ARO HISTORY

Mmilijiofor

By the time the Trans-Atlantic slave trade picked up momentum, the Arochukwu city state which was a highly organized, prosperous oligarchy, backed by highly organized hierarchy of priests, chief and agents to the all powerful Chukwu (God) Ibini-Ukpabi, for the Aros and “Long Juju” to the British, had been put in place. It is true no one can speak of a pure race, the Aros certainly inter-married and borrowed from their neighbours the Ibibios, the Igbos, the Efiks, the Ekois, and others. But by the time the slave trade was in full swing, the Aros had consolidated their position and stood shoulder high above their neighbours.

With the power and prestige of the Ibini-Ukpabi behind them, the Aros fanned out from their homeland by a system of outposts and roads from the Atlantic Ocean to the banks of the River Benue and from the Cross River/Cameroon Mountains to the River Niger. Such was the area of operation. It is true that far away from the seat of power the control and influence was less effective. But by treaties, peace accord, threats, propaganda bribery with gun, gun powder, tobacco, local rulers or chiefs were induced of coerced to accept Aro control and presence in their territory.

In Igboland as in Greece and Rome there was a hierarchy of deity – lesser gods sometimes in competition, and there was always one supreme above all others. So, in Igboland, the Chukwu or Ibini-Ukpabi of Arochukwu was supreme. All head chiefs of all the Aro villages were priests of the Chukwu and Chukwu was supposed to do no wrong and his judgment was final. The Ibini-Ukpabi or the “Long JuJu” as the British misnamed it, acted as the final Court of Appeal in Igboland nay Ibibio, Efik, Ekoi and everywhere. Therein lay the power and extra-ordinary influence of the Aros. If that was all, perhaps the Chukwu might have been challenged by other tribes like the Igbos or Ibibios. That was not all, the very war-like and the very close neighbours of the Aros-Ohafia, Abam, Abiriba provided a force that was invincible. 

The standing of any young man in these communities was reckoned by the human skulls he used in decorating his house – the more the skulls the braver the individual. This is similar to the scalping of the American Indians. Using this weapon, the Aros were always in a position to overawe any enemy.

Aro hegemony was therefore based on the power and influence of the Long Juju or Ibini-Ukpabi backed by Abam, Ohafia, Abiriba, Ekoi and other warriors whose reward were, “heads” loot and beautiful captured maidens. Prisoners were handed to the Aros who always acted as guides collecting prisoners for onward transmission to Arochukwu to be sold off at Calabar, Bonny and Opobo.

The Aros are always accused of engaging in the nefarious slave trade. The Aros did not start the slave trade. Slavery was a world wide phenomenon. It is there in the Bible. The Greeks and the Romans owned slaves or sold them off to serve households. The Romans even went further to release slaves in great arena armed to fight and kill one another or thrown to fight wild animals as entertainment for the populace.

With the discovery of America and the subsequent need to exploit the great gold and silver mines of South America, labour was required, the Portuguese in their expedition of discovering sea routes to the far east collected a few blacks (Africans) to Portugal. This was eventually to blossom into full-scale enterprise. With the establishment of English colonies in North America, demand for cotton and tobacco increased tremendously. Where cheap labour could be secured for the extensive plantations which were being established? The war-like North American Indians could not be tamed to work in the plantations. Attention was switched to Africa-West Africa in particular. For over four-hundred years the trade in human beings flourished. The wealth of the Americans and all countries of Western Europe increased tremendously as slave ships carried millions of Africans to America over this period. World conscience was asleep.

To secure slaves there must be wars and to successfully prosecute the wars there must be arms. The whiteman therefore supplied the arms –guns and gun powder to ensure continuous flow of slaves. The Aros who were organized acted as middlemen, took slaves to the coast, brought in arms and other merchandise like gin, potash, tobacco, textile, axe which they transported to the hinterland. The need for slaves generated intertribal wars. Slaves flowed to the coast. The whiteman was happy and the Aroman was happy too. Arochukwu became the center of a growing and expanding empire. The Aro wherever he was, was a sacred person for to attack and kill an Aroman or to loot and take away his merchandise brought instant revenge because the Ohafia/Abam warriors were always on hand to hand out instant punishment. 

In such a situation, the Aroman was respected and feared. If to this, we add the fear and influence of the “Long Juju” – Ibini-Ukpabi, we now see why Arochuwku exerted such powerful influence over the entire area which came to be known as Eastern Nigeria.

In the context of Arochukwu development, it would be difficult to separate politics and economics from religion. One thing is clear, to survive there must be income. So, the inflow of slave trade enriched Arochukwu. Aro traders paid tributes to the Chukwu. Aro settled inter-tribal cases and exacted fees and if barren women become fertile, fees were paid to Chukwu. All Aro settlements sent home annually or periodically food and money. There is a famous saying – “you do not go to Arochukwu bare handed neither can you see the Chukwu bare handed”

The Chukwu or Ibini-Ukpabi could not be consulted or appealed to except through an emissary who would then hand over a particular problem to the village head who himself was a sub-priest of the Chukwu. So, at every stage money or tribute change hands. Nothing goes for nothing, they say. 

As middlemen, Arochukwu traders were ubiquitous, very hard working, trekking several miles to dispose of their merchandise. Since there were settlements or out posts, Aro traders broke their journeys at these outposts, supplied goods, collected slaves and delivered messages as communication link between settlement and home Aro. Warring tribes appealed to Aros for help. Aro intervention always meant immediate cease-fire. Where any group remained recalcitrant, Ohafia/Abam warriors would be called in and this would spell disaster for the offending party for slaves would flow, thereby offering business for the slave traders. To cement friendship, Aro girls were very much in demand; many Igbo chiefs in the hinterland cemented their relationship with the Aros in marriage. But the Aros like the Jews tended to preserve racial purity.

All tribes had their gods. The Chukwu was supreme. He acted as the Court of Appeal and his judgment was final and could not be challenged. His action unchallenged. The agents and emissaries made this clear to all. Cases which could not be settled had to be sent to Chukwu. Thieves and vagabonds, were sent to the Chukwu since he could do no wrong and could not be challenged. It is often stated that the system was fraudulent in pre-Christian era where there was general uncertainty and continual warfare. The Ibini-Ukpabi was a stabilizing force which could by pronouncement, stop a war, condemn a criminal, banish a person into slavery and take life where appropriate. Were the Aros blood thirsty? No. Wherever Aro sovereignty or hegemony was challenged, heads rolled. But generally the Aros needed slaves to sell to bring in income, one could not eat one’s cake and still have it. The Chukwu was not blood thirsty. 

The operators were shrewed businessmen. While the system lasted, it served very useful purpose.

The Aros were long distance travelers. To expand and cover their area of operation, outposts or settlements had to be established. To serve the Ibini-Ukpabi and promote the trade in humans every Aroman was fully mobilized. With nineteen villages in place, each village had its area of operation. Strategic and key road junctions or settlements were carefully selected. Once contact had been made with the local chief and presents offered, suitable site would be allocated. The Aro settler was not a conqueror, he was a peaceful settler who had to adhere to the local law. He farmed, engaged in trade, acted as agent for the Ibini-Ukpabi and propagated the gospel for the benefits to be derived by using his connection to get to Ibini-Ukpabi. He made available goods like potash, gun, gun-powder, clothing and matches. The location became a trading out post, an information center and an inn for other Aros passing through. 

It was only when such a settler was molested or refused right to established the outpost that Aro wrath was unleashed on the Community. As explained previously, this was always swift and decisive. Since very village had its own sphre of influence, the entire area covered was crisscrossed with roads and settlements. 

There was continuous movement to and from Arochukwu

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