₦airaland Forum

Etinosa12345:
That u fought them for long doesn't depict strength... The Igbos as I've heard used guerrilla tactics against the British as against the Benin who came out openly to face the British who were coming straight to their land

The Benin routed an entire column/unit at gwato...

I don't know why u think Benin gave in easily...

That France gave in easily to Germany in World war 2 doesn't mean they are weak

PORNeIlusHUBson:
So do u agree that Oyo was an Empire?

bonjovi787:
It is weaird how you guys keep boasting about how "easily the uk defeated Benin empire".
I would have you reminded that nomatter how easily the uk defeated Benin empire, your people were under Benin empire and paid tribut to the Oba of Benin. I would understand your boasting about british war exploits against Benin empire if you were british or white or a racist white, but you are a black man ! a black man whose ancestors paid tribute to the Oba of Benin !

And for your info, your details are totally wrong. The british attacked Benin city directly, they didn't face the entire empire and they had maxim guns (maxim guns) and all sorts of weapons which would devaste regions in ww1.
The maxim gun alone is credited for making it possible for europe to colonize africa.
The british had 1200 marines and a bunch of black canon fodders. Benin empire and its capital Benin city didn't have the firepower which the british had.

But even the british who fought said it was a hard fight and they were happy to have made it out alive.

bonjovi787:
What do you mean by "influence" ?
It seems to me that you deniers of the passed have coded the word "influence"

I guess nigeria only has influence over the 36 nigerian states.

Is this map what "influence" looks like

bonjovi787:
What do you mean by "influence" ?
It seems to me that you deniers of the passed have coded the word "influence"

I guess nigeria only has influence over the 36 nigerian states.

Is this map what "influence" looks like

samuk:
Asaba in Delta, Onitsha in Anambra, Ikwerre in Rivers, Igede in Benue are few examples of places founded by Benin people.

Below is the oldest eyewitness written historical account of Asaba. in 1875. if you have an older written account to debunk my claim, provide it. the Benin kingdom/empire was far greater than most of you can ever imagined. Those of you that actually know will not admit to it due to inferiority complex.

In case you missed it, it clearly says Asaba history says, they migrated under the sovereignty of the Oba of Benin due to war.

By 16th century (500 years ago) Benin already sent an ambassador to Lisbon in Europe, something no African kingdom/empire had done till then.

Etrusen:
Oga if you say Yoruba

they are many some Akure , Ekiti , Osogbo etc

but in all this you claim there has been nothing called Yoruba kingdom rather what we have is

Oyo kingdom Akure land ife land etc

unlike Benin which was united and operate one monarch system

talking about going to Dahomey for war or Ghana by Benin can't be compared to that of Oyo who is in close border land with those people

talking about Dahomey, it was fellow Yoruba's in Dahomey that Oyo people fought

talking about Ga of Ghana they were not associated to Yoruba through Oyo conquest but maybe by migration from one of Yoruba enclave.

even the said Ga can't be totally link to Yoruba because there are some opposing account that link them to Benin.

I know some will want to prove me wrong on the Ga Benin connection because of what a king said to ooni. But the opposing accounts also bring some viable history of tribes in both Dahomey and Ghana linking to Benin.

You will want to mention those Yoruba's in East Africa or maybe some further part of Africa , the thing is Apart from Dahomey Yoruba and maybe those close to the area of Dahomey the others were absolutely victim of slave trade who were move from one place ( especially Nigeria) to other parts of the world or how do you think the Yoruba's in Brazil got there ?

in method of ancient travel the Yoruba's victim of slave trade really have the Benin to thank for selling them in ancient days as slave which helped their tribe to spread.

in the map you brought look at it critically you will notice Benin covering Yoruba land especially ondo, Ekiti, Lagos and some parts of Ogun

I stand by my word that Yoruba ( if there is a single kingdom called Yoruba) never wage a war against any other tribe.

the only tribe they wage war against was Oyo kingdom waging against Fulani and Oyo lost the war


Benin emperiotic period started before Oyo but Oyo ended before Benin , it took the NO THANKS help of an international kingdom to bring Benin to and end

I think my last word will help you compare Oyo and Benin because there is nothing called Yoruba kingdom so when addressing it please be specific.

Etinosa12345:
Then clearly u should have known abt Olaudah

He was an Igbo slave... what does his story have to do with Igbo's and Benin?

Asaba claim to have a relationship with the Benin as at the 19th century...
Ezechima is said to Have migrated to Onitsha from Benin

Relationship yes, but not conquered

So will u put the Oyo Empire and the British Empire on the same level?
Or the Ethiopia with the British?

No Oyo is also a kingdom like Benin... Ethiopia is also a kingdom not an empire. Mali was an empire, Sokoto was an empire etc


I don't have time for back and forths.. otherwise... I know there are some account that rightfully refered the Benin as an Empire..

then they are wrong

Benin Empire fulfils the definition u gave there

its misleading and false


Just rest...

samuk:
Below is how the Alaafin of Oyo described the Oba of Benin in time past.

The Alaafin in 1911 seems to have provided his own idea of the power the kings of Benin had once held, from an African (Oyo Yoruba) perspective.

Anyway, the statement from Clapperton:

1. "In the evening we had a visit from the king (Alaafin of Oyo), to thank me for the presents I had given him, and again to assure me of being welcolme; said that he wanted nothing, unless it was something that would speedily cause the submission of the rebels. He said that he had sent to his friend the king of Benin for troops to assist him in the war."

- Hugh Clapperton, Journal of a Second Expedition Into the Interior of Africa, from the Bight of Benin to Soccatoo


2. "The kingdom of Benin was so powerful that the Alafin of Oyo, the head of the Yoruba people, told a British governor that even his predecessors had to pay tribute to its king." - Asibong Akpan Okon, The evolution of self-government of Nigeria (1955), p. 36

Asibong Okon was referring to this:

"This Kingdom of Benin was at one time so powerful that the Alafin of Oyo, the head of the Yoruba people, told me that even his predecessors had to pay tribute to its King." - United Empire, Volume 2 (1911), p. 620

https://books.google.com/books?newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&id=AE45AQAAMAAJ&dq=predecessors+pay+tribute

Etinosa12345:
When I'm less busy I'll show u works of historians where Benin was referred to as Empire ... And for ur info... Igbo(Olaudah Equaino bio, Nnamdi azikiwe Odyssey) were under the Benin Empire. Also Yoruba(Lagos and most eastern Yoruba states) were under the Benin Empire...

Now if the following is true, won't Benin now be an Empire according to ur definition?

And also ... There is no definite size for a kingdom to be referred to as an Empire

Benin reason for the Empire was mainly to control trade

The way u described Roman Empire, is it also the same way the Oyo Empire grew?

Etinosa12345:
Yes but they traded with the Portuguese,dutch, British... Using another trade network .. so there was no need for the river niger

According to ur explanation, Benin should be called an Empire because they controlled kingdoms up till the Niger River which u said


Are u implying that Benin directly borders the river niger or there were no kingdom from Benin to the the river niger

Etrusen:
ok thank u bye bye



saying Oyo is more greater than benin and it never extended beyond it torritory is enough reason for me not to argue with you


the Oyo u claim can't be found in your own map where others are shown in west Africa you claim it to be great maybe by fighting against fellow Yoruba's in Dahomey and the Benin you claim is small is all over Yoruba land and Nri land not the migrants that fled Benin to a far location eg those far in Imo state and even Benin republic


you people keep comparing Oyo that only fought with fellow Yoruba's and couldn't unite the language to Benin. that only war Oyo fought against another tribe was the Fulani and they were defeated and you come here to make about it.


there is no difference between Yoruba and Igbo monarch were each community have entirely independent monarch.

Etinosa12345:
Ur explanation already gave u away...

Benin according to u controlled the land up to the Niger River but not beyond

VickyRotex:
Seriously? And those women were comfortable that way?

Thanks to Civilization

Shelumiel:
Everyone one has his role to play. Let women play their role(housekeeping) and let the men play theirs (breadwinners). Period