yeswecan:

The situated practice in Benin is the problem. That town can never be developed no matter the effort Adams or anyone infuse. This is a town of immorality, Idol Worship and all things capable to hindering progress. Imagine in this jet age there is still an evil forest in Benin city, inside the city center, close to the road. The benins believe the forest is the last of their gods and a live lion comes out yearly to eat human, That land is situated in a good spot, instead of selling it to an industry to put a structure there, they believe in that MYTH nonsense. They are not ready for development.

That's my point exactly. What type of development would you expect from a city where supersitition and false beliefs hold sway over rational and scientific thinking. Apart from questionable persistence of human sacrifice in Benin and other Nigerian cities, we just argued about the Oba decreeing severe punishment for anybody who "mishandles" palm fruits because of the "evil" they bring to the kingdom.

Historically, Benin was invaded about the same time the Inca civiliation was destroyed by Europeans in South America. Among the Inca, and Mayan down falls were their supersititious beliefs in so many things. These false beliefs not only undermined their own empire, but gave them away to the Spanish.

My point is that any culture that doesn't keep up with modern beliefs is usually bound to retrogress and even disappear like the Incas ans Mayans.

What are you guys on? You talk as if Benin city suddenly dropped from mars!
You talk as if Idol worshipping, and all the evils under the sun is restricted to the Binis. The Yorubas [Ijebus et al] are notorious idol worshippers and harbour demonic superstitions.
Please be logical

tpia.:

seriously, were you sold?

This one that you're going around demanding apology everywhere.

i see your point but its getting too much nah.

and sometimes the slave traders themselves ended up being sold as slaves- did you know that?

Was I sold? . . .Bad question.

Shouting on the rooftops above slavery can never be too much. We aren't smaller than the Ghanaians who have done a lot in that direction; if not, why do we like to be seen as the giant of Africa, when we cannot open our arms to embrace our own who are separated by water? Those that were sinned against by their own kind?
It can never be too much.

Benin is the only part of the world that has successfully achieved full transformation from a City to a Town. I don't believe it has ever been done and I don't believe it will ever be done.


I take exceptions though to the ignorant fellows that come here to spew whatever mangled up jargon they have conceived in their brains.


@sjeezy

if not for the fact that you were a child, I'd take things personal with you. The Portuguese first came to Benin about the 15th century after they had just gained their inference from Morroco. When the first of them arrived, them reported that the architecture and planning of Benin City was ahead of many European capital cities and the roads were far wider and better constructed than those found in Amsterdam (the pride city of Europe at that time). Now knowing Europeans, they might have exaggerated just a wee bit, but their description must've still been close to what they met on ground. How is it possible then that there could be any Portuguese influence on a city which the Portuguese claimed was far more advanced than theirs at the time of first contact? What do they teach you guys in high school these days?!


@Beaf

you believe that Benin is cursed because they sold slaves. Why then is London "blessed"? Because they bought slaves and set them free? Halleluya! And why has Washington progressed so far? Because they whipped, mutilated and drowned slaves?
Please let's stop bringing up answers that don't have bearing with anything.


And I'd like for us all to stop bringing personal fears and putting them up as points in this discussion. Do you really have facts backing the killing of humans for sacrifice in Benin? I thought it was in Isiala'Ngwa they still eat human flesh raw with boiled groundnuts?

Then you have to be sure that Benin City is the peak of immorality in this country. It has more strip clubs than Lagos? More homosexuals? More prostitutes and rapists? Please be sure before you start posting on forums or fora.

The kingdom of Benin did not participate in the trans atlantic slave trade. Such economic activity was banned in the kingdom.

People need to read history properly from real sources before writing what they've no clue about.

Beaf:

Was I sold? . . .Bad question.

Shouting on the rooftops above slavery can never be too much. We aren't smaller than the Ghanaians who have done a lot in that direction; if not, why do we like to be seen as the giant of Africa, when we cannot open our arms to embrace our own who are separated by water? Those that were sinned against by their own kind?
It can never be too much.

my great great grandfather was sold- what say you to that?

shouldnt you apologise to me?

Or is it only the dollarific ones that you're concerned about?

$$$$$$

nex:

you believe that Benin is cursed because they sold slaves. Why then is London "blessed"? Because they bought slaves and set them free? Halleluya! And why has Washington progressed so far? Because they whipped, mutilated and drowned slaves?
Please let's stop bringing up answers that don't have bearing with anything.

And I'd like for us all to stop bringing personal fears and putting them up as points in this discussion. Do you really have facts backing the killing of humans for sacrifice in Benin? I thought it was in Isiala'Ngwa they still eat human flesh raw with boiled groundnuts?

Then you have to be sure that Benin City is the peak of immorality in this country. It has more strip clubs than Lagos? More homosexuals? More prostitutes and rapists? Please be sure before you start posting on forums or fora.

Why can't we deal with our local issues and then we can go out united to deal with the slavery heritage in London and Washington. Let us come to terms with the level of cruelty that could have led our people to sell their loved ones off to strangers; after that, we can go after those who bought them. First things first.

If today, your neighbour was to sell her children into slavery and was found out. Where and to whom would the first questions be directed?

tpia.:

my great great grandfather was sold- what say you to that?

shouldnt you apologise to me?

Or is it only the dollarific ones that you're concerned about?

. . "Dollarific" Abeg, free me jare!

Its really saddenning to hear about your grandfather.
We should be concerned about thoroughly resolving issues, regardless of who is concerned. Yes, a lot needs to be done about atoning for the likes of your grandfather. We need to be big enough to hold our hands out to embrace our own, no matter where the winds of slavery have blown them.

Beaf:

. . "Dollarific" Abeg, free me jare!

Its really saddenning to hear about your grandfather.
We should be concerned about thoroughly resolving issues, regardless of who is concerned. Yes, a lot needs to be done about atoning for the likes of your grandfather. We need to be big enough to hold our hands out to embrace our own, no matter where the winds of slavery have blown them.

and that's never been done?

tpia.:

and that's never been done?

Tell me where, when and how.

Compare whatever lip service is likely to turn up to the sort of concrete things Ghana is doing eg http://www.fihankrainternational.org/Our-Story-The-Mission-of-Fihankra-International.html

Beaf:

Tell me where, when and how.

Compare whatever lip service is likely to turn up to the sort of concrete things Ghana is doing eg http://www.fihankrainternational.org/Our-Story-The-Mission-of-Fihankra-International.html

if you dont know, then you dont know. finito.



Quick question: were Urhobos/Isokos the ones sold by Benin to Ghana?

tpia.:

if you dont know, then you dont know. finito.

Quick question: were Urhobos/Isokos the ones sold by Benin to Ghana?

Your question makes no sense.

You claimed Nigeria has done something about slavery, can you please share that?

Beaf:



Your question makes no sense.

You claimed Nigeria has done something about slavery, can you please share that?

Nigeria did nothing- i was just guessing.

tpia.:

Nigeria did nothing- i was just guessing.

Ok, my bad. I assumed you were telling me we'd done something (You know the way we 9ja's use questions to answer questions ).

Benin city is undergoing some real transformation. You could see the videos on the latest development by clicking the link below

Well done guys. This was a successful nairaland thread (of which there a few). Very informative and intellectual, plus no arguments (well, let me not talk so fast).

I am really mad at some responses that i have seen here. Very disappointing. It is a biased view with so much prejudice in their hearts. Can anyone tell me anywhere in Nigeria that looks the least like Newyork. Why is Benin City singled out for such condemnation? I can bet that alot of you have never been to Benin City at all. Benin City has suffered decay and neglect just like everyother other city has in Nigeria over time, which is the direct result of bad leadership and administration in Nigeria.Benin City is the only place that tolerates all. Its the only place in Nigeria you can go to as a stranger and they will allow you use their toilets without asking you to pay a dime.By the way , why is Aba and onitsha so dirty? why do gutters pass the middle of people's houses in Lagos.Why is the road from Uniport to Rumuokoro so bushy and forest like. The average yoruba man, Igboman , hausaman expects the next person to come from their tribe, why is it so? This is evident from the fact that when you approach them they speak their language first and cannot communicate fluently, as we have now-contributos to this topic. Benin City is the land for all. The Yorubas are Idol worshippers we all know that. Whatever they call any idol in Benin is found in yoruba. The Igbos are hypocrites. go to church and continue in idolatry so far you are not caught. they are ritualists, little wonder, most of their young with so much money will die very young.
Its painful that the paster of the thread does not have a very good knowledge of what is happening in Nigeria. If there are things you miss about Benin City, why not say it, instead of saying things you do not know.Thank God for Adams. you people will soon come to the realisation that the problem with benin City afterall is just not peculiar.its that of administrative ineptitude which has held sway for some time now in this country.When you bend down to look at other people's buttocks, more people are looking at yours. So be wise all.
At poster , remove the topic

^^^^^^^^^

u are just too bloody STUPID!!

fosbiggy:

I am really mad at some responses that i have seen here. Very disappointing. It is a biased view with so much prejudice in their hearts. Can anyone tell me anywhere in Nigeria that looks the least like Newyork. Why is Benin City singled out for such condemnation? I can bet that alot of you have never been to Benin City at all. Benin City has suffered decay and neglect just like everyother other city has in Nigeria over time, which is the direct result of bad leadership and administration in Nigeria.Benin City is the only place that tolerates all. Its the only place in Nigeria you can go to as a stranger and they will allow you use their toilets without asking you to pay a dime.By the way , why is Aba  and onitsha so dirty? why do gutters pass the middle of people's houses in Lagos.Why is the road from Uniport to Rumuokoro so bushy and forest like. The average yoruba man, Igboman , hausaman expects the next person to come from their tribe, why is it so? This is evident from the fact that when you approach them they speak their language first  and cannot communicate fluently, as we have now-contributos to this topic. Benin City is the land for all. The Yorubas are Idol worshippers we all know that. Whatever they call any idol in Benin  is found in yoruba. The Igbos are hypocrites. go to church  and continue in idolatry so far you are not caught. they are ritualists, little wonder, most of their young  with so much money will die very young.
Its painful that the paster of the thread does not have a very good knowledge of what is happening in Nigeria. If there are things you miss about Benin City, why not say it, instead of saying things you do not know.Thank God for Adams. you people will soon come to the realisation that the problem with benin City afterall is just  not peculiar.its that of administrative ineptitude which has held sway for some time now in this country.When you bend down to look at other people's buttocks, more people are looking at yours. So be wise all.
At poster , remove the topic

This thread is actually a compliment to Benin city because it means people have a greater expectation for the city. It wasn't meant to bash Benin, there are many compliments about Benin's history here, perhaps you used this as an excuse to insult Igbo and Yoruba people? The thread was moving along without any arguments, I knew I shouldn't have spoken so soon.

fosbiggy:

I am really mad at some responses that i have seen here. Very disappointing. It is a biased view with so much prejudice in their hearts. Can anyone tell me anywhere in Nigeria that looks the least like Newyork. Why is Benin City singled out for such condemnation? I can bet that alot of you have never been to Benin City at all. Benin City has suffered decay and neglect just like everyother other city has in Nigeria over time, which is the direct result of bad leadership and administration in Nigeria.Benin City is the only place that tolerates all. Its the only place in Nigeria you can go to as a stranger and they will allow you use their toilets without asking you to pay a dime.By the way , why is Aba and onitsha so dirty? why do gutters pass the middle of people's houses in Lagos.Why is the road from Uniport to Rumuokoro so bushy and forest like. The average yoruba man, Igboman , hausaman expects the next person to come from their tribe, why is it so? This is evident from the fact that when you approach them they speak their language first and cannot communicate fluently, as we have now-contributos to this topic. Benin City is the land for all. The Yorubas are Idol worshippers we all know that. Whatever they call any idol in Benin is found in yoruba. The Igbos are hypocrites. go to church and continue in idolatry so far you are not caught. they are ritualists, little wonder, most of their young with so much money will die very young.
Its painful that the paster of the thread does not have a very good knowledge of what is happening in Nigeria. If there are things you miss about Benin City, why not say it, instead of saying things you do not know.Thank God for Adams. you people will soon come to the realisation that the problem with benin City afterall is just not peculiar.its that of administrative ineptitude which has held sway for some time now in this country.When you bend down to look at other people's buttocks, more people are looking at yours. So be wise all.
At poster , remove the topic

I am so disappointed with this write up. As the street lingo goes; "you fall benin hand". Your post is the one that should be removed.

@ all

Please disregard this guy and his comments. All decent indigenes of Benin city dont share his bizarre opinion.

I love this topic, especially for the fact that we're all getting along well

I grew up in Benin, lived there up until i was 21 and i'm still so sad at how this state has been left to decay by successive leaders. The worst one is Lucky Igbinedion (Curses Be Upon Him!) who looted the state silly, without the slightest effort to improve anything.

I'm glad the youths rose up to resoundingly vote out PDP in the last elections (despite the best efforts of the PDP's rigging machine). I saw the way the youths vigorously protested the election outcome when Oshiomhole supposedly lost.

lets hope Oshiomhole actually makes a difference. The state needs it.

Can someone confirm this. I have heard from two independent sources that the present government have started to transform benin city. I heard all major roads are being made six lanes or expanded. Is it true?

@ snow drops or whatever u are. I dont not understand what you mean by "decent indigenes". In as much as i will never like some timid person like u to share my opinion, cos you are way too cold, i will never allow anyone to rain insults on my land. how can someone one say for instance, the poster yeswecan said Benin was a land of immorality.

yeswecan:

The situated practice in Benin is the problem. That town can never be developed no matter the effort Adams or anyone infuse. This is a town of immorality, Idol Worship and all things capable to hindering progress. Imagine in this jet age there is still an evil forest in Benin city, inside the city center, close to the road. The benins believe the forest is the last of their gods and a live lion comes out yearly to eat human, That land is situated in a good spot, instead of selling it to an industry to put a structure there, they believe in that MYTH nonsense. They are not ready for development.

. the next poster naijaking corroboated a very stupid thought.

naijaking1:

That's my point exactly. What type of development would you expect from a city where supersitition and false beliefs hold sway over rational and scientific thinking. Apart from questionable persistence of human sacrifice in Benin and other Nigerian cities, we just argued about the Oba decreeing severe punishment for anybody who "mishandles" palm fruits because of the "evil" they bring to the kingdom.

Historically, Benin was invaded about the same time the Inca civiliation was destroyed by Europeans in South America. Among the Inca, and Mayan down falls were their supersititious beliefs in so many things. These false beliefs not only undermined their own empire, but gave them away to the Spanish.

My point is that any culture that doesn't keep up with modern beliefs is usually bound to retrogress and even disappear like the Incas ans Mayans.

. he practically called us ritualists.
ha snow drops did u not see that? If i come home and see someone fighting my parents, i will never ask questions before i join in the fight.
you want to be decent to the world and look very stupid in the process.They have no right to pass judgement on my motherland.Its only this Benin that I have.
As for the Poster, while i agree that some criticisms here were contructive, others were destructive. I only took exceptions to the destructive ones. Did u post a thread to have a singular view? i threw my very divergent view into it and u have problems handling it. Well what I think is what I think. If u live in glass houses do not throw stonesss!!! Tell them to say what they have seen and not what they do not know. I have no apologies for what I have said here, if anyone feel aggrieved let him go to river Niger and Jump into it

Ehoi:

Can someone confirm this. I have heard from two independent sources that the present government have started to transform benin city. I heard all major roads are being made six lanes or expanded. Is it true?

True. Witnessed Akpakpava Rd being expanded. Same goes for the road that leads from Ugbowo into the city center. Heard others are being worked on too, but didnt have time to visit other areas of the city.

King Square given major, major facelift, street traders removed.

You can say a transformation has started, lets see if he can sustain the tempo and do a Fashola (or better) in Edo state. Watched the governor on TV doing some interviews, body language says he is worried about funds being sufficient for the projects he has started or wants to start. If I were him though, I would first focus on projects that could generate revenue then later on the capital intensive ones that wont (like road expansion).

Heard from a long time associate of the gov. how he has been strugling with a certain vulture from Uromi who wants federal allocation appropriated in his sitting room. Might explain the governor's alliance with other equally unholy power broker, including a certain gap toothed Maradona.

This whole GARBAGE being written by some idiots here about ''Benin's superstitious beliefs'' is really, really, really getting to me.

Can any of these IDIOT SLAVES and UNCLE TOMS holding foreign ''superstitious fairytale beliefs'' about some Jew flying down from heaven to solve all their problems, please back off and let us hear something. Brainwashed cretins who carry an entire massive book of foreign superstitions and lies around in their heads, while flippantly rubbishing  African legends.

Idiots, as if you would know a thing about ''white Jesus'' and your ''white God'' if SLAVE TRADERS from Europe had not decided to sweep into the continent and cart of your ancestors.

Your white god you claim arrived 2000 years ago only remembered to share his ''gospel'' with you when his people required SLAVES and NATURAL RESOURCES from your bosom a mere 200 years ago. A full 1,800 years after his supposed arrival on earth with ''good news''.

Hopeless, colonised, lost fools bowing to their slavemasters' imported pale-skinned deities and thinking they know a damn thing about what constitutes religion.

CRETINS.

I was born and grew up in Benin, and as much as it hurts to read some of the things written here, it also saddens me that most of it is the truth. I have often wondered why my home city has remain in the squalor it's in to this day. Everything bad and evil happens in that city, kidnapping, armed robbery, international prostitution, where you see parents and husbands sending their loved ones abroad to go prostitute and all this mostly becos the next door neighbour built a five bedroom duplex, idol worshipping, and yet you find churches in every street corner, you cannot worship two Gods at the same time, but it appears that message has not reached my people. We have the biggest hypocrites too, I mean how do you explain the way the Igbinedion family is worshipped by the same people that they robbed. There is chronic lack of exposure, that is why you see most of the men still living in their family homes in their thirtys. Another big problem is our inability to let go of old things e.g traditions that have brought us nothing but set backs, when the world is moving on, we are still hanging on and putting so much importance to irrelevant things, and because we put so much importance to what people say about us or our family we are afraid to break away from the usual mode or way of doing things. The worse disease in Benin, is ENVY, you dare not be successful, because the next thing you will know is someone is out there trying to eliminate you. This is one of the reasons you see the successful sons and daughters never going back home to invest in the city and a city where no one is putting money into will definately deteroriate and that is exactly what is happening in Benin. Until we change our mentality and begin to realise that when one person is successful and is given the opportunity to create other opportunities for other people, then Benin will remain the way it is. We need common sense, Nothing will happen in Benin until it becomes a safe place to come to.

newintexas:

I was born and grew up in Benin, and as much as it hurts to read some of the things written here, it also saddens me that most of it is the truth. I have often wondered why my home city has remain in the squalor it's in to this day. Everything bad and evil happens in that city, kidnapping, armed robbery, international prostitution, where you see parents and husbands sending their loved ones abroad to go love-peddler and all this mostly becos the next door neighbour built a five bedroom duplex, idol worshipping, and yet you find churches in every street corner, you cannot worship two Gods at the same time, but it appears that message has not reached my people. We have the biggest hypocrites too, I mean how do you explain the way the Igbinedion family is worshipped by the same people that they robbed. There is chronic lack of exposure, that is why you see most of the men still living in their family homes in their thirtys. Another big problem is our inability to let go of old things e.g traditions that have brought us nothing but set backs, when the world is moving on, we are still hanging on and putting so much importance to irrelevant things, and because we put so much importance to what people say about us or our family we are afraid to break away from the usual mode or way of doing things. The worse disease in Benin, is ENVY, you dare not be successful, because the next thing you will know is someone is out there trying to eliminate you. This is one of the reasons you see the successful sons and daughters never going back home to invest in the city and a city where no one is putting money into will definately deteroriate and that is exactly what is happening in Benin. Until we change our mentality and begin to realise that when one person is successful and is given the opportunity to create other opportunities for other people, then Benin will remain the way it is. We need common sense, Nothing will happen in Benin until it becomes a safe place to come to.

Very well said. Please try and modify your post by spacing it with paragraphs.

newintexas:

I was born and grew up in Benin, and as much as it hurts to read some of the things written here, it also saddens me that most of it is the truth. I have often wondered why my home city has remain in the squalor it's in to this day. Everything bad and evil happens in that city, kidnapping, armed robbery, international prostitution, where you see parents and husbands sending their loved ones abroad to go love-peddler and all this mostly becos the next door neighbour built a five bedroom duplex, idol worshipping, and yet you find churches in every street corner, you cannot worship two Gods at the same time, but it appears that message has not reached my people. We have the biggest hypocrites too, I mean how do you explain the way the Igbinedion family is worshipped by the same people that they robbed. There is chronic lack of exposure, that is why you see most of the men still living in their family homes in their thirtys. Another big problem is our inability to let go of old things e.g traditions that have brought us nothing but set backs, when the world is moving on, we are still hanging on and putting so much importance to irrelevant things, and because we put so much importance to what people say about us or our family we are afraid to break away from the usual mode or way of doing things. The worse disease in Benin, is ENVY, you dare not be successful, because the next thing you will know is someone is out there trying to eliminate you. This is one of the reasons you see the successful sons and daughters never going back home to invest in the city and a city where no one is putting money into will definately deteroriate and that is exactly what is happening in Benin. Until we change our mentality and begin to realise that when one person is successful and is given the opportunity to create other opportunities for other people, then Benin will remain the way it is. We need common sense, Nothing will happen in Benin until it becomes a safe place to come to.

Agree with all of what you have said.

snowdrops:

Very well said. Please try and modify your post by spacing it with paragraphs.

Agree with that.

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