Unearthing the Enigma: A Captivating Journey through the Nigerian Middle Belt’s Rich History
Tracing the Mesmerizing Journey from Nok to Kwararafa to the Enigmatic Middle Belt
Are you ready to embark on a thrilling adventure through time?
You’ll uncover the secrets of the Nigerian Middle Belt. Get ready to discover amazing stories about ancient civilizations.
You’ll also find tales about brave warriors and their struggles for self-determination.
Join me as we dive into the captivating history of this remarkable region!
Prehistoric Era
The Astonishing Nok Culture
Long ago, the villagers of Nok discovered something extraordinary! It was the Nok Culture, a fascinating civilization that existed between 500 BC and 200 AD. Clever British archaeologist Bernard Fagg unearthed incredible artifacts in 1943. He found sculptures and iron tools. Can you imagine what life was like during this ancient time?
Ironworking Marvels
But wait, there’s more! Iron tools were not only found in Nok but also in other places like Taruga and Suleja (formerly Abuja). These tools date back to around the seventh century BC. Isn’t it amazing how people in the past knew how to work with iron? They were true masters of their craft!
Unraveling Ancient Mysteries
We don’t have written records from that time. Yet, these artifacts give us a glimpse into the rich history of the Middle Belt. They tell stories of skilled artisans and thriving communities. Let’s explore some other exciting archaeological sites. These include Tadun Wada, Fantswam (Kafanchan), Jemaa (now Gidan Waya), Maitumbi, Kawu, and Kagara. Each place holds unique treasures awaiting discovery!
Written Records
The Enigmatic Kwararafa
Have you ever wondered about the people who lived in the Middle Belt during the medieval period? Well, a North African traveler named Leo Africanus left us some clues. He wrote about a group of pagan ethnic communities called the Kwararafa. The Kano and Borno Chronicles — written originally in Arabic text — also attest to the fact that there had been a long-standing relationship between a people they called “the Kwararafa” and Hausa city-states and Kanem-Borno as far back as the 13th century.
Rise and Fall of the Kwararafa
The Kwararafa confederacy reached its peak around the 17th century. Kwararafa seems to be a term used to refer to the pagan ethnic groups found south of Hausaland and Kanem-Borno. This same Kwararafa traded slaves to these states and received horses in return. At its zenith, Kwararafa was said to have invaded the Hausa city-states of Kano, Katsina, and Zaria; and the Kanem-Borno capita, Ngazargamu, in 1680. However, the confederacy saw a rapid decline afterward.
Unveiling Ancient Connections
These people speak related languages and share related histories. This is enough to show their closeness. These connections provide us with valuable insights into the region’s cultural similarities. It’s like solving a fascinating puzzle of history!
Modern Era
The colonial Legacy
The British colonial regime played a significant role in shaping Nigeria’s borders. The country was moving into the modern era. In 1914, they merged the Northern Nigeria Protectorate with the Southern Nigeria Protectorate. The Northern Nigeria Protectorate included Hausa city-states, Kanem-Borno, and Kwararafa. The Southern Nigeria Protectorate consisted of the Yoruba city-states, the Kingdom of Benin, the Igbo and Niger-Delta city-states. This marked the beginning of a new era for Nigeria. Can you imagine the challenges they faced during this time?
In the area now called Nigeria, centralization of power was initially not common among these groups, until around the last millennium when centralized states began springing up and centers of political, economic, and cultural relevance were built. In the Guinea savanna region of the Middle Belt, the Kwararafa confederacy with the Jukun priest-king as leader became prominent; in the forested western region, Ife and Benin became prominent; in the Niger Delta. In the Sahel of the north, Kanem-Borno became prominent alongside the Hausa states of Kano, Katsina, Zaria, and Gobir.
The northern minorities clamored for a region since the 1950s, and a commission called the Willy’s Commission was created, and a report was drafted that drew the boundaries of the Middle Belt as seen in the image above. A region was never created for the Northern region minorities which largely were made up of the Kwararafa confederacy of the medieval period nor for the Eastern region minorities.
The struggle for self-determination of the Middle Belt could be seen within the decade before the Nigerian political independence exemplified by the minorities of the Northern Nigeria Region. Ethnic groups considered as being “non-Muslim” (NB: the region is made up of adherents of different creeds) such as the Alago, Atyap (Katab), Bwatye (Batta), Huba (Kilba), Marghi, and others, made separatist mobilization, reaching a new zenith across several Middle Beltan provinces. These late-colonial marches were to fight against the impending domination of the Northern groups in the region at that period and soon after political independence from the British.
The fight for a separate region for the Middle Belt began in the early 1950s. This desire gave birth to the United Middle Belt Congress (UMBC) created with the primary objective of ensuring that the Middle Belt became a region, to cut off the political dominance of the North in the area. The party was largely localized within the bounds of the Middle Belt. The UMBC was founded by Joseph Tarka, a trained teacher, and a politician, born in the Tiv division (in modern-day Benue State).
Struggles for Self-Determination
The fight for self-determination in the Middle Belt began in the early 1950s. The United Middle Belt Congress (UMBC) party aimed to advocate for the region’s recognition and representation.
Nigeria got her political independence from the United Kingdom in 1960 with three regions: the Northern, Western, and Eastern regions. However, following agitations by the Western region minorities which made up the old Benin kingdom, a fourth region was created from the Western region in 1963. The regional system was abolished in Nigeria in 1966 and unitary federalism was introduced, with the subsequent formation of states.
The party lobbied for the interests of the inhabitants of the Middle Belt, constituting small ethnic groups without proper representation in the major political parties at the time. An immediate large-scale result was not obtained until 1967 when the Benue-Plateau State was formed by the military regime of Col. Yakubu Gowon.
The Middle Belt Today
Fast forward to the 21st century. Today, Nigeria could be said to be culturally made up of the northern region, western region, eastern region, Middle Belt (central) and Niger Delta (southern) regions. All these regions are recognized with the Geo-political arrangement in which the country is divided into six of such namely, the Northwest, Northeast, Northcentral, Southwest (western), Southeast (eastern), and Southsouth (Niger Delta). The Northwest homes the Hausa city-states and a part of the Middle Belt, the Northeast homes the old kingdom of Borno and a part of the Middle Belt and the North Central comes the larger chunk of the Middle Belt.
We’ve traveled through time.
We’ve unraveled ancient mysteries. We’ve discovered the rich history of the Nigerian Middle Belt. This journey has been captivating.
We’ve explored the remarkable Nok Culture and the enigmatic Kwararafa. We’ve also seen struggles for self-determination. We are still writing the story of the Middle Belt, and there is still so much more to learn.
The Middle Belt still struggles to emerge as a region. The 2013 National Confab took place during Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s regime. It revealed a strong desire for a unique Middle Belt region.
So, keep exploring, historian lovers, and let the past inspire you to make a difference in the future!
For more exciting details, feel free to dive deeper into the subject. Look up Middle Belt on Wikipedia. Happy exploring.
