Anglo-Aro War

Anglo–Aro war
Date 1901–1902 Location Southeastern Nigeria Result Aro Confederacy destroyed
Belligerents
British Empire and allies	Aro Confederacy
Commanders and leaders
L.T. Col. H.F. Montanaro Captain A. T. Jackson Major A. M. N. Mackenzie Lieutenant-Colonel A. Festing Major Heneker	Eze (King) Kanu Okoro of Arochukwu Okori Torti
Strength
87 officers and 1,550 soldiers	7,500+ Aro and allied soldiers
Casualties and losses
About 700–800 British casualties	Heavy casualties

The Anglo–Aro War (1901–1902) was a conflict between the Aro Confederacy in present-day Eastern Nigeria, and the British Empire. The war began after increasing tension between Aro leaders and British colonialists after years of failed negotiations.

The Aro Confederacy, whose powers extended across Eastern Nigeria and beyond was challenged in the last decades of the 19th century by increasing British penetration of the hinterland. The Aro people and their allies resisted the penetration which threatened their culture, influence, and sovereignty.

Reasons for the war advanced by Sir Ralph Moore, the British High Commissioner of the Nigerian Coast Protectorate, included:

To put a stop to slave dealing and the slave trade generally with a view to the Slave Dealing Proclamation No. 5 of 1901 being enforced throughout the entire territories as from first of January next; to abolish the Juju hierarchy of the Aro tribe, which by superstition and fraud causes much injustice among the coast tribes generally and is opposed to the establishment of Government. The power of the priesthood is also employed in obtaining natives for sale as slaves and it is essential to finally break it; to open up the country of the entire Aro to civilization; to induce the natives to engage in legitimate trade; to introduce a currency in lieu of slaves, brass rods, and other forms of native currency and to facilitate trade transactions; to eventually establish a labour market as a substitute to the present system of slavery.

The Aro peoples use of divinatory practice in shrines dedicated to the god Ibin Ukpabi, to dominate enslavement activities, was perceived to be contrary to the imperial ambition of British powers, which was the cause of a need to consequently destroy the primary shrine, based at Arochukwu (according to: JI Ross, 2015).

The Aros knew that British penetration would destroy their economic dominance of the hinterland. They also opposed their religion, Christianity, which threatened their religious influence through their oracle Ibini Ukpabi. The Aro led raids and invasions on communities were conducted in order to undermine British penetration since the 1890s. While the British prepared for the invasion of Arochukwu in November 1901, the Aro launched their last major offensive before the Aro Expedition by British forces. Aro forces led by Okoro Toti sacked Obegu (a British ally) which resulted in 400 people dying. This attack quickened British preparation for their offensive.

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Wikipedia