| Anglo-Aro war | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| British Empire and allies | Aro Confederacy | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| L.T. Col. H.F. Montanaro Captain A. T. Jackson Major A. M. N. Mackenzie Lieutenant-Colonel A. Festing Major Heneker |
Eze (King) Kanu Okoro of Arochukwu Okori Torti |
||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 87 officers, 1,550 soldiers and 2,100 carriers | 7,500+ Aro and allied soldiers | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| About 700–800 British casualties | Heavy casualties | ||||||
The Anglo-Aro War (1901–1902) was a conflict between the Aro Confederacy in present day Eastern Nigeria, and the British Empire. The war began after increasing tension between Aro leaders and British colonialists after years of failed negotiations.
Contents |
The Aro Confederacy, whose powers extended across Eastern Nigeria and beyond was challenged in the last decades of the 19th century by increasing British penetration of the hinterland. The Aro people and their allies resisted the penetration which threatened their culture, influence, and sovereignty.
Reasons advanced by the United Kingdom included:
The Aros knew that British penetration would destroy their economic dominance of the hinterland. They also opposed their religion, Christianity, which threatened their religious influence through their oracle Ibini Ukpabi. The Aro led raids and invasions on communities were conducted in order to undermine British penetration since the 1890s. While the British prepared for the invasion of Arochukwu in November 1901, the Aro launched their last major offensive before the Aro Expedition by British forces. Aro forces led by Okoro Toti sacked Obegu (a British ally) which resulted in 400 people dying. This attack quickened British preparation for their offensive.
Sir Ralph Moore and the Royal Niger Company, had planned the attack on the Aros and the Ibini Ukpabi oracle since September 1899 but due to lack of necessary manpower, was delayed until November 1901. On November 28, Lt. Col. A. F. Montanaro led 87 officers, 1,550 soldiers and 2,100 carriers in four axes of advance to Arochukwu from Oguta, Akwete, Unwuna and Itu on a counter-insurgency campaign. As expected, Aro forces resisted all axes strongly, although they lacked modern weapons. However, Arochukwu was captured on December 28 after four days of fierce battles in and around the city. As a result the Ibini Ukpabi shrine was allegedly blown up. Battles between British and Aro forces continued until spring 1902 when Aro forces were defeated in the last major battle at Bende. The Aro Expedition ended three weeks later.
Some of the Aro leaders like Okoro Toti, were arrested, tried by tribunals, and hanged. The Aro Confederacy was destroyed and Eze Kanu Okoro (king of Arochukwu), went into hiding but was later arrested. Although Aro dominance crumbled in March 1902, many Aros took part in later resistances against the British in the region such as in Afikpo (1902–1903), Ezza (1905), and other areas where the Aro had a particularly significant presence. The defeat of the Aro did help the British in their imperial agenda of conquest of the interior but serious opposition to British penetration in Igboland, however, clearly did not end with the Anglo-Aro War. In the years that followed, the British had to deal with many other conflicts and wars in various parts of Igboland such as the Nri Conflict (1905–1911), Ekumeku War (1883–1914), Igbo Women's War (1929) and etc.