₦airaland Forum

BabaRamota1980:
I dont want to hear from you.

Bring that guy samuk here to talk. Thats the only sensible Edoman here. He already said Ogiso Ekaladheran was banished. He needs to finish the story.

oyalunasamuel:
1). Their story of kingship began with an Edo prince
called Izoduwa as recorded by unimpeachable
historical records and corroborated by Benin recorded
History.


(2). Ayayi Crowder,a recaptured Yoruba Slave who
later became a bishop said, little were know about
yoruba existence, clearly meaning they were not
originally part of the Nigeria of today and neither
were they settlers within its geographical boundaries
but were in small settlements close to Dahomey. Most
Yorubas today are either Muslims or Christians and
those with African traditions copied or got them from
Benin civilization. It doubtful if they are not
immigrants from dahomy mixed with Benins or other
fulani-hausa from Niger . Bishop Samuel Adjayi
Crowther (c. 1809 – 31 December 1891) Was the first
African Anglican bishop in Nigeria. Born in Osogun (in
today's Iseyin Local Government, Oyo State, Nigeria).
His grandson was Herbert Macaulay


(3). Yoruba have dublicity of kingships with the process
highly polarized than being traditional.A system they
tried to copy from Benin but have not been able to get
right like the Benin Kingdom. Edo Obaship is one of the
most revered institutions in the world because of the
way it has sustained its awesome prestige with strict
and meticulous attention to ancient traditions of
valour, discipline and integrity. Edo chieftaincy titles
cannot be bought or conferred on non-indigenes or
frivolously. Every Edo chief performs a peculiarly
sacred duty and responsibility to the people of Edo. It
does not make sense, therefore, to think that a people
who would not and have never conferred their
chieftaincy titles on non-indigenes, would voluntarily
invite, accept, or surrender to non-indigenes as their
kings. Note that due to celestial and customary
taboos,the Edo monarch cannot eat out and cannot be
diverted from full time palace duties to hustle things
that have no beneficial value to his domain.


(4). Most traditional religions being practiced by the
Yorubas today are of Benin Origins.Olokun, Ogun, Iha
oguega(ifa), oronmila, Esago(shango), Ayelala
etc.Benin traditions,mystic and spirituality are
stillfully documented and yorubanized by Yorubas in
positions of affluence. Edo people today are
predominantly Christians with some denying their
traditional religious origins. But,it has not been
possible to exterminate our traditional practice
because it is embedded firmly in our ways of life.
Although the Great Edo (Benin) Kingdom was not
major participant in the trans-Atlantic slave trade,
because the Obas (Kings) believed that their subjects
were too valuable to sell away, and their noblemen
had need of war captives on their own farms, the
influence of Edo religion and medicine have still been
substantial on the people of the Americas.
According to Mason (1996), it has been widely
accepted that Olokun (god of the sea) worship
originated with the Edos and spread to the Yoruba
(p.2). In fact, the most prominent part of Edo
cultural traditions that has made its mark in the New
World is Olokun worship. Olokun (god of the Waters,
known as Osiris in Egypt) worship originated from
Urhonigbe and then became prominent at
Ughoton,around the Ethiope (Olokun) River. The
priesthood and rituals were firmly established at the
time. Some of the possible points of contact happened
early. During the Ogiso Period, trade with the Yoruba
and Igbos was quite extensive. Olokun worship may
have spread to those areas through traders. Prior to
the Oba Period,Ekaladerhan Izoduwa was initiated
into Olokun as a chief Priest while he stayed at
Ughoton, before his moving westward with his followers
to establish Ilefe (Ero,1999,p.108-109).
Once he arrived, Ekaladerhan Izoduwa brought Edo
traditions to those areas and was a King of his new
community called Ilefe, which could be what yoruba
call IFE. . From Ekaladerhan Izoduwa’s loins, the
Yoruba dynasties may have began. However, it is
certain that Olokun is an Edo divinity whose worship
spread to the outlying Yoruba areas. During the trans-
Atlantic slave trade, slave raids were launched upon
Yoruba and Ibo territories. Europeans were able to
obtain some of the greatest amounts of West Africans
from both Yoruba and Ibo land (Crosby,1992, p.136).
In the 18th century in Iboland at Isseke, slave
raiders took a famous Edo subject named Olaudah
Equiano, who later wrote about the encounter. Olaudah
traveled to the New World and then to England,
learned to read and write English, and shared his
religious and cultural experiences.
Many Edo traditions were directly and indirectly
incorporated into the New World through its far
reaching colonies. The Edo Kingdom extended from the
boundary with Oyo in the north (Otun) to the Atlantic
in the south, beyond Asaba to River Niger, and up to
Eko (Lagos) in the west. Both Edo religion and
medicine have already been taken to those domains,
following traditional practices originating in Edo land.



(5). Benin ruled over what today known as
Yorubaland, IFE, EKITI, LAGOS, OGUN, OWO, ONDO ETC


(6). Benin through Oba Orhogbuan founded lagos and
ruled Lagos through royal viceroys whose descendants
are today the traditional rulers of Lagos.The rights of
who owns Lagos is not disputable.Lagos was a Benin
town with a Benin Duke who paid tribute to the Oba of
Benin indeed his chiefs were the descendants of noble
Benin families. The Benin empire ran Lagos for over
400 years before the colonial powers took over.
Though there were some migrant yorubas from togo
during british presence in lagos, but they formed not
the rulers of the town but the subjects of the Oba just
like we find in the United Kingdom today where people
are subjects of the queen of England and not citizens.
We will explain citizenship rights to you later in
another treatise.

(7). Benin first to meet Europeans
( . "Oba" is a word adopted from Benin and not
Yoruba as many made us to believe. There is no king of
Yoruba's people. and if there is, what was his
title?;how many Yoruba prominent traditional
leaders/rulers carried the title Oba? since when?.if
Yoruba calls their king Oba,it doesn't mean we derived
our king's name (N'Oba) from them. Everyone has a
name for king in the their native language/tongue.
The Oba of Lagos is Eleko of Eko not Oba, the British
change it to Oba. the Origin of word "oba" is Benin

(9). They never conquered any territory but rather
struggle with their neighbours before and after the
first encounter with Europeans slave hunters.

(10). "Edo" have no linguistic relationship with
Yoruba. Words like Eko,Idu
Ganran,Yaba,Oshodi,Osa,Eti-Osa,idu-magbo,Idu-
mota have no Yoruba origin but Edo's.

(11). Note history is subject to scientific diagnosis and
many historic writtings in the past about Benin-yoruba
have been proved by archaeologies and scientist as
erroneous and false.

(12). Many Yoruba being those in the forefront of
Nigeria history writers wrote history textbooks used in
Nigeria institutions and thus had the benefit of
making their yoruba look like leading culture with the
richest history for nigerians.

(13). Yorubas exploiting their privilege of imbibing the
whiteman's education first have been peddling
falsehood in Nigeria,British and other western
universities misleading Africans with grammar and
academic titles. They confuse other external scholars
about the true realities of African history, implanting
those false history into African -America books
without the knowledge of the Edo King.

(14). Yorubas engaged the highest in slave raiding in
their togo-oyo region which stretched to lagos during
slave trade. see http://ihuanedo.ning.com/ …/to…/
yoruba-enslavement-of-african

(15) Yoruba never colonized Benin but Benin colonized
many Yoruba settlements.

(16) Yoruba is not in anyway related to Igbo ancestral
history

(17) Yoruba was not in anyway related to itsekiri
history. There could be later migrants during the
European exploration and commerce but not related to
the itsekiri ancestral lineage. Never mind all the title
of "Olu" in the region,it is a title contrived to replace
the original which is "Ode" of Itsekiris.

(18) Bishop Ajayi crowder and Obafemi Awolowo made
Yoruba known today as an ethnic group in Nigeria

(19) How can an Empire be inside an Empire? Many so
called yoruba territories of today never existed in the
past but were invented and stillfully documented into
dubious historical records.

(20) Most of their books and publications are mere
opinions of the writers concocted inside their rooms
without scientific researches or facts-finding visits to
Ancient Benin for archaeological veracity. Covered up
with self hate, jealousy and envy of the Great Benin,
bias and leftish in many of their so called Nigerian
history,they tried to re-invent a history that
diminishes our political greatness.

(22) Many Yorubas in Lagos today came as migrant
workers for British companies and their construction
projects.That is why you have a lot of their
photographs with whites. Britain also used them as
colonial officers.

(23) Before Britain or before the punitive expedition
of 1897, Yorubas have no mega state to be found as
the recognized major ethnic group in lagos were Edos.

(24) Where is Yoruba ancient flag or before 1897?
( Quote) ( Report ) (Like ) (Share )

Re: 50 Reasons Why Yoruba Never Had An Empire But
Civilized By Benin by thekingisback : 10:30pm On Feb 09
(25) Their loyalty to slave masters, British merchant
gave them the huge presence in lagos, Americas and
England

(26) The word Yoruba has it's roots in Yoruba.The
fulani used to call the Oyo people Yoruba.There was no
really united Yoruba nation till awolowo came with a
cooked up Oduduwa myth with the intention of uniting
them under them with advent of Egbe omo Oduduwa
clearly for political mileage.The ones that came to the
Americas were identified as lucumi which is corrupted
from olukumi.

(27) The Ooni of Ife,the Alake of Abeokuta ( Egba),
the Olubadan of Ibadan,the Oba of Oshogbo, the Deji
of Akure,the Oba of Lagos,the Ugbo of Ugboland,the
Owu of Owo etc have no historical records that they
were ever ruled by an empire with such name.
Rather,the Oba of Lagos,the Deji of Akure and all the
traditional rulers in present day ondo and Ekiti states
have indubitable records that they were once part of
the old Benin empire.

(28) The capital of the fathom Oyo empire is alleged to
be Oyo-Ile. This is a community that is not as big as
Uromi township. It is smaller than many headquarters
of south western city states currently existing. It is not
as big as Eyaen in Benin city. How come the capital of
such great empire ( sic!) is so small and a far cry
from any that is known in history? The false historians
failed woefully to cover this jigsaw puzzle.

(29) The Kingdom of Nupe was an acephalous
community but in the 17th century,it sacked Oyo .
Evicted it from Borgu and made it to relocate its
capital to OYO Igoho, another hamlet community that
can never qualify as capital of a dukedom let alone
an empire. Now, most of the communities of Nupe were
tribute payers to the Benin empire and never Benin
conquerors.

(30) It is on incontrovertible record that,the
colonialist never met an empire called Oyo when they
came to Nigeria but they did meet the Benin Empire in
all her glory having Suzerainty over many Yoruba
speaking city states like
Lagos,Akure,Ado,Idoani,Ondo,Igbokoda,Owo,Ifon,Ekiti,
etc. infact, it is the admission of the fact by many of
these coastal states that their overlord is the Oba of
Benin that led to the European interest to visit the
Oba and settle supremacy once and for all. Oba
Ovoramwen Nogbaisi was the one they eventually
clashed with. Recall that as early as the 14th century,
the Oba of Benin has had positive and co-equals
interactions with the Portuguese Empire.

(31) Look closely at the map in pix one hereto. That is
the colonial Map of Benin. It is less than half of what
it was before the whiteman came. Still at that, it shows
the whole of the current Midwest,nearly the whole
western states including the whole Lagos, some eastern
states and north central communities as part of the
empire of Benin they met. Now, tell me, where is the
geo-political delineation of the mythical oyo empire
created by Ola Biola,Olatun Bonsun et al?

(32) How come Oyo-Ile the capital of the contrived
OYO is today not the most important city in
Yorubaland as Benin city is in Edo. Many old cities
that survive still remain the seats of governments.
Sokoto,Benin city etc. but the alleged Capital of old
oyo hardly ranks as a local government headquarters.
This is not consistent with the Yoruba nature which
accords much respect to traditional authority and
culture. The explanation is simple. There never was
such an empire with such a small community as capital
city. The proud Yoruba man can never accept such
scandal. The capital of their city states like
Ibadan,Abeokuta etc is enough to take care of their
territorial pride,not the scandalous hamlet of OYO-
Ile.

(33) Do you know that there is hardly a Yoruba
community except the much mentioned Oyo-Ile,that
has no exclusive language of its own that is not Yoruba.
These various Yoruba languages are mutually
unintelligible to each other. The current general
Yoruba evolved from markets that was then mainly
that of slave trading.

(34) Now, unlike the Benins and most indigenous
Nigerian kingdoms,the Yorubas have the most exported
slaves in diaspora. They are very many in the
Caribbeans and in Brazil. Do you know why? This is
because,it is easy to sell people who are not from the
same stork with you.except for criminals,Benin and
other kingdoms do not sell their citizens. This again
clearly show that a monolithic oyo empire was a lie. The
Yorubas had warring and hostile city states and were
never united under one pre-colonial power. Chief
Awolowo was once rejected by them at the polls as
Ijebu( fake) Yoruba. Ironically, it was the same man
that came out with the concept and in fact united
them as one common political people. That is why they
worship him second only to Oduduwa.

(35) Do you know that even their historians admitted
the truth in their text books that Oramiyan after
leaving Benin founded OYO empire. It is very obvious
that Benin is older by far than the fathom Oyo Empire.
What is however curious is that, if Ajaka,Shango,Ogun
all later children of Oramiyan were deified to be
worshipped by the Yorubas, how come Oramiyan's
eldest son ( Eweka) who established the most powerful
dynasty on earth was not included in their list of
deities. This further lend weight to the argument that
the history of the Yoruba empire was all about tribal
glorification. Anyway, Oduduwa their alleged founder
was actually Prince Izoduwa ( Ekhalederan) the only
son of the last Ogiso of the first Benin dynasty-Owodo
who was banished so that his father could have other
children. This is a story for another day.

(36) It still beat me why other Africa historical states
only have Benin on their record not OYO empire.
Dahomey the alleged neighbour of old OYO recognized
Benin as not only its cradle but its main powerful
neighbour. Find this extract from Wikipedia
interesting..

(37) According to the Wikipedia article on the People’s
Republic of Benin, the new name was chosen to reflect
the Benin Empire “that had once flourished in
neighboring Nigeria.” Most sources, however, maintain
that the new name referenced not the Empire but the
Bight of Benin, the adjacent stretch of the Atlantic
Ocean. The country’s new leaders rejected the name
“Dahomey” because they considered it too ethnically
exclusive, since the old kingdom of that name had
been closely identified with the Fon people of the
coastal zone. The new name, based on physical
geography, seemed less divisive—even though the term
“Benin” ultimate derives from the former Benin
Kingdom of the Edo people in what is now Nigeria. The
capital of that state, Ubinu, gave rise to the term
“Benin City,” which was generalized to cover the entire
kingdom, and was subsequently applied to the
adjacent sea.
We have never doubted our relationship with the
Yorubas. Everything natural points to the fact that
they are our cousin. What We however disapprove is
their attempt to use their privileged premier schooling
by the whiteman to re-write history by distorting the
true one and concocting a fake one that undermines
the superiority of the old Benin empire over their city
states.

(38) Here is a beautiful example of Rigobert Bonne's
1770 decorative map of West Africa. Covers from the
Gold Coast (modern day Ghana), south around the
Bight of Benin to Gabon, Congo and Angola. Includes
the modern day countries of Ghana, Togo, Benin,
Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo
and Angola. As with most maps of Africa, this map
shows excellent detail along the coast and only
speculation in the interior. Give evidence of significant
Belgian mapping activities throughout the Congo.
Names numerous African Kingdoms including Anzico,
Mujaco, Bembe, Lubolo, Pemba, Dembi, Calbongo,
Bake-Bake, Benin and others. Attempts to map the
Niger River as to flows into the Desert de Seth or
Saghara, but most of this cartography is speculative at
best. Drawn by R. Bonne in 1770 for issue as plate no.
B 30 in Jean Lattre's 1776 issue of the Atlas Moderne
." here there was no mention of any empire or people
called yoruba or oyo empire
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/ …/
File:1770_Bonne_Map_of_West_…

Moneywomen17:
so ogiso literally means king according to u so why are u using oba now hmm coincidentally after a people who also use the word oba to refer to king sent a prince to Benin. Oba means king in Yoruba why ogiso according to u means king in Edo.

gregyboy:
Tell me the different ways of explaining a word i bet you dont know..lemme school you
You can explain a word literally ,descriptively, theorotically....thats what i just did in the explaination of ogiso ....

Oba is the general word for king you can only explain it two ways descriptively and theoretically
Unlike ogiso which could be explain 3 ways

With this you can can now comprehend ogie iso literary means heavenly royal, describtively they are leaders
Theoretically : they are heavenly kings who were beads and ruled benin

The real meaning here is the literally explanation

Moneywomen17:
lol my guy comot for here u said and I quote ogiso literally means king and u indeed call ur king that before oramiyan came. According to edo u had ogiso igodo and the rest not oba igodo. Ogiso means “heavenly royal” and oba means “shining white” according to u. This ridiculous claim by u only shows two things even if u revisionist claim are true calling a king “heavenly royal” makes much sense than “shining white” why would a king be called the “the shining white of edo” instead of the “heavenly royal of edo” now u are back again to tell me oba means king instead of the shining white my guy stick to one claim and stop embarrassing urself. Another question is why did Benin stop calling their king ogiso what they have always call them. No Benin has been able to answer

samuk:
If you are arguing after all the facts then there is problem

Olu317:
I cant believe what you showcase up there! Is this how Igodomigodo people are like? All your claim have been trampled upon with facts and not opinion . There were many record of Yoruba activities even up to Songhai Empire/Mahlia Empire. Were you,(Edos), not still worshiping Ooni sculpture as if he was God in 13th–14th ,and all through to 18th century? Have you not seen the sculpture of Ooni that was dug out at the heart of Oba palace? It is shameful to see Yoruba renamed Igodomigodo with pride to Ulè Ubinu /Ilè Ibinu/Ilè Bini/Bini.Just check how Yorubas has subjugated your domain as a distinct people as you are with AkA identity to becoming a Yoruba enclave? If indeed, you appreciate your Igodomigodo as your pride and Ogiso as your king from the Sky, then change back to the name of your real ancestor to show forth Aka's strength......

samuk:
There were no such people called Yoruba, or a place called Yoruba land when Benin land was called Igodomigodo. What will have today as Yoruba are different people coming together to form Yoruba (a conglomerate of different tribes)...Ask the Awujale of Ijebu Ode for more information if you don't know. When you claim Yoruba subjugated Igodomigodo, which of the different entities that made up later day Yoruba did the subjugation? Was it Ife that never had an army? Was it the Alafin of Oyo that only came to be after orumiyan left Benin to create the dynasty and far junior to Oba Eweka of Benin let alone Igodomigodo? Or is it Lagos whose monarch, a product of Benin that subjugated Igodomigodo and renamed her Benin, please answer these questions without insults.

geosegun:
How can you write that Oba Eweka(son) is greater than his father (oranmiyan)? This shows how daft and bitter some of you are... We know the truth and stop deceiving youhrselves.

samuk:
I think you lack comprehension and i will try and break it down to you in primary school level.
1. All agreed that Oranmiyan first came to Benin and he is the father of Oba Eweka 1 who was his first child, son and most senior of all his children.
2. Let also agree with you Yoruba people for the sake of this write up that Oranmiyan founded Benin and left his first son to rule over it as his first empire.
3. All agreed that Oranmiyan left Benin to found the Oyo dynasty which was his number 2 empire, Benin being the first. Oranmiyan also had a second child, son who became the Alafin of Oyo

Questions:
1.Between Benin and Oyo empires which is the oldest founded by Oranmiyan?
2. Between Eweka 1 and the Alafin who is the eldest, oldest and most senior son of Oranmiyan?

samuk:
There were no such people called Yoruba, or a place called Yoruba land when Benin land was called Igodomigodo. What will have today as Yoruba are different people coming together to form Yoruba (a conglomerate of different tribes)...Ask the Awujale of Ijebu Ode for more information if you don't know. When you claim Yoruba subjugated Igodomigodo, which of the different entities that made up later day Yoruba did the subjugation? Was it Ife that never had an army? Was it the Alafin of Oyo that only came to be after orumiyan left Benin to create the dynasty and far junior to Oba Eweka of Benin let alone Igodomigodo? Or is it Lagos whose monarch, a product of Benin that subjugated Igodomigodo and renamed her Benin, please answer these questions without insults.

samuk:
There were no such people called Yoruba, or a place called Yoruba land when Benin land was called Igodomigodo. What will have today as Yoruba are different people coming together to form Yoruba (a conglomerate of different tribes)...Ask the Awujale of Ijebu Ode for more information if you don't know. When you claim Yoruba subjugated Igodomigodo, which of the different entities that made up later day Yoruba did the subjugation? Was it Ife that never had an army? Was it the Alafin of Oyo that only came to be after orumiyan left Benin to create the dynasty and far junior to Oba Eweka of Benin let alone Igodomigodo? Or is it Lagos whose monarch, a product of Benin that subjugated Igodomigodo and renamed her Benin, please answer these questions without insults.

geosegun:
You are the one that lack logic. You are comparing Oyo Empire that he ruled (as a full grown adult) for several years to a place (ile ibinu-that was reduced to nothing due to internal conflict) he spent few years and left for a little kid to take over when he was of age?
I am not ready to argue with you. You can never change history. We love the Benin as much as we love every other city. The royal is a scion of Ife and hence we will always support one another no matter what. Blood is thicker than water Bro. There is a Yoruba adage that says, Bi Omode ba ni aso bi agba, ko le ni akisa, be agba.(If a child has new clothes as as much as the elder, he can never have rags as much as the elder. That's food for. Thought.

samuk:
You did not answer any of my questions, but said you didn't want to argue with me. I didn't asked for argument, I only asked two simple questions. Anyway the love you showed is acknowledge and reciprocated, it's the attitude of some of you Yoruba that call for these type of debate. You know the truth and for sake of dragging seniority you refuse to acknowledge it. My question to you is if you built a house which is your first house and leave your first son and heir to manage the house and then go elsewhere and built another house and have another son who took over the second house after you are no more, who is the senior amongst your two children, this answer should be simple enough shouldn't it?

geosegun:
Thanks for clarification, everyone knows the Benin is first in terms of age compare to Oyo but not in terms of greatness and exploits. There is the Benin Kingdom and the Oyo empire and Ife is the source. That's the truth. I appreciate your understanding.

geosegun:
Thanks for clarification, everyone knows the Benin is first in terms of age compare to Oyo but not in terms of greatness and exploits. There is the Benin Kingdom and the Oyo empire and Ife is the source. That's the truth. I appreciate your understanding.

samuk:
Now that we have settled the issue of seniority and you have raised the issue of greatness, lets look at greatness. In terms of greatness, the only place in the whole of south sahara African that was fit enough to be described as a City when the European arrived in the 15th century was Benin. Benin did not name herself a City but the Europeans did. Don't forget they visited the whole of Africa, they also name a section of the ocean running through the west coast of Africa ( the bight of Benin) after Benin for her greatness, this is where Republic of Benin took her name. Today as a reminder of Benin Empire's greatness, a huge body of international water (bight of Benin) was named after her by European cartographers, a whole country where some of the inhabitants speak Yoruba (Republic of Benin) bears her name, Republic of Benin had the options of naming herself the Republic of Oduduwa or Republic of Oyo but choose Republic of Benin instead. What about Benin arts in most major museums in the world, from Europe to America to Canada to Australia. Benin Empire was the first to exchange ambassador with a European country in the 16th century even before any of the present countries that made up the Africa continent was put together as nations by the Europeans. The lists goes on and on but I will pulse here for now and over to you to point to the independently verifiable evidence that made Oyo even a kingdom let alone great and mind you all I have written was confirmed independently by the Europeans and not some Benin Historians and these evidence can still be verified today.

geosegun:
Benin only came to limelight because of the civil wars within the Oyo Empire. I repeat, there was nothing like Benin empire but Benin Kingdom and the Oyo empire is the big Bro here. It is just like comparing riches and size on Nigeria to that of Ghana. How many wars did the Benin fight with its Neighbours? I repeat Benin only came to limelight becos the Oyo empire was troubled during that period. Benin was not challenged in Lagos because Yoruba believed the Omo'n'Oba was a Yoruba son and the father can never fight the son over supremacy, NEVER! Yoruba believe in that culture and tradition and hence the reason for the little Benin influence over Lagos. The Benin republic will tell you they have more connections with Yoruba /Oyo than your landlocked Benin. We know the truth and stop peddling lies Bro. The Itsekiris/Ijaws, Hausa, Fulani, Nupe, Songa, down to Ewe/Gaa in Ghana knows the influence of the Oyo/Yoruba. Now name just 1 ethnic tribe that can attest to Benin influence even in South East your close neighbours.

Young man stop deceiving yourselves. My one cent...

gregyboy:
Ignorant just smelling over you....

Fact....

Oyo influence was not know in africa not to say west africa if truely it did europeans would have noticed it while they came but it didnt even if it had influence on dahomey or ghana which is not true but it was never a significant one it was not seen in them ...but benin had influence on its neigbour economically and culturally .it pronuced in the whole west africa .note benin was not only d town visited by the europeans but they still refered to benin as a domain around them ..portuguese took the news to europe of benin which resulted of all europeans coming to benin to trade....
Now lets describe the physical element of an empire....

The benins had walls that of great china which was destroyed by the british ...it had a number of different kingdom under its rule
2.they were never defeated in war the fought stronger countries like (kogi) and named d location were d war was fought idah .they fought usman dan fio do out of auchi to kogi
3. The Benin had flags ,coat of arm ,symbol of justice,walls,boat ,guns, horses
4.the benin kings owned dwarfs just like the european kings had leopards just like the asians and european kings do
5. It had street light in it road... The spatial arrangement of benin when european named it a city is was still exist till now .this is was the britsh took to design thier queen square at england if you like goggle it yourself to see
7.the spatial structure in benin is the best in nigeria this i know because i study geo& regional planning this structure was done hundreds of yrs ago by oba ewuare the great....
8. It influenced was know by the french the named dahomey in repect to benin territories bight of benin not bight of yoruba

Fact...oyo was not an empire it was not a kingdom its just an imagination it influenced on benin republic was its people who migrated to dahomey for refuse.it influence on ghana was its closeness to ghanians it was mainly on social ecomic intrest nothing more ..oyo history is full or history nothing significant to gain just civil war and suicide...but benin made influence around the world both in africa europe and america if you wanna keep lieing to yourself do so as u wish......anytime i comment on this post i get block because i say the truth

samuk:
If you are arguing after all the facts then there is problem

geosegun:
Was Kogi existing in those days? You see how shallow your example is? Go and ask any Ewe/Haa/fon people in Ghana, Shonga, Borgu/Nupe, Hausa/Fulani Caliphate, Ashanti, etc. They will tell you about Yoruba influences and exploits. Which ethnic group should we ask about Benin escapades and influence? You must answer these questions else you have no say, not sorry to burst your bubble.

So Europeans must tell your stories before you can believe you really exist?

I do not need to start over. The Oyo empire exploits was fully documented. You had better dealt with the truth rather than allow inferiority complex cum nepotism be cloud your sense of judgement. I'm out.

gregyboy:
Hmm...ashanti recongnised your influenced on what actually is it on trade,power or what i dont get it by saying ashanti recongnises ur influence or you saying benin republic was undet ur. Control when we all read in history the only ear fought by the benin republic was the one with oyo empire which they won ....

Again how was the oyo empire documented was it by mouth ,artefact or written?...i bet u will tell me is by oral

Europeans dont need to tell me our history we ate probably using fact on this argument so any documented reference will be recognized

Kogi wasnt existing then but i mentioned idah in kogi and the war was between oba and attah .and attah wzs in controll if the present day kogi so you can deduced with no explaination that we defeated kogi....u must be something else to allow me explain this small logic to you

Lastly u should state what oyo achieved youre just simplying stating influence up and down ...dont fight it nor argue oyo had no influenced the influenced it had wS not noticeable if it was when bristsh came to gold coast or Dahomey they would have someway link oyo superiority over them

Olu317:
Are you new on here? You must be from One Edo village to write like this..... Even your Oba came to ILE IFE to acknowledged the throne of Oranmiyan,great grand son of Odua .I know you are a ‘PUMA' like others.