CULTURAL MIGRATION AND SOCIAL EQUALIZATION IN THE CENTRAL NIGER DELTA OF NIGERIA: A CRITICAL APPRAISAL

Abstract

In all cultures, one of the basic characteristics of humans is the search for a greener pasture. Throughout history, migration remains a dominant feature or driving force towards achieving this desire. In the Central Niger Delta like other parts of the world, instances of migration and integration colour their history. From Kula to Khana, Opobo to Ndoni, stories abound of how the people move from one settlement to another. Here, political, economic, ecological and social religious explanation has been advanced to support such excises. The purpose of this paper is to trace the different histories of migrations of some cultures in the Central Niger Delta. The study will equally attempt to appreciate some factors that gave rise to the movement and explain how the various people coped in their new environment. The research observed that both internal and external factors were responsible or accounted for the incident of migration which took place in the region. To facilitate this study, the research combined the historical and ethnographic method in the discussion. It concludes that migration is a continuous process in the history of man.