The Abolition of the Slave Trade in Southeastern Nigeria, 1885-1950 (Rochester Studies in African History and the Diaspora)

231 Pages·2006·0.96 MB·English

by  A. E. Afigbo

THE ABOLITION OF THE SLAVE TRADE IN
SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA, 1885–1950
Toyin Falola, Senior Editor
The Frances Higginbotham Nalle Centennial Professor in History
University of Texas at Austin
(ISSN: 1092–5228)
A complete list of titles in the Rochester Studies in African History and the
Diaspora, in order of publication, may be found at the end of this book.
THE ABOLITION OF THE SLAVE TRADE
IN SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA, 1885–1950
A. E. Afigbo
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER PRESS
Copyright © 2006 A. E. Afigbo
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under current legislation, no part of this
work may be photocopied, stored in a retrieval system, published, performed in
public, adapted, broadcast, transmitted, recorded, or reproduced in any form or
by any means, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
First published 2006
University of Rochester Press
668 Mt. Hope Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620, USA
www.urpress.com
and Boydell & Brewer Limited
PO Box 9, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 3DF, UK
www.boydellandbrewer.com
ISBN: 1–58046–242–1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Afigbo, A. E. (Adiele Eberechukwu)
The abolition of the slave trade in southeastern Nigeria, 1885-1950 /
A.E. Afigbo.
p. cm. – (Rochester studies in African history and the
diaspora, ISSN 1092-5228 ; v. 25)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-58046-242-1 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1.
Slavery–Nigeria–History. 2. Slave trade–Nigeria–History. 3. Great
Britain–Colonies–Africa–Administration I. Title.
HT1394.N6A45 2006
306.3(cid:1)6209669–dc22
2006023536
A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
This publication is printed on acid-free paper.
Printed in the United States of America.
Historian, Archivist, Friend—Joshua Chukwukere Enwere—IN MEMORIAM

CONTENTS
List of Illustrations viii
List of Appendixes ix
Preface xi
1 Philanthropy and Humanitarianism Left Out in the
Cold, 1830–84/85 1
2 The Coastal Phase, ca. 1885–1900 15
3 The Hinterland Phase I: Blood and Iron,
1900–1914 37
4 The Hinterland Phase II: Courts and
Constables, 1900–1932 55
5 The Hinterland Phase III: Courts and
Constables, 1933–50 85
Conclusion 117
Appendixes 1–7 131
Notes 183
Sources and Bibliography 197
Index 203
vii
ILLUSTRATIONS
Maps
1 The Three Main Axis of Attack on the Slave Trade Between
1885 and 1900 14
2 The Aro Chuku Expedition of 1901–1902 36
3 South Eastern Nigeria around 1930 Showing Major
Slave Supplying and Slave Receiving Areas 84
4 South Eastern Nigeria Showing Major Places
Mentioned in the Text 116
viii
APPENDIXES
1 Despatch from High Commissioner Moor, 7 July 1901:
Currency Issue 131
2 Despatch from High Commissioner Moor, 7 July 1901:
The Slavery Question 139
3 List of Suspected Slave Dealers 147
4 Additional List of Suspected Slave Dealers 151
5 Proceedings in the Case of Alaekwe and Chikeye of Ngodo 153
6 Proceedings in the Case of Nnadi of Umunkwor 163
7 Proceedings in the Case of Osu Ajoku of Ogwa 171
ix