The Female King of Colonial Nigeria: Ahebi Ugbabe

Glossary of Chronological Terms

GLOSSARY OF CHRONOLOGICALTERMS One of the contributions of this book to history is its adoption of a uniquely African system of dating—a system that privileges periods of time and not particular dates. When possible, however, I have used traditional chronological methods of dating as well. Listed below are some of the terms I have used in this book to date history: interwar period: a period of great fighting between Nsukka communities to secure more land for themselves that occurred primarily during the seventeenth century, intensifying during and after the abolition of the slave trade. mgbapu Ahebi: “Ahebi’s flight.” In this biography, I use the phrase oge mgbapu Ahebi to delineate the period of time roughly from 1895 to 1916, when Ahebi ran away from home to Igalaland. The word mgbapu means “running away” or “taking flight.” It is used to describe the action of a person running away from their home and community. oge: “during the time of” oge Ahebi: “during the time of Ahebi.” This term is used to represent the time of Ahebi’s life after she was made female headman, female warrant chief, and coronated female king—events that were so incredulous that they changed the way that history was recalled in Enugu-Ezike. That collective memory privileges an overidentification with everything Ahebi during these periods. According to Gregorian calendar dating, this period would commence around 1916–1917 and end after King Ahebi’s death in 1948. oge Attah-Obaje: during the reign of Attah-Obaje, 1926–1945. oge gbo gbo: “the early, early times” or “a long, long time ago.” I use the phrase to refer to the periods of time that were many centuries ago, such as in the time of creation oge gbo: “during the early days” or “a long time ago.” oge ntiji egbe: “the time that the guns were destroyed.” During the annexation of the Igbo interior, the defeated “natives” were forced out of fear of injury or death to bring out their guns and stockpile them in front of the commanding British 220 GLOSSARY OF CHRONOLOGICAL TERMS patrol officer, who took immense pleasure in reducing the stashes before him to burned rubble. oge nwatakili: the time of childhood. oge oso Omabe: during the run of the Omabe masquerade, which occurred once every two years and symbolized the return of the dead to life. Omabe was the most powerful masked spirit in Enugu-Ezike. The masquerade played a role in the arenas of political leadership and organization; it was part of the executive-legislative process and was actively used as an agent of social control. oge otikpo: “during the time of the destroyer,” the language the Enugu-Ezike people used to refer to the colonial government . I use the phrase specifically to denote the early colonial period, the period of pacification and consolidation of territory under the British. ...