₦airaland Forum

cheruv:
After the Berlin conference of 1884 in which the Brits were awarded the Niger area.... They moved in to consolidate their gains. The Igbo country was of course under their purview so they sent in troops to invade and conquer our country. The first Igbo state to fall casualty was Opobo in 1887...its King was tricked and forced into exile. By 1900 almost all of the princely states in the Igbo country(onicha, abō, oguta) had accepted British suzerainty. The gerontocracies were the next and these were very difficult because unlike the princely states, decision here was made by the oha. Some gerontocracies like Ndoki, Oroata surrendered without a fight, others especially the Eastern Igbos decided to rather die in battle than surrender to the British.
It was in this chaotic state that the princely states of Western Igboland formed an alliance somewhere in present day aniocha in the 1890s and declared war on the British. This war was called "Agha Ekwumekwu" translated literally as the don't talk war or the silent war. They attacked British outposts and assassinated collaborators among themselves. It was during this ekwumekwu war that the British attacked and conquered Idu, exiling its emperor in 1897...when the ishans that were marching out to aid Idu against the British heard the Brits had sacked Benin, they quickly surrendered to the British but the Ikas and the Oru that were allied to them in the Ekwumekwu alliance kept up the war.
The British, thinking that Arochukwu was the capital of the Igbo country attacked the city in 1900. After a series of battles lasting for almost a year and captured the city in 1902. Still the destruction of Arochukwu didn't pacify the Igbo country.... The Brits noticed that they needed to conquer a place like three or four times before they stopped rebelling, moreover the acephalous nature of the Igbo country made things more complicated.
So I don't know how the Brits got to know of the spiritual power of the Eze Nri and then sent soldiers to capture him. As you know,Nri for a thousand years never had an army so they couldn't resist British aggression militarily. Moreover, after his coronation the Eze Nri goes into seclusion and is not seen till he dies and reincarnates in another being. This added an air of mystery around him coupled with the fact he was the one that handled the spirituality of the whole Igbo, Idu and Igala/Idoma countries.
So when the British came to Nri, they forced the Eze Nri to handover his "ofo" and renounce his powers to the British. He refused initially so they brought him out for the people to see.It was said that the people fled when they heard the Eze Nri was coming out bkos he doesn't come out to start with. The Brits then humiliated him and seized the ofo from him..I heard the ofo is still in Britain till now.
After the humiliation of 1911, the Brits noticed that the reoccurring rebellions stopped while the Ezaa of present day Ebonyi who gathered to do battle with the British were so decisively beaten that no two Ezaa warriors could be found together. Sequel to the humiliation of 1911,the Brits started making progress in the silent war, capturing or killing its leaders. By 1914, Anioma resistance had collapsed and the British were then able to amalgamate Nigeria.
So you can see that the conquest lasted from 1887 to 1914 and after the conquest, the British seized all the guns in the Igbo country and burned them all,prohibiting them from carrying arms[I heard that's why till now in Nigeria the govt no matter what doesn't permit citizens to carry guns unlike in other places].
Bro...that's what happened

hammerF:
ARO CONFEDERACY WERE MORE POWERFUL THAN THE BENIN, SIMILARLY THE OYO AND ASHANTI.

ALL OF DEM, ALONGSIDE THE BINI WERE TRADING SLAVE FOR GUNS.

IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO LOCATION. BINI IS CENTRALLY POSITIONED IN THE SOUTH AND THAT WAS Y THE COLONIALIST CHOOSE THEM TO CONDUCT SLAVE RAIDS IN ALL DIRECTIONS(N,S,W,E)

hammerF:
ARO CONFEDERACY WERE MORE POWERFUL THAN THE BENIN, SIMILARLY THE OYO AND ASHANTI.

ALL OF DEM, ALONGSIDE THE BINI WERE TRADING SLAVE FOR GUNS.

IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO LOCATION. BINI IS CENTRALLY POSITIONED IN THE SOUTH AND THAT WAS Y THE COLONIALIST CHOOSE THEM TO CONDUCT SLAVE RAIDS IN ALL DIRECTIONS(N,S,W,E)

hammerF:
I HOPE U ARE NOT REFERING TO "SLAVE RAIDS" AS RULE OVER. YES, AT SOME POINT ENTIRE SETTLEMENTS WERE CAPTURED, I DONT DISPUTE THAT.

BENIN BECAME POWERFUL IN THE 15TH CENTURY AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF THE PORTUGUESE. YES! NOBODY DISPUTES THAT FACT.

EARLIER, I POINTED OUT THAT BENIN WAS THEN ABLE TO INVADE TERRITORIES TO THE SOUTH, EAST, WEST AND NORTH.

THE BENIN KINGDOM TRADED WITH BOTH THE PORTUGUESE AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT BRITISH REPLACEMENT IN SLAVES AND AGRICULTURE PRODUCE FOR GUNS AND OTHER MANUFACTURED GOODS.

THE HISTORY I AM REFERRING TO IS PRECOLONIAL AND U CAN EVEN TERM THE AGE AS "HUNTER GATHERING", WEN PEOPLE WERE CONSTANTLY MOVING AND SETTLING IN UNINHABITED LAND.

KingOvoramwen1:
YOU ARE NOT BENIN!!

IF YOU WERE U WOULD KNOW BORNSTUNNER1 IS RIGHT!!

DO NOT TALK WAT U KNOW NOTHING ABOUT!!

BornStunner1:
EWEKA MEANS DO NOT SLEEP FOR LONG

ITS BROKEN DOWN AS >> É WIE KÀ

É WIE - MEANS DO NOT SLEEP

KÄ - MEANS TO DRY IN THIS CONTEXT IT MEANS FOR LONG!

GIVEN THE INTRIGUES OF THE PALACE AT THAT TIME ITS NO WONDER HE WAS NAMED SO!!

hammerF:
Does anybody now know wat Eweka means in Benin? I am still waiting Oooo!

Emeka abi na Iweka was the name of the first Oba of Benin. He was Igbo.

hammerF:
Guy! Some people believe that God dont exist despite all the evidence in their day to day life.

I believe their is a God.

Wat u choose to believe is upto u, but the evidence are there.

I will like to spend sometime in the Bini area and carry out studies on their language, religion, political systems and culture.

As well as in Ondo and Anioma. From the little that i can find online, all indication is that Bini are a mixed ethnic group between Igbos and Yorubas.

YourNemesis:
lol, get over yourself, Benin is gone for good.... its size and influence will only continue to shrink.
There are already numerous Yoruba cocoa farmers in Ovia South West for example, establishing towns and raising populations there.
Even the Ijaws are claiming towns and villages in Edo state.

hammerF:
Yorubas can lie ehn... Wat they had were Oyo slave raiders.

YourNemesis:
Chaaaiii..... Where are my Benin and Edo people? See una lives outside..
I agree with you ultimately.
The Benins shot themselves in the foot.

Initially they wanted to have the midwest to themselves and rule over it as supremes, and having some sort of pseudo empire, where Benin city would be Alpha, thinking that we were still in the age of empires.
By the time everyone is done. Benin might end up being just Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba Okha.
And god help them by then.

hammerF:
19th century war between Ekiti and Ibadan?(1877-1893) Are u joking?

hammerF:
There is no evidence or finding to support ur claims. I dont want fairy tale. Back up ur claims please.

hammerF:
Let me go further and explain.


The Nri people pushed west in search of land and some pushed north. Others went south.

The Nri people got to their location from the East of Africa, some will say Israel.

In the west they met the yoruba and produced the Bini, from this association another migration south started to present day Bayelsa(Urhobo and Ijaw) [/b]and[b] up North to present day Kogi(Esan and Ebira).

The Igalas and Idomas are products of a further mix with the igbos that migrated North.

hammerF:
On wikipedia, the first Oba name is registered as Eweka

Cant help but notice that the name is similar to the Igbo name called Emeka.

Wat does Eweka mean in Bini, does anybody know?

Could the name be a corrupt version for the igbo name Emeka?

Could igbos from Nri have founded the bini kingdom and due to mixing with yorubas created the bini dialect?

Yujin:
The civil war dealt a deadly blow on the Igbo nation but thank God that we are strongly recovering. However, one persistent challenge here is with the history and origin of the Western portion of Igboland otherwise known as Anioma. Historians have been clear on the make up of that geographical area that a lot of migrations happened in there. The culture, customs and language shows a mixture of different groups of which the dominant ones are Igbo and Bini. Of the two, Igbo takes the major share in virtually all the activities of the people except in the area of Kingship or governance of the people. In Anioma, you find the same leadership titles as is found in Benin. When it comes to language and festivities, just few words and festivals are shared with Benin even though Benin was an empire with immense power that dominated a lot of lands and tribes. Why could her influence be so limited if actually the people of Anioma were erstwhile of Benin origin? This is a pertinent question to ask. Igbo on the other hand were never empire builders. They were more of republicans who prefer direct and inclusive governance of their communities. Like I wrote earlier, a lot of migrations happened and so the Igbo migrants into Anioma would be too big and with more power to have had their language and customs displace the former one if actually the earlier occupants of Aniomaland weren't Igbos. This of course is most improbable. That a lot of Anioma monarchs go to Benin for blessings and legitimacy does not equate their respective kingdoms as offshoot of Benin. Those conversant with empires and how they operate with their vassal states would agree that as long as an empire has suzerainty over another land, the leader of the vassal state would have to consistently get to the emperor for legitimacy to ward off any contender to the throne because failure to do that could see the monarch replaced with another of his kind. The problem today is that what was done before as a survival instinct today has been stamped as a tradition. How can you speak a language totally unrelated with another yet you go and get legitimacy from that throne which at present has no jurisdiction over you? It could only be a political set up that has been etched as tradition and never one birthed out of origin.
Anioma kings have always been from the people themselves except when new communities are formed. One clear example is using the Ugbodu community as an example. These people's history can be verified from the relics of their ancient language which was clearly not Benin. If the Edos were the aborigines of Aniomaland, won't the Ugbodu's have abandoned their Olukumi language for an edoid one? Why the tilt to Igbo language when there was clearly no imperial power to force them? Its very clear that anything 'unIgbo' in Aniomaland was an external influence.
Another pandoras box is this: did the Edo migrations happen only at their eastern flank? What about those on the western side towards Yorubaland? The case of having an 'Osemawe of Ondoland' as the paramount ruler of Ondo town the second largest and most important city in Ondo state tells a lot of stories. The influence of Benin is very clear here just as it is in Akure the capital but you will never hear her people disclaiming Yoruba because they realize that their King acknowledging the great Oba of Benin does not translate to having their origin from Edo. It was clearly a case of politics- Empire vs Vassal state.
I hope my long essay did shed some light at the grey areas and it is my wish that we embrace our history and make them source of friendship than bitterness. Trying to de-Igbonise Anioma will only leave the people lost just as our Ikwerre brethren are presently lost in articulation and history. It is my prayer that our people will stop this internal wranglings that bring no one any good.

Dhugal:
Dunno where you rats crawl out from,with the crap you spew.Where's one to even start responding to this piece of garbage here?.
A few corrections,just for the records.
Prince Ogun,who became Ewuare 1,did not wait for his brother,Uwaifiokhun,to die before ascending the throne.He simply murdered him.
Queen Elizabeth II never had a brother,but a younger sister,Margaret.The queen succeeded her father,George VI,who in turn succeeded his brother,Edward VIII,who abdicated.
All European monarchies have Crown Princes,from the Iberian peninsula to Scandinavia.
Having a crown prince succeed to the throne,doesn't a kingdom make however.

As to the OP,stupidity at its peak.

helpishere:
My take again on this topic is this, if a king of a kingdom dies and a total stranger inherits the kingdom, ie, Emir of Kano, Sultan of Sokoto, Ooni of Ife, Alafin of Oyo, these are no kingdoms. These kings are turn by turn. Bayero's son did not inherit the Emirship of Kano, ditto Sijuade's son but the title was given to another family who was not even the first son, Dasuki was deposed as Sultan and another took over, not his son but a cousin or relative. But the Oba of Benin cannot be selected. The day the first son of the Oba is born, that is the day the next king is known. And he will be trained in the ways and manners of his people. There are only two kingdoms in the world: The Benin Kingdom and the United Kingdom. These two kingdoms interface with each other in values and traditions though the Benin Kingdom is higher. They have Prince of Wales and Edaiken of Uselu. These posts are for crown Princes, waiting to take over the throne though Prince Charles don tire for him mama. The brothers of both Kings are made Dukes and Enogies to rule over smaller villages. When the brother of Queen Elizabeth abdicated the throne, he was replaced by a lady, Queen Elizabeth. That is an abomination in Benin Kingdom. When Oba Ovoranmen was banished to Calabar, his son did nothing but waited until his father's death before he became King. And from the first king to the 40th king of Benin Kingdom, they are from Father to Son just like the kingdom of Judah in the Bible whose kings were Father to Son while Israel's kings were by selection. The Sultan, Kano Emir and Ooni are political titles, they never knew that they will be king at any point in time. These are the Nairabet winners. They gambled and won and they make themselves visible by commenting on every issue. You dont hear the Oba of Benin do that. He has Chiefs from the Palace that speaks on his behalf. And these Chiefs are also from known Houses who inherited the titles from their fathers. Benin Empire was visible up to Ghana. Togo's Presidents always come to Benin City because the Eyademas claim that they come from Benin. There are three Universities of Benin in West Africa, One in Togo, One in Benin Republic and one in Benin City. The Benin Republic was known as Dahomey but they later changed their name to Benin to recognize their origin. Benin Empire might be small but it was commanding a lot of kingdoms and peoples. The United Kingdom was less than 45m people but they were in control of India comprising of Bangladesh, Pakistan and India which in today's census figures are more than 2.5 b people today. A small 3 countries in One with less than 45m people were controlling over 5 b people including Nigeria, Canada, Kenya and many countries of their COMMONWEALTH. What led to the fall of the British Empire is linked to the curse that was placed on the kingdom by the Benin Iwebo shrines for invading the Benin Kingdom and carting away all their artefacts both from the Holy Aruosa and the king's palace and the banishment of the king into exile. If you read Jeremiah in the Bible, that scenario was described as King Nebuchadnezzer of Babylon who was sent to destroy the kingdom and take the king into exile. The effect of that curse led the king of to abdicate the throne because of a divorced American lady.. And the current quagmire facing Prince Charles who is not preferred to be king but the grandson. Queen Elizabeth came to Benin City in the 60s to beg Oba Akenzua for forgiveness and I have no information if it was done else they would have voluntarily returned the artefacts they stole from the kingdom. Make I go rest. Merry Christmas to all citizens from the Bini Kingdom and long live the 40th Oba of Benin, Ewuare 11 the Great.

cheruv:
Nope...I firmly believe there's no connection btwn Igbo and Idu but if you want that connection then its natural the house of Benin is Igbonized.
So you claim we're from Bini yet during the Biafran war of independence you massacred so many Anioma people in Benin city and Warri. That's one of the reasons I support the restoration of Biāfra... At least whatever remaining links Igbos have to Benin would be cut off.
Till then,keep deceiving yourself that Igbos came from Idu

cheruv:
We're talking about Great Igboland you're talking about Echako if Igbos truly migrated from Idu like you claim,support the motion for the teaching and learning of Igbo in Benin city... At least it'd be dubbed that the Bini are returning to their roots.
Igboland has experienced three migratory movements which led to the formation of certain places. These movements are the Owere movement(500-800AD), Isu movement(800-1000AD) and Nri movement(900-1100AD).

cheruv:
We're talking about Great Igboland you're talking about Echako if Igbos truly migrated from Idu like you claim,support the motion for the teaching and learning of Igbo in Benin city... At least it'd be dubbed that the Bini are returning to their roots.
Igboland has experienced three migratory movements which led to the formation of certain places. These movements are the Owere movement(500-800AD), Isu movement(800-1000AD) and Nri movement(900-1100AD).

cheruv:
To further buttress the fact that they came from Bini... How can you claim they migrated out of Idu when nobody in Idu speaks Igbo... Does it make sense to you?

cheruv:
Why not institute the teaching of Igbo in Benin city...at least its not wrong if Bini people learn the language their ancestors spoke

dragonking3:
My guy no fit answer.

dragonking3:
Funny people, they find it difficult to believe that their ancestors migrated from Benin to Anambra, Abia, imo etc but they vehemently believe that their ancestors migrated easily from Israel that is found in another continent entirely down here to Igboland. I shake my head for this people.

cheruv:
Conquer the whole Nigeria
Nwanne jiri nwayo nātu asi bikō
The Bini were already in a state of decline long before the Brits buried them in 1897. The Anioma had already defeated them in the great Ubulu war of 1755 and expelled them from Anioma,ending their almost two centuries of occupying Anioma land. .
I'd say the power the British checked and destroyed were the Aro to the East... Had the Brits not come, Arochukwu would've conquered the SE&SS even as far East as Cameroon