A Case Study of the Mbaise Area of Owerri Division 1902-1934
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A STUDY ON COLONIALISM AND CHANGE IN IGBOLAND: A CASE STUDY OF THE MBAISE AREA OF OWERRI DIVISION 1902-1934 BY NWOSU EZEKWESIRI OKEBUGWU MA/ART/49017/05-06 THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER IN ARTS (M.A) HISTORY AUGUST, 2011 160 DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my late father Nze, E.U.D Nwosu (LLB Hon BL) 161 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Supervisor of this work, Dr, J.O Agi and my minor supervisor Dr, I.S. Jimada for their kind assistance and pains taken supervision. I am also indebted to Dr, George Kwemashie, Dr, Sule Bello, Dr, E. Oyedule and Dr M. Gwadabe for their unflinching academic advice and assistance before, and during this research work. Same thanks go to my late father Nze E.U.D Nwosu (LLB Hon BL) who did not only initiate this idea but took the responsibility of financing it till his death. Equal thanks go to my mother, Lady J.I. Nwosu, who supported me through prayer, and above all made financial and moral contribution to the success of this study. I owe my obligation to the following persons, Mr. Amamze .C. Nwosu, Mr. chijoke .I.Nwosu, Mr. Ugochukwu .N. Nwosu, and Mr. Ikemefule .C. Nwosu (my brothers) Mrs. Ada .C. Ukegbu,(Adanem) Miss Uchechi .O. Nwosu(my sisters) Mr. Ndabueze Nwosu Mr. P.E. Ukegwu, Mr. Ahamba Ameche who provide all manners of support to me. My appreciation goes to Mr. Benson U.Nwogwugwu, Miss Helen .J. Musa, Mr & Mrs. Emmanuel Onwuegbuche, Mr.& Mrs. Benjamin Isaac, Mr & Mrs. Eze Nwokocha, Mr & Mrs. Okwudire 162 Nwokocha, Mr. Dike Nwokocha,Mr &Mrs. Chidiebere Oneyenwe, who stood by me and afforded me the necessary encouragements. I am grateful to Mrs. Oguike, Mrs Inyang (none academic staff) in Ahmadu Bello University, Nze and Lolo Ahaiwe, Mr & Mrs. Chilak Nwosu for all their contribution. My profound thanks go to all the people that have directly or indirectly affected me positively during the programmed. I wish every one of you God’s favour. 163 ABSTRACT This is the study of colonialism and change in Igboland, Southeastern Nigeria with a special focus on the Mbaise area of Owerri Division from 1902 to 1934. This study seeks to explain the nature of the changes that occurred in this area within the elected period. The study discovered that the pre-colonial socio- political and economic organizations in this area stood as an obstacle to the British expanding imperialist interest (exploitation of human and material resources). Consequently, these institutions were supplanted by the colonial state. The study revealed that the imposition of the Warrant Chief System on Igboland was to maintain those laws and order which at least ensured the protection of the British imperialist interests. By so doing, the colonial state solved the problem of inadequate numbers of staff and more significantly, insufficient funds, which would have prevented the realization of the main objective of colonialism. The major finding of this work is that the development of the Warrant Chief system of political administration benefited the British economically because it reduced the cost imperialism. Therefore, colonialism proved to be dysfunctional to the African societies in Mbaise area of Owerri division. The 164 study revealed that imposition of British colonial rule led to many long-term social, economic, and political consequences on Mbaise area. 165 PREFACE This is a study on colonialism and the change in Igboland: A case study of Mbaise Area of Owerri Division from 1902 to 1934. To make this work comprehensive, we have carried out enquiry into areas concerning the location of Mbaise, since history is not studied in vacuum. As the study seeks to explain how the imposition of British colonial rule on the Mbaise brought about political changes, which in turn served as a harbinger to new economic order in the area. It demonstrates that the system of administration practiced by the Mbaise before the imposition of British rule was subjected to a serious dislocation when the British imposed the individual warrant chiefs on the various communities in the area. This, no doubt evoked reaction from the indigenous society of Mbaise, whose traditional institution were being castrated. To achieve the aims of this study, the work has been structured in five chapters. The first chapter concerns itself with the study of the people and their environment. This is principally aimed at locating the present Mbaise area and to give an insight on the origin of the people, settlement pattern and inter-clan 166 relationship as we have mentioned above. The physical features are very important to understand the nature of the settlement and relationships as well. Chapter two deals with the pre-colonial political and socio- economic situation in Mbaise. The political institutions in Mbaise were examined. It was discovered that the pattern of political institutions were democratic and gerontocracy especially that there was no single person or persons that exercised despotic influence over the area or even over the fragmented villages that made it up. The supreme political authority in the area was the (Amala) the village assembly, which take decision through the popular consent of the people and for the common good of their society. The chapter also examined the socio-economic situation in Mbaise before the imposition British rule. By this period the economy of the area stood on a tripod: agriculture, trade, and manufacture. It is then argued, based on the relationship between labour and capital, that the mode of production in the area was the social mode of production hence law was the means of production (capital). The major constraint to trade as it was shown in this chapter include transportation and the peril of the trade route. It demonstrated that the problem caused by the perils of the trade routes were overcome through the convoy system. 167 Chapter three looks at the colonial military activities in the Mbaise area from 1902 to 1916. Although the British succeeded in occupying Mbaise and indeed the whole of Igboland, it was not an easy task. It was shown that the Mbaise put a gallant resistance to the British occupation of their area. It was equally revealed that the conquest of Mbaise transcends the level of mere effort geared toward political domination. There is hardly any aspect of the people’s life the conquest did not affect. The conquest of Mbaise was more of economic than political war. It was the foundation stone for the new political order which created conducive environment for the subordination of the economy of the area to that of the colonizing power. Chapter four discussed Mbaise under colonial administration from 1903 to 1930. It showed the nature of socio-political and economic changes that occurred in the area as consequence of colonialism. The chapter demonstrates that the institution of the Warrant Chiefs, which was created by the colonial states in the Eastern Provinces, was a veritable tool, which the colonial state as an organ of imperial Britain used to make the area conducive for their super exploitation. It is argued that the level of economic difficulties witnessed under this new political order became so high that women in the region had to vent their discontent through a revolt that spread across the two provinces of Owerri 168 and Calabar. This revolt forced the colonial administration to begin the process of reform which finally brought the Warrant chiefs system to an end We equally revealed in this chapter that the difficulties experienced by the colonial administration in the cultivation of the local arm of their government in the Owerri District area led to the invitation of the missionaries into the area by the government. Therefore it is argued that while the missionaries were the front runners of the colonial government in some areas, the reverse was the case in the Owerri District area and Mbaise in particular. The relationship between the missionaries and government became dialectical. While the mission were busy clearing those aspects of the people socio-political behavior which the British considered repugnant to their idea of good government through evangelism, and mission schools the government asked their agents the warrant chiefs to protect the missionaries in their various localities. Thus, the missionaries contributed tremendously to the increased burden which the local society came to bear under colonial administration. It is also revealed that the reforms which came after the women riot was the basis of clan polities in the area, hence court area were made to conform with clan boundaries it did not change the nature of extortion that characterized the court in the era of the Warrant chiefs. 169 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS A.B.U. Ahmadu Bello University C.M.S Church Missionary Society C.O. Colonial Office C.S.O Colonial Secretaries Office RIVPROF Rivers Province E.P Eastern Provinces OWDIST Owerri District ZAPROF Zaria Province N.A.E National Archives Enugu N.A.K National Archives Kaduna R.C.M Roman Catholic Mission J.H.S.N. Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria A.I.C.E. Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri 170 GLOSSARY IGBO ENGLISH Ahajioku The spirit force of yam Akidi Native beans Akwukwo Fictitious summons Ala Earth Amala Village Assembly Amadioha God of thunder Asusu Live stick Avuvu pulp Chi Fortune (special providence of God Chineke God the creator Edmani Corrupt way of headman Eghu-ukw Ceremony marking the tenth child