The River Benue: Nigeria and its National Development

By Toyin Falola

I offer this piece on the occasion of the outstanding initiative by Benue State University, which is organizing a major conference on African rivers between July 28^th and 31^st. A highly focused thematic conference is the best in the academy, bringing together those who work on the same subject. I now rarely attend conferences, but I cannot miss this one because of the connections that I have with rivers.

I was born on the bank of a small river in my city, Ogunpa, Ibadan. I must confess that during the dry season, you can actually walk into parts of it, as the water would have receded so badly. Not so when I had my first encounter with the Rivers Niger and Benue, where I had a breath-taking experience. Indeed, I began to connect more intelligently to the Yoruba stories of Sango and Oya, linking the Oyo Empire to the Nupe. To cross to the areas we now call Benue and Kogi States, we had to take ferries to cross the great rivers. If you missed the ferry, you took a boat, which was too risky for non-swimmers like me. I wondered then how many lives the Benue and Niger rivers would have consumed.

I once lived on the campus of Benue State University, and I could walk to the bank of the River Benue, ever calm on the surface until it got angry. The current university’s staff club is located next to this mighty river. Whenever I am in Jos, my dear friend, Professor Sati Fwatshak, will take me to my favourite “joint” by the bank of the River Benue. I have also had multiple encounters with the Rivers Nile and Niger as well as the Congo. I am cumulating these experiences into a long book on African Rivers.

The history of human settlements and their developments has always been influenced by environmental factors that either enable or hinder them from reaching the conceived achievements of their developmental objectives. Studies, along with archaeological and anthropological evidence, have shown that the strength and growth of territories worldwide have been significantly influenced by their location and proximity to important environmental features. Land turbidity, rivers, forests, rocks, hills, and other environmental attributes have built empires and reduced some to ruins throughout human history.

Recognizing this, the Benue State University, in partnership with the University of Texas at Austin and the Consortium of the Universities of the River Benue Basin, decided to invite lenses, perspectives, and analytical evaluations of the relevance of the River Benue (the largest tributary of the Niger River) in the growth of Africa and its historical properties.

The “mother of waters,” as River Benue is often called, has historically served as a suitable source from which many ethnic groups and societies have drawn their identities from one generation to another. Archaeological evidence shows that early settlers around the river explored floodplains and other resources for their developmental and commercial purposes throughout history. The cultural tapestry of the Benue people, as well as that of other societies connected to the river, can be understood from its primary attributes. Notably, these benefits are not just within the bounds of Nigeria but transcend to other African nations.

In Nigeria, the River Benue flows through both central and eastern regions and rests on the basins of Lokoja in Kogi State. The societal development of Yola, including transportation, agriculture, and fishing, has always largely relied on the river’s attributes. Also, the connection of the Logone River to the Benue attracts Garoua, Cameroon, contributing to the historical benefits for the societies that settled around it. Although it is unarguable that people have resided along the coastlines and basins of the river for countless generations, the recorded history of the pre-18th century people, economy, and development around the river has not been well illuminated.

Many of the historical reliance on these periods were largely drawn from the results of W. E. B. Webster’s Benue Valley Project, then located at Dalhousie University in Canada. Following his research, several scholars and historians uncovered facts from the antics, often in conjunction with some early African historians. A major challenge at that time was that no manuscripts, whether from Islamic or Atlantic studies and sources, properly recorded these periods, except for very few ones.

However, archaeological and anthropological evidence has shown that the coastal parts and areas around the River Benue have been engaged for thousands of years. Pioneer African historians have expanded this knowledge, revealing that the fertile floodplains of the river have served as a remarkable source of agricultural activities, attracting different agricultural communities to settle around the areas. The long stretch of the river’s flow has drawn communities along its parts, making it one of the most significant rivers in both Nigeria and the continent. There are traces of the rise and fall of societies along the river, with many communities drawing their traditions and ethos from experiences linked to it.

The cultural importance of the River Benue to Nigeria and the people living around it can not be underestimated. Many spiritual affiliations, mythological stories, and cosmological perceptions are linked to the river, which all have some level of influence on the people. To the north of the river was the ancient settlement of the Nok Culture, with its remarkable cultural reputation and social relevance marking the Iron Age of West Africa. The cultural development of the Tiv has been closely tied to the history of the river over the years. Living on both sides of the river, the Tiv hold it in great reverence, with festivals, rituals, and agricultural circles centred around it. Similarly, the Jukun people from the Kwararafa background built their military and trade strategies, as well as economic development around the river’s features. The oral traditions of the Jukun still contain reasonable reference to the River Benue.

Flowing from the past to the present, the economic relevance of the River Benue to Nigerians and, by extension, Africa cannot be underestimated. It has always been a source of livelihood for millions across its coasts and basin. The nutritious soil around the river has increased maize, millet, yam, rice, and other farming products. These nutrients were largely from the annual floods of the river that produced fertile soil for cultivation, and this agricultural abundance continues to be relevant in contemporary times.

The influence of the river on transportation in precolonial, colonial and postcolonial eras has been well-documented. During the colonial period, the river was a significant route for colonial officials transversing the nation. It was instrumental in establishing trade routes and facilitating the exploration of Africa by figures such as the Lander brothers and Mungo Park, who contributed to the geographical understanding of the continent. Further exploration by W. B. Baikie provided additional insights, serving as a blueprint for the colonial economy and transportation systems.

The trading strategy of the Royal Niger Company during the colonial establishments largely relied on the attributes of the River Benue and the River Niger. The company established trade posts along these rivers, ensuring a consistent and regular flow of commercial items, allowing them to escape trade obstructions by the locals. Rivers Benue and Niger were part of the factors that motivated the British’s struggle for Nigeria at the Berlin Conference, as the rivers were seen as access to colonial expansion. The River Benue, in particular, provided opportunities for increased access to raw materials and facilitated the consolidation of colonies under British control.

The realization of the importance of River Benue to African development and Nigerian growth has sparked scholarly interest and calls for further epistemological expansion. Understanding this, the conference is focused on the meeting of minds of African scholars to reexamine the river from all fronts and through all lenses, with the purpose of addressing several key questions such as:

• Are there economic realities still hidden within the volume of existing scholarship on the river?
• To what extent is the river still relevant to the spiritual motivations and conception of the people around its banks?
• What are the links between its past political role and contemporary impact?
• How much has the river influenced the political activities in the societies near its course?

These questions have also shaped the sub-themes of the conference and the direction of scholarly contributions. Some of the highlights of these themes include colonial explorations, tourism, hydroelectric power production, flood and ecological challenges, culture and indigenous attributions, settlements and migration, agriculture, intergroup relations, technological development, as well as other subjects relevant to Nigerian and African societies. These subjects are crucial for the environmental growth of Africa and the future planning of societies around the river, providing insights into approaches to cultural preservation and transmission.

The discussions and endeavours at the conference will aim to draw the Nigerian government’s attention to the industrial and developmental importance of River Benue and the projected expectation of the nation’s growth. For instance, discourses around hydroelectric power production are important for the potential sustainability of energy distribution in the country following current challenges. The conference will serve as a lens through which the hidden advantages and realities of the river are revealed, offering guidelines for practical steps and action points to realize these conceptualizations.

I offer my congratulations to Professor Joe Iorapuu, the Vice-Chancellor and his wonderful management team; Professor Elijah Terdoo Ikpanor, the Chair of the Conference Organizing Committee and all the members of his team; and the entire student body. To preview the feast, visit:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vcSwQNGLrvdDG9t_WMLrE_2qe6sfb7Hz/view