Abah Danladi
Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria
Victor Chijioke
Nwosumba
Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
Abstract
This paper examines the development of
palm kernel marketing initiatives in Igala land, 1920-1956. It notes that the
British trade policies in Igala land were quite rapacious, exploitative and
suffocating to the native producers of palm kernels. Although the native
producers who were mostly women, produced palm kernels in large quantities,
they were unfortunately hapless, and unable to determine the prices or even
bargain properly with the buyers of their produce. This was because; palm
kernel prices were fixated by British trading firms. The prices of palm kernel
were skewed in favor of the trading firms and usually fluctuated. Reasons for
fluctuations in prices were hardly explained to the native palm kernel
producers and even when they are being poorly informed by buying agents, they
had no powers or choices to influence or determine favorable prices for the produce.
The trading firms had buying stations strategically located in different parts
of Igala land. The trading companies in turn employed licensed buying agents
who penetrated remote areas to buy palm kernels from the natives. the licensed
buying agents were given money by their European employers and in some cases
bicycles to ease their movement and transportation of palm kernels from
interior hinter land of Igala land., in fact, this study discovers that the
activities of the indigenous licensed buying agents further exploited the women
and emasculated them by reducing the economic powers of the producers as they
further paid lesser prices for palm kernels to natives in rural Igala land. The introduction of taxes by the colonial
authority meant that the natives must continually produce cash crops in order
to pay. Thus, this paper argues that the British Palm kernel marketing
initiatives provided the opacity and conduit pipes for the smooth economic exploitations
of Igala land of Nigeria in the 20th century. The research adopted
the multidisciplinary approach while primary sources of data (archival and oral
interviews) synthesized with extant literature were utilized.
Keywords:
palm kernels, colonial rule, marketing, Igala
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