Did you know know that Eko (now Lagos island) in present day Nigeria was originally established as a military outpost of the Benin Empire? The Benin Empire was one of the most powerful state structures that existed in West Africa, before colonial rule was imposed on most of the region by Europeans. So a polity actually emerged in the forest region of Africa, that expanded via military conquests, to have this political hegemony over large territories. At its height, Benin controlled almost all of what is now mid western Nigeria. It dominated trade along the entire coastline from the Western Niger Delta, through Lagos even up to the very boundaries of present day Ghana.
Here's something else that is interesting to note about the Benin Kingdom: its rulers had not always been called Obas. During the first millennium, a lineage of kings emerged among the Edo people known as the Ogisos, interpreted as Kings of the Sky. Historical records account for thirty-six kings of the Ogiso dynasty. During the 12th century AD however, the dynasty collapsed when its last ruler Ogiso Owodo lost his heir apparent to some palace intrigue and he died, leaving a vacuum in his political office. A period of interregnum followed and the elders attempted to halt the crisis in the nation by inviting a Yoruba Prince called Oranmiyan from Ile-Ife to rule Benin. The new king found the task rather tiring as many of the Binis would not accept his kingship. So he returned to Ife and from thence to found a kingdom of his. Oranmiyan's son by a woman associated with Benin royalty was accepted by a portion of the people as Benin's king and was known from then with the title of Oba. This was how the Eweka Dynasty (1200-1800 AD) began. However, it took centuries and the militarist activities of many Obas, before various dissenting groups which sprang up from the period of interregnum were brought under the authority of the legitimate Benin King.
Benin left a rich cultural legacy, especially evident today in exquisite life size brass sculptures, masks and plaques. What you may not know is that Benin accomplished architectural feats between 1200 - 1600 AD rivalling many European and Asian states. Guinness Book of Records describe the Benin City walls as the world’s second-largest man-made structure (after China’s Great Walls). These structures do not stand today as the city was razed during the British Punitive expedition of 1896 - 1897 which saw the final collapse of the Benin Empire. What remained of the rampants which were built over the course of centuries have so far been lost to unchecked construction activities.
While the economy in all of the Benin Empire was agrarian and the society organized to serve agricultural purposes, iron working, pottery cloth making and of course brass working industries as well as intergroup trade thrived. As early as the 15th Century, Portuguese traders/explorers had made contact with the Binis and purchased various items including palm oil, ivory, textile and slaves from them. Benin Cloth for instance was of such fine quality that it was traded by the Portuguese as far as South America.
Well, the British came to notice Benin's might and desiring to have access to the interior to access and control their natural resources such as rubber and oil palm, attacked Benin and succeeded subsequently in invading the capital city. Much of the city was burned and many of its treasures carted away as bounties of war. The year was 1897. Benin became a British protectorate and later in 1960, became a part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Today, the Oba is only a ceremonial and religious head of the Edo speaking people, and venerated as one of the most influential traditional rulers in Nigeria.
References:
Osadolor, Benson O. "The Military History of Benin Kingdom, c 1440 - 1897." PhD Thesis, University of Hamburg, 2001.
Bondarenko, Dmitry M. "Ancient Benin: Where Did The First Monarchs Come From?" Asian and African Studies, Vol 10, p 185 - 198, 2001.
Alonge, S. O. "History of Benin." Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Washington DC, 2020.
Mark Cartwright. "Kingdom of Benin." Ancient History Encyclopedia, April 2019.
Much of Benin's territorial expansion beyond its original ethnic centre is thanks to these five kings (who ruled successively from 1440 - 1606) known as the Warrior Obas, as they personally led their armies into war: Oba Ewuare the Great who is reputed to have conquered about 201 towns and villages, known for his political intelligence and the efficient way he reorganized the nation's political structure; his successor Oba Ozolua; Oba Esigie; Oba Orhogbua and Oba Ehengbuda. What is very interesting about the Kingdom of Benin was how all political power derived from the authority of the Oba. A social structure was in place in which all men were organised in a three-tier age-grade organization. The Edion (elders) made of men above 50 years of age, the Ighele comprised of men 30-50 years of age, and the Iroghae, made of youths from 15- 30 years of age. Like many other traditional African societies, each age-grade had specific rights and duties vis-a-vis their communities. While the Ighele was the fighting force of the Benin society, political participation was exclusively for the elders. This meant that no serving military personnel could handle political authority and this is really important because in spite of the many civil wars that took place throughout its history, no war general succeeded in taking the place of the Oba of Benin.
Here's something else that is interesting to note about the Benin Kingdom: its rulers had not always been called Obas. During the first millennium, a lineage of kings emerged among the Edo people known as the Ogisos, interpreted as Kings of the Sky. Historical records account for thirty-six kings of the Ogiso dynasty. During the 12th century AD however, the dynasty collapsed when its last ruler Ogiso Owodo lost his heir apparent to some palace intrigue and he died, leaving a vacuum in his political office. A period of interregnum followed and the elders attempted to halt the crisis in the nation by inviting a Yoruba Prince called Oranmiyan from Ile-Ife to rule Benin. The new king found the task rather tiring as many of the Binis would not accept his kingship. So he returned to Ife and from thence to found a kingdom of his. Oranmiyan's son by a woman associated with Benin royalty was accepted by a portion of the people as Benin's king and was known from then with the title of Oba. This was how the Eweka Dynasty (1200-1800 AD) began. However, it took centuries and the militarist activities of many Obas, before various dissenting groups which sprang up from the period of interregnum were brought under the authority of the legitimate Benin King.
Benin left a rich cultural legacy, especially evident today in exquisite life size brass sculptures, masks and plaques. What you may not know is that Benin accomplished architectural feats between 1200 - 1600 AD rivalling many European and Asian states. Guinness Book of Records describe the Benin City walls as the world’s second-largest man-made structure (after China’s Great Walls). These structures do not stand today as the city was razed during the British Punitive expedition of 1896 - 1897 which saw the final collapse of the Benin Empire. What remained of the rampants which were built over the course of centuries have so far been lost to unchecked construction activities.
While the economy in all of the Benin Empire was agrarian and the society organized to serve agricultural purposes, iron working, pottery cloth making and of course brass working industries as well as intergroup trade thrived. As early as the 15th Century, Portuguese traders/explorers had made contact with the Binis and purchased various items including palm oil, ivory, textile and slaves from them. Benin Cloth for instance was of such fine quality that it was traded by the Portuguese as far as South America.
Well, the British came to notice Benin's might and desiring to have access to the interior to access and control their natural resources such as rubber and oil palm, attacked Benin and succeeded subsequently in invading the capital city. Much of the city was burned and many of its treasures carted away as bounties of war. The year was 1897. Benin became a British protectorate and later in 1960, became a part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Today, the Oba is only a ceremonial and religious head of the Edo speaking people, and venerated as one of the most influential traditional rulers in Nigeria.
References:
Osadolor, Benson O. "The Military History of Benin Kingdom, c 1440 - 1897." PhD Thesis, University of Hamburg, 2001.
Bondarenko, Dmitry M. "Ancient Benin: Where Did The First Monarchs Come From?" Asian and African Studies, Vol 10, p 185 - 198, 2001.
Alonge, S. O. "History of Benin." Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Washington DC, 2020.
Mark Cartwright. "Kingdom of Benin." Ancient History Encyclopedia, April 2019.
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