Aro history
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[edit] Ibibio Control
Before Igbo arrival to the Aro territory, a Semi-Bantu group of the Ibibio arrived around 300 AD from the Benue valley. Mainly inhabiting between the Imo-Cross River they dwelled in many scattered communities. A prominent settlement was Ibom. These hunters and farmers perhaps lived peacefully until new arrivers of a different origin invaded.
[edit] Igbo Migration and Invasion
The Igbo migration among the Ibibio in the Aro territory started in the 1400 AD due to population preasures on land. These people were businessmen, land hungry people, and slaves from perhaps Northern Igboland. Tensions escalated between the Igbos and Ibibios especially in the 17nth century when the final and largest phases of migrations took part resulting in the Aro-Ibibio Wars. Neither groups had a victorous position in the war. The Igbos called Priest Nnachi of the Edda clan near Afikpo for assistance. Nnachi wasn't able to complete the mission so through his son Oke Nnachi, he called on Eastern Cross river allies for assistance.
[edit] Akpa arrival and the foundation of Arochukwu
Osim and Akuma Nnubi were Akpa merchant princes from the Calabar area. They led Akpa mercenaries into the Aro territory to assist their Igbo allies to victory but with the cost of Osim losing his life in the start of the 18th century. With the Akpas and Igbos being victorious, the Arochukwu kingdom was found with Akuma being the first king or EzeAro. The Ibibio people were either killed, enslaved, thrown out, or faced discrimination from other Aro groups. After Akuma died, the Igbos took over the throne starting with Nnachi's son Oke Nnachi in 1720. Many changes occurred as 19 city-states formed due to the increasing population which resulted in the foundation of Aro colonies abroad from the Niger Delta to Equatorial Guinea starting in 1735. Also the last Akpa immigrants arrived increasing the population and power. With allies, the Aro people were about to take over.
[edit] Aro Confederacy
The Aro Confederacy was a strong Aro state which truly started when forming allies and starting colonies abroad in the 1730s. With the powerful Oracle God Ibini Ukpabi in Arochukwu, the Aros had a lot of fame and they used this advantage to supply slaves to the coastal allies like Calabar, Opobo, Bonny, Brass, and other states controlled by the Efik, Ijaw, Igbo, and Ibibio. Using fierce slave raiding and kidnapping gangs, the Aros and their nieghbouring allies razed through Igbo and Ibibiolands. Aro colonies benefited and really thrived from the slave trade. Colonies like Ajalli, Arondizuogu, and Bende became one of the most powerful Aro states through commerce and warfare. Military action in the Aro Confederacy was at times needed in order to surive and expand. The founders of Arondizuogu, Izuogu Mgbokpo and Chief Iheme are examples of the great Aro commanders who used great military strategy to defeat enemies in combat in the mid 18nth century. They influenced later legendary Aro commanders such as Okoro Idozuka also of Arondizuogu who expanded the the state's borders through warfare in the starting of the 19nth century. But mostly the Aro Confederacy's power was through religious and economic ways. But with European colonists on their way in the conclusion of the 19nth century, things would change.
[edit] European Colonists
When the European colonists arrived in the late 1800s, the Aro people knew this could end their power. When the Germans colonized Cameroon in 1884 and the Spanish colonized Equatorial Guinea in 1900, it did had little effect on the Aro Confederacy's power but Aro rulers were aware that resisting Europeans will be very soon. When Mary Slessor a missionary sent by the British, arrived in Calabar areas, she was successful in those areas. But in Aro territories, she failed her work. EzeAro and other rulers knew that Christianity was a way of peacefully capturing Aroland. The British knew that there was no way to avoid war due to repeated Aro attacks so they made plans for war in 1899. The problem wasn't only religion and resisting but business. Aro traders and the Royal Niger Company, had their own issues. An Aro invasion of Obegu in 1901 started the Anglo-Aro War. After the direct attack on Arochukwu and months of fighting, the British were victorious in 1902. The Aro Confederacy's power decreased enough for British to takeover.
[edit] Nigeria
When Nigeria won independence from Great Britain in 1960, ethnic tensions rose between the regions resulting in the Nigerian Civil War in 1967-1970. After the war, the Aros and the rest of the Igbo People suffered discrimintation from other Nigerians. Many Igbos have moved out of Nigeria since. Aro culture has suffered but prominent Aro men around the world are working hard to unify all Aro people and revive its lost identity.
