A Culture History of Precolonial Tuomo Society before the Advent of Western Institutions in Nigeria: A Signpost of Ijo Culture

This study explores the precolonial cultural history of the Tuomo people, an Ijo-speaking community located in the Bolutoru Creek region of Delta State, Nigeria, before the influence of Western institutions. The study examines the influence of geography on the migratory history of the Tuomo people, and traces its roots to the ancient movements out of Gbaramatu and Arogbo via many places to their present location. The study highlights the distinctive sociocultural practices of the Tuomo people, characterized in their political, economic, traditional education, and religious beliefs tied to the Bulusubu Deity, regarded as God's representative living amongst men, and the epicenter of lived traditions of the people. This uncommon tradition in living memory that was handed down through generations in the form of rites of passage such as childbirth, circumcision, marriage, and death, as well as communal festivals and the symbolic roles of masquerades and sacred objects are the living libraries of their cultural heritages. The study adopted a descriptive historical model and depended on primary and secondary sources of data collection for analysis. Thus, the findings reveals a comprehensive history mirroring an essentially preliterate Ijo civilization, which underscores the dynamic yet enduring traditions of the people, offers insight into how these practices shaped the community’s identity before colonialism.