Mokwa

Mokwa was one of the seats of the rulers of Nupe, whose kingdom grew among the peoples of the middle Niger. Nupe was governed from a succession of towns, among them Nupeko, Gbara, Jima and Mokwa. Mokwa was also an early trading centre, situated in a region where political authority and commerce were closely entwined.

Nupe tradition credits Tsoede, also called Edegi, with bringing several communities under one ruler. His successors occupied different centres over the centuries; Mokwa was among the towns chosen as a royal seat. The reasons for such moves remain a subject of debate, though changes in trade routes and struggles within the ruling house may both have played a part. At times rival claimants could rule from separate centres.