Denmark International Conference of
24-25 MAY 2012
Conference Theme: Community and the
Sea in the age of Sail
Paper Title: Oceangoing communities of the Bight of Biafra
in the Age of Sail
By E.S.D. Fomin, Department of
History, University of Yaounde1
Abstract
The Batanga, Duala, Isubu, Efik,
Ibibio, Ijaw were among the many oceangoing communities in the Bight of Biafra
that were active participants in the trade of the age of Sail. Their participations
in it brought about competition, rivalry and antagonism not only with the
European merchants but also among them. This paper argues that these new forms
of relationships transformed the communities of this Bight radically in two
ways. In the first place the new capitalism which the age of sail brought about
in the Bight influenced the relationship between the European merchants of the
age and the indigenous communities negatively. Both parties sought to maximize
their profits against each other, leading to antagonism, indeed trade between
them was a marriage of convenience as the history of the period shows. Secondly
the interactions also introduced new political ambitions among the communities
of the Bight and brought changes that led to rivalry and antagonism over the
control of political spheres. The age of sail therefore implanted power rivalry
among oceangoing communities in the Bight of Biafra comparable in some ways to
rivalry which took place among oceangoing nations of Europe during the period.
Though rivalry and competition over fishing grounds are part of the history of
these communities, antagonism, struggle and power rivalry that changed their
history tremendously are the by-products of the Age of sail.
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