West Africa Archives ~ Ozi Ikòrò

20

Picture of a Igbo palm wine tapper carrying a climbing rope and calabash over shoulder. Holding a machet in his right hand. Wearing loin-cloth. Standing beside building with corrugated metal…

18

Jan 2026

Anthropology and Ethnography Ethnohistory

The Iwoki Ward: The Specialists of the Gun

The mastery of firearms among many West African communities before and during the colonial era depended heavily on specialized guilds, wards, and lineages responsible for weapon production, maintenance, and ritual…

02

Jan 2026

Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Historical Studies

The Impact on the “Yam Revolution”

Igbos in diaspora celebrating Iwa-Ji in Dublin, Ireland. Photo credit; Wikipedia Yam (Dioscorea rotundata and Dioscorea cayenensis) has long been one of the most important food crops in West Africa, especially…

24

Dec 2025

Anthropology and Ethnography Folklores Historical Studies

The Middleman Advantage: How the Efik Controlled the Cross River Estuary and Dominated Trade with European Vessels

Palaver of Chiefs on board HMS Decoy, at Duke Town, Old Calabar River - The Graphic 1880. Photo credit; Wikipedia. The Efik people of southeastern Nigeria developed a remarkable position of…

24

Dec 2025

Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Historical Studies

“The ‘Comey’ System: Understanding the customs duties paid by European ships to Efik chiefs.”

The comey system was a key feature of commerce in Old Calabar, the main trading center of the Efik people along the Cross River in southeastern Nigeria. From the seventeenth…

03

Dec 2025

Ethnohistory Historical Studies

Igbo Entrepreneurship and Migration: A Post-War Economic Phenomenon

Migration of Igbo after the war. Photo credit: X.com The Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria are widely known for their business ingenuity, mobility, and ability to rebuild from adversity. Nowhere is…

03

Dec 2025

Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Folklores Historical Studies

The Cult of the Goddess: The Supreme Deities in Ijaw Traditional Religion

Woyengi, the creator goddess. Photo credit: Mythlok. Ijaw traditional religion is a complex spiritual system rooted deeply in the ecological, historical, and cultural experiences of the Niger Delta people. At its…

03

Dec 2025

Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory Folklores Historical Studies

Worshiping the Water Spirits: Owu and the Cosmology of the Ijaw

Festival for the water spirits. Photo credit; wellsbringhope.org The Ijaw people of the Niger Delta possess one of West Africa’s richest and most enduring cosmological traditions. Central to this worldview is…

18

Nov 2025

Biography Cultural Heritage Discography

Ikenga Super Stars of Africa: Pioneers of Igbo Highlife

The image shows the cover of an album by the Nigerian highlife band Ikenga Super Stars of Africa. When you talk about powerful, energetic, and deeply cultural Igbo highlife, you simply…

12

Nov 2025

Anthropology and Ethnography Biography ⁠Religion and Spirituality

Bishop T.D. Jakes Traces His Lineage Back to the Igbo People

The image is a professional headshot of Bishop T. D. Jakes, a prominent charismatic leader and pastor. Ever wondered how someone born in West Virginia ends up feeling connected to the…