DYNAMICS OF PRE-COLONIAL DIPLOMATIC PRACTICES AMONG THE IGBO SPEAKING PEOPLE OF SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA, 1800-1900: A HISTORICAL EVALUATION

Abstract

This paper seeks to conduct a historical evaluation on the dynamics of pre-colonial diplomatic relations among the Igbo speaking people of Southeastern Nigerian. This became a necessity owing to the fact that there appear to be a big neglect by scholars of Igbo descent in discussing the mode by which city-states littered across the Southeastern region of Nigeria conducted their own unique form of diplomacy. This implication of this neglect have only given further credence to Eurocentric claims that “Africa has no history”. It is a historical fact that when most societies where invaded by European colonialists, they paid little or no attention to how these societies have conducted indigenous affairs that have for centuries sustained them. Rather, a conclusion was drawn that these pre-colonial societies were devoid of any meaningful aspect of life that should be understudied. Be that as it may, through the concept of African historiography, the fore-going has long been debunked with the help of oral history as enunciated by Jan Vasina. However, what is yet to receive adequate attention is the art of diplomacy across Africa, vis a vis the conduct of diplomatic practices among the Igbo speaking people of Southeast Nigeria .Thus, the study reveals base on the much available sources, that in pre-colonial Igboland, the people conducted a unique and sophisticated art of diplomacy. The study also submits that not only did the Igbo speaking people engaged in the art of diplomatic practices, but diplomacy in the area was practiced according to civilized standards. The study draws instances from various Igbo communities and discusses elaborately on how they conducted theirs. Historical analysis was employed as the method for this research.

Keywords: Diplomacy, Igbo, Pre-colonial, Southeastern and Nigeria.