History of Nupe tribe Part2

Incase you missed the first part you can go to my blog to check it out.

It was clear from that Tsoede arrived in Nupe land around the 16th century after the Nupe had already been in existence as a state or a series of Amann chiegdoms sharing a common culture. TSOEDE whose existence in reality as human is doubted by some historians, apparently replaced an earlier dynasty. His significance as a culture hero is not in doubt has his name continues to feature in Nupe oral historiography. What appears certain however, is that his arrival certainly marked a crucial stage in Nupe history associated with the expansion of the Nupe state.

The Nupe state was located on the north bank of the Niger at its confluence with the River Kaduna. It was apparently well located at the crossroads of trade from Borno to Kano axis in the North-northwest, as well as Yoruba land, Gonna and Benin in the South-west. It's capital town Gbara in the banks of the Kaduna river was an important trading centre. The Nupe capital was also very important for its cloth,glass, beads, and brass work industries. The capital functioned as an entreport connecting Benin and Oyo trade with Nupe.

Although Muslim traders moved in and out of Nupeland in the course of their trading and other economic activities from the sixteenth century or before that time, Islam did not take a firm root until the late eighteenth century. However, the presence of Muslim elements among the Nupe steadily prepared Nupe land for the jihad which took place there in the nineteenth century.

From the perspective of inter-group relations, it is significant to highlight the fact that the Nupe kingdom, bore prominent mark of its position and role as an entreport. This is reflected for instance in the strong Hausa, Yoruba and Benin influence evident in its cultural life. This relationship is manifested in the similarities of their mutual cultural and artistic traditions. It is believed for instance, that the famous Tada and jebba bronzes of the Nupe bear affinities with Ife and Benin artistic features.