Contacts with North Arabs

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Welcome to class! 

In today’s class, we will be talking about contacts with north Arabs. Enjoy the class!

Contacts with North Arabs

Nature of relations

Traders from the outside world came into Nigeria to do business. They were merchants and agents. Gradually there was an influence on Nigerians because intermarriages occurred, culture, practices and religion of the traders were introduced.

In the process of trading to export goods like gold, kolanuts, gold, ivory, ostrich feathers etc. Nigerians obtained salt, horses,

There were routes used, for example, from Tunis to Kano, Tripoli to Ngazargamu etc.

Contacts with the Arabs

Through trade, the bulk of the trade routes such as Air, Agades, Fezzan and Bilma were controlled by North African Berber merchants. Berbers have been Islamized as early as the seventh century. They started influencing Nigeria by promoting their religion through Islamic teachers that stayed at Ngazargamu in Kanem Borno. Islam arrived in the Kanuri before spreading to Hausa states. The religion was for the nobles and the city dwellers.

Effects of the relationship with the Arabs

1. Sahara desert opened trade relations between North Africa and Nigeria.
2. Cultural influence eg way of dressing etc
3. Introduction of Islam
4. Introduction of literacy
5. Neglect of traditional religion.

Early European contacts with the coastal states

• Reasons for European contacts:

1. Britain, Portugal, Spain France etc. wanted to carve a ‘sphere of influence’ in the ‘sun’.
2. The need to secure a shorter route to India through the West African Coast is also a good reason.
3. The ‘birth’ of the Renaissance created awareness for seal journeys.
4. The need to trade with Africans was also there.
5. Religiously, they intended to spread Christianity in Africa.

• The Portuguese in Nigerian coasts:

The first set of Europeans to explore the coasts of Nigeria were the Portuguese. By 1472, they had explored the Bights of Benin and Biafra. Joao Affonso d’Aveiro reached Benin during the reign of Oba Ozolua. He traded in pepper with the people of Ughoton.

In the early part of the sixteenth century, they explored and traded with the Itsekiri people. Articles of trade were glass, beads, perfumes etc. they arrived Lagos in the eighteenth century trading at Badagry and Lagos Ports.

Impact of European contact

1. An effort to convert Africans to Christianity.
2. Diplomatic moves – exchange of ambassadors.
3. Maize and cassava introduced to eastern Niger-delta people.
4. Introduction of the slave trade – a prelude to the Atlantic slave trade.
5. Direct trade

General evaluation

1. Define Intergroup relations
2. Explain the contact with the Arabs and the effects.
3. Explain the European contacts and their effects.

Assignment

1. Briefly explain the factors that promoted Intergroup relations.

 

In our next class, we will be talking about the Slave Trade.  We hope you enjoyed the class.

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