Question

What are the reasons for Akamba migration?

Answer 1

• Drought and famine: This broke out because the climate in their cradle land had become unreliable/unpredictable.
• b. Population increase which resulted into population pressure, e.g. they became overpopulated in their cradle land.
• The constant attacks (external pressure) from stronger tribes in West Africa and the Nile valley; also due to the migration of the Arabs, who were believed to be more hostile, into West Africa.
• Internal conflicts from the Akamba tribes: These conflicts concerned the ownership of agriculture area, the shortage of grazing lands and watering areas.
• Epidemics and diseases/natural calamities, e.g. earthquakes, over flooding of rivers like river Niger, sickness, diseases such as Nagana caused by Tsetse flies, sleeping sickness e.t.c.
• Search for fertile land: Since they were predominantly farmers, the Akamba migrated in order to find more land which could be more fertile than the cradle land, which could no longer support them.
• Love for adventure: They moved due to their desire for adventure, i.e. they wanted to find out what was happening in other areas.
• Group influence: Some moved because they had seen their relatives and friends move.
• Need for water and pasture for their animals forced them to move.
• The Akamba migrated in order to export their iron-working culture. They had discovered the knowledge of iron working and had invented iron tools. These iron tools had transformed the agricultural sector by making the clearing of land for cultivation faster and more efficient.

Answer 2

Internal conflicts within the community
External conflicts within the community
Population increase

Answer 3

. Exertanal attacks 
. Internal attacks 
.spirit of adventure 
.search for water and pasture for their livestock 
.crop and pest diseases