Why is benin important

Technically, these bronzes represent the very highest possible achievement. What impressed the first visiting Europeans most was the wealth, artistic beauty and magnificence of the city. Immediately European nations saw the opportunity to develop trade with the wealthy kingdom, importing ivory, palm oil and pepper — and exporting guns. At the beginning of the 16th century, word quickly spread around Europe about the beautiful African city, and new visitors flocked in from all parts of Europe, with ever glowing testimonies, recorded in numerous voyage notes and illustrations.

Now, however, the great Benin City is lost to history. Its decline began in the 15th century, sparked by internal conflicts linked to the increasing European intrusion and slavery trade at the borders of the Benin empire.

Then in , the city was destroyed by British soldiers — looted, blown up and burnt to the ground. Nowadays, while a modern Benin City has risen on the same plain, the ruins of its former, grander namesake are not mentioned in any tourist guidebook to the area.

They have not been preserved, nor has a miniature city or touristic replica been made to keep alive the memory of this great ancient city. The house possesses features that match the horizontally fluted walls, pillars, central impluvium and carved decorations observed in the architecture of ancient Benin.

Curious tourists visiting Edo state in Nigeria are often shown places that might once have been part of the ancient city — but its walls and moats are nowhere to be seen. A money-spinner worth countless billions in annual tourist revenue. Instead, if you wish to get a glimpse into the glorious past of the ancient Benin kingdom — and a better understanding of this groundbreaking city — you are better off visiting the Benin Bronze Sculptures section of the British Museum in central London.

Because of it, the traffic all over town has reached gridlock. One of the men has not been able to go to work; the other one turned around halfway to an appointment and cancelled all others for the day.

I am Esan, not Bini. What do I have to gain from their Oba? Let me just do my work I beg. To the Bini, their history and tradition are still very much alive. The single-storey building is one of the few of this stature in Benin City that survived the ravaging flames in The Ogiamien were a rival dynasty defeated in the 13th century by Oba Ewedu. That military skirmish is usually commemorated by a mock battle between the current Ogiamien and the Oba-to-be, on his way to the coronation hall.

This time, however, that tradition will not be honoured: the person holding this hereditary title vanished almost two decades ago, and no one knows where he is. Under normal circumstances another representative of the Ogiamien family would have taken his place, explains Moses Igbineweka in the palace courtyard, where a shrine in the wall represents the presence of the ancestors, but the Ogiamiens have been in court ever since a dissident faction of the family went and crowned another man their leader.

He shakes his head over the actions of the self-appointed Ogiamien, who begrudged his exclusion from the royal ceremony and even went to court to stop the coronation process because of it, an injunction dismissed by the court of appeal. Igbineweka does, however, hope that the newly crowned Oba will observe another tradition.

According to him, as part of the 13th-century treaty between the warring dynasties, the Oba offered gifts to his former rival, including a royal stool, a tray of kola nuts, and a bronze staff.

He points to a spot in the outer wall that used to be a doorway but is now bricked shut, calling it the gateway to heaven. Only the Oba may pass through this gate, which will be unblocked when the monarch pays a visit. On the morning of the ascension, the ekasa dancers — a group of about 60 men — sit around with their green and red banners resting against them, waiting for the moment the drums start talking and they can perform their traditional dance, which may only be staged during the coronation process and at the burial of the queen mother.

The men — aged between 12 and way beyond retirement age — have some time to chat. But there is not much they can say. To many Bini, the Oba has a godlike status.

According to Bini tradition, an Oba does not die. She is at her Benin home taking out the regalia she will wear at the coronation and trying on the coral-bead headgear. He figured one of the pleasures of being a parent is to see your children develop, so he put an end to that tradition. Another palace taboo concerned bronze casting: it was a craft women were forbidden to perform, since the Bini believed a woman would go barren if she handled the bellows.

The princess would go on to become a well-known Benin artist. Does that mean that one day the Bini will welcome a female Oba to the throne? She smiles and shakes her head: no. They are also absent from the customary leadership structures.

He was known to be a disciplinarian and it is to his credit that the first prison in Benin was built. Edionisen were the five elders of Benin Kingdom during the reign of Oba Ewedo. Oba Ewedo called them "Emwan nei zama omwan" meaning "people who have no respect for their monarch". This name was later corrupted to Uzama. To avoid more power struggle, Oba Ewedo moved the kingdom seat of government from Usama to its present place in Benin City the heart of the kingdom.

He achieved a remarkable feat by digging the first and second moats to fortify the city from invaders. He further instructed that a similar moat be built around notable towns and villages in the kingdom to serve as a defence mechanism.

Twenty of such moats were erected around Benin during his reign. He also encouraged the systematic organisation of the ancient guild of brass casting in Benin kingdom. He reigned in about AD and was helped by Emotan during the reign of Oba Uwaifiokun his usurper brother.

He is considered as the the greatest, the most revered, dynamic, innovative and successful monarch to have reign in Benin kingdom. He introduced the royal beads and scarlet cloth Ododo which remains the Benin royal colour.

The "ugie Ewere" began during his reign. He was also the first Oba to come in contact with Europeans. He encouraged ivory and wood carving in the kingdom. He is said to have been a great mystic, physician, traveler and warrior. He constructed Akpakpava street which still exists till date. Oba Ewuare also created the inner city wall in Benin kingdom which still attracts tourist to Benin City. Oba Esigie who reigned in Benin Kingdom in about AD is one of the leaders of thought who helped transform the kingdom into an empire.

European connection with the kingdom became stronger during his reign as Portuguese missionary activities were encouraged in the kingdom. He created a school following astrology Iwoki and could speak Portuguese language fluently. He fought and defeated his brother Arhuanran Goliath-type stature the powerful ruler of Udo town some kilometres outside Benin City during the Benin-Udo war.

He also built a palace for her, Eguae-Iyoba Palace of the Queen mother which is currently located at the lower part of Uselu, a suburban area in Benin City. Benin kingdom advanced during his tenure. He is credited to be the first Oba to introduce the idea of banking in the kingdom.

He built a house called Owigho Bank. He also invented ivory flutes and introduced Odudua Masquerade. The kingdom was destroyed and looted of its many valuable artifacts. Oba Ovoranmwen was dethroned, and deported to Calabar where he lived and dead in January after sixteen years of British captivity.

Although Oba Akenzua II reigned 36 years after the fall of the old Benin Empire, his contributions in revamping Benin after its fall are worth mentioning.

His era witnessed intellectual, cultural, social and economic advancement.