Migrations in Africa: A focus on Mbano of Igboland, southeast Nigeria up to 190

Abstract

Issues of origin, migration and settlement occupy a central place in the history of any human society. People understand their history by first understanding their roots, and the trajectories of their migration and settlements. Some preliterate societies in Africa suffer the historical problematic of struggling to reconstruct their history from the real origin. The history of the Igbo of southeast Nigeria is an example of such a society. The history of the Igbo is shrouded with the problem regarding their origin. The grim issues concerning the origin of the Igbo create a big question on the original identity of the Igbo race. Hence, over the years, scholars have made attempts at reconstructing the history of micro societies with a view to finding the missing historical links in their various societies. This work on the narratives surrounding the origins, migrations and settlements of the Mbano peoples of Igboland, southeast Nigeria is an attempt in that direction. This study interrogates the issues of internal and external migrations that shape the historical antecedents of the people and their proximate neighbours. It argues that the source of the people and migration to their present abode explains the common cultural affiliations between the people of the area.