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Igbo Community in the Old Sokoto Province During the Colonial Era, 1903–1960

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Political Economy of Colonial Relations and Crisis of Contemporary African Diplomacy

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Abstract

This study x-rays the activities of Igbo Community in the Old Sokoto Province from 1903 to 1960. The year 1903 was the year that the colonization of Sokoto caliphate by the British imperialists took place while 1960 was the year that Nigeria gained her political independence from the British overlords. Igbo incursion in Sokoto Province began with the migration and the consolidation of the community in the Province. This chapter presents the history of Igbo settlement in Sokoto as well as their contributions to the development of that society.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    J. Boyd, and H. M. Maishanu, Sir Siddiq Abubakar III, Sarkin Musulmi, Ibadan, Spectrum Books, 1991, p. 92.

  2. 2.

    Okwuidegbe, Okwuidegbe, L. F., “From Migrant Workers to Traders: A History of the Igbo Trading Diaspora in Sokoto C. 1920–1967”, Unpublished M.A. Dissertation (Department of History), Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, 1986, p. 25.

  3. 3.

    L. F. Okwuidegbe, p. 24.

  4. 4.

    A. Abba, & et al. (ed.), Sultans of Sokoto: A Biographical History Since 1804, Kaduna, Arewa House, 2016, p. 371.

  5. 5.

    K. Swindell, Sokoto State in Maps, London, 1982, p. 57.

  6. 6.

    Please note that the second generation of Igbo Community in the study area are Igbo that migrated to the host community at the end of the Nigerian civil war in 1970.

  7. 7.

    L. F. Okwuidegbe, “From Migrant Workers to Traders: A History Of The Igbo Trading Diaspora in Sokoto C. 1920–1967”, Unpublished M.A. Dissertation (Department of History), Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, 1986, p. 55.

  8. 8.

    Tibenderana, P.K., Sokoto Province under British Rule, 1903–1939; A Study in Institutional Adaptation and Culturalization of a colonial society in Northern Nigeria, Zaria, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1988, p. 476.

  9. 9.

    L. F. Okwuidegbe, “From Migrant Workers to Traders; A History of the Igbo Trading Diaspora in Sokoto C., 1920–1967”, Unpublished M.A. Dissertation (Department of History), Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, 1986, p. 42.

  10. 10.

    R. U. Okoro, “Ikolo Magazine”, A publication of Anambra State Indigenes Association (ASIA), Vol. 1, No. 1. No date, p. 10.

  11. 11.

    L. F., Okwuidegbe, “The Igbo and Hausa/Fulani in Sokoto, 1903–1940: A Study in Inter-Ethnic Relations”, Agbor Journal of Arts and Social Science, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2004, p. 63.

  12. 12.

    R. M. Prothero, Migrant Labour from Sokoto Province, Northern Nigeria, Kaduna, 1958, p. 27.

  13. 13.

    B. Ige, People, Politics and Politicians of Nigeria (1940–1979), Nigeria, Heinemann Educational Books PLC, 1995, p. 94.

  14. 14.

    D. I. Ajaegbo, “Nnewi of North-Western Igbo Land: A Study of an Igbo Society In Transition, 1905–1995”, Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis (Department of History & International Studies), University Of Nigeria, Nsukka, 2010. pp. 179–180.

  15. 15.

    Ugochukwu, Op.cit., p. 280.

  16. 16.

    Bako, Op.cit., p. 62.

  17. 17.

    A. Bako, Igbo Entrepreneurship in Sokoto City, 1937–2000, Ilorin Journal of Business and Social, Vol. 8, Nos. 1 & 2, 2004, p. 45.

  18. 18.

    Okwuidegbe, p. 41.

  19. 19.

    A memograph, p. 9.

  20. 20.

    Okwuidegbe, pp. vii–viii.

  21. 21.

    J. Boyd, p. 93.

  22. 22.

    Boyd., p. 38.

  23. 23.

    B. Ige, People, Politics and Politicians of Nigeria (1940–1979), Nigeria, Heinemann Educational Books PLC, 1995, p. 95.

  24. 24.

    G. T. Basden, Niger Igbos, London, Francass and Company Limited, 1966, p. xi.

  25. 25.

    Basden, p. 94.

  26. 26.

    NAK/SOKPROF/228/Gusau District/Economic Condition/Middlemen, p. 14.

  27. 27.

    See, I. U. Isa, Metropolitan Sokoto: Issues in History and Urban Development Since 1960, Kaduna, Gaskiya Corporation, 2013, p. 6.

  28. 28.

    Y. Abubakar, Op.cit., p. 73.

  29. 29.

    A. A. Sifawa.

  30. 30.

    N. Orizu, Liberty or Chains-Africa Must Be: An Autobiography, Nnewi, Horizontal Publications, 1994, p. 355.

  31. 31.

    WHCB, File No. PLT/30, Acc No. 30. Ref. No. SKT/25/2/30, Sokoto Disturbances, 1966–1967, 30/5/77, p. 78.

  32. 32.

    WHCB-No So.515.11, Acc No. 156, Ref. No. SKT/2/21/156, 1966 Disturbances Intructions, dated 26 April 1977, p. 157.

  33. 33.

    A memograph on the Life Biography of Chief Eze Igbo John Ogbunugafor, Struggles and Achievement Towards the Betterment of Igbo Diaspora Community and Vis-à-vis Sokoto State, p. 9.

  34. 34.

    P. C. Onokala, “Trade and Transport”, in G. E. K. Ofomata (ed.), A Survey of the Igbo Nation, Onitsha, Africana First Publishers, 2002, p. 550.

  35. 35.

    D. I., Ajaegbo, “Nnewi of North-Western Igbo Land: A Study of an Igbo Society In Transition, 1905–1995”, Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis (Department of History & International Studies), University Of Nigeria, Nsukka, 2010, p. 220.

  36. 36.

    Ajaegbo, p. 550.

  37. 37.

    A. F. Usman, p. 152.

  38. 38.

    Usman., pp. 74–75.

  39. 39.

    John Chikwendu, 82 years, retired driver, interviewed at No. 76 Asutech road, Mbanagu, Otolo, Nnewi, Anambra state on 31 July 2014.

  40. 40.

    Bernard Ojukwu, 84 years, farmer, interviewed at his Compound, Ekwulu Otolo, Nnewi, Anambra state on first of August 2014.

  41. 41.

    Chief B. O. Chikwendu, 89 years, interviewed at his residence at Mbanagu Nnewi, Anambra State on 23rd of December 2014. He lives in United States of America but stayed at his home town Nnewi during the winter period.

  42. 42.

    P. C. Onokala, p. 550.

  43. 43.

    Onakala, 550.

  44. 44.

    Babangida Ibrahim, 44 years, interviewed at Sokoto Central Garage, Sokoto, on 13 June 2016.

  45. 45.

    A. A. Sifawa, p. 198.

  46. 46.

    M. Hamman, “Inter-Ethnic and Inter-Conflicts”, in A. M. Yakubu et al. (ed.), Northern Nigeria: A Century of Transformation, 1903–2003, Kaduna, Arewa House, Ahmadu Bello University Press, 2005, p. 460.

  47. 47.

    Hamman, p. 460.

  48. 48.

    WHCB, File No. PLT/25, Acc No. 30. Ref. No. IUG/GHM/95/62/The Ibo Union Matters/20/10/1962, p. 8.

  49. 49.

    NAK/SOKPROF/6094/The Resident, Sokoto Province/Ibo Union Gusau/19/02/1944/, p. 14. See also, WHCH/Provincial Office/File No. PLT/25/The Ibo Union Matters Regarding, /p. 10. Ibo Union Gusua had two main objectives namely; (i) to foster spirit of co-operation among the members for the uplift of the Ibo race, educationally, morally and socially. (ii) to provide educational facilities for the people of Nigeria. They had four trustees (Patrons) namely; (i) A. M. Okoye-Lorry owner and independent trader, Gusau (ii) M. N. Udo- Trader and Produce Buyer, Gusau, (iii) J. O. Egbuyi-Clerk and Gold miner, Kaura Namoda (iv) G. O. Iwobi, Manager, Nigerian Mining Syndicate, Ilesha.

  50. 50.

    L. F. Okwuidegbe, pp. 48–49.

  51. 51.

    F. N. Nwaugo, “The Igbo Community In Kano C.1913–2004: A Study of Inter-Group Relations”, Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis (Department of History), Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, 2013, p. 47, cited A. Umar, “A Study of Kano Conflicts c.1979–1999”, Unpublished B.A. Project (Department of History), Ahmadu Bello University, Kaduna, 2008, p. 3.

  52. 52.

    O. Nnoli, Ethnic Politics in Nigeria, Nsukka; Fourth Dimension Publishers Limited, 1978, p. 158.

  53. 53.

    With the opening of political space in the colonial government, coupled with the emergence of three regional based political parties namely National Council of Nigerian Citizens, (NCNC), Northern Peoples’ Congress, (NPC) and Action Group, (AG), there emerged also three prominent political elites in Nigeria; Sir Ahmadu Bello in the Northern region, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe in the Eastern region and Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the Western region. See also, Y. Turaki, The British Colonial Legacy in Northern Nigeria: A Social Ethnical Analysis of the Colonial and Post- Colonial Society and Politics in Nigeria, Jos, Challenge Press, 1993, p. 144.

  54. 54.

    Turaki, pp. 45–46.

  55. 55.

    Okwuidegbe, p. 59.

  56. 56.

    B. Ige, People, Politics and Politicians of Nigeria (1940–1979), Nigeria, Heinemann Educational Books PLC, 1995, p. 95.

  57. 57.

    Okwuidegbe, p. 17.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of History and International Studies, Renaissance Univerisy Ugbawka, Rewati, Nigeria

    Udoka Collins Onyenachie

  2. Department of History and International Relations, Veritas University, Abuja, Bwari, Nigeria

    Chinyere Ecoma

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  1. Udoka Collins Onyenachie
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Correspondence to Udoka Collins Onyenachie .

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  1. Department of History and Strategic Studies, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Nigeria

    Kelechi Johnmary Ani

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Onyenachie, U.C., Ecoma, C. (2023). Igbo Community in the Old Sokoto Province During the Colonial Era, 1903–1960. In: Ani, K.J. (eds) Political Economy of Colonial Relations and Crisis of Contemporary African Diplomacy. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-0245-3_6

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