NDOKWA AND HER NEIGHBOUR A STUDY OF INTER GROUP RELATIONS IN PRE – COLONIAL PERIOD
TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction     -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    
Endnotes     -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    
CHAPTER TWO
Historical Background of Ndokwa People    -    -    -    -    
Endnotes    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    
CHAPTER THREE
Political Relations  Between  Ndokwa  and  her neighbours    -                                               
Endnotes     -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    
CHAPTER FOUR
Social Relations Between Ndokwa and Her Neighbour    -  -   -   -  -     
End Notes    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    
CHAPTER FIVE
Economic Relations Between Ndokwa and Her Neighbour    -    
Endnotes     -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    
CHAPTER SIX
Conclusion    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    
Endnotes     -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    
Bibliography     -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -      
 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Introduction
The Ndokwa people before the colonial period were engaged in a lot of social activities which was very vital for their relationship both within themselves and her neighbours.
    They were a lot of economics activity, hitherto the colonial period which involve largely the barter trade (Trade by Barter).
    Introducing you to the kind of Ndokwa people living an independent life and trying to confirm their kind of origin or where they migrated from to their present settlement. We can also discover that the Ndokwa people lived a group life thus a kind of a league.  Their social life was well endowed with lots of good relationship between Ndokwa people and her neighbours.
    It can also be found on this work that the Ndokwa land prior to the colonial period was known under one division that is the Aboh Division under the ruler ship of Obi of Aboh.
    The Ndokwa people also engaged in a kind of political structure that till modern day it is still in place i.e. still practicing the ancient way of political structure which is the gerontocratic system of native administration (Okpala-Uku system, the Inotu and the Onutu-uku system the age groups.)
    While in terms of farming, the Ndokwa people also engage in shifting cultivation method as part of the Ndokwa social life. The Ndokwa people engage in marriage and tribute to father in-law (Ifo-Ibu) but it was observed that the treatment of widows had little difference among them.
    The Ndokwa people inter-married themselves but with proper investigation.
    The pre-colonial Ndokwa were more of a league as they lived between themselves, trade between themselves and married between themselves though when it comes to the issue of marriage they are certain rules that follows. The issue and pattern of marriages, political and economical identity between the Ndokwa people and her neighbours can be seen in the book and writing of  R.O. Eka-iloma.
    This work also tries to examine the general relationship of Ndokwa land and her people on the basis of her political, socio-economic relationship between Ndokwa and her neighbours before the coming of the white men or the pre-colonial period.
Justification of Research
- Due to the shortage of records on Ndokwa as whole whereby the history and origin or background of Ndokwa is not properly documented not because they are no scholars in Ndokwa, but basically, it is the negligence on the part of these scholars, and not being interested to have a research on the history of Ndokwa people and culture mostly due to other engagement such as politics, search for white collar jobs, why some leave far away from Ndokwa land or some of them not born in any where close to Ndokwa environment or at most they stay outside Nigeria (oversea) so therefore, they hardly concerns themselves with the fact, figures and story about Ndokwa. Its just few of them that rarely take their time to manage to make little research on their own personal town, which hardly covers the whole of Ndokwa. Most of the writers concentrate in where they are from mostly. Examples are Dr. Eguenu,  R.O. Eka-Iloma, Dr. Abadoni.
This course will try to justify the position of most of the political structure and socio-economic relation between Ndowka and her neighbours. The course shall also justifies the geographical location and size of the geographical position in Delta State.
The course shall also justify the origin and route of migration to their present location i.e. justification of the different local origin, their role of administration and relation between the Ndokwa people and her neighbours. The dynamic believe of origin from the Benin’s or the Igbo’s shall also be justified.
     The different deities (gods) that the Ndokwa believed and worshiped shall also be attended to in other to have a clearer notion and vision of the Ndokwa people which at one point or the other have an influence on the social, economic and political relation of the Ndokwa people and her neighbours.
Aim and Objectives –
The aims and objectives of this project include:
i.    To examine the base line of the Ndokwa
ii.    To examine and to properly understand the kind of political structure that gave the Ndokwa the kind of administration, technical knowledge to organized themselves.
iii.    To examine the nature, of the kind of trade and trade root between Ndokwa and her neighbours
iv.    To also examine the way policies were made and also they were able to improve her economical situation
v.    To look at the unity of Ndokwa people and her neighbours, and also how they settle dispute amongst themselves.
Scope - The study of this course tends to examine the Ndokwa relationship with her neighbours in term of behaviour and mode of co-operation.
    Though, before the year 1819, the white-men had already gained access into the Ndokwa land by the evidence of Aboh that had already appeared on one of the map of the white men call Smith, so therefore, there would be a brief survey of Ndokwa prior to that period.
    This study would cover the whole of Ndokwa people and land and how they migrated to constitute their culture and settled at their present settlement. The study will also cover the political and administrative system of the Ndokwa people.
    The role of the traditional institution of the Ndokwa people will also be examined the way tribute and homage was used to appease the gods and ancestors including father in-law, chiefs and traditional rulers in Ndokwa land.
    The socio-economy pattern of the Ndokwa people would also be examined in other for us to have perfect conclusion on Ndokwa relation with her neighbour during the pre-colonial period.
Methodology
- The relevant data and information for this course were obtained from two sources in other to have a thorough research on this course. The two sources are:
(i)    Primary source
(ii)    Secondary source
(i) Primary Source: The primary source which was use for the research of this course were gotten from two categories which are archival research and oral research or interviews. Materials was also consulted from the secretariat of Ndokwa study group library, there were report from the Ndokwa vanguard and report of various document relating to the pre-colonial period in Ndokwa.
    The interview (oral interview) includes people with knowledge of Ndokwa history i.e. chiefs, traditional rulers and eminent personality under this period of study.
(ii) Secondary Source: The secondary source which was consulted in some universities and private/public libraries include text book, journals, novels and articles. The information obtained from these sources help to supplement the information obtained from the primary source.   This sources help to provide data for historical analysis of Ndokwa relationship with her neighbours in the pre-colonial period.
Literature Review - There is not much work done i.e. academically on the history of Ndokwa in the pre-colonial period, there is not enough work or document of Ndokwa or a good written text that would at least covered the history of Ndokwa in the pre-colonial period.
    Irrespective of the shortage of materials and record to prove the historical background of  Ndokwa in the pre-colonial period, some progress was still made in the research of this course to at least have a story that would make justice to this course. Though, in compiling the information for the study of this project was difficult, there were some literature text book and articles that provided some brief information about the history of Ndokwa and for the study of this project.
    R.O. Eka-Iloma in his book titled Abbi - Her History, people and culture1 examines the various social-cultural and economic background of the people in Ndokwa west. The book also touched the political status of the people at that period. The book by R. Emmanuel Ogeleka Okulugbo titled The History of Ukwuani and Ndosumili of the Niger Delta2 , he gives account of the people of Ukwuani and their relation with their neighbours in the pre-colonial period. The book also gives account on the various locations and settlement of the different family. The rest book to be examined is “Investigation on the Role of Chiefs in Aboh Division’’3. This book enumerates the types of political administration and the role of elders and chiefs in the pre-colonial period. The book also proves the impact of the people and how they acted to move Ndokwa forward. E. Okolugbo in his book titled  A History of Christianity in Nigeria, the Ndosimili and Ukwuani4.
    A. E. Afigbo in his book article ‘‘Economic Foundation of pre-colonial society’’19605 explains the economic background of the igbo society in pre-colonial period, this society is varied and from different location which also include the Ndokwa culture and people. So many other work and books include the work by O. Ikime,  titled The Western Niger Delta and the Hinterland in the 19th century5 and that of J.E. Hubbard titled The Sobo of the Niger Delta6 J.E. Hubbard tries to explain the life and culture of the Niger Deltans.
    All the various  authors  and writers of different books and text that are been use for this research  gave different opinion on Ndokwa history base on their knowledge but they were still focusing on one thing their account were not very different and there was still similarities since they all made their research at different times and from different source. But, never the less, their research really helps to execute the topic. It is important to back up the research to the maximum with some articles which include C.I. Egwuenu’s “Utabga-uno history and culture’’7. The article are also theoretical in the pre-colonial period, in spite of this however, they would assist in the theoretical analysis of this study. More also since at the moment, this are the only available guide for this study we have to make do with it. In other to carry out a detailed study of this course there is the need to take it up from the micro level. This would then enable us to determine how Ndokwa related with her neighbours in the pre-colonial period.
    Apart from adding to our knowledge of the pre-colonial period in Ndokwa which is one of the primary objective, it will also serves as a source of materials or book to consult for history purposes.   
Chapterisation - This study or dissertation is divided into five (5) chapters and it is as follows
Chapter one: deals with the introduction of the work, justification of research, aims and objectives, scope, methodology, literature review and also explains the various chapters of this work