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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Oral data and the reconstruction of Eastern Obolo history
Author:Enemugwem, John H.
Year:2008
Periodical:Lagos Historical Review
Volume:8
Pages:79-90
Language:English
Geographic term:Nigeria
Subjects:Obolo
oral traditions
historiography
Abstract:Eastern Obolo (Andoni) is a segment of the Obolo (Andoni) people in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. The Eastern Obolo villages are located from the eastern bank of the Imo to the estuaries of the Kwa Ibo River, in the political administration of Akwa Ibom State. The present article is a study of the use of oral tradition in the reconstruction of Eastern Obolo history. Oral traditions may be in the form of free or fixed texts. Free texts consist of legends and oral history, which anyone can narrate. Fixed texts are lists, myths, formulae, festivals and mnemonic ceremonies such as coronation, initiation, religious and funeral rites. Fixed texts can be narrated only by specialists. Although oral tradition has its limitations it also provides solutions. In Eastern Obolo, genealogical data were used to translate a relative chronology into an absolute one. Independent sources of information and auxiliary sciences were used to evaluate the oral traditions. Once this was done, the reliability of oral traditions in Eastern Obolo could be ascertained. Ref., sum. [ASC Leiden abstract]
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