Benin, a country with a population today of about 8. The first english expedition to benin was in 1553, and significant trading developed between england and benin based on the export of ivory, palm oil and pepper. Benin was a french colony from the late 19th century until 1960. The main cause of the war was the desire of the igbo people to separate from nigeria and form the independent republic of biafra in the east of the country. List of books and articles about benin history online. Along the way statues that has different meaning could be seen and with a good guide one will get their meanings. Pdf ancient african civilizations span the course of several millennia, in time, and a large expanse of lands stretching from the nile valley a c. Until the late 19th century, one of the major powers in west africa was the kingdom of benin, in what is now southwest nigeria.
Most of the people within the benin empire were edo. Three years after the coup that brought major kerekou to power, the name was changed to the peoples republic of benin, reflecting the marxistleninist ideology of the new government. History of the benin people in nigeria and the stories. Teaching history with 100 objects the oba of benin. May 16, 2015 this is one of many videos to come that will provide detailed descriptions of various historical african states and empires that are neglected and ignored in todays society. The benin people corrupted owomika to eweka and gave it as the title to oranmiyans son who thus became known to the benin people as eweka. Today, the region is one of the most politically stable in west africa and continues to overcome the torrid legacies of its past. The history of benin map of slave coast benin is an artificial creation although its southern part corresponds roughly to the kingdom of abomey, stronger than ever at the time of the slave trade, the coast of the country was in fact called the slave coast, and. The three most important historically are the fon and related groups, such as the adja who inhabit westcentral benin and who together comprise about half of the population, the yoruba who live in the east and comprise about 12 percent, and the. By about 1750, the kingdom of dahomey a part of benin was earning an estimated. Benin art is the art from the kingdom of benin or edo empire 14401897, a precolonial african state located in what is now known as the southsouth region of nigeria. Oranmiyan, the son of the oni king of ife, was sent to benin city where he wed a benin woman.
At the height of the slave trade, tens of thousands of people. Portonovo is the capital and cotonou is the largest city and chief port. Ouidah museum of history 2020 all you need to know. History of the benin people in nigeria and the stories behind it. It shows the oba surrounded by his attendants and provides an opportunity both to explore the importance and status of the oba and the wealth and sophistication of the culture of benin. The kingdom of benin s capital was edo, now known as benin city in edo state.
Dec 21, 2016 the nigerian civil war, also known as the biafran war, was a bloody and violent conflict that started in 1967 and ended in 1970. The engineering feat still marvels in modern times. The benin moat is described in the guinness book of records as second in magnitude only to the great china wall. The kingdom of benin, also known as the benin kingdom, was a precolonial kingdom in what is now southern nigeria. See all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. These men took part in the expedition made by the british in 1897. As a compatriot of the first rulers of the ogiso line, oranmiyan was. Nok nigeria, yoruba, ooni of ife, oyo kingdom, empire of benin, benin nigeria, mali empire, hausa kingdoms. However, historians now know that huge empires and kingdoms, with administrations and armies, diplomatic corps and distant trading. It is not to be confused with benin, the postcolonial nation state. The kingdom of benins capital was edo, now known as benin city in edo state.
The origin of benin and its early rulers kingdom of benin. Benin city was the principal city of the edo bini kingdom of benin flourished th19th century. The kingdom of benin, also known as the benin kingdom, was a precolonial kingdom in what. Benin was the seat of one of the great medieval african kingdoms called dahomey. Learn about the ancient kingdom of benin, where was it a when did it begin. The origin and settling down of the edo article pdf available in anthropos. The benin kingdom situated in southcentral nigeria dates to approximately 900 a. Media in category history of benin the following 16 files are in this category, out of 16 total. Hirshhorn to the smithsonian institution in 1979, 851922.
Primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory, benin art was produced mainly for the court of the oba of benin a divine ruler for whom the craftsmen produced a range of ceremonially significant objects. The gate of no return was an amazing historic places one must not miss should they visit benin. The history of nigeria explained in 6 minutes 3,000 years of. Culture of benin history, people, clothing, women, beliefs. The nigerian civil war, also known as the biafran war, was a bloody and violent conflict that started in 1967 and ended in 1970. Europeans began arriving in the area in the 18th century, as the kingdom of dahomey was expanding its territory. The precolonial benin kingdom or empire was located in what is today southern nigeria. One of the most mysterious episodes of benin history, namely the establishment of the socalled 1st. And if benin was not a state embracing ah the edo, neither was it composed exclusively of edo subjects, for to the west it encroached upon yoruba areas, and in the east it embraced many of the ibo living to the west of the river niger. It covers an area of 44,310 sqm and is home to about 11 million people.
It is entirely separate from the republic of benin, which was then known as dahomey. Geographical, historical and political profiles of nigeria 1. A short history of benin 3rd edition by jacob egharevba. The modern republic of benin, given that name only in 1975, is the successor to one of west africas most interesting and longlasting kingdoms, that of dahomey. This brass plaque dating from the sixteenth century was seized by british troops from the palace of the oba king of benin along with many other exquisite items made of brass, bronze, ivory, coral and wood. The portuguese arrived in the area in the 15th century, which marked the fall of one of africas most powerful territories. One can imagine how great and tedious the task has been of reducing to comprehensive facts the stories which were told by superstitious native historians in. History more than 350 years ago the area now known as benin was split into numerous principalities. Benin was once a great african kingdom, but it was transformed into the largest supplier of humans for the slave trade.
When european merchant ships began to visit west africa from the 15th century onwards, benin came to control the trade between the inland peoples and the europeans on the coast. The history of nigeria explained in 6 minutes 3,000 years. You can start from the ouidah museum of history and end at the gate of no return. However, historians now know that huge empires and kingdoms, with administrations and armies, diplomatic corps and distant trading partners, have long been part of africas fabric.
Benin history, language and culture history of benin. History of the benin people the benin creation story. The inhabitants of benin spoke a group of closely related languages known as. Edo artist, benin kingdom court style, nigeria bell 18th century copper alloy, iron 21.
Geographical, historical and political profiles of nigeria. Preamble we, the beninese people, reaffirm our fundamental opposition to any political regime founded on arbitrariness, dictatorship, injustice, corruption, misappropriation of public funds, regionalism, nepotism, confiscation of. To navigate through the ribbon, use standard browser navigation keys. Benin was the seat of one of the great medieval african kingdoms. Learn more about the history, geography, and culture of benin in this article.
The first kingdom of benin is believed to have developed in the 12th or th century. Cautionary tales and culture history in the evolution. The city was founded by king kpase of the kingdom of whydah towards the end of the xvi. There is a lot of traditional history at both the benin and lagos ends relating to the origin of what is now lagos, its ruler and its connection with benin. Pdf contesting the history of benin kingdom researchgate. An oba, or king, and his court have, from around 0 c. The last ship of slaves departed from dahomey for brazil in 1885 7. For years, anthropologists and others looked at african ethnic groups as being mostly solitary and static. Nigeria is a famous country with more than one hundred and forty million population. Understanding benin kingdom history by professional. During its heyday of the 12th15th centuries ce, ileife experienced a fluorescence in bronze and iron arts. However, by the 15th century, a single ruler, known as the oba, had asserted control. The republic of benin is a small west african country. Benins history is one of great violence and tragedy, but also of perseverance.
There has been no written history of benin except the few notes written by adventurous european traders and missionaries who visited benin city from 1472 to the punitive expedition in 1897. Benin, one of the principal historic kingdoms of the western african forest region fl. Apr, 2018 the history of nigeria explained in 6 minutes 3,000 years of nigerian history. The history of nigeria explained in 6 minutes 3,000 years of nigerian history. Is a benin republic information portal dedicated to providing relevant information to all to africa and the world about the coastal city of republic of benin. Ouidah, also known as whydah, is a city on the benin coastline, it has played a major role in the history of this region and has been one of the most active ports in africa in slave trade.
Right to form political parties article 5 political parties shall cooperate in the expression of suffrage. Within the kingdom, specialized artists belonged to guilds with hereditary membership and worked solely for the oba. The geography of benin is mostly flat with sandbanks that make access to the coast difficult. In the background you can see the palace roof with a snake made of brass slithering down it. Primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory, benin art was produced mainly for the court of the oba of benin a divine ruler for whom the craftsmen produced a range of. Benin history, language and culture world travel guide. Akaba of abomey conquered his neighbouring ruler dan and called the new kingdom danhomey, later shortened by french colonisers.
The authors of nigerian history and culture are sure that the fact that the kwa group com. The constitutional court shall see to the regularity of the referendum and shall proclaim its results. Culturally diverse, benin s people follow a diverse mix of christian, muslim, and west african traditional beliefs. During the th century, the indigenous edo people were run by a group of local chieftains. Owing to the welcome given to the first edition in the vernacular of the short history, i have endeavoured in this english version to meet the needs of foreigners who do not understand the benin language, but are anxious to know its history. The history of benin map of slave coast benin is an artificial creation although its southern part corresponds roughly to the kingdom of abomey, stronger than ever at the time of the slave trade, the coast of the country was in fact called the slave coast, and passed in the xix century under the control of the french. At some point, the creator osanobua decided to populate the earth so he sent down his three sons whom he gave the choice of selecting one special gift each. The benin kingdom th 19th centuries as a megacommunity. The kingdom of benin, home of the edospeaking peoples, is located in the tropical rain forest region of what is now nigeria. Jun 18, 2009 benin, a country with a population today of about 8. Wealthy businessman and political novice patrice talon was elected to a fiveyear presidential term in 2016 on a cleangovernment platform. Contesting the history of benin kingdom article pdf available in research in african literatures 3.
It was located in presentday southern nigeria, east of the yoruba land and west of the niger river. Before 1975, the republic of benin was known as dahomey, its french colonial name. Benin was thus the first african country to effect successfully the transition from dictatorship to a pluralistic political system. The benin creation story has it that the universe was covered with water and at the middle of the water there was a tree and on this tree there lived a bird called owonwon. The three main kingdoms created by the fon were that of allada, founded in the 16th century, it was the most powerful kingdom in ajaland before it fell to the armies of dahomey abomey. Omoregie on the evolution of benin, as part of lectures on the lost treasures of ancient benin organized by the national commission of museums and monument, benin city, june 25, 1982, the name of the ogisos were given as follows. The republic of benin was one of the shortestlived. It was the ritual performed that gave oranmiyans son the title of eweka that every subsequent obatobe goes to use to perform to this day. Aug 18, 2018 the precolonial benin kingdom or empire was located in what is today southern nigeria.
Benin is a small country in west africa with a coastline on the bight of benin. This is one of many videos to come that will provide detailed descriptions of various historical african states and empires that are neglected and ignored in todays society. Benin arose as a citystate in the late 1100s or 1200s and expanded into a larger kingdom or empire in the mid1400s. Culturally diverse, benins people follow a diverse mix of christian, muslim, and west african traditional beliefs. The kingdom of benin was also well known to european traders and merchants during the 16th and 17th centuries, when it became wealthy partly due to the slave trade.
Some residents of benin city could still speak a pidgin portuguese in the late 19th century. The benin kingdom was one of the oldest and most highly developed states in the coastal hinterland of west africa, it was formed around. The republic of benin was one of the shortestlived countries. May 17, 2019 during its heyday of the 12th15th centuries ce, ileife experienced a fluorescence in bronze and iron arts. Neighboring countries include burkina faso, niger, nigeria, and togo. Each king pledged to leave his successor more land than he inherited, achieved by waging war with his neighbours.
Life before benin is a tiny country in west african region bordered with nigeria, little is known about this country, its history, culture, people, and tradition, here you have the entire history of republic of benin, starting from the first day of. It was destroyed in 1897 by the british, who attacked after the edo assaulted an earlier british expedition, which had been told not to enter the city during a religious festival but nonetheless attempted to do so. The city of benin, like the ancient egyptian cities walled against predators, has a giant protective moat dug around it between 1280 1295 ad, without using mechanical equipment. The first, or ogiso, dynasty lasted until 1170, at which time yoruba rule was imposed from the city of ife. The portuguese, the french, and the dutch established trading posts along the coast portonovo, ouidah, cotonou, and traded weapons for slaves.
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