SECRET CEREMONIES OF ANCIENT BENIN EMPIRE
Emerging Evidence Ancient Japanese Originated In Benin
--Attorney Patryk Utulu

Objectively evaluated the Ancient Benin Empire is thousands of years old. At its height (1400 -1897) the Benin Empire stretched in wealth and influence across Western Nigeria to the outer tips of present day nation of Benin Republic.

Chief Solomon Osagie Alonge (1911-1944) was the Royal Photographer of the Royal Court of Benin Empire. Starting in 1933 and for over 50 years, he held an insider's view of palace life and secret ceremonies through Nigeria's transition from colonial rule to independence. His work made photography a new African art form. The world owes Alonge and his family a debt of gratitude for preserving priceless portraits of Africa. This photo history will be on exhibition at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Washington, DC until September 13, 2015. I urge everyone to attend the D.C. exhibition and to follow it online.

Oba of Benin is universally revered. His throne is probably the only major traditional ruler position that has NOT recently been (appointed, selected, imposed or sacked) by Nigerian military rulers and politicians or disputed by rival royal houses. That is rare in Nigeria where nothing is sacred anymore.

Did you know that in 1897 the British Government deliberately burnt down Benin-City and looted most of the 1000-plus year-old wood carvings, and stone bronze sculptures of Ancient Benin Empire? Till date the U.K. Government continues to deny, dodge questions and come up with new excuses for not seriously searching for and/or returning looted priceless artifacts of Benin.

DID THE JAPANESE ORIGINATE FROM ANCIENT BENIN?

This should NOT be a shocking question. All humans (Japanese) originated in Africa from where they dispersed. It was 15 years that I first noticed what seemed like strange similarities between Benin (Edo) culture and Japanese culture. I have been researching and documenting dozens of such cultural similarities and the more I research it the less strange it appears that some ancient Japanese probably originated from ancient Edo people of Nigeria. I have talked to world-class forensic historians and archaeologists. Here is a sampling of the body of evidence collected. Consider them with an open mind.

From pre-history the Benin people are EDO people. The original name of Japan was EDO. The Edo founders of Benin Empire used to be ruled by the Ogiso (Kings of the Sky) dynasty. The Japanese call their emperors Sky Kings or (Sons of the Sun). Edos were a pure warrior clan. Japanese are a pure warrior clan. The Edo people of Nigeria were artists/sculptors/carvers of such infinite precision their ancient artworks still shock the human mind. Japanese art and artistry are globally recognized for immaculate precision.

We will publish dozens of cultural and physical evidence. Controversies will follow. Angry questions will be asked for scientific and racial reasons:

(1) Why do modern Japanese look different from Edos? The original dwellers of Japan were Ainu and Yamato peoples who were racially Asiatic. Until Yayoi warriors arrived, conquered them and named the place EDO. Till today the origins of Yayoi people is still disputed. No Japanese account identifies Yayoi as coming from any part of Asia. Yayoi is an Ainu word for invaders. Is it impossible that a band of Edo warriors (mostly males) conquered the place, took women of the conquered people for wives/concubines and over time their offspring looked exactly like the dominant indigenous population?

(2): What became of the Yayoi warriors? To answer this question one must ask another question: why was Japan the only Asian nation that had a clan of fighter citizens --Samurai Warriors -- (whose only occupation was war/conquest and who became lords and ruled other Japanese and subjugated them to farming and civil duties?) Is it impossible that the Edo warriors created the privileged class of fighters that the world came to know as the Samurai?

(3): How did they make the voyage? Easy. By water. The same way various peoples moved from Africa to Asia for thousands of years. After all the Benin Empire was both a land and river empire. Though the Capital (Benin-city) is inland the empire covered present day Warri (Ishekiri/Urhobo) area of Delta State.

There will be doubts...and questions. No answer will satisfy everyone but it is a beginning. Artworks and Archaeology are the truest form of evidence/pathways to ancient history.For now, just read and consider some (strange?) similarities between ancient Japanese artworks and ancient Edo (Benin) artworks. NOTE: We could NOT find these similarities with the artwork of any other Asian nation.

***PICTURES***
1. Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Erediauwa I
2. Ancient Benin bronze artwork (at least 1000 years old) depicting warriors
3. Ancient Benin sculpture depicting an Oba of Benin and his subjects (notice the elongated cone on the headgear of the subjects)
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4. Ancient Japanese sculpture of a palace subject (notice same elongated headgear cone like that of Benin? Did you notice BROAD African nose?)
5. Ancient Japanese Stoneware statues of the Wind God and Thunder God, Fujin. (did you notice the distinctly wide African nose and face?)

History is never truly lost. It just awaits a child of a new age to discover it.

Read, review, reflect.....

Patryk A. Utulu is a U.S.-based attorney and Strategic Communications Specialist
Global Defense Analyst and Global Events Commentator
Executive Vice President, Nigerian Diaspora-North America
Executive Director, The Center for Community Empowerment and Lifeskills, Inc.
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