Intergroup Relations in Southeast Nigeria: Uburu and Her Neighbours Experience, 1800-1960

This paper examines the pre-colonial and colonial Uburu relations with her neighbours. Uburu and her neighbouring communities established economic, political and socio- cultural contacts since the pre-colonial era and has sustained it.  These intergroup relations are often peaceful and occasionally confrontational and violent. The researcher used primary and secondary sources to generate the required data mainly from oral interview, intelligence reports, books, journals, articles among others. The researcher also adopted the multi - disciplinary approach to further enrich the available historical data. The major findings of the study revealed that Uburu and her neighbours established strong economic relations, socio- cultural exchanges and borrowings, marriage ties, political affinities which impacted immensely in promoting intergroup relations between them. The Aro secretly encouraged rivalry between Uburu and her neighbours from which they profited, Uburu fought virtually with all her neighbouring communities, except Isu community, because they are brothers. The study further revealed that Uburu people never lived in isolation, there was a pre- colonial and colonial market called Nkwuroto Uburu which attracted people from far and near for trade and commerce. Uburu market was a famous and happening place, one of the centers of trade east of the Niger in the pre-colonial and colonial era. Slave trade, trade on salt, cows, camels, horses, cowries and other agricultural commodities made Uburu market a melting point for eastern commercial activities. The mutual and harmonious interdependence continued even during occasional outbreak of hostilities or confrontational relationships. The paper recommended that Uburu and her neighbours in modern times should learn from the lessons of the past so as to establish peaceful and harmonious relations which is a panacea for sustainable development. The paper concluded that the mutual, harmonious and in most cases confrontational relationships between Uburu and her neighbours impacted on their overall existence.