AreaFada2:


I am a product of that conquest in Eastern Yorubaland. I still have a first class Oba in Eastern Yorubaland as a relative. You're simply Yoruba who's only interested in Yoruba supremacy. I'm more and therefore desire the truth. I have written extensively on it over the years here on Nairaland. With Yoruba people coming here sporadically, arguing without proof, spitting bile and disappearing again. But I have been consistent.

There are even European records of Benin wars in Eastern Yorubaland. With details of Benin war tactics. One European account even chided Ashanti warriors as slackers in comparison to Benin warriors. It was not new for them to observe Africans at war. They even supplied guns Benin used in wars. You would not know because you are scholarly & objective enough to go read.
I know it is hard for you to accept that a tribe that is today small in comparison could have done so much. Rome was a small city but conquered Italy and later most of the known world. If not for benefit of written language at the time, all could have been denied.

But in museums in London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam and other places have ceremonial plaques depicting Obas of Benin & war chiefs returning from conquest ceremoniously. All clearly written beneath those plaques, similar to how European witnesses described the scenes centuries ago. I have physically seen them all.

Benin was not primarily fighting wars for the sake of it. If a strategic kingdom or chiefdom accepted to be a vassal to the Oba of Benin, a peaceful treaty was reached. No need for war.

Now to Lagos. What was the population of the Aworis, Egbas & Ijebus around Lagos at that time? How organised were they to seriously Benin military might as described by the Europeans at the time? Whatever it was, aside initial skirmishes, they soon accepted the royal party from Benin. Would anyone not initially resist strangers taking up strategic location next to you? I wonder what you point is. I am well familiar with early history of Asipa & Ado in Lagos.

How united were Yoruba "tribes" then to come to the aid of the scanty settlements around Lagos in 1550s? Yorubas were not a homogeneous group then as portrayed now. In fact incessant intra-Yoruba wars were normal. The later unity against the Jihadist was self-preservation fight. All down to Owo knew that once Oyo Empire was Over-run, no stopping Jahadist.

Benin on the other hand fought years of War in Edo North to stop Jihadists from Idah axis.

You are trying to make up things to be outraged about. Continue with that.

scholes0:
..and that is why all Yoruboid and Edoid groups will be in Oduduwa republic together.
Our destinies are tied.

ODVanguard:


Bros, with all due respect please perish this thought. The Oba of benin (undisputed representative of the edoid groups) was at the vanguard of the excision of the then midwest from the Western region during the first republic. In other words, these folks have been consistent in their desire to have a separate identity for themselves, therefore comments like this (no matter how well-intentioned) is bound to be exploited by the uncouth elements from that corridor to take shots at our people. They haven't shown any concrete desire to become a part of us, if anything they go to desperate lenghts to repudiate and even denounce our shared histories so why must we continue to suck up to them? For what exactly?

ODVanguard:


Bros, with all due respect please perish this thought. The Oba of benin (undisputed representative of the edoid groups) was at the vanguard of the excision of the then midwest from the Western region during the first republic. In other words, these folks have been consistent in their desire to have a separate identity for themselves, therefore comments like this (no matter how well-intentioned) is bound to be exploited by the uncouth elements from that corridor to take shots at our people. They haven't shown any concrete desire to become a part of us, if anything they go to desperate lenghts to repudiate and even denounce our shared histories so why must we continue to suck up to them? For what exactly?

scholes0:


Actually, I am even trying to think of popular prople with Awo in their names right now, And Awolowo is the only Remo man among them. The others are from Ekiti, Osun, Ondo Etc

O0ni:


Aworeni - Araba Agbaye.

The only one in my head right now.

Maybe because of where I am at the moment.

O0ni:


Uncle, some of us are actual Historians who have read quite extensively and are involved in traditional cultural and religious circle to get information. Bini was struggling in the Eastern flank of Yoruba land. Did Bini conquer any of her felow edoid group in any known battle is the question?
In your heart of hearts, you think Bini would have beated the occupants of Eko at that point? You seriously think Bini that is far away and requires sailing through the seas can best the people who are familiar with the lands and its interiors and can draw support from Ijebu, Egba and Ibadan? Uncle, there were skirmishes but only on the pepper farm, did it spread beyond, not said in any record of the history. This connotes that, Bini itself was wise enough to to stretch its own with encoraching beyond where it got on a platter.

Oyo empire was over run, Ibadan stopped and crushed the Jihadists up to Offa for life - read, please.

The 'un-homogeneity' of Yoruba being bandied around makes no sense. It is common knowledge that Yoruba were one with Ife as a rallying point. The intra-tribal fights did not start until Owu wanted to disrupt the system then the system collapsed when Oyo collapsed - the fight was not for lack of homogeneity but rather, for balance of power. Oyo's yolk was thrown off, everyone inhaled fresh air of independence and wanted to give their lives to prevent any other power rising to take away their freedom - Ibadan in this case.

The theory of lack of homogeneity is a very ignorant one bandied around by mostly Northerners to tear into the Yoruba fabric.

Loool. Anyone who reads this would think Bini was a serious army . A ragtag group that could not even expand its hegemony by conquering other edoid groups.

Make things up to be outraged about? No fam, we are having a harmless banter that I am open minded to as I want to learn something fresh & new, something to collapse all the theories Yoruba history has been built on over the years. Something beyond the conjectures and counnages from Bini camp.

AreaFada2:


If you are a historian, you are a big disgrace to scholarship. Yours is still tribal scholarship.

Did Benin need to conquer Edoid tribes when most clearly acknowledge their Edo origin & saw the Oba as overlord? When even many top ranking were from Edoid tribes? The vast majority of Edoid tribe rulers received their isignia of office and confirmation from Oba of Benin. Same applied to some Western Igbo obis. Another Obi came for confirmation by Crown Prince Eheneden (as Papa was indisposed) just over a year ago. It was in media.

Yes, the Ibadans fought bravely but they were doing self-preservation too. Did they repel the Jihadists alone? No. Oyo regrouped and fought back. Despite losing much of Kwara thanks to Afonja.

Not only were Edoid tribes allies most of the time, rulers there were mostly royal descendants and relatives of Benin monarchy.

Let me remind you of Oboro (Obuluku). The Obi of Ubuluku killed Adesua, daughter of Chief Ezomo, the commander of Benin royal army. In a fit passion being rejected by her. She was already betrothed to Oba Akengbuda of Benin in about 1755. The Oba sent for Obi's head. And his head was brought to Benin. Like the heads of many rebelious vassal Kings before him. His skull would have been among those the British found during their raid in 1897.

that is Ubuluku, deep in Delta Igbo land, much less Edoid areas.
By the way Olu Jacobs ably played the role of Ezomo in the movie "Adesuwa". Watch it.

You can disparage Benin history as you like but better educated researchers worldwide know better. And keep featuring Benin as one of the best organised African empires that ever existed. In BBC documentaries and others, Your envy is irrelevant.

See here:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW_kaUuUg8Y

scholes0:


lol, where are you?
Ile Ife?

O0ni:


One would expect a learned person or at least a half-ass Historian to know there is what we call 'Culture History' and Historians in that area pick the geographical area of interest they want to focus on - I suppose Olupona, Eluyemi, Obayemi, Fasogbon and Fabunmi are a big disgrace to scholarship and are tribal scholars for focusing on Ife, some of them throughout their lives? The more you post, the more you expose yourself to be a not-very-bright person.



Thank you. Now, does coming for insignia of office equate overlordship? Alaafin of Oyo goes to Owa Eredunmi (a chief under Ooni) for Oranmiyan's sword without which the Alaafin elect's coronation and crowning is incomplete?



Uncle, the bulk of Kwara and Ilorin was of no interest and no part of Oyo empire. In fact, Ilorin was an outpost town occupied by Yoruba but it was of little interest that Oyo did not post someone to man the town.

You see why I said you, with every post, showcase how bright you are not? 'Oyo regrouped and fought back'. Sir, Oyo did not regroup, Ibadan fought of the jihadists alone and repelled them for life - you should read. Ibadan was very powerful that it began to demand and collect periodic tributes from the Alaafin at some point. Ibadan was so powerful that it imposed an Ooni (the first Ojaja) on Ife. The power of Ibadan was what we fought many parts of Yoruba land fought off in the internecine wars of many years.



I will research more on Edoid groups to see if there are some who are not relatives of Bini monarchy as you have claimed.



OK.



Lol
You call it disparaging, I call t setting the record straight. Are you aware that researchers, foreign scholars who know their onions regard Bini as a kingdom (which it has always been) but bourgeoisie scholars of Bini descent bandy 'Bini Empire' around



....

AreaFada2:

So you mean someone needing to collect insignia of office from another King is not acknowledging his own inferiority and suzerainty (overlordship) of the King giving them to him? Wow!

So you are not aware of Benin attacking Akure because the Deji dared to make insignia of Office by himself? Merely 200 years plus ago? This is even in Esan chronicles.

Those Youruba-centric books you have been reading totally reduced you to a half-baked historian, devoid of any scholarship or objectivity.

So you also do not know that a country can be both a kingdom & an empire at the same time? I guess you have no idea that Victoria was both Queen of England Empress of India at the same time. Wow!

While Ibadans fought bravely, Oyo remained a force to be reckoned with and regrouped to defend themselve. The temprary rise of Ibadan did not change that.

Certainly the treaty signed between Aare Ona Kakanfo of Oyo & Iyase Ekpende of Benin at Otun (Northern Ekiti) marking the border of Oto & Benin Empires remained intact. Another ignorant Ekiti guy came up to deny this here on Nairaland some months back only to later be soliciting for information about his area.

The only thing you and your ilks are bright at is vulgarity. Quoting co-tribalists as exprts only exposes your myopic bigoted views. Such so called experts are neither bright nor objective. Pretty much like the Northern "professors" of geology who said oil flowed underground from the North to Niger Delta.

Nigeria's failed education system creates mediocre scholars like you.

I'm not perturbed or provoked by your vulgar and pedestrian submissions because people are very good at being two-faced and vulgar behind an anonymous forum but become a shrinking willow in real life. I have seen many over the years here.

Your place of origin can never achieve the fame or historical pedigree of Benin Empire. Yes, Benin Empire. I know it's painful but you have to endure the pain. Or your nightmares wil just continue.

AreaFada2:

So you mean someone needing to collect insignia of office from another King is not acknowledging his own inferiority and suzerainty (overlordship) of the King giving them to him? Wow!

.

KingOvoramwen1:




WHAT DIDYU EXPECT FROM A PAINED TENANT

WE MADE ALL THE KINGS IN YORUBALAND THROUGH ODUDUWA A BONAFIDE EDO PRINCE!!



THIS IS A OBI THAT WAS JUST CROWNED AT ASABA ....... HE SPENT A MONTH AT THE PALACE WITH OBA TO RECIEVE ROYAL BLESSING!!

KingOvoramwen1:
Dien of Asaba in full Proud Edo Regaila!!

scholes0:


Okay , Clap for yourself.
You should be indeed proud for going to war in the past and pillaging neighboring groups.
Edos want their names to be heard everywhere... for people to say Benin this, Benin that, But once any mention is made to influences in Benin that comes from the other direction, they go all berserk.

AreaFada2:

So you mean someone needing to collect insignia of office from another King is not acknowledging his own inferiority and suzerainty (overlordship) of the King giving them to him? Wow!

So you are not aware of Benin attacking Akure because the Deji dared to make insignia of Office by himself? Merely 200 years plus ago? This is even in Esan chronicles.

Those Youruba-centric books you have been reading totally reduced you to a half-baked historian, devoid of any scholarship or objectivity.

So you also do not know that a country can be both a kingdom & an empire at the same time? I guess you have no idea that Victoria was both Queen of England & Empress of India at the same time. Wow!

While Ibadans fought bravely, Oyo remained a force to be reckoned with and regrouped to defend themselves. The temprary rise of Ibadan did not change that.

Certainly the treaty signed between Aare Ona Kakanfo of Oyo & Iyase Ekpende of Benin at Otun (Northern Ekiti) marking the border of Oyo & Benin Empires remained intact. Another ignorant Ekiti guy came up to deny this here on Nairaland some months back only to later be soliciting for information about his area.

The only thing you and your ilks are bright at is vulgarity. Quoting co-tribalists as exprts only exposes your myopic bigoted views. Such so called experts are neither bright nor objective. Pretty much like the Northern "professors" of geology who said oil flowed underground from the North to Niger Delta.

Nigeria's failed education system creates mediocre scholars like you.

I'm not perturbed or provoked by your vulgar and pedestrian submissions because people are very good at being two-faced and vulgar behind an anonymous forum but become a shrinking willow in real life. I have seen many over the years here.

Your place of origin can never achieve the fame or historical pedigree of Benin Empire. Yes, Benin Empire. I know it's painful but you have to endure the pain. Or your nightmares wil just continue.

AreaFada2:

Thank you. I did not have this pictured saved, though it was circulated in the media at the time and mentined it earlier today in another post.
I guess they do not know how many succession disputes outside current Benin area that Oba's palace has settled since 1914 when Benin monarchy was restored.

Just to remind you. Britain refused to build schools within core Benin area post 1897. Instead they wanted to send young Benin men to Calabar for education. Benin people refused fearing it could become a systematic depletion of Benin of young men. After all Ovonramwen who was taken there never came back. This is often used by detractors to claim tht Benin refused to leave home for education.

Benin people wanted schools badly but British colonial officers refused. Claiming no funds. Even though Benin was one of the most prosperous provinces due to booming rubber trade. Rubber was needed to produce tyres for the nascent automobile industry of Europe then. And other rubber products. Petroleum had not been discovered in most places to produce plastic products, etc. 1897 war was in fact partly rubber war. Britain wanted Benin rubber under their control.

Oghada community volunteered to build and self-fund a school for 100 of their local boys yet British people refused. Reason was this memo content British colonial officers sent to London: that educating Benin people would create an educated class that would oppose British rule in Benin. That Benin people are furious because of deportation of Ovonramwen. That such education would repeat the mistake made in Sierra Leone by building Fourah Bay College & also educating people in Lagos. That those educated in those schools now form the bulk of anti-British activists.

This late education of Benin people gave Yorubas the advantage of shaping history as they liked. By the time Benin people came to see the distorted history, Yoruba now claim that Benin version is new and made up.They now believe that writing it down first automatically means authenticity.

But often, events occur somewhere that bring the reach of Benin Empire into light.

Also note that in 1914 when Eweka II was crowned, loyal Ado-Akure in Akure embarked on a journey with gifts to pay homage to the new Oba in Benin. But they were turned back by British colonial officers. And warned never to return. So died a practice of centuries of homage from Akure. A fact many Yoruba people would vehemently deny today. So thousands of Benin-origin people vanished into Eastern Yoruba, taking Yourba names to avoid discrimination. Okunbor for example quickly became Tokunbor, just to blend in.

O0ni:




[s]I see you are making excuses now.

You are not well read as you've convinced yourself to think. I suppose you're dubiously duplicating - portraying a false image of yourself when in reality you are something else but this is your own problem nt mine.

The first person to give an independent account of the Yoruba (amongst other W.African states) was Leo Fobrenius. You should read his work 'Vouce of Africa' in 1913.

This was followed by Samuel Johnson's 'A History of the Yoruba' in 1923.

History writing or proper African Historiography did not begin until 1950s with Ibadan school of History led by Kenneth Dike (an Igbo man).

Prior to Ibadan school, no (scholarly) Yoruba history was published so stop with the lies and lame excuses of Bini not having a head start in education. Colonial education was mostly limited to high school in order to prepare locals for support positions like clerks in order to ensure smooth running of the colonial system.

Egharevba was & is still the foremost Bini historian who documented works since 1934 and was around during the renaissance in History writing in 1950s - what is your excuse about again?

Most of the studies conducted about Ife were started & done by foreigners, this opened Ife up to a lot of archeological excavations that shook the world, killed the Atlantis or Hamitic hypothesis and put Ife in the limelight world over.

Stop telling lies to your illiterate Bini folks on Nairaland, it is disgusting.

Tou seem bright but this ethnocentricity is messing up what could be made out of your mind.

Bye[/s]!

O0ni:

!

IS THIS NOT THE HOUSEBOY AT ILE IFE COMPARED TO TRUE ROYALTY OBA EWAURE!!

AreaFada2:

Thank you. I did not have this pictured saved, though it was circulated in the media at the time and mentined it earlier today in another post.
I guess they do not know how many succession disputes outside current Benin area that Oba's palace has settled since 1914 when Benin monarchy was restored.

Just to remind you. Britain refused to build schools within core Benin area post 1897. Instead they wanted to send young Benin men to Calabar for education. Benin people refused fearing it could become a systematic depletion of Benin of young men. After all Ovonramwen who was taken there never came back. This is often used by detractors to claim tht Benin refused to leave home for education.

Benin people wanted schools badly but British colonial officers refused. Claiming no funds. Even though Benin was one of the most prosperous provinces due to booming rubber trade. Rubber was needed to produce tyres for the nascent automobile industry of Europe then. And other rubber products. Petroleum had not been discovered in most places to produce plastic products, etc. 1897 war was in fact partly rubber war. Britain wanted Benin rubber under their control.

Oghada community volunteered to build and self-fund a school for 100 of their local boys yet British people refused. Reason was this memo content British colonial officers sent to London: that educating Benin people would create an educated class that would oppose British rule in Benin. That Benin people are furious because of deportation of Ovonramwen. That such education would repeat the mistake made in Sierra Leone by building Fourah Bay College & also educating people in Lagos. That those educated in those schools now form the bulk of anti-British activists.

This late education of Benin people gave Yorubas the advantage of shaping history as they liked. By the time Benin people came to see the distorted history, Yoruba now claim that Benin version is new and made up.They now believe that writing it down first automatically means authenticity.
But often, events occur somewhere that bring the reach of Benin Empire into light.

Also note that in 1914 when Eweka II was crowned, loyal Ado-Akure in Akure embarked on a journey with gifts to pay homage to the new Oba in Benin. But they were turned back by British colonial officers. And warned never to return. So died a practice of centuries of homage from Akure. A fact many Yoruba people would vehemently deny today. So thousands of Benin-origin people vanished into Eastern Yoruba, taking Yourba names to avoid discrimination. Okunbor for example quickly became Tokunbor, just to blend in.

I always wondered how that name Tokunbor came about.... The lies propagated by this people called the yorubas is dying a fast death!!

They bear Edo names shamelessly and after 20yrs start saying that said name is Yoruba

I.e Davido who just named his Daughter IMADE!!!

Lol smh for this yorubas hahahaha i just find thier denials of Benin Infleuce so PATHETIC!!!

KingOvoramwen1:



[b]EVERYTHING U WROTE UP THERE BELONGS TO THE DUSTBIN!!
YORUBA STOLE AND COPIED TRADITIONS FROM BENIN EMPIRE...... UR USELESS HELL HOLE U CALL ILE - IFE WAS AND SUPRISINGLY STILL IS A VILLAGE!

OYO WAS NOT EVEN A KINGDOM TALKLESS OF AN EMPIRE BUT BENIN WAS EVEN GREATER THAN AN EMPIRE THAT A BIGHT WAS NAMED AFTER THIS WONDER OF AN EMPIRE ( BIGHT OF BENIN)

OYO RAG TAG BANDITS THAT MEDIOCRE YORUBA WRITERS CALL AN EMPIRE WERE JUST MERELY A BAND OF SELF CENTERED SNAKE FACED TRIBAL CLAWED FACED CAVE MEN WHO SOLD THIER PPL TO SLAVELY AND USED THE PROCEEDS TO ENSLAVE MORE OF THIER PPL.

YORUBA IS A MINORITY TRIBE IF U SEPERATE ALL THE ELEMENTS THAT CAME IN TO FORM THIS EWEDU UNION WE FIND TODAY!

HISTORIANS KNOW AND HAVE WRITTEN AND EVEN OBA EWAURE WAS GENERIOUS ENOUGH TO TELL IT TO UR ooni AND THE MASS MEDIA AT HIS CORONATION THAT THE ODUDUWA U PPL PLACE UR EXISTENCE ON WAS A BANISHED EDO PRINCE...... IF NOT FOR THE EWEDU BLOCKING UR EYES U WULD HAVE ADDED THE DOTS AND SEEN THAT BENINS VERSION OF EVENTS MAKES MORE SENSE THAN A MAN FALLING LIKE FEACES FROM THE ARSE OF ZEUS FROM THE SKY

DO NOT DISGRACE URSELF FURTHER BCUS THO MY KINSMAN areafada2 IS PATIENCE ENUFF TO WAIT TILL AN 1880 BRAIN BOOTS UP I DO NOT HOLD SUCH PATIENCE NOR DO I CARE TO EXPLAIN HISTORY TO YORUBAS

I WOULD HANDLE U ON THIS THREAD ANYHOW!![/b]

BornStunner1:
King Ado a benin Prince!!!








JUST LOOK AT THE RUBBISH THIS ONE IS TYPING!

WHAT USELESS REPUBLIC?

YOU PPL WILL ALWAYS BE REGARDED AS LESS BY WE THE EDOS AND OTHER TRIBES!!

THE ONLY DESTINY U YORUBA HAVE IS TO DENOUCE BENIN CULTURE TAUGHT TO U BY PRINCE EKELEREHAN IZODUWA!!

AND ALL THE VASSAL STATES CREATED IN EKITI & ONDO BY THE BENIN EMPIRE IS RETURNED BACK TO THE EMPIRE!!!

mulattoclaroo:
no edoid group would be part of your ewedu nation. I am a very proud Bini man and I share nothing with the yorubas. Any attempt to include Edoid groups would be met with a very heavy resistance both physically and otherwise. Respect yourself and don't bring the wrath of the edoid nation on yourself.

Aigbofa:


The heavy resistance will require you to open your eyes so that you won't be shooting at your brothers.

EdoNation:



What is this one saying?

Aigbofa:


The heavy resistance will require you to open your eyes so that you won't be shooting at your brothers.

mulattoclaroo:
keep quiet. Who's your brother? Edos have nothing in common with you yorubas.