Author's Note:
This is a pre-colonial historical narrative that explores life in Brass (Nembe Kingdom) before the arrival of the Europeans. The story is based on my personal interviews, research from various historical texts, and documented sources including Wikipedia. It aims to bring to life the rich culture, daily activities, and resilience of the Nembe people in the Niger Delta.
Before European Arrival
Before European slave traders arrived in large numbers, the area now known as Brass in Bayelsa State was home to the Nembe (Brass Ijaw) people. Life revolved around the rivers, creeks, and mangrove forests of the Niger Delta.
Daily Life
Fishing was the main occupation.
People caught fish, shrimp, oysters, and other river resources. Canoes were the primary means of transportation because waterways connected communities better than roads.
Farming supplemented fishing.
Communities cultivated crops such as yam, plantain, cocoyam, and oil palm on suitable land. Palm products were important for food, medicine, and trade.
Trade Already Existed
The Niger Delta was part of regional trade networks long before the Atlantic slave trade. People exchanged fish, salt, palm products, cloth, beads, and metal goods with inland communities and neighboring Ijaw groups.
Independent Kingdoms and Chiefs
The Nembe Kingdom had its own rulers, chiefs, traditions, and political institutions before the height of European involvement. Authority was exercised through kings, chiefs, and powerful family or trading houses.
Religion centered on ancestral spirits, local deities, and sacred customs. Festivals, music, dancing, storytelling, and masquerades were important parts of community life. The river and surrounding environment played a major role in spiritual beliefs.
When Europeans Arrived
Portuguese and later other European traders began appearing along the coast. At first, trade involved various goods, but over time the Atlantic slave trade became increasingly important. Brass/Nembe eventually grew into a major trading state and slave-trading port during the 18th and especially early 19th centuries. This transformed the economy, politics, and warfare of the region.
So, before the slave trade became dominant, Brass was primarily a network of fishing and trading communities within the Nembe Kingdom, living from the rich waterways of the Niger Delta and connected to regional trade long before Europeans made the area a major Atlantic trading center.
Life in Brass
Brass is one of the most beautiful islands in Bayelsa State. It is the home of the island surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, and the people live a simple life. It was a place surrounded by love, peace, and unity. The people looked after each other and they eked out their living in the ocean and the surrounding mangrove forests. The ocean was a place for fishing, catching oysters, shrimp, and other seafood, and till date that island is rich with all manner of sea treasure.
The mangrove forests are where they plant their crops, such as plantain, cassava, cocoyam, and other spices that they use in their daily life activities. They lived in mud huts covered with palm fronds roofing, and their homes were built facing the ocean.
They had a beautiful life, a life rich with cultural heritage and personal belief. And then the Europeans struck.
The Capture of Nimi
Nimi is a nineteen-year-old teen. He is dark in complexion, has a body built with muscle packs everywhere, has large calloused hands and a strong chin, a jaw built like a six-inch block, dark eyes, and hairs all grown up with bushy beards. It was going to be a good day, he thought as he woke up that morning. He believed that day was his lucky day. He rolled from his thin mattress with a yawn and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He cracked his neck to the right side and then the left, and there was an audible clicking sound. He nodded his head in satisfaction and then moved to the basin in the corner of his hut to wash his face. He put a few drops of water in his mouth and then swilled it about before spitting it out. While others focused on fishing, he did both fishing and farming, and that day was his fishing day in his schedule.
He stepped out of the house and just like that he came face to face with a barrel of a gun pointing at his head, and a voice saying, “If you move, I will shoot you.”
Nimi looked at the man pointing a gun at him. He had milky skin, brown eyes with hair as long as a woman’s own. He was wearing a hat and khaki pants that were short, just above the knee. He had black boots and was wearing white socks. He was confused, and in his confusion, a collar was placed on his neck, his hands were bound, and he was pushed to join others.
The Impact of European Arrival
The narration above is what the people of Brass faced when the Europeans struck. It was a time of confusion, it was a time of madness, and it was a time when African beliefs and traditions were stamped on the ground. It was a time when the people who were so friendly to outsiders, the people who accommodated others without question, were subjected to the inhumanity of the European slave traders.
Earlier in the first series, I said the Nembe people are warriors and they don’t trust outsiders. This is why. After the sudden turn of their guests whom they had received with open arms and brotherly love, and who had turned out to enslave them, the Nembe people took that to heart to this day. It is hard to win the trust of the Nembe man.
The people of Brass see their land as a blessing and a place to honor their ancestors, but the Europeans saw opportunity in marketable, able-bodied young men. The Europeans saw a people skilled in farming and fishing, and they needed such skills in their own land to work on their farms and rivers, hence the forceful enslavement.
The Akassa Raid and King Koko
One thing history says is that the Nembe people never resisted the slave trade; they were even participants in it. The only time they raised their defiance was to defend their commercial trade, and the most celebrated example is the Akassa Raid of 1895, led by King Koko of the Nembe Kingdom. The Nembe people attacked the trading headquarters of the Royal Niger Company at Akassa because the company was trying to monopolize trade and undermine Nembe merchants. Over a thousand Nembe warriors participated in the dawn assault. The British later retaliated by attacking and sacking Nembe.
After the British Retaliation
After the British retaliation in February 1895, the Nembe Kingdom suffered a devastating defeat, but it was not completely destroyed.
What Happened Immediately After?
British naval forces attacked and burned large parts of Nembe, including the king’s capital and important settlements. Many homes, war canoes, and buildings were destroyed. The British also attacked other allied communities such as Twon-Brass and Okpoama that had supported King Koko. A severe smallpox outbreak struck the area around the same time, causing even more deaths and suffering.
What Happened to King Koko?
King Koko escaped capture after the attack and remained at large for some time. The British demanded the return of weapons and prisoners and imposed penalties on the Nembe people. Eventually, Koko was deposed by the British and died in exile in 1898.
What Happened to Nembe’s Independence?
The war marked a turning point:
• The British strengthened their control over the Niger Delta.
• The Royal Niger Company’s influence was restored in the short term.
• Nembe lost much of its ability to independently control regional trade routes.
An Interesting Outcome
Although the British won militarily, the conflict drew attention in Britain to the behavior of the Royal Niger Company. Criticism of the company’s monopolistic practices grew, and a few years later its charter was revoked in 1899, with the British government taking direct control of its territories.
Who Was King Koko?
Let us take a look at the man behind the name King Koko.
King Koko (full name: Frederick William Koko Mingi VIII) is one of the most famous figures in Niger Delta history. To many Nembe people, he is remembered as a ruler who challenged British economic domination at a time when European companies were taking control of trade in the region.
Early Life
King Koko was born around 1853 (some sources give 1848) in the Nembe Kingdom, in present-day Bayelsa State. He was an Ijaw man who received a Christian education and worked as a schoolteacher before becoming king. He converted to Christianity in his youth, although he later returned to traditional Nembe religious practices.
Becoming King
In 1889, Koko became Amanyanabo (King) of Nembe. At the time, Nembe was a wealthy trading kingdom whose merchants controlled important trade routes in the Niger Delta. Palm oil and palm kernels had become the main exports after the decline of the Atlantic slave trade.
Conflict with the Royal Niger Company
The main conflict of Koko’s reign was with the Royal Niger Company. The company tried to control trade in the Niger Delta and restrict who local merchants could trade with. Many Nembe traders believed this threatened their livelihoods and independence. Koko opposed these restrictions and sought ways to preserve Nembe’s trading freedom.
The Akassa Raid (1895)
On 29 January 1895, Koko led one of the most dramatic acts of resistance in Niger Delta history. He assembled more than 1,000 warriors, war canoes, and allies and launched a surprise attack on the Royal Niger Company’s headquarters at Akassa. The company station was destroyed and hostages were taken. Koko hoped the British would negotiate and restore Nembe’s trading rights. Instead, Britain responded with overwhelming military force.
British Retaliation
A British naval expedition attacked Nembe in February 1895. Settlements were burned, property was destroyed, and many people died. The kingdom was also struck by a smallpox outbreak around the same period, making the disaster even worse.
Exile and Death
After the war, Koko remained a wanted man. He refused British settlement terms that he considered unacceptable. He was eventually deposed and spent his final years in exile, dying in 1898.
Legacy
Today, King Koko is remembered in Nembe history as a symbol of resistance and self-determination. Historians may debate some details of the conflict, but there is broad agreement that the Akassa Raid was one of the most significant acts of organized resistance to British commercial power in what later became Nigeria.
An interesting historical irony is that although Koko lost the war, the controversy surrounding the conflict damaged the reputation of the Royal Niger Company. Within a few years, the British government revoked the company’s charter and took direct control of its territories.
For a Bayelsan reader, King Koko occupies a place similar to that of Jaja of Opobo in neighboring Opobo: both are remembered as Niger Delta rulers who resisted foreign interference in trade and political affairs.
After King Koko’s Death
After King Koko’s death in exile in 1898, the Brass people (the Nembe-Brass) lost their political independence and were firmly placed under British colonial rule. Key points about their subsequent history include:
• Loss of sovereignty: The British solidified their control over the region. They already had a consulate in Twon-Brass, and after Koko’s fall they used it to administer the area directly. The Nembe Kingdom, already weakened by the sacking of its capital and a severe smallpox outbreak, was fully subjugated.
• Revocation of the Royal Niger Company’s charter: The conflict with Koko contributed to the British government’s decision to revoke the company’s charter in 1899. The company then sold its holdings to the Crown for a low price, a move seen in part as a consequence of the war with Koko.
• Restoration of limited traditional rule: In the 1920s, the British allowed the reinstatement of traditional rulers (Amanyanabos), but their roles were now largely symbolic and ceremonial, not political.
• Later economic role: In the mid-20th century, the main town of Twon-Brass became a base for fishing and the shipment of palm products, recovering some economic activity under colonial oversight.
• Modern status: Today, the Brass people are part of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. King Koko is remembered as a heroic figure who resisted British oppression and fought for the economic freedom of his people.
In essence, the death of King Koko marked the end of the Brass people’s independent kingdom and the beginning of a long period of colonial administration, which eventually gave way to a restored but largely symbolic traditional chieftaincy.
Brass People’s Role in the Slave Trade
Many people think the Brass people were victims and that the Europeans were the ones who started it all, but alas it isn’t so. What the history books say below:
The Brass (Nembe) people were deeply involved in the transatlantic slave trade, functioning as powerful middlemen. This role brought them significant wealth and political power but also inflicted long-term damage on their society.
Slave Raiding & Trade: The Brass, under the control of African merchant “houses,” used war canoes to raid the Ibo (Igbo) interior to capture people. They traded these captives to Europeans for goods like Western cloth, tools, spirits, and firearms. The Brass River was a key slave route initially controlled by the Portuguese and became a major hub after 1807 when Britain blockaded other ports.
Middlemen Role: Acting as middlemen, the Brass exchanged European goods to acquire slaves and, later, palm oil, which fueled the expansion and power of the Nembe Kingdom.
Political & Demographic Devastation: The trade introduced firearms, fueling internal conflict and a devastating smallpox epidemic that weakened the Kingdom. Human loss from raids and the later British punitive expedition of 1895 severely depopulated the Brass people.
Economic Underdevelopment: The quick transition from slaves to palm oil created an export-dependent, mono-economy vulnerable to price swings and foreign exploitation, laying the groundwork for colonial takeover.
Conclusion
Based on the history of the Brass (Nembe) people, here is a concluding assessment of their slave trade and its mixed legacy for the present day:
The Brass people’s participation in the transatlantic slave trade was a classic example of a pre-colonial African society leveraging military power and strategic location for wealth and political dominance. However, that same trade ultimately sowed the seeds of their long-term underdevelopment, colonial subjugation, and social distortion.
Advantages (or Less Negative Legacies) on Present-Day Brass Society
• A foundation for later trade networks: The commercial infrastructure (war canoes, trading houses, riverine control) built for the slave trade was quickly converted to palm oil trading after abolition. This allowed the Brass to remain economically active longer than many interior groups.
• Historical identity and resistance narrative: The wealth from the slave trade partly funded the military power that King Koko later used to resist British exploitation. Today, the Brass can point to a pre-colonial history of agency—not just victimhood—which feeds local pride and a distinct Nembe identity.
• Survival of chieftaincy institutions: The powerful merchant “houses” that ran the slave trade evolved into a resilient political structure. Although weakened by colonialism, the Amanyanabo (traditional ruler) system survived and now enjoys constitutional recognition in Nigeria’s federal system.
Disadvantages (Persistent Negative Effects)
• Severe demographic and social rupture: The constant raiding of interior Igbo areas for captives did not directly depopulate Brass villages, but it created a culture of militarised violence. More critically, the punitive British expedition after King Koko’s revolt (and the earlier smallpox epidemic, worsened by trade contacts) left Brass towns depleted.
• Economic monoculture and dependency: The slave trade locked Brass into export-led extraction. After abolition, the same pattern continued with palm oil, then later with reliance on Nigeria’s petroleum economy (the Brass region is oil-rich). This has left the area vulnerable to global price shocks, environmental degradation from oil spills, and little local industrial diversification.
• Colonial vulnerability: The wealth from the slave trade attracted intense British attention. Once the British decided to end the “illegal” slave trade and later control the palm oil trade, Brass was targeted for military destruction (e.g., the 1895 sacking of Brass town). This paved the way for colonial rule, under which Brass lost sovereignty and much of its accumulated wealth was looted or taxed away.
• Stigma and fractured memory: While less publicly discussed than in the Americas, local memory of slave raiding and participation can create internal tensions between Brass communities and their descendants, as well as with neighbouring groups whose ancestors were victims of Brass raids.
Balanced Final Statement
The Brass slave trade brought short-term political power and commercial skill that later helped shape a resistant, proud local identity. But its long-term disadvantages—economic dependency, colonial conquest, demographic loss, and a legacy of violence—far outweigh any present-day benefit. Today, the Brass people are left with a complex heritage: they are descendants of both traders and occasional resisters, but the structural underdevelopment set in motion by the slave trade (and reinforced by colonialism and oil extraction) remains the dominant reality.
The Heritage & Hearth Ledger
Subject: Regional Legacies, Public Health, & Cultural Patterns
An essential public safety audit. Uncover the hidden systemic and biological dangers waiting on the daily family breakfast table.
Cultural lore. Explore the rich spiritual and rhythmic pulse governing the language, identity, and raw survival of the streets.
A proud regional legacy. Trace the deep history, cultural triumphs, and foundational landscape of Bayelsa State.
Linguistic structural keys. Break down the precise grammar, deep structure, and authentic rules of Pidgin English expressions.
 Kingdom in Bayelsa){kind=link}
0 Comments
"share your thoughts below"