ASPECTS OF INTERCOMMUNAL RELATIONS BETWEEN NKEREFI AND NARA UNATEZE 1900 – 1960

Abstract

This work focused on the socio-political relations between Nkerefi and Nara Unateze in colonial Nigeria, both communities are found in present day Nkanu East Local Government of Nigeria. It discovered that inter-group relations that existed between Nkerefi and Nara took various forms and ranged from economic, social, political and cultural exchanges. The similarities in language, festivals, social and political forms of organization, among others lay bare the evidence of close-knit interaction that existed between Nkerefi and Nara Unateze; a detailed examination of these factors form, the crux of this research work. The study employed the historical methods which emphasize description, thematic presentation, interpretation and analysis of facts. Information for this study was obtained from both primary and secondary sources. The primary sources came from oral interviews, with the persons knowledgeable on the research subject, as well as archival documents obtained from the National Archives, Enugu (NAE). Secondary sources like textbooks, journal articles, magazines, newspapers and so on were used. Related unpublished materials like personal diaries, academic theses were also used. The findings show that there were strong inter-group relations between Nkerefi and Nara Unateze mainly on economic and socio-cultural factors.

Keywords: Inter-group, Relation, Nigeria, Nkerefi, Nara Unateze