₦airaland Forum

@ topic, it is not as unusual as some might think for an intellectual to have a slight or significant streak of ethnic chauvinism, although I suppose some people might have assumed, for whatever reason, that all intellectuals are humble. Achebe is not a historian, although he did live through that era, but that does not somehow rule out his perspective on the Igbo vs. others as being completely untrue or automatically mean there is not some element of truth to the claims cited in the opening article. Until I see detailed factual analyses of literacy rates, standard of living, and post secondary education for colonial and early post-colonial Nigeria I won't accept or dismiss the claim outright. As for the reason for the hate from some people, I don't think it's as simple as trying to tear down achievers and replace them with co-ethnics or trying to "crush" Igbo idiosyncrasies. Probably a lot more to it than that. It would be better to analyze individual instances of hate and ethnic strife in detail than to just make generalizations that supposedly explain everything.

okosodo: Hausa goat, e go soon set 4 una head

okosodo: Wether you like am or not, na true. It can be seen clearly. I am a BINI guy so i am speaking from a point of neutrality. Nigeria is still marginalising ibo till today, and the result is backwardness for every body because the wrong hausa goats will take their position. We are going nowhere in this country

okosodo: @ calloti, if you are edo , you must be ishan or etsako, they are not always objective

Why are you pretending to be Bini? Are you one of those people like kettykin or Balkan who actually thinks that by occasionally writing "Ibo" instead of "Igbo", people will somehow be dumb enough to think you're not Igbo even when it's glaringly obvious that you are? Do you think anybody is dumb enough to think that some Bini guy would label whole ethnic groups (Esan, Etsako) as often lacking objectivity merely to argue for the supremacy of a totally different ethnic group? Even if you can speak Edo, you're definitely not Bini. You think people can't check your post history? Every other page of your post history has some post where you're on Ojukwu's nuts or on Igbo people's nuts for no reason.

okosodo: The Igbo do not Agree, but only a group of idiots that have been backstabbing the igbo nationb since the struggle do.

https://www.nairaland.com/546444/presidency-igbo-agreed-north-over#7089561

okosodo: They are the most daring type of people.
I bet you they will soon start quota system in our female football, then it will go down just like that of the male.

https://www.nairaland.com/546401/why-super-falcons-only-igbos#7089159

okosodo: because the igbos hate terrorism and bomb throwing, the north can not do anything else except bombing. the igbo is against it

https://www.nairaland.com/779911/why-north-west-hate-igbos#9321453

okosodo: We better follow the igbos. They will develop so fast. The north will eventually become like their neighbour, niger, and the west, don‘t go there

https://www.nairaland.com/811563/which-way-edo-ethnic-groups#9634986

okosodo: The greatest of the greats is gone. We will miss u.

https://www.nairaland.com/811678/ojukwu-dim-chukwuemeka-odimegwu-dead/14#9638702

okosodo: That‘s the Mandela of nigeria you are talking about

https://www.nairaland.com/882368/ojukwu-coward-secessionist-may-he-rest#10296197

okosodo: and these are the only people making genuine sacrifices for the unity of this god forsaken entity

https://www.nairaland.com/1004942/igbos-never-rule-nigeria#11629679

okosodo: Without doubt, it is true. Instead of all the rest tribes to start hating lamentably , we should cross check facts, i envy them.

https://www.nairaland.com/1034863/agree-igbo-race-best-expertriates#12010023

okosodo: oduasolja and ileke-idi, will hang themselves for this news

https://www.nairaland.com/1034355/anambara-becomes-oil-producing-state#12003653

okosodo: this is why they are hated by muslims especially hausas, nothing more

https://www.nairaland.com/1060039/did-igbos-migrate-isreal#12342661

okosodo: As worthless as Ojukwu was to you , no nigerian wether living dead or yet to be born could achieve one tenth of what the earthquake achieved, Confirmed

https://www.nairaland.com/885403/ojukwu-callous-opportunist-war-monger#10322967

okosodo: I am not the tribalistic type. But MKO had no impact on history. Ojukwu on the other hand should not be compared with any nigerian. But should be compared with the likes of Martin Luther, Mathma Gandhi, Theodore Rosevelt, Abraham Lincoln e.t.c. Hating him can not change the fact, even though you try to compare him with nokia 3310

https://www.nairaland.com/885107/ikemba-ojukwu-vs-m.k.o-abiola#10320488


You already admitted, inadvertently, in that last quote that you were not Bini because you felt you had to (because you're Igbo) preface your statement about Ojukwu being much greater than Abiola with a statement that you weren't tribalistic, which a Bini poster making the same claim would have no need to do. Grow up and stop pretending to be what you're not. It's annoying. I don't see why you have to resort to fraudulence to argue for what you believe in (supremacy). It would take more balls to just state what you believe in without the pretense and lies. Other posters like Abagworo, Onlytruth, etc. regularly state the same thing and make the same claims but at least they don't make up fake identities.

birdman: He had a shot, until that 47% quote. Dude is a gaffe machine

He still has a shot, despite the fact that his economic plan is, in fact a "sketchy deal" (as Obama put it) and the math doesn't add up, and even despite the 47% statement because he gets away with blatant lies in those debates and because the media is trying to shape public opinion to paint some narrative of a Romney "comeback" or "growing/surging momentum". Also, there's that "Bradley effect" thing to consider as well.

The ancestors of English people that came from France (the Normans), were originally from somewhere else. Anyway, if you didn't understand my post, that's okay. I just thought maybe I could provide an explanation for what you seemed to be confused about.

re@lchange:
with names like these, i can bet that these guys are at least half yoruba or edo

still not happy with this news.
actually i'm very angry but it can be a set up to tarnish ndi igbo
with all the noise and anger over awo in the west
and with snakey nature of people there
anything is possible

Ogbole is not an Edo or Yoruba name. It is Idoma.

Chukwuma Usifo is obviously a "Delta Igbo" (an Anioma). There are some Igbo in Delta state who have the name Usifo.

Chukwuma Usifo, who said he travelled from Delta state to Oshogbo, Osun state, for the operation, told PREMIUM TIMES the insistence of the gang’s leader on the ransom of N200 million, when Mrs. Salaam’s family had offered N25 million, was responsible for their arrest.

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/103677-greed-gave-us-away-kidnapper-of-osun-speakers-wife.html

Logicboy03: Althouh, had to confess, the Kings of Benin had a sick fetish of burying their servants alive when they die with them. cry

Actually, in the past many people - not just servants - considered it an honor to be buried with the king of Benin and close friends and servants lined up to be buried with him voluntarily. It was not anything that was forced on anybody due to anyone's "sick fetish."

"Among others, there is in the kingdom of Benin an ancient custom, observed to the present day, that when the king dies, the people all assemble in a large field, in the centre of which is a very deep well, wider at the bottom than at the mouth. They cast the body of the dead king into this well, and all his friends and servants gather round, and those who are judged to have been most dear to and favoured by the king (this includes not a few, as all are anxious for the honour) voluntarily go down and keep him company. When they have done so, the people place a great stone over the mouth of the well, and remain by it day and night. On the second day a few deputies remove the stone, and ask those below what they know, and if any of them have already gone to serve the king; and the reply is, No. On the third day the same question is asked, and someone then replies that so-and-so, mentioning a name, has been the first to go, and so-and-so the second. It is considered highly praiseworthy to be the first, and he is spoken of with the greatest admiration by all the people, and considered happy and blessed. After four or five days all these unfortunate people die. When this is apparent to those above, since none reply to their questions, they inform their new king; who causes a great fire to be lit near the well, where numerous animals are roasted. These are given to the people to eat, and he with great ceremony is declared to be the true king, and takes the oath to govern well." - From the account of a 'Voyage from Lisbon to the island of San Thomé south of the Equator, described by a Portuguese pilot, and sent to his magnificence Count Rimondo della Torre, gentleman of Verona, and translated from the Portuguese into Italian', published in Giovanni Battista Ramusio (1550), and retranslated by Blake (1942), i, pp. 150-1. The account was written in about the year 1540, according to Blake, and 'the author may have been one of the scores of Portuguese pilots who at this time were familiar with the navigation from Lisbon to the island of São Thomé'. - From the book Nigerian Perspectives (2nd ed.) by Thomas Hodgkin

If you're going to reference a specific culture, make some effort to understand it before repeating gossip and rumors. Anyway, the practice of servants being buried with the king in ancient cultures was not somehow exclusive to Benin, but could be found in other parts of Africa and the wider world at various times as well. Whether the suicides in those other cultures were mandatory or were voluntary would also have to be decided on a case by case basis and even in the absence of evidence that they were voluntary, one still couldn't just assume they were mandatory without evidence.

lol

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00301/AN00301209_001_m.jpg

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00123/AN00123920_001_l.jpg

Object types
plaque

Title (series)
Benin Plaques

Materials
brass

Techniques
lost-wax cast

Production place
Made in Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Date
16thC-17thC

Ethnic group
Made by Edo

Description
Relief plaque made of brass cast using the 'cire perdue' (lost wax) technique. Rectangular in form with side flanges (largely missing). Holes for attachment at top and bottom right. Background surface is decorated with stylised quatrefoil (river leaf) patterns and stippling.

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00071/AN00071810_001_m.jpg

Object types
artefact

Title (series)
Benin Ivory

Materials
elephant ivory

Techniques
carved

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Ethnic group
Made by Edo

Description
Spatulate artefact (with relief carving) made of ivory.

Acquisition date
1949

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00506/AN00506704_001_l.jpg

Object types
sculpture
panel

Materials
wood

Techniques
carved

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Ethnic group
Made by Edo

Description
Carved wooden panel depicting human figures.

Dimensions
Length: 30 inches
Width: 18 inches


Curator's comments
Register 1954
Carved wood panel showing central figure with legs ending in fish heads supported by two standing figures, all have beaded caps and collars, on one side is a naked man holding a sword on the other, a hand holding an umbrella. The carving is in low relief, in places the background is completely cut away.
Bought at Wembley, 1924. £4. An inscription (carved) below the central figure reads:- "Ohen the Liie (lame?) Oba who bor (soc) Ewuare."

Acquisition date
1954

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00506/AN00506706_001_l.jpg

Object types
box

Materials
wood

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Ethnic group
Made by Edo

Description
Wooden box.

Dimensions
Length: 25.75 inches
Width: 3 inches


Curator's comments
Regsiter 1954
Another [carved wood box], similar [to Af1954,23.306a] ringed decoration carved on the lid, zig zag motif round the side.

Acquisition date
1954

Acquisition name
Donated by Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine

Exhibition History
Exhibited:

1970-1973, London, Museum of Mankind, Divine Kingship in Africa

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN01133/AN01133452_001_l.jpg

Object types
cup

Materials
wood

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Ethnic group
Made by Edo

Description
Wooden cup.

Dimensions
Height: 3.75 inches


Curator's comments
Register 1954
Carved wood cup, a human face in high relief on one side with triangular decoration below.

Acquisition date
1954

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00124/AN00124982_001_l.jpg

Object types
staff (?)
rattle
baton (?)

Materials
brass

Techniques
lost-wax cast

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Ethnic group
Made by Edo

Description
Rattle (from staff or baton?, surmounted by elephant) made of brass.

Dimensions
Height: 18.6 inches


Curator's comments
Register 1954
Brass, two-chambered rattle of cylindrical form, decorated with guilloche pattern, surmounted by the figure of an elephant, the bottom is broken.
(Presumably the head of a staff or baton.) (Cf. Antique works of Art from Benin. Pitt-Rivers Plt. XI.) Nevins Collection, 1927.

Acquisition date
1954

Acquisition name
Collected by H Nevins
Donated by Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine

Exhibition History
Exhibited:

1970-1973, London, Museum of Mankind, Divine Kingship in Africa

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00449/AN00449983_001_l.jpg

Object types
comb

Materials
wood

Techniques
carved

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Description
Hair comb; carved of wood; roughly rectangular piece of wood, carved with thirteen teeth at one end, rounded section with geometric patterns at top of teeth; handle consists of section carved to resemble three links of chain; above chain human figure.

Dimensions
Length: 44 centimetres
Width: 9 centimetres
Depth: 2.5 centimetres
Length: 17.5 inches

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00129/AN00129448_001_m.jpg

Object types
bell

Materials
brass

Techniques
lost-wax cast

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Ethnic group
Made by Edo

Description
Brass bell with handle in form of a standing human figure with beaded cap and collar.

Dimensions
Length: 2.75 inches

Curator's comments
For attached sword-model (b), see separate record.
Attached to Af1954,23.284.b
Register 1954
Brass, globular bell surmounted by a standing figure with beaded cap and collar.

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00129/AN00129142_001_l.jpg

Object types
figure

Materials
brass

Techniques
embossed

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Ethnic group
Made by Edo

Description
Brass figure of a leopard, in sheet brass with the spots and other features stamped on it.

Dimensions
Length: 8.3 inches

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00332/AN00332452_001_l.jpg

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00550/AN00550134_001_l.jpg

Object types
pectoral
mask

Materials
bronze

Techniques
lost-wax cast

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Ethnic group
Made by Edo

Description
Bronze lost-wax cast pectoral mask with ornamentation of snakes, frogs etc.

Dimensions
Length: 6 inches

Curator's comments
Register 1957:
Bronze cast pectoral mask with ornamentation of snakes, frogs etc.

[Possibly for the cult of Odudua; similar to [Af1897-529]]

Subject
reptile
amphibian

Acquisition date
1957

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00125/AN00125302_001_m.jpg

Object types
flask

Materials
bronze

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Description
Flask made of bronze.

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN01133/AN01133225_001_l.jpg

Object types
knife

Materials
wood
iron

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Ethnic group
Made by Edo

Description
Knife made of iron, wood.

Acquisition date
1944

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00576/AN00576852_001_l.jpg

Object types
staff

Materials
iron

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Description
Staff (with leopards) made of iron.

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN01135/AN01135477_001_l.jpg

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN01135/AN01135482_001_l.jpg

Object types
musical instrument

Materials
wood
skin

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Description
Musical instrument made of wood,skin.

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00129/AN00129426_001_m.jpg

Object types
arm-ring

Materials
brass

Techniques
lost-wax cast

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Ethnic group
Made by Edo

Description
Arm-ring made of brass.

Dimensions
Diameter: 4 inches


Curator's comments
Register 1961:
Brass arm-ring with human head.

SOUTHERN NIGERIA- BENIN

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00125/AN00125309_001_m.jpg

Object types
lamp

Materials
metal

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Description
Lamp made of metal.

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00125/AN00125278_001_m.jpg

Object types
necklet (?)
armlet (?)

Materials
metal

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Description
Armlet(?), necklet(?) made of metal.

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00125/AN00125279_001_m.jpg

Object types
armlet

Materials
metal

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Description
Armlet made of metal.

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00125/AN00125300_001_l.jpg

Object types
bangle

Materials
bronze

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City (South)
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Description
Bangle with animals made of bronze.

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00129/AN00129157_001_l.jpg

Object types
ornament

Materials
brass

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Description
Register 1954
Brass sheet in strips with pinched and cut out decoration, 7 in all.(d) 1 strip, 8 1/2" long with punch dot lattice pattern.

Dimensions
Length: 8.5 inches


Curator's comments
Register 1954
Brass sheet in strips with pinched and cut out decoration, 7 in all, as shown:- (d) 1 strip, 8 1/2" long with punch dot lattice pattern.
(Probably intended as ornaments to be attached to dress or wood carving. But cf Antique Works of Art from Benin. Pitt Rivers Plate 40, 312 and 313.) Each strip is marked in ink: R9556/1936.

Acquisition date
1954

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00506/AN00506428_001_l.jpg

Object types
sculpture
panel

Materials
wood

Techniques
carved

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Ethnic group
Made by Edo

Description
Carved wooden panel depicting human figures.

Dimensions
Length: 26 inches
Width: 11.5 inches


Curator's comments
Register 1954
Another [carved panel], similar [to Af1954,23.299], with four standing figures and five attached human heads.

Acquisition date
1954

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00575/AN00575714_001_l.jpg

Object types
altar (?)

Materials
bronze

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Description
Part of altar of the hand? made of bronze.


Curator's comments
Initially 1981 loan.

Acquisition date
1984

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00071/AN00071816_001_m.jpg

Object types
comb

Title (series)
Benin Ivory

Materials
elephant ivory

Techniques
carved

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Ethnic group
Made by Edo

Description
Register 1958:
Ivory comb with horseman in sixteenth-century costume on top.

Dimensions
Length: 12.4 inches


Curator's comments
Register 1958:
Ivory comb with horseman in C16 costume on top.

1&2 BENIN, NIGERIA

Subject
equestrian

Acquisition date
1958

Acquisition name
Purchased from H A N Berry

Exhibition History
Exhibited:

1970-1973, London, Museum of Mankind, Divine Kingship in Africa

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collectionimages/AN00129/AN00129164_001_l.jpg

Object types
cup (?)

Materials
lead (?)
brass

Techniques
riveted
lost-wax cast

Place (findspot)
Found/Acquired Benin City
(Africa,Nigeria,Edo State,Benin City)

Ethnic group
Made by Edo

Description
Register 1961:
Brass cup? with chevron decoration, three rivets in bottom; with lead?.

Dimensions
Diameter: 3.7 inches


Condition
Register 1961: Bottom..has a small break.

Curator's comments
Register 1961:
Brass cup? with chevron decoration, three rivets in bottom, which has a small break.

SOUTHERN NIGERIA- BENIN

Acquisition date
1961

Acquisition name
Collected by Dr J Patrick Howe
Donated by Mrs M B Jennings

Acquisition notes
Register 1961: Collected by Dr. J.P.Howe on the Benin Expedition of 1897.

I would be interested in knowing what board game that specific piece would have been used for and how it was used. If anyone has any ideas, let me know.