By the thirteenth century, a host of Hausa kingdoms such as Gobir, Kebbi, Zaria, Kano, and Katsina had also emerged, thanks to a viable agriculture and trade. South of the Hausa states and Kanem-Borno is the area now known as the countrys Middle Belt, sparsely populated and with many small states. However, the Middle Belt is a zone of ancient civilizations with advanced technologies and cultures. Here was the home of the Nok culture and the Jukun empire, and of riverain groups such as the Idoma, Igala, Tiv, Bussa, Ebira, Nupe, and Bariba, all of whom attained prominence. Around the Niger-Benue confluence there was a cluster of groups, Yoruba, Nupe, Tiv, and Igala, who interacted with one another to promote trade and diplomacy. In the forest and the Niger Delta was a variety of great kingdoms and small states. The coastal area had a high population density, and some states in this area as well as the forest were politically fragmented, as in the case of the Igbo in the southeast. In the Niger Delta, such city-states as Bonny, Brass, and Calabar were famous for their control of the river and the coast, as well as for their trade with Europeans. Islam did not penetrate the forest region until very late. Valuable crops were produced, notably kola nuts, fish, and sea salt, all of which became part of longdistance trade. Trade routes also connected the forest with the savanna; they connected the Yoruba in the west with their northern neighbors, and the trading communities along the rivers Niger and Benue with each other. Calabar Kingdom also known as Efik Kingdom is an Ancient Kingdom that existed thousands of years before Christ. The City of Calabar was the seat of power of the Calabar Kingdom. The old Calabar Kingdom was composed of loosely governed states. The states included: Annang, Akamkpa, Efik, Eket, Ibibio, Ikom, Ogoja, (Opobo, now Ikot Abasi), Oron, Western Camaroon and the offshore island of Fernando Po (now Equatorial Guinea). Calabar was (and still is) the capital city of the Efik State of the old Calabar Kingdom. As such, the Kingdom has been known as either Calabar Kingdom or Efik Kingdom. Calabar Kingdom was an active ancient trading kingdom. Recorded history shows that the Calabar Kingdom was the first Kingdom to use a money system in trading in West Africa. The ancient money of Calabar Kingdom was called Okpoho, a Calabar word for money. This money become known as the Manillas. The Kingdom was ruled by Kings with the King of Calabar as the High King. Several years after the Kingdom became a British colony, there was an agreement between the British and the Kings in 1908 abrogating the title of King, and replacing it with the title - Obong. Thus, as Calabar Kingdom became a British colony, the British saw it necessary to not duplicate the title of the monarch (the King or Queen - of England) in their colony. The High King (King of Calabar later known as Obong of Calabar till this present time), had a strong power in the capital City of Calabar in the Efik State with weak power over the other states in the Kingdom. Leadership power in the Calabar Kingdom was derived from a major secret society, the Ekpe Secrete Society. The Ekpe secret society was instrumental in keeping outsiders (other ethnic groups) outside of the Kingdom and in protecting the sovereignty of the Kingdom.
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 14:37:09 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015