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Property reckoning and methods of accumulating wealth among the Ogoni of the eastern Niger delta

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2011

Sonpie Kpone-Tonwe
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Extract

This article is a product of research in the Ogoni region of the Niger delta between 1981 and 1991. It analyses an aspect of the pre-colonial economy of Ogoni, which aimed at preserving the proceeds of agricultural production and increasing the wealth of the individual. Agricultural production was not all for subsistence. A substantial proportion was sold off and the proceeds invested in the economy. The article argues that this was possible because the Ogoni were acquainted with the use of an all-purpose currency before the arrival of Europeans. By a method of linguistic analysis it was possible to trace the existence of such an indigenous currency and its spread from the Ogoni area to the rest of the eastern Niger delta and to the greater part of south-east Nigeria. It is shown that the Ogoni were major producers and distributors of large transport and fishing canoes in the eastern Niger delta. A thriving canoe-making industry at Ko on the Imo river, led to a culture of marine transport and distributive long-distance trade through the waterways of the delta and to the island of Equatorial Guinea and to the Cameroons. The conclusion summarises the evidence and drives home the fact that in pre-colonial Ogoni wealth was accumulated and reckoned not by the yardstick of more cash but by the possession of livestock and landed property.

Résumé

Cet article est le fruit de recherches menées dans la région Ogoni du delta du Niger entre 1981 et 1991. Il analyse un aspect de l'économie pré-coloniale en Ogoni qui avait visé à préserver les produits agricoles et à augmenter les resources individuelles. La production agricole n'avait pas été entièrement pour la subsistence. Une proportion substantielle de celle-ci avait été vendue et les produits de la vente avaient été investis dans l'ééconomie.

Cet articles soutient que cela avait été possible parce que les Ogonis étaient familiers avec l'usage d'une monnaie pour tous leurs échanges avant l'arrivée des européens. En se servant d'une méthode d'analyse linguistique, il a été possible de retrouver les traces d'une monnaie indigène de ce genre et sa diffusion depuis la région Ogoni jusqu'au reste du delta du Niger et la plus grande partie du Niger du sud-est.

On démontre que les Ogonis étaient des importants producteurs et distributeurs de pirogues de transport et de pirogues de pêche à l'est du delta du Niger. Une industrie vibrante de construction de pirogues à Ko sur la rivière Imo avait donné naissance à une culture de transports marins et à un commerce distributeur de longue distance à travers les eaux du delta et l'île de la Guinée équatoriale. La conclusion résume ces évidences et fait voir que dans l'Ogoni pré-colonial les richesses avaient été accumulées et comptées non pas par la simple mesure de l'argent mais par la possession de bétail et de terres.

Type
Poverty and prosperity on the margin
Information
Africa , Volume 67 , Issue 1 , January 1997 , pp. 130 - 158
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1997

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