Warfares and Weaponry of Pre-Colonial Igala Land 1500-1900: A Historical Analysis
Abstract
It is gratifying to know that the study on warfare and weaponry in pre-colonial times is receiving attention globally and not just limited to African studies within Africa as a continent alone, but cuts across the globe. Global War Studies is indeed a study of warfare right from pre-colonial times to the present. Prior to the arrival of the Europeans, Africans had no means of recording their histories in written form. By the 1800s the art of writing in Arabic was introduced to them and some Islamic scholars could record their histories in Arabic language and could record their military histories in written form too. Even the widely acclaimed works of Arabic scholars were restricted and obviously too, to just certain parts of Africa. In analyzing the mode of pre- colonial warfare fought at the time, certain factors were considered such as the strategies and tactics adopted by the people and how such strategies and tactics contributed to the defeat of their enemies. The Euro - Centric Scholars on the other hand have written their historical records to sooth their side of the story, their records of war fought against Africans were mostly biased. European scholars especially were inclined to believe that in pre-colonial times the peoples of the West African sub-region were too weak to defend themselves or too timid to launch offensives, against offending neighbours. This assumption was considered as misrepresentation and misunderstanding of historical realities. This work unveils various warfare fought in pre-colonial Igala-land with a view to clearing doubts regarding the factors that makes up the history of the Igala more complete. Warfare is very important function of state formation. This paper examines the peopling of Igala land, their traditions of origins, oral tradition. Their social, political, economic and religious institutions in pre-colonial times. Other issues include rules and conventions of wars, liability to military service. The organization and role of the military, weapons and how they were acquired, administrative and logistic support and the fate of prisoners of war among others. The paper also assesses some major wars fought by the Igala, the Igala-Benin war, the Igala-Jukun War, the aftermath and consequences of such wars, Lessons learnt, peace initiatives and processes, termination of hostilities and the relations in the Igbo-Igala borderland. Oral tradition of origin was mostly consulted and used in reconstructing the histories of Pre-colonial Warfare in Igala land as a reference material in the histories of Pre-Colonial Warfares and Weaponry in Igala land and Africa at large. This paper has adopted both primary and secondary sources.
Keywords: Warfare, Weaponry. Pre-Colonial, Oral Tradition, Socio- Economic and Cultural Norms and Values, Political Structure.