A Socio-economic Responsibilities Of Women In Otukpo Clan In The 20th Century

A Socio-economic Responsibilities Of Women In Otukpo Clan In The 20th Century

Chapter One

General Introduction

Background to Study

This work centers on the artistic conditioning of women in the Otukpo clan in Idoma land in the 20th century. still, a brief origin of the Idomas is imperative at this stage. This preface thus is intended to go into the polemics of the origin of the Idoma nation.

Tamuno 1 in his essay on the people of Niger Benue, asserted that ” with the exception of the Iyala, the Idoma claimed that their ancestors had a Wukari(i.e Jukun) origin. similar unresistant commentary on the Idoma nation ran throughout nearly all the literal workshop being, until lately, when ProfessorE.O Erim of University of Calabar excavated into origin of the Idoma nation in his book “ The Idoma nation ”

According to Erim 2, the Idoma people claim their ancestral home to be Apa, the region that harbours their literal neigbours the jukuns within the plains of the lower Benue. The Idoma nation is made up of twenty- two sections with sixteen Idoma proper and sixnon-Idoma speaking people comprising of Igede, Etulo, Akpa, Utonkon and Ulayi 3. On the other hand, another proposition on the origin of the Idoma added Ishake on the southern side living side by side with the Igbo settlers 4.

still, what’s moment known as Idoma that lies south of the River Benue with a population that has been estimated at slightly over one million by 2006 tale figure, and it’s area of land located within the broad vale of the Benue River and cross River receptacle has remained home for the Idomas over the century. The main thrust of the land is a conterminous belt of home, which stretches from southern banks of River Benue to the northern circumferences of Igbo land. These homes lie within latitude 600- 300 north and longitude 800 east and cover a total land area of roughly5.955 square kilometers 5.

The River Benue bound the Idoma people to the North, by corridor of Igbo and Ogoja to the South, by the Tiv and Igede to the East and by Igala land to the West. The Idoma unanimously traced their traditions of origin to Apa( Beipi) tentatively associated with one time capital of the fabulous kwararafa coalition, which before the 15th century was under Abakpawatiga. The term Idoma is used to describe the carnages of a migration leader, Idu6. snitchers from colorful ethnical groups for case Adoka, Ugboju of Otukpo original government among others sundeck their breedings back to certain Iduwho was their “ apparent author ” and the author of different groups in Idoma land.

The king lists of this distinct trace their genecology to the mystical Idu or Idom. There’s no mistrustfulness that Idu was a literal figure. A typical Idoma genecology shows that Idu is the “ father ” of the different groups that came to their locales from kwararafa and at different phase of migration

Ideal of the Study

This study is chosen because of the significant part played by women in Idoma land particularly their artistic liabilities to the Otukpo clan

What stimulated the experimenter to embark on this jotting is to contribute to knowledge. Nothing important has been written on the significant part played by Idoma women in the area of their artistic liabilities particularly in Otukpo clan. This study focuses on the artistic liabilities of women to the Otukpo clan in Idoma land which form a large bulk of the profitable conditioning of the present day Benue state of Nigeria. The study aims at an evaluation of the specific places of women in Idoma land. It’s for the purpose of this work to concentrate on the colorful developments achieved by women in Otukpo original government of Benue state which include socio-artistic development, profitable development and to bring similar significant part played by women into lime light from the period under review

Attempt shall be made in this essay to give some knowledge of the nature and diversity of the part of women in the artistic developments of Otukpo clan. The experimenter shall also assess the religious, artistic and other factors shaping their colorful places and examine programs that have attested the position of women in Otukpo clan during the period under review. principally, emphasis would be placed on gender relation in the society and how this might have told the colorful conditioning involving women.

This essay focuses on women substantially because their artistic places haven’t been sufficiently emphasized in literal jottings. They’re rather bandied utmost times as passing references. It’s important to note that unless one goes into the field to specifically find out about the artistic donation of women, there’s the tendency of not pursuing in detail the part played by them.

Compass of the Study

This essay would endeavor to look at women and their socio-artistic and profitable liabilities in Otukpo original government area of Benue state in the 20th century. thus, the study covers the period from 1900 till date. Women conditioning in Otukpo Local Government will be bandied which will include societal view on women in Otukpo Local Government area of Benue state. Women in profitable conditioning will be bandied, the socio-artistic and profitable development of women in Otukpo will be stressed which include the socio-artistic liabilities of women in Otukpo, the position of women in the family, the part of women in community service, the part women in carnivals, women in commerce and other factors shaping their colorful places. It’ll examines polices that have affected the position of women in Otukpo during the 20th century.

Exploration Methodology and Problems

Since this study is aimed at relating the part played by women in Idoma land to the Otukpo clan in the 20th century, it’s thus substantially grounded on oral source and fieldwork, since secondary source accoutrements frequently deals with conditioning in the region without specific reference to women. Group consequences were also conducted with those in the same ward in other to determine the colorful places played by women in Otukpo clan. Information was also gotten through individualities canvassed .

The secondary sources that are consulted for this work are moreover on effects written on the area of study, reports, journals and handbooks from the Libraries and libraries. As might be anticipated, all the source of information had their limitations. It’s set up out that there are little or no reference to the artistic conditioning of women in Otukpo clan and where accoutrements are set up on women it centre’s more on feminism and their emancipation, and those set up relating to the work aren’t of great applicability to the work.

At the Archive, utmost of the lines and text asked for on women aren’t available and at times when set up it’s of no significance or some runners were fully torn off. The fact that a large number of people is canvassed doesn’t exclude problem from the oral source, the reason being that the women couldn’t spare their time for interviews indeed though former arrangements has been made for it. It’s set up out that the information contained there are the same as those formerly gathered. There’s also problem in the area of provision of dating for specific events, and also, on how important profit they do realize from their profitable gambles.

Literature Review

There are no dubieties that several literatures pullulate on Idoma profitable and socio-artistic history, with a sprinkle of them on Otukpo Original government in particular. Anthropologists who aren’t professed in the discipline of History, and other well famed chroniclers didn’t put some of these workshop together. Our review of literature still aims at presenting a variety of some views put together by different scholars on the subject of our exploration with the end of bringing out specific issues that are considered imperative to this wok. It’s material to assert that there are certain areas, which these literatures didn’t cover which this exploration sought to cover.

In Okpeh’s donation “ Studies in the History of Central Nigeria vo11 ” Okpeh in 10th chapter “ ThePre-Colonial Organization of the Idoma People, ” dwelt more on thepre-colonial setting evolving his analysis around the Ojira which according to him was no doubt a veritably important association in Idoma land 7. This author also was suitable to give us the Idoma setting inpre-colonial period. On the other hand, his work while slipping light on the part of women and their benefactions inpre-colonial period, did still, not cover important on our aspect of exploration.

InV.G. Okwu’s book; “ The Establishment of Colonial Administration in Idoma land 1921- 1930, ” Okwu8 started by tracing the origin of Idoma land and went on to bandy the government station towards the Idomas in his workshop and with reference to Otukpo Local Government area. In this book, he was suitable to give the origin of Idoma land, which is useful to this exploration. On the other hand, it didn’t mention any conditioning of women in his analysis.

Another book consulted in the course of this study was the book ofE.O Erim9 who’s one of the foremost pens of Idoma literatures, spent further time of his book ‘ Idoma Nationality ’ tracing the origin, migration and agreement pattern of Idoma people. He also devoted his time to their ways of life and traditional institution. It’s important to note that his work inspired posterior pens of literal work or literature on the Idoma nation. Hence nearly every Idoma literature has his masterpiece appertained to. Again given the large acclamation that has been generated by his work, the work doesn’t cover every aspect of this exploration work but was helpful when giving the background of the Idoma people and their origin.

Another book that was reviewed in the course of this exploration was ‘ Women Marginalization and Politics in Nigeria ’ by Jibrin Ibrahim and Amina Salihu. The book is about women in politics in Nigeria and their achievements as far as Government services, 10 are concerned. The work went further to talk of how women were being marginalized in Nigeria politics in this regard the book was suitable to give useful information in the aspect of the part played women in politics in relation to the changing places of women in Nigeria. still, the book is of limited use to this work because the setting of the work is grounded on Nigeria as a whole with no reference to Otukpo Local Government of Benue State.

Another book consulted was “ Studies in Igede Development ” volume I,( eds) Adagba Okpaga, Indu O. Ode and Godwin E. Ogah 11. This book addresses about the colorful developments that have taken place in Igede community of Benue state. While this book is applicable to this study it’s limited because of its setting which had no particular reference to Otukpo Local Government Area.

In the book by Bernard Obeya Nelson andProf.J.I. Elaigwu12, listed “ Ucholo kal ’ Idoma, A florilegium of Apa Heritage. In this book, we were suitable to see the origin and foundation of Idoma area and in general have been suitable to give us with information concerning the Idoma Heritage which is useful in the course of this exploration and also handed information on the Idoma political development in Benue State. On the other hand this book has neglected some information especially the conditioning of women in Idoma land and where there’s available information important reference isn’t placed on women conditioning in Otukpo Local Government area of Benue State.

Another book consulted is “ Women and Politics ” written by Vicky Randall13, published in 1982. The work centers on women participation in politics, impact of polities on women in relation to policy timber, their social position in politics and political geste of women. This work is of limited use because the setting of the work was grounded on Britain and United States and not on Nigeria it still handed useful sapience into women administration and governance in political position