How true is the claim that the indigenous administrative systems in Nigeria were static?

Administrative history can be seen as the study of the origins of political institutions and
practices. However, Eurocentric scholars have adjudged the traditional or indigenous
administrative system in Nigeria to be static. This claim, however, is hypothetical and of course
testable. Nevertheless, the city states of Niger Delta also practised the indigenous administrative
system before and during contacts with the Europeans.

The principal peoples of the Niger Delta are the Itsekiri and the coastal dwelling Sobo in the
West, the Ijo in the center, the Ibibio and the Efik of the Old Calabar who lived in the eastern
Delta. Worthy of note is the fact that the Itsekiri of Warri have more similarities with their Benin
and Yoruba neighbors.
Scholars have characterized the political system in this area as fragmented or decentralized.
This is because the ecology of this region (mostly coastal) did not give room for a centralized
state. However, there are village group made up of people who claim descent from a given
ancestor through the male line. Essentially , villages are divided into quarters which are lineage
groups founded by various sons of the founder of the village. Each quarter is in turn made up of
extended families each of which normally lives within a definite compound. In such a compound
would be a man and his wives as well as the grown up sons and their wives and children. The
compound or “house” represents the smallest unit of political and social organization amongst
these people. This administrative system could be called “house systems”.

The city state in the central and eastern delta can be defined as confederation of houses. The
states of Nembe, Kalabari, Bonny, Old Calabar as well as the Itshekiri kingdom of Warri were
composed of three territorial units; the capital, colonies of satellite villages and a trading region
in the interior forest belt.

THE ITSEKIRI (The Western Delta Kingdom of Warri)

The Itsekiri are a mixture of several people but the original inhabitants “Umuale” was
absorbed by invading groups from the forest zone. If traditions of origins were correct, Warri was
originally subordinate to Benin. In the 1680s, the people had already became familiar with the
Portuguese education and Catholicism. It was reported that by the late 18th century, population
of Warri was estimated to be in the region of 3000 to 15000 people. The palace was, however,
like the Oba’s building at Benin but smaller. One of Warris greatest kings was a successor of
Antonio Domingo called Olu Erewuja who reigned from about 1720 to 1800. He refined the
political plights of the Warri kingdom and ensured Warri’s independence of Benin. He also
participated directly in trading with the Portuguese and encouraged the Itsekiri to move down
towards the mouth of Benin River. His successor was cruel and lacked the characteristics of able
leadership and this reversed the administrative triumph of his predecessor. Civil strides, struggles
racked Warri much of the 19th century until the rise of Nana of Ebrohomi in the 1880s. This is a
direct result attributed to the way in which the slave trade had enriched chiefly lineages, this in
turn gave the chiefs power to challenge the wealth and authority of the Olu (king).

The IJO

The Ijo or Ijaw are people of the Niger Delta region comprising of formerly autonomous
groups. In the 1600s, the Ijo served as intermediary slave traders between Europeans and African
groups north of them.
Nembe during the reign of Kala Ekule became so influential because he had contacts with the
city state of Kalabari and others. He was succeeded by several kings, the last whom was Basua
that died in about 1700. After his death, civil strife broke out in Nembe as two of Basua’s son
tussled for the throne. Neither of them, Mingi and Ogbodo was totally victorious and so, the set
up themselves as kings giving room for dual monarchy in Nembe. Mingi became king in
Bassambiri, a quarter of Nembe and Ogbodo became king in Ogolomabiri. Mingi encouraged his
people to cultivate plantations, although cruel and this made Ogbodo to be more accepted by
the people. Traditions of origin says he was a good man although weaker than Mingi.

THE KALABARI

The Kalabari people emerged out of two group settlers, one party hailed from Ijo settlement in
the New Calabar river and another group of people led by Opu Koro Ye.

Owerri Daba Of The Kalabari

He was an astute king who is believed to have introduced the slave trade to Kalabari and
Bonny. He is said to have founded important houses in Kalabari. In the 16th and 17th century, he
created a close link with Bonny.

King Amakiri of The Kalabari

His reign was full of various strifes and warfare. He imported muskets in the 1770s and
established various trading routes to the major market. His dynasty emerged as the royal lineage
of Elem Kalabari which alone could supply kings. Early in his reign, he subdued Okrika villages
which lay in the east flank of the New Calabar river. In the late 18th century, Amakari is said to
have defeated the city state of Bonny. It was during his reign that the political institutions,
alliances and rivalries between great houses which existed in the 19th century were fully
established.

BONNY

The Ibani kingdom was founded in the 15th century. It’s modern name “Bonny” is a corruption of
the word “Ibani”. The early settlers of Bonny derived from a section of Ndokki people of Ijo
origin. Also, the Ibo immigrants also played integral role in the founding of Bonny kingdom.
King Asimini of The Bonny Kingdom

During his reign, he monopolizes the salt trade and developed overseas slave trade at Bonny
learning from Owerri Dana of Kalabari. Only his descendants are enthroned as his successors. The
Asimini lineage of kings includes Edemini, Queen Kambasa, Kumasi, Wari, Amakiri, Awusa,
Perekule 1.

The Pepple Dynasty In Bonny

A distant kinsman of King Kamalu whose name “Perekule” (Pepple) founded this dynasty. He
was succeeded by his younger brother as he was childless. His younger brother was the
renowned Opobo. According to tradition, reigned from 1792 to about 1830. Opobo fought and
deafeated the Kalabari. His reign was significant because he witnessed the ending of overseas
slave trade in Bonny by a British naval blockade in the early 19th century.

THE EFIK (Delta state of Old Calabar)

The Efik speaking people was expelled from their home at Idua near Uruan on the Cross River
in about early 17th century. They settled at a place near site of Creek Town and were called “Efik”
meaning “to Oppress”. A civil strife made them transit to a place where the Europeans called Old
Calabar. Owing to commercial rivalries between powerful houses which dominated the town,
more settlements were founded by dissident groups.
Houses in the old Calabar were modeled more on traditional house system. Wards or a house
group were internally self governing under a ward or a house-head and council of elders. Of
course, the houses were socially heterogenous as they included slaves and strangers. The kings of
the Old Calabar, acting in their roles of head of Ekpe, enforced laws, adjudicated disputes, led the
armed forces and arranged peace treaties with neighboring peoples.

In all, one can deduce the fact that the indigenous administrative system in the Niger Delta
region of Nigeria was organized in a way that was determined by the ecology or the geographical
factor. Unlike their Yoruba and Benin neighbors who had large terrain of land that allowed
empires to flourish , the Niger Delta city states with numerous waterways was not able to achieve
this, instead, they had the “house systems” headed by a chief or house head. Their continuous
trading, interaction and diplomacy with the Europeans shows how their administrative system
was able to blend with the trends of this period.