| Group: | Andoni |
| Native Name: | Obolo |
| Total: | 3,000,000 |
| Regions: | Rivers State & Akwa Ibom State |
| Languages: | Obolo |
| Related Groups: | Ijaw, Oron, Ibeno, Ido and Ohafia |
The Obolo people,[1] also known as Andoni[2] or Doni, are a multi-ethnic group in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.[3] [4] Obolo people are primarily found in Rivers State and Akwa Ibom State. They are also present in the states of Bayelsa, Cross River, Abia, and Enugu.[5]
The Obolo occupy the longest stretch of the Cross River Basin of the Niger Delta mangrove belt, which also houses the largest oil and gas deposits in the Gulf of Guinea.[6]
The documentation of the origin and the migration of the Obolo people is sparse and fragmented. The earliest data on Obolo migration is from around 12th century BC.
Obolo people (Andoni, Idoni or Indo) existed before the colonial era and commercial contacts with European traders. They interacted with the Bonny, Okrika, Kalabari, Nkoro, and Ibono people in what is now Ibeno, as well as with the Okoro-utip and Mkpanak people of Ibeno. In the past, the Obolo people frequently fought wars with the Kingdom of Bonny and the Ogoni people,[7] though they generally maintain good relations with the latter.[8] The Obolo people have migrated and settled in various parts of Niger Delta and West Africa at large.
Prior to the British colonial era, the Obolo people were among the first to come in contact with the Europeans and traded mainly with the Portuguese. They worshipped a national deity called Yok-Obolo, the founder and spiritual head of the Obolo people, said to have been elevated to a god status upon death.
Christianity was already accepted in Obolo land long before 1699. When John Barbot visited Dony Town (Andoni) in 1699, he observed that the King of Dony Town accepted Christianity and priests were regularly sent from Sao Tome and Brazil to him to act as ministers. The king of Dony Town also spoke Portuguese.[9] Nonetheless, the Yok-Obolo was still feared among neighboring tribes, who spread rumors of their ferocity in battle even to the British.[10]
In 1869, King Jaja had to take an oath of allegiance to the Yok-Obolo before he was allowed to establish his new town Opobo (1870) in the Andoni territory. This was against the wishes of Bishop Ajayi Crowther, who lamented that King Jaja was entering the "Heart of Darkness" when he came to Obolo in 1869 for treaty negotiations with the Obolos.
In response to the stories about the Obolo, British colonial authorities decided to send a punitive expedition against them in 1904. The expedition was led by Captain A.A. Whitehouse, with the aim of destroying Obolo as a political entity and reducing their influence among neighboring tribes in the Niger Delta. Upon arrival, Whitehouse and his military team went straight to Alabie Town (Agwut-Obolo), burned, and destroyed the high altar of the deity of the Obolo monarchy, Yok-Obolo, and the site of the House of Skulls with over 2000 skulls of Obolo enemies killed in wars.
After destroying the House of Skulls and the Shrine of Yok-Obolo, the British split Andoni into six parts, each attached to one of the six Native Courts in the Niger Delta, hoping to destroy the Obolo politically. Some of the bronze arts and crafts collected by the British during this expedition are still on display in the British Museum.[11]
The Obolo people speak the Obolo language.[12] The Obolo language contributes to the identity of the people of Andoni and Eastern Obolo. It is one of the 535 languages in Nigeria and belongs to the Lower Cross River language sub-branch of the Delta Cross branches of the Eastern Division of South Central Niger Congo language family.
The Nwantam masquerade, celebrated every year on January 1, is among the highlights of Obolo festivities, which they share with the Opobo, Nkoro, and Bonny. Their ancient practices include a writing system known as nsibidi.
The annual fishing festival Ijok-Irin, celebrated every 5th of July, is unique to the people of Unyeada Kingdom,[13] and marks the end of the annual traditional fishing season between July and August. Fishermen, especially migrant fishermen, return home from long expeditions far into the Niger Delta to present their biggest catch (usually smoked dried) to the King of Unyeada kingdom (Okaan-Ama). The highlight of the Ijok-Irin festival is the net casting (Ogbo-njin) competition. This ancient, elaborately choreographed fishing method is peculiar to Unyeada people, and features net casting fishermen arranged in two opposite rows of 30 canoes or more. When a whistle-blower signals, the paddling of the canoes from the opposite direction drives schools of fish into the middle, before the fishermen cast their nets in synchronization, ensuring a large catch. In recent years, the festival has been rebranded to increase its potential for ecotourism.
Present day Andoni or Obolo people follow Christianity and most parts have fully incorporated it into their culture while some still worship local god/gods.
Obolo territory, which spans from the Oron territory in Akwa Ibom State to Bight of Bonny in Rivers State, has significant natural resources. Much of Nigeria's oil and gas revenue comes from the Obolo land.[14]