal political action would demonstrate the useful discussions. Older members often have various content of the analysis of the women’s political suffixes added to their names which were an role which was usually exercised through indication of leadership (Lee, 1979:349). informal mechanisms. Women’s political roles, Regarding sex differentials, Lee, (1982) noted influence an authority in any society did that women participated less than the men did in definitely appear conspicuous or implicit in their group discussions, with men doing two third of involvement in the social, economic, and the talking. religious activities of the society as well as their explicit political roles (Awe, 1984). It is plausibly argued that although men did appear to have more influence in public matter, 3. Reflections on the role of women in men and women were relatively equal in pre-colonial Niger Delta Politics decision making (Lee, 1981). Nevertheless, there were some sort of violence against women In pre-colonial Niger Delta, women participated in the society that might curb women’s political actively in politics to the extent that some of participation, women were able to take up a them took leading roles in their communities and leadership role and there were no conspicuous kingdoms. For instance, In Itshekiri Kingdom male solidarity adults. Members with better women attained and demonstrated high ranking oratory skills or who were considered to have political power and positions. Princess wisdom sometimes did have more influence in Idocorusan, with the support and assistance of informal discussions. Since there was extremely one of the head slaves, set up a council of state weak sexual division of labour, women did made up of mostly members of the royal family enjoy higher status positions confirmed by their and prominent commoners. She presided over political presence and their participation in the council that appointed governors and decision making with their husbands and took consequently appointed a regent in the person of equal role in leadership during discussions. Bell Prince Eri to the Itshekiri throne following the (1993) asserts that women in pre-colonial death of the governor. It is therefore important to societies would have had more actual power assert that a woman played a crucial role, though than we have known emphasizing in the she did not occupy the highest political office in separation of male spheres and the presence of the land which was actually barred to women, in female rituals. This assertion corroborated the the Itshekiri history. finding of Horton, Kpone-Tonwe, and Okorobia (2003). The existence of female power in rituals According to Alagoa (2003), politics was one and the separation of spheres would have given area which the men maintained open dominance women more power in societal decision making. in the Niger Delta and almost complete exclusion of women has sometimes been 2. Pre-colonial Niger Delta Politics claimed. However, women made immense contributions in some Niger Delta societies. In According to Awortu (2018) in pre-colonial public meetings of the Houses within the Eastern Niger Delta of the earliest period, there were no Delta city states, women expresse their formal separate and explicit political institutions community opinion and influence decisions. For and roles. However, what was important and instance, mothers and sisters of chiefs and kings available was a general consensus of the played vital roles in determining the emergence possession of governments-the mechanism for of chiefs, warriors and in taking critical controlling societies by all of the Niger Delta. decisions. Alagoa (2003) opined that: These mechanisms that help to maintain or King Ikata’s war against Jike of Bille is stated to create internal co-operation and cohesion like have been instigated in part by the taunts of his rituals, ceremonies or procedures that ensure a sister.

KIU Journal of Humanities

In order to assert greater influence in the politics influence and protected the interest of both male of their kingdoms and communities, women and female in their societies”. organize themselves into socio-political groups. The Egbele-Erema (women past the age of Furthermore, in Kalabari, prominent female childbirth) was very influential in Niger Delta figures such as Okuma the mother of King politics. According to Talbot (1932:30) in Amakiri influenced Kalabari politics through her Okrika these women who had acquired the son’s position as king. Madam Oruguta of Iju- power of men, prevailed on the men to stop the Jack House of Abonnema who competed with ordering of women. In Kalabari kingdom Kalabari men, founded her own War Canoe according to Da-Wariboko (2003), Akaso House and also established a chieftaincy stool. constituted Egbele-Erema, to her cult as praise Ayimba-Orupumbu of Tariah House of Buguma singers and divinely appointed her male priest who out of the proceeds of her trade, established who worked with a group of male attendants as her own House and chieftaincy stool and greatly assistants in her shrine. The males took charge influenced the politics of pre-colonial Buguma of the ritual cooking and sacrifices while (Sokari-George, 2003). Egbele-Ereme took care of the sanitary aspects. They also guided the female folk of the Kalabari Sokari-George (2003:321) further stressed that: society on Akaso laws, rites and taboos and did “By the close of the 19th century in Buguma, not hesitate to protest against any malpractice some women wielded enormous influence in the against the land by the male folk. traditional political system. They include; Amadiba, Aguba-Boni, Ngeleba-Orubiyan and The Akaso religious influence in Kalabari made Sukuta. These women exercises large measure of her to be particularly relevant and from time to authority not only on women but also among the time influence decision making processes. The male folk”. spiritual powers acquired by Akaso also necessitated the respect she commands in In Bille kingdom, it is recoded in her history that Kalabari kingdom. Furthermore, Temena-Aro of a woman founded the kingdom. According to Tema, Gbolodoka of Krakrama and Boloba of Syer-Digbani (2003), Bille tradition credits Kula were female spiritual leaders in their Queen Ikpakiaba with the founding of Bille communities who contributed in no small kingdom. Queen Ikpakiaba a brave warrior measure to the religious and political spheres of settled at Okolo-Bille with her husband King their existence. Okolokolo. With time factions developed around King Okolokolo and Queen Ikpakiaba and there They were all women in various reputes and were several unsuccessful attempts to dispose became deified heroines of their respective each other. Eventually, Queen Ikpakiaba communities. They exerted their norms and murdered King Okolokolo and later led group of taboos on the people and were not hesitant to men who founded the present Bille town. punish offenders whenever any of their institutions was broken. They controlled both In Udekama a coastal community of Delta Edo male and female folks in their communities (Da- group of language in Rivers State, women did Wariboko, 2003 and Sokari-George, 2006). not enjoy equality with the male folk, but could The Kalabari and Okrika examples as discussed make political influence through institutions. above are clear testimony that women were very Gabriel (2003) argues that; ―the political system active in Niger Delta politics as individuals and of the Udekama, though monarchical, provided groups. This corroborates the submission of women the opportunity to contribute Onwuzurike (2003) as thus: significantly to the synthesis of the people’s way “The issue of politics and warfare fell squarely of life (Gabriel, 1994). Udekama Women on the shoulders of men. However, the women attended meetings at the compound, family and also had women organizations and institutions town levels where they made useful through which they exerted some political contributions to issues debated upon and influenced the process of policy formulation to

KIU Journal of Humanities their benefits. Women were appointed female the control of a woman as priestess made the spokesperson and representatives to the male folk to consult women on political matters community general assembly and were granted especially throughout the festival period. equal opportunities as their male counterparts to speak on issues of community interest. Although In the Ijaw societies of the Niger Delta, a social the council of chiefs takes the final decision, structure of stateless village based societies women must be consulted before such decision existed before the Atlantic trade led to the is taken. During peace and conflict resolution, development of the war-canoe house system women were appointed into the peace emissaries (Jones, 1963), which Alagoa (1971) argues and negotiations. Women with outstanding developed from the internal long distance trade. qualities and others who made outstanding Among these societies, the war canoe house contributions within the communities were well heads became far more powerful than any recognized as they complimented men’s roles. lineage or village head (Mba, 1982). There were Such recognition wielded an indirect influence never any female war canoe house head since on the male folk making their ideas readily women did not participate directly in the slave considered during meetings at the various levels trading economy. Although they played of Udekama politics (Gabriel, 2003). substantially important roles in the war-canoe house system, it was not based on entirely Furthermore, it is pertinent to add that Udekama membership of the same descent group but women also participated in religious activities absorbed outsiders and slaves into it and got which enabled some of them to serve as them assimilated (Mba, 1982:33) and women custodians of the powers of very powerful constituted the main sources and primary means deities in the community. Gabriel (2003:172) for the assimilation process. corroborates the above when she argued that: “Women upheld the traditional religious A very important question, how did the women practices of the Udekama in which they played constitute the primary means of assimilation? important roles and ensured the continuity of the Predominantly, war canoe house heads married women’s festival (Eyai Ivitam). The men folk did many wives to enhance the provision of enough not consider the goddess Iziba and the ceremony women to do an adequate job of looking after as inferior. It was believed that the deity had the young slave brought into the war-canoe solutions to diverse problems, most importantly households (Horton, 1967:48). These adopted that of fertility”. sons became close to their ―mothers’ kitchen houses‖ such that the mothers could further the The priestess of Iziba deity was very powerful fortunes of her house. The continuous spiritually and politically. The chief and his development cycle of the war-canoe house council of elders always consult the priestess for system was deeply entrenched in the process of important issues of community interest and segmentation so that the greater households was development. This afforded the priestess some divided into several sub households under the political powers to influence decisions in the effective tutelage of each of the wives until the community. It is pertinent to state that any sons grew up and proceed to expand their own individual or collective attempt to undermine the personal households. Thus, although women decisions of the priestess and the women neither occupied the high political offices nor celebration spelt doom on the community. take part directly in the assembly of house Women to a large extent use the opportunity of heads, the highest decision-making and judicial the Iziba festival to influence and hold sway body, they did exercise a significant indirect over the male folk. It was forbidden for men to influence over those who make the decisions. see the women during procession on the first day However, Bonny presented an exceptionally of the celebration. Any defaulter had to appease different picture of women’s involvement in the deity in order to avert unpleasant political participation in pre-colonial Niger Delta consequence such as blindness (Gabriel, contravening the conception or rule that women 2003:172). Such misfortune from a deity under had never been monarchs or heads of houses.

KIU Journal of Humanities

Bonny history recorded that Queen Kambassa, In Opobo, Queen Osunji and Queen Ogbolo, the daughter of late King Asimini, returned King Jaja’s wives made significant impact in the home from Igboland, seized the Ivory tusk politics of the kingdom. However, the bearing her father’s name and was accepted as diplomatic attributes and friendly dispositions of Queen (Alagoa and Fombo, 1972:11). She Queen Osuji endeared her to the King and all launched a successful war against Ogoni over those that came in contact with her. According the control of the hinterland slave markets. But to Jaja (2003), during the unsettled political then, her successful execution into power and situation in Bonny it was Osunji who brought authority did not constitute an index of women’s the news of the plot to execute and set ablaze political power in Bonny because there was no Jaja’s House. She also saved vital documents of other queen or head of households in Bonny or the Jaja’s House in Bonny during the blaze. Niger Delta as a whole after Kambassa, while Queen Osuji diplomatically over threw Queen there was a general lack of any organization for Ogbolo and emerged as the powerful Queen the women to channel political activities. Their after the death of Jaja in 1891 and the successive political participation was limited to the spheres monarchs to the throne had come from the of the domestic individual houses. Osunji line. The contributions of Queen Osuji in Opobo kingdom made the people to approve a Another woman of influence in the Niger Delta war canoe house for her. She therefore, became was Queen Okuru of Bonny. She was the harem the first woman to win such an honour and of King Awusa and as such, she used her privilege (Jaja, 2003:223). Both Queen Ogbolo position to influence and discuss state matters at and Queen Osuji contributed in no measure to will. According to Alagoa (1972), Queen Okuru the political development of Bonny and Opobo during the Bonny and Andoni war used her during the pre-colonial era of Niger Delta influence to suggest to the King to appoint a history. young man of Bonny origin to lead and finance the wars which the king accepted. With such In Niger Delta in particular and Africa in general opportunity she nominated Perekule which the it was difficult to separate politics from religion. king appointed. Both were interwoven and as such those who held religious positions be it male or female, had However, Queen Okuru extracted a fiat from some political influence on the king or ruler. King Awusa to abdicate the throne in the event According to Gabriel (1994) as priestesses and of Perekule’s success in the war with Andoni. mediums, women promoted cordial relationship The war ended in favour of Bonny and the between the living, the ancestors, the deities and rulership of Bonny was transferred to Perekule. the ―supreme deity‖. Through prayers and rituals The queen quickly married King Perekule and the ancestors and deities were appeased to avert made herself the chief adviser. According to Jaja personal and communal crisis. This was the case (2003), Queen Okuru through diplomacy and of Epie-Atissa, Engenni and Ekpetiama in the state-craft ensured not only that her friend, Niger Delta. Women in these communities Perekule, became king of Bonny but that her two contributed to the political development of their sons Fubara and Opubo succeeded to the throne communities especially those that served as of Bonny. She used her woman power and priestesses o community deities. strong influence to change the political history of Bonny kingdom with the Perekules emerging According to Appah (2003) in Ekpetiama clan, as the ruling dynasty. Although, she did not the High God is Woyengi (our mother) and she emerge as the ruler of Bonny, however, she used is the Supreme Being and oversees all creatures; her influence to make herself very relevant in defends the defenseless and punishes the Bonny politics. She contributed in no small powerful and wicked. She is regarded as the measure to the social, political and economic Almighty, too pure and holy for human development of Bonny as she is celebrated and comprehension. It is pertinent to note that the deified with a shrine in Opobo to present. Woyengi priestess because of the influence the deities asserts on the people, wielded so much

KIU Journal of Humanities political powers in the community. With such especially through the magical power they powers, she controlled the excesses of the king acquired. Aman-Obolo a female deity in Andoni and his council of chiefs and also prevented has very strong religious and political influence unwholesome practices that tend to oppress on the people through the priestess. The women and the poor in the society. priestess influences the religious and political institutions. According to Ejitiwu (1991 & 2003) In Ogoni kingdom of Rivers State, the pre- in Andoni during war times women of colonial era of her political history was more of menopause age were veritable soldiers of Yok- the role played by women than men. According Obolo. Through the performance of certain to Kpone-Tonwe (2003), in pre-colonial Ogoni, rituals, she could be a source of strength to the Gbenekwanwaa, Gbebebyaana, Zah, Baryaayoo fighting men as well as keeper of the arsenal. and Gbenebeka were all women who facilitated These ultimately conferred on such women a the migration of the people and their spread quality of warlikeness not different from that of across their present settlement. The matrilineal the man. With such powers women influenced system of pre-colonial Ogoni society is the the politics of Andoni. For instance, Asakala a reason why up to the 16th century men did not very strong aged woman of Unyeada saved her have their own children rather they took care of community from the danger of surprise attack their sisters children. It was based on this from Bonny and she was honoured and made a matrilineal arrangement that Queen strong political figure. Gbenekwanwaa died and the succession was passed to her daughter Zah who ruled at Gure as Ejituwu (2003), further stressed that: Gbenezah until her death. “Aman-Obolo the female deity in charge of women affairs, whose rules governing the Kpone-Tonwe (1990:77) and Gibboona (1932) relations between men and women in Andoni opined that Gbenezah ruled Ogoni so well that culture and history, checkmates those of Isi- the people gave her the name ―Mother of Ogoni Ebikan; and in so doing gave Andoni women or Mother of the World‖. After her death, her some room to maneuver politically. The famous daughters, granddaughters and great injunction of Aman-Obolo that says women must granddaughters were Gbeneyaana, who not be killed in war and men accepted without established the powerful dynasty at Luawii and objection is a case at hand”. Gbenebeka, who emerged in the 17th century as the glamorous beauty Queen with tremendous In Odual, the various political institutions were influence on the people throughout Ogoni land dominated by men but such situation did not until the colonial times. prevent the women from participating in politics. Women did not attend village meetings except The reign of these queens in Ogoni resulted to on invitation but made suggestions and influence population explosion, expansion of Ogoni decision through their husbands. The village territory, peace and stability, economic growth assembly was the highest legislative body. and strong spiritual powers. The queen that ruled Laws made were executed and implemented by Ogoni prior to the 17th century wielded strong the Ola-ema and his council of elders to be spiritual and political powers making present enforced by the youths and women leaders. day chiefs and politicians throughout Ogoni to Violators were severely punished according to seek for strong spiritual powers from them. The the laws of the land (Michael, 2011). The Onu- matrilineal system ended after the Baan war of Erol society provided women the opportunity to the 17th century which made women not to live be involved in politics. Women as members of with anyone apart from their husbands due to these societies played important role in resolving lack of protection during the war; it marked the disputes and enforcing law and order especially beginning of patrilineal system in Ogoni society. among the female folk. Apart from the executive role they played, the societies also acted as a Andoni women also contributed immensely to final court of appeal in civil or minor criminal the pre-colonial development of the Niger Delta matters.

KIU Journal of Humanities

Although women were not allowed active In Bille kingdom, Queen Ikpakiaba controlled participation in the politics of Odual, prominent the political and religious institutions of the women such as Mrs Warigbani Ogiri, and Mrs. town. Her political influence on the people was Egham Okowa who served as Priestesses of Oba very strong to the extent that the rival folk could Abo deity in Odual made significant impact in not contend with her. She made great men of the the pre-colonial politics of Odual. As custodians town known as Opus to pledge their loyalty to of the spiritual powers, these women influenced her. The fear of Queen Ikpakiaba was the the political affairs of their communities. On the beginning of wisdom. Her major achievement other hand, majority of the women who were not was the founding of present Bille town and the privileged to attend community meetings relied liberation of her people from the influence and on their husbands, women leaders or the town control of King Okolokolo. crier (Otimokele) for information. Although women were not politically active, they played According to Awortu and N-Ue (2018) another influential roles as most of the decisions taken important organ of traditional government in and issues raised in town halls during meetings early Niger Delta political organization where were issues discussed at home between them and the contributions of the women was significant their husbands or male adult relatives (Michael, and popular was the oracles and gods of the 2016). land. There were the gods under the control of priests (men) and the goddesses under the charge 4. Contributions of Women to the Pre- of the priestesses (women), and the latter Colonial Politics of the Niger Delta performed important rituals for the community as well as being responsible for the cleansing of In traditional Niger Delta society, there was a the land and such sacrifices that ensure bumper profound diffusion of political power and harvest. They also decided on the nature of therefore power was not concentrated in a single sanctions to be imposed on both males and individual or at one level of authority warranting female that contravenes the rules and regulations the exercise of political powers and authorities of the land or commits abomination. among various socio-political institutions with power bases. This is to contend that traditional The traditional importance of women is common Niger Delta societies operated multiple bases of when considering the silent influences of the power or multi-polarity concept of power. women on their husbands, sons, brothers and Among these multiple male dominated power sometimes, fathers. Politics, indeed, one sphere bases or socio-political institutions with political of life where men pervades with their power bases were Ekine Society of Kalabari, unwarranted dominance. Even in the face of this Okosutu Owubo among the Izon, Ofiokpo gross open domination by the men, it is recorded among the Andoni as well as the female in historical studies of Niger Delta communities counterparts or parallel organizations like the that women expressed their combined opinion Egbele Erene among the Kalabari, and and influenced decisions in the public meetings Amanobolo among the Andoni which performed of the Houses within the Eastern Delta city- various socio-cultural and political functions in states (Alagoa, 2003:41). Such important the governance of early Niger Delta. The historical influences of mothers, wives and predominant women organizations constituted a sisters of chiefs and kings of Eastern Niger Delta system of women’s government, which in all city-states are commonly recounted in the intent, and purposes did perform political traditions of these city-states. In furtherance of functions. Moreover, the female dominated his discovery of the exercise of the influence of organizations tend to effectively employ group women on political decisions, in the Eastern solidarity and organized pressure methods in Niger Delta city-states, Alagoa (2003) noted that projecting the interest of the women as wives, in the Nembe Kingdom, King Ikata’s war mothers and members of the community (Uneh, against Jike of Bille reported to have been due 2006). to, in part, the instigation of his sister. Noticeably, female influence became most

KIU Journal of Humanities effective when it was exerted through organized partly because she did not want her son to group. Such was the case of the Egbele-Eremeor venture into the capital intensive endeavour of women who had attained menopause, whom kingship characterized by regular ceremonies of Talbot (1932) called ―women historians who in elaborate rituals, feasting and offerings to 1915 in Okrika, acquired the power of men, appease the gods, goddesses as well as ancestral caused all the trouble, prevailed on the men to and water spirits (Sokari-George, 2003:318). halt the advance of colonial agents, ordered the Another woman with recorded fundamental men to perform certain sacrifices to the national influence over her son was the legendary Ine- deity, Fenibeso, which led to the difficulties Okuma, the mother of King Amakiri the first with the colonial authorities. who wielded profound and immense influence on her son Amakiri the first after the political There is an important dimension to the role of career of the king whose period of reign was women in the politics of pre-colonial Niger identified with territorial expansion and Delta. It is the argument that women in the unification of the city-state (Sokari-George, political history of the region acted in 2003:319). She was referred to as the king clandestine manner and controlled the male mother and her spirit is invoked along with the leaders in their deliberations at city council apical deities as the underpinning powers meetings and decisions taken (Sokari-George, sustaining life and progress in Kalabari. 2003:318) and as clandestine advisers to their husbands, sons, fathers, and/or brothers since the However, there existed an inherent traditional advisory position was not institutionalized. system in the Kalabari traditional political However, the present writer would contend that history like her neighbours in the Niger Delta the perceived clandestine theory is derogatory that the traditional council of chiefs did not have and also falling out of line, why? It is very a space for the woman as well as not having the pertinent to note that there has not been any traditional qualification to do libation for their historical work that recorded any ancestors or gods and lacked access to the royal institutionalized sort of advisory framework in shrine where chieftaincy installations among any of the Eastern Niger Delta city-states or others are done. According to Sokari-George societies in the traditional government of those (2003) this is based on the idea that women have communities so that the leadership was always polluting and desecrating effect by virtue of their at liberty to sort out its advisers. Secondly, the sex. Therefore, women under such trado-cultural writer would also contend that the description of constrains could not have been installed as the advisory role of women as clandestine is traditional rulers in their houses or communities. derogatory because there was no officially This is what Ali Mazrui called ―malignant appointed adviser or advisers performed the sexism‖ as pervasive and insidious; it subjects advisory role to the public glare. It is a women to economic manipulation, sexual reasonable argument, therefore, to contend that exploration and political marginalization. women performed their advisory functions as Looking at the above political roles of women the institutionalized framework and in line with and the contributions they made in the Niger societal prescriptions and conditions. Delta, Ejitiwu and Gabriel (2003) summarized thus; In the light of the above analysis, it is relevant at “Women in the Niger Delta judging from the this juncture, to highlight one or two such roles. available evidence have demonstrated that they In the Kalabari tradition, it was projected that are not inferior to the men. They may be the the mother of Prince Seliye-Fubara was the weaker sex, but that is only strength: spiritual, architect of her son’s decline to ascend to the intellectual, political, mystical, the woman is not throne of Amanyanabo of Elem-Kalabari in the inferior to the men”. 18th century. This was partly for fear of early death being aware of the implications of Pre-colonial Niger Delta women, occupied a participating in the volatile and sensitive complementary position rather than subordinate Kalabari Kingship and traditional politics; and, to men. Sex segregation and sex roles existed in

KIU Journal of Humanities many spheres of society enabling women control agents of cultural and political integration and their affairs. Right from time, the Niger Delta innovation, acted as stabilizing agents of society, societies recognized their rights as partners in and vehicles of political development and the administration of the Niger Delta societies historical heritage. giving vent to the dual sex political system commonly accepted by the whole society (Uneh, The study further demonstrated that women 2006). It is a point of historical fact without were agents of production and reproduction, and doubt that in the House Rule system in pre- has become appropriate for the retention and colonial Niger Delta, women of outstanding continuation of the Niger Delta societies. ability, sagacity, influence, and wealth among Women were neither oppressed nor ignored the Niger Delta communities could take part in whether they exerted enormous influence and the deliberation of important issues (Uneh, seem protected and their roles venerated. 2006 and Alagoa, 2003). The above pre-colonial Women were able to accomplish things, attained political roles and contributions of women have political heights, achieved feats and performed shown that they have the capacity to make functions, which seemingly appeared to be the greater political impact in contemporary prerogatives of the men. Nigerian Society. The thesis established in this study is that sex 5. Conclusion roles segregation often enabled women to control their own affairs. In the political Our consideration of the role of women in the economy of the early Niger Delta societies, there early political development of the Niger Delta was no clear-cut sexual division of labour in has led to the inescapable conclusion that production and political issues, it was fluid. women’s roles in these arenas constituted giant Politically, however, they were members of the strides and established a framework for society and would have to subject themselves to historical analysis and explanations. This paper communal government. In view of political helps to affirm the contention that Niger Delta offices, political decision-making, executive and women created history and demonstrated their judicial functions, and political representation, potentials as agents of history as well as they made significant impact in the politics of constituting a powerful force that profoundly their communities. Moreso, the question of impacted significant historical developments on equality of both sexes is not relevant to the their societies. The paper has shown that the recognition of the roles and contributions of the women folk contributed in no small measure to womenfolk to the development of the overall the development of the Niger Delta political Niger Delta Society, which constitute the corpus economy. of this study.

The paper has convincingly demonstrated that References early Niger Delta society, beginning from the hunting and gathering period, had a Afigbo, A. E, (1991) ―Women in Nigerian complementary social formation to the extent History‖ In Martin, O. Ijere (ed) Women that whatever was obtained in the society in its In Nigerian Economy . Enugu, Acena development process was the collective Publishers, 22-53. involvement of both sexes. Though there was Afonja Simi (1994) ―Gender Relations in some sort of roles differentiation based on sex, Society: Feminist Materialist there were no traits of subordination and Perspective.‖ Paper presented at the marginalization. International Conference of the Nigerian The study also established that the assumption of Philosophical Association on Gender the traditional role assigned to women as conflict: The African and European mothers has been quantified. The influence of Perspectives. women permeated the whole realms of society Alagoa E. J. (1984) ―Towards a History of life. The paper also reveals that the women were African Historiography‖ A paper

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