This study offers a compelling revision of the meagre Nigerian historiography on the Bakassi Peninsula. It argues that Nigeria’s claim of ownership of the Peninsula is logically indefensible and historically unsustainable. It contends further that Efik irredentism which found its expression in Nigeria’s attempt to forcefully annex the Bakassi Peninsula is based on historical claims that are in reality largely ahistorical. The study is of the opinion that Nigeria’s occupation of, and attempts to exercise sovereignty over the Peninsula emanated from the predictable desire of the Nigerian ruling elite to appropriate Bakassi’s abundant natural resources and the strategic advantage that the Peninsula holds for Nigeria’s oil interests in the Gulf of Guinea.
This study further analyses the border-cum-migration problematics that prevail in the Peninsula. It argues that patterns of migrant life rooted in historic and still functioning socio-cultural and economic networks persist in defiance equally of national and international agreements and political claims to ethnic solidarity.
The study concludes that peace can only be guaranteed in the Bakassi Peninsula, and indeed in virtually all conflict prone African borderlands, if African governments respect the old ‘glass houses rule’ (i.e. the 1964 Cairo Declaration by the OAU) and acknowledge that colonial treaties and national borders, irrespective of their arbitrariness and artificiality, constitute the foundation of all modern African state structures.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Location and the Strategic Importance of the Bakassi Peninsula
III. The Peopling of the Bakassi Peninsula
IV. The 1913 Anglo-German Treaty
V. The 1961 Plebiscite and the Maroua Declaration of 1975
VI. Oil Politics and the Contemporary Territorial History of the Bakassi Peninsula
VII. Migration, Ethnicity and Economic Life in the Bakassi Borderland
VIII. Conclusion
Objectives and Core Themes
This monograph provides a critical revision of the historiography surrounding the Bakassi Peninsula, challenging Nigerian claims of ownership by highlighting the historical and legal primacy of colonial-era treaties such as the 1913 Anglo-German Treaty. The study investigates how political and economic interests have instrumentalized history and ethnicity, and evaluates the resilience of cross-border migrant communities despite changing state jurisdictions and international court rulings.
- Historical and legal deconstruction of Nigeria's claims over the Bakassi Peninsula.
- Analysis of border-cum-migration dynamics and the resilience of local socio-economic networks.
- Impact of the 1913 Anglo-German Treaty, the 1961 Plebiscite, and the 1975 Maroua Declaration.
- Examination of the interplay between oil politics and territorial sovereignty in the Gulf of Guinea.
- Evaluation of trans-boundary protected area management as a solution for peaceful coexistence.
Excerpt from the Book
The Peopling of the Bakassi Peninsula
The prevailing Nigerian literature on the origin and history of the Bakassi Peninsula is in perfect agreement with the view that during the pre-colonial period, and probably around 1450, the Efik founded a kingdom around the Bakassi which was under the ancient kingdom of Calabar in modern-day Nigeria. It is further alleged that the September 10, 1884 Treaty of Protection signed by the Obong of Calabar with Queen Victoria of England effectively placed the entire Calabar including the Bakassi Peninsula under the control of Britain, a clear indication that the Obong had political jurisdiction over the Bakassi Peninsula during the pre-colonial period (Henshaw 2001; Ogbogbo 2002, 325; Omoigui 2004, 3; Ita 2003; Nnanna 2006; Aghemelo and Ibhasebhor 2006, 177).
Cornwell (2006) also alleges that the chiefs of Bakassi signed treaties of protection with the British in September 1884 and acknowledged the fact they were under the suzerainty of the Obong of Calabar. He further insists that the Obong and the Chiefs of Calabar protested the 1913 Anglo-German Treaty that ceded the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon up to the British parliament and were given assurances by the British government that the Bakassi Peninsula was exempted. Thus, on the basis of ancestral and historical ties the above assertions form the kernel of Nigeria’s claim of sovereignty over the Bakassi Peninsula. This historical claim is ultimately, however, insupportable. There is rather more powerful, contradictory historical evidence based on the migration and peopling of the Bakassi Peninsula.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Outlines the complex relationship between history and politics, setting the stage for a critical examination of the conflicting claims over the Bakassi Peninsula.
II. Location and the Strategic Importance of the Bakassi Peninsula: Details the geographical features and resource wealth of the region, emphasizing why it remains a critical point of contention due to oil and gas interests.
III. The Peopling of the Bakassi Peninsula: Contrasts the Nigerian narrative of Efik historical ownership with evidence of prior habitation by Cameroonian ethnic groups.
IV. The 1913 Anglo-German Treaty: Examines the legal foundations of the border, arguing that the 1913 treaty remains the definitive document confirming Cameroonian sovereignty.
V. The 1961 Plebiscite and the Maroua Declaration of 1975: Analyzes how these subsequent legal frameworks reinforced the territorial reality established by earlier colonial agreements.
VI. Oil Politics and the Contemporary Territorial History of the Bakassi Peninsula: Explores how oil discoveries and national political maneuvers fueled the escalation of the Bakassi dispute.
VII. Migration, Ethnicity and Economic Life in the Bakassi Borderland: Investigates the persistent socio-economic networks of migrants that operate independently of formal state borders.
VIII. Conclusion: Synthesizes the arguments and advocates for trans-boundary resource management as a sustainable path toward peace in the region.
Keywords
Bakassi Peninsula, Nigeria, Cameroon, Anglo-German Treaty, Borderlands, Sovereignty, Historiography, Migration, Oil Politics, International Court of Justice, Efik, Decolonization, Territorial Disputes, Resource Management, Colonialism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this study?
The work focuses on deconstructing the historical and legal claims made by Nigeria regarding its sovereignty over the Bakassi Peninsula, while examining the underlying socio-economic and political motivations behind the conflict.
What are the central themes discussed in the monograph?
Central themes include the impact of colonial-era treaties, the influence of oil politics on territorial claims, the role of ethnicity in border disputes, and the resilience of migrant populations.
What is the research question addressed in the book?
The study primarily investigates the validity of Nigeria's historical claims to the Bakassi Peninsula and addresses why the region remains a point of conflict despite clear international legal frameworks.
Which scientific methodology does the author use?
The author employs a historical-analytical approach, utilizing archival data from the National Archives, documentation from the International Court of Justice, and evidence gathered through field observations and interviews in the region.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body covers the historiographical revision of the Peninsula's origin, legal analysis of the 1913 Anglo-German Treaty, an assessment of the 1961 plebiscite, and an analysis of contemporary migrant livelihood strategies.
Which keywords define this work?
The work is defined by terms such as Bakassi, Sovereignty, Borderlands, Colonialism, International Law, Migration, and Oil Politics.
How does the author characterize Efik irredentism?
The author characterizes it as a movement canalized into national policy to provide a pseudo-historical rationalization for Nigeria's territorial ambitions to access natural resources.
What does the author suggest as a solution for the region?
The author advocates for the implementation of trans-boundary protected area management to facilitate cooperation between Cameroon and Nigeria, promoting regional peace and effective resource management.
- Quote paper
- Olukoya Ogen (Author), 2012, Ethnicity, Economy and Historical Deconstruction in the Bakassi Borderland, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/190330
