Abstract

This paper will examine the changing nature of conflict in Eastern Nigeria during the years surrounding the Great War of 1914-1918. Organized violence had been common in the wars of the pre-colonial period, and during the nineteenth century had played a key role in disputes over trade on the River Niger. However, during the early years of the Twentieth Century, as an increasing amount of the East was brought under formal British control, new types of dispute arose. Central to this discussion will be two different types of conflict: the 1914-1918 war and a series of local political uprisings. This paper will consider what we can learn about societies in this area by examining their participation in these conflicts.