Igbo and Ibibio: Neighbors in Trade and Traditions History JSS 2 First Term Lesson Notes Week 10

History Lesson Plan: Relationship Between People from Different Centers of Civilization in Pre-Colonial Nigeria – Igbo and Ibibio

1. Subject: History
2. Class: JSS 2
3. Term: First Term
4. Week: 10
5. Age: 12-13 years
6. Topic: Relationship Between People from Different Centers of Civilization – Igbo and Ibibio
7. Sub-Topic: Political, Cultural, and Economic Interactions
8. Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioral Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Describe the political relationship between the Igbo and Ibibio people.
2. Explain the cultural connections between the two regions.
3. Identify the major goods involved in trade between the Igbo and Ibibio.

Keywords: Igbo, Ibibio, trade, alliances, culture, kinship, pre-colonial

Set Induction

The teacher will ask, “What are some advantages of having friendly neighbors?” This will lead to a discussion on cooperation between different ethnic groups.

Entry Behavior

Students are familiar with the geography and socio-political organization of the Igbo and Ibibio regions.

Learning Resources and Materials

• Map of Nigeria showing the locations of the Igbo and Ibibio regions.
• Pictures of palm oil, yams, and pottery—items traded between the two groups.

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge

Students have previously learned about Igbo traditional systems of governance and Ibibio culture. This lesson builds on that knowledge by showing how the two groups interacted.

Embedded Core Skills

• Critical thinking
• Communication skills
• Map reading

Reference Books

• Lagos State Scheme of Work for History
• History for Junior Secondary Schools

Instructional Materials

• Chart showing trade routes between the Igbo and Ibibio regions.
• Visual aids of traditional Igbo and Ibibio ceremonies.

Content

Political Relationship Between the Igbo and Ibibio

• The two groups had decentralized political systems led by councils of elders and chiefs.
• Alliances were built through negotiation and diplomacy to ensure peaceful coexistence.
• In border regions, both groups respected shared traditions and conflict resolution practices.

Cultural Connections Between the Igbo and Ibibio

1. Marriage Ties: Intermarriage between the Igbo and Ibibio people strengthened family and communal bonds.
2. Shared Festivals: Both groups celebrated harvest festivals and honored ancestors.
3. Similar Beliefs: They believed in spiritual forces and ancestral worship, reflecting cultural similarities.
4. Art and Crafts: Pottery, weaving, and carvings were shared across the two regions, influencing each other’s art styles.

Economic Relationship Between the Igbo and Ibibio

• Trade Activities: The Igbo supplied goods like yams and kola nuts, while the Ibibio traded palm oil, fish, and crafts.
• Market System: They maintained markets where both groups exchanged goods.
• Rivers as Trade Routes: Rivers like the Imo and Cross were important for transporting goods between the two groups.

Evaluation

1. The Igbo and Ibibio practiced ______ worship.
   a) Ancestral b) Animal c) Sun d) Rain
   Answer: a) Ancestral
2. The Ibibio people traded ______ with the Igbo.
   a) Palm oil b) Cotton c) Cocoa d) Spices
   Answer: a) Palm oil
3. Rivers such as the ______ were used for trade between the Igbo and Ibibio.
   a) Niger b) Imo c) Kaduna d) Yobe
   Answer: b) Imo
4. Both the Igbo and Ibibio had ______ systems of government.
   a) Democratic b) Centralized c) Decentralized d) Monarchic
   Answer: c) Decentralized
5. The Igbo supplied ______ to the Ibibio in trade.
   a) Yams b) Cotton c) Fish d) Salt
   Answer: a) Yams
6. Intermarriage between the Igbo and Ibibio helped strengthen ______.
   a) Political alliances b) Family bonds c) Military power d) Trade routes
   Answer: b) Family bonds
7. Both groups celebrated ______ festivals.
   a) War b) Harvest c) Hunting d) Rain
   Answer: b) Harvest
8. Traditional art forms in both regions included ______.
   a) Painting b) Carvings c) Glasswork d) Metal casting
   Answer: b) Carvings
9. Market systems were used to exchange ______ between the two groups.
   a) Livestock b) Goods c) Weapons d) Land
   Answer: b) Goods
10. The Ibibio were located in the ______ part of Nigeria.
    a) Northern b) Western c) Southeastern d) Central
    Answer: c) Southeastern

Class Activity Discussion

1. What kind of government did the Igbo and Ibibio have?
   Both groups had decentralized systems of government.
2. What role did intermarriage play in their relationship?
   It strengthened cultural and family bonds.
3. What goods did the Ibibio trade with the Igbo?
   Palm oil, fish, and crafts.
4. Which river was important for trade between the two groups?
   The Imo River.
5. What agricultural product did the Igbo trade with the Ibibio?
   Yams.
6. Did the two groups celebrate similar festivals?
   Yes, they both celebrated harvest festivals.
7. What belief system did the Igbo and Ibibio share?
   Ancestral worship.
8. What type of crafts were common in both regions?
   Pottery and carvings.
9. Why were rivers important for trade?
   They made it easier to transport goods.
10. What were the key markets used for?
    To exchange goods between the two regions.

Presentation Steps

1. Step 1: Review the government systems of both the Igbo and Ibibio.
2. Step 2: Explain how trade, culture, and politics connected the two regions.
3. Step 3: Encourage students to share their thoughts on the importance of inter-regional relationships.

Teacher’s Activities

• Display maps of the Igbo and Ibibio regions.
• Facilitate a discussion on how trade benefited both groups.
• Use pictures of traded goods and cultural symbols for visual understanding.
• Even though not much was known of the ibos speaking people,before the advent of Europeans into the west coast of Africa,history has revealed that they migrated into their present location hundreds of years ago,it has been suggested that they migrated with the Ibibio but soon became the dominant tribe in eastern Nigeria,due to their dogged industry ,they overshadowed the Ibibio and others that arrived later.

  The igbo are close neighbours of the Ibibio who migrated with them to thei present location,along with the ijaw and the itsekiri of the NIGER delta,

  THE POLITICAL  AND SOCIAL STRUCTUIRES OF THE IGBO.

  one of the developments that distinguished the igbo in the pre-colonial era was that while states and empire already discussed had people who lived in large and urban communities ,the igbo had scattered pattern of settlements[ i.e.they lived in villages and villages groups]

  also,unlike other states and empire,the igbo had no traditional rulers or kings,this was why they were referred to as ‘stateless society’’

  The political structure of the igbo was regarded as subtle and complex,this is because it was based on the principle of village democracy,it is democratic because every male adult had the right to the decision making process,each village was architect of own fortune,members of each village were bound together in their strict belief in the common descendant or ancestor [i.e umunna]

  The village council; The actual organ of government at the village was level the village council consisting of leaders of the various families.These elders were their compound;s mouthpiece as well as the earthly representative of each family ancestor.the village council was responsible for voicing out laws already sanctioned by the ancestors.These included laws for misbehavior which were accompanied by the highest punishment in the land.

  In the southern part of the iboland,there were villages and villages councils that comprised of heads of the different lineage and some wealthy individuals,for examples the okpara [the head of a lineage] kept the ofo title which represented the symbol of their common ancestor,

  Age Group;;;;; The system of government recognized the institution of the age group social life,each age group was responsible for certain duties as stipulated by law,for example,the senior age group looked after the maintenance of peace and order as well as providing army commander off external aggressions.the junior age-group took care of the sanitation related matters,while the most junior age group catered for other issues not mentioned above,

Learners’ Activities

• Locate the Igbo and Ibibio regions on the map.
• Participate in group discussions about cultural exchanges.
• Answer questions related to the lesson.

Assessment

• Describe the economic relationship between the Igbo and Ibibio.
• Explain the political interactions between the two groups.
• List two cultural practices shared by the Igbo and Ibibio.

10 Evaluation Questions

1. What goods did the Ibibio trade with the Igbo?
2. How did intermarriage affect the relationship between the two regions?
3. Which river was a key trade route between the Igbo and Ibibio?
4. What type of government did the Igbo and Ibibio have?
5. Why were markets important to the two groups?
6. What product did the Igbo contribute to trade?
7. How did cultural festivals connect the two groups?
8. Name one shared belief between the Igbo and Ibibio.
9. What was the role of rivers in trade?
10. What types of crafts were exchanged between the two regions?

Conclusion

The teacher will summarize the lesson by highlighting the political, cultural, and economic interactions between the Igbo and Ibibio. Students’ work will be marked, and feedback will be given.

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