Itinerant Craftsmen

“Eze Uzu” (King of Blacksmiths): Examining the Socio-Political Power of the Awka Iron-Working Guilds During British Pacification

Before the establishment of British colonial rule in southeastern Nigeria, Awka stood as one of the most influential craft centers in Igboland. Renowned for their mastery of iron, Awka blacksmiths organized into hereditary guilds played vital economic, spiritual, and political roles. At the apex of this guild hierarchy was the Eze Uzu, commonly interpreted as…