₦airaland Forum

Davoski001:
💯. It can’t be so hard. I feel they know these things but quest for supremacy is just what they want to achieve, but unfortunately for them it’s not in this generation. Even that Ukwunzu, I was told a story about the original inhabitants of that place, and how they began to speak lukumi, unfortunately he hasn’t given me the proof yet which he has with him. When he does, I’ll surely drop it here.

Supremacy over who? Which one of the books that I presented between Zik and Arthur Glyn Leonard were written by a Benin person, okay, Zik claimed to be a Benin descendant which you disagree with. If you disagree with Azikiwe's Benin ancestry claim, could you then tell us how Benin is pursuing a Supremacy agenda.

History is the recollection of past events. I don't see why you guys seemed to be uncomfortable with the Benin/Onitsha connection.

Davoski001:
If they were truly Benin by blood, then at-least the first 5 Kings would have bore Benin names.

It’s laughable to also think that the proud Benin royalty and people would change their language for another.

The Kingship style and titles from Anioma down to Onicha and Oguta were just copied from Benin nothing more nothing less.

You Edo folks should stop all these looking for kith and kin from other ethnicities and focus on your place. Build Edo and return it to its glory.

Cultism, Prostitution and Scam is becoming the order of day in your state and y’all are coming on here to look for imaginary relatives in different places.

Unfortunately no state or region in Nigeria is free from the bolded, the situation in the east is even worse with the activities of the unknown gunmen.

Rather than retort to insults, it would have been better if you had used the opportunity to tell the readers the reason/motive behind the claims by Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and the author (Arthur Glyn Leonard) of the Lower Niger and Its Tribes. Both of them did agree on the Benin Origin of Onitsha and the timeline.

Questions:

1. Of what benefit was it to Arthur Glyn Leonard in 1906 to trace the origin of Onitsha people to Benin? Mind you, Benin had already be sacked and destroyed by the British with her Oba exiled in Calabar in 1897, where he lived until he joined his ancestors in 1914. So it's difficult to argue that Arthur Glyn Leonard was writing in favour of Benin in 1906, in 1906, Benin was perhaps Britain's number one enemy in Nigeria due to the reasons that lead to the Benin massacre in 1897.

2. Of what benefit was it to Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1970 to trace his lineage and that of his Onitsha people to Benin. In 1970, Zik had already reached the zenith of his political career, a position no Igbo till date have achieved.

Unfortunately, history is what it is, you guys should just learn to deal with it. It's too late for any modern revision.

Nnamdi Azikiwe: My Genealogy and Nativity

"Thus, in tracing my paternal lineage, I could say that both parents of my father are direct descendants of Eze Chima. As for me, I can trace my paternal ancestry in this wise: I am the first son of Chukwuemeka, who was the third child and first son of Azikiwe, who was the second son of Molokwu, who was the third son of Ozomaocha, who was the second son of Inosi Onira, who was the fourth son of Dei, the second son of Eze Chima, the founder of Onitsha."
SOURCE - Nnamdi A zikiwe: My Odyssey, Chapter I (Spectrum Books, 1970) "My Genealogy and Nativity" p4
http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/main-square/75723-meaning-history-onitsha.html


"I can trace my maternal ancestry thus: I am the first son of Nwanonaku Rachel Chinwe Ogbenyeanu (Aghadiuno)Azikiwe, who was third daughter of Aghadiuno Ajie, the fifth son of Onowu Agbani, first daughter of Obi Udokwu, the son who descended from five Kings of Onitsha. Five of these rulers of Onitsha were direct lineal descendants of Eze Chima, who led his warrior adventurers when they left Benin to establish the Onitsha city state in about 1748 AD.
" SOURCE - Nnamdi Azikiwe: My Odyssey, Chapter I (Spectrum Books, 1970) "My Genealogy and Nativity" p5

"One day I asked her (grandmother) the meaning of the word 'Onitsha'. She explained that it had historical significance. The terminology meant one who despised another. It is a contraction of two words, Onini to despise, and Ncha meaning others. So that the two words when joined together mean one who despises others. Then I asked her why we despised others. She patted me on the back and told me that it was due to our aristocratic background and tradition. I insisted that she should explain to me the basis of this supercilious social attitude. She told me that we despised others because we descended from the Royal House of Benin and so regarded ourselves as the superiors of other tribes who had no royal blood in their veins, "

"I continued to belabor my grandmother to tell me more of the history and origins of the Onitsha people. She narrated that many many years ago, there lived at Idu (Benin) a great Oba who had many children. Due to a power struggle regarding the right of precedence among princes of the blood and other altercations, there was a civil war in Benin. One day, the supporters of one of the princes insulted and assaulted Queen Asije, the mother of of the Oba of Benin, who was accused of having trespassed on their farmland. Enraged at this evidence of indiscipline and lawlessness, the Oba ordered his war chief and brother, Gbunwala Asije to apprehend and punish the insurgents. In the attempt to penalise them, Chima, the ultimate founder of the Onitsha city-state, a prince of the blood in his own right, led the recalcitrants against his Uncle, Gbunwala. This intensified the civil war which rent the kingdom of Benin in two and led to the founding of Onitsha Ado N'Idu, , " "As the great trek from Benin progressed, some did not have the stout heart of the pioneer-warrior, and decided to settle at different places, known today as Onitsha -Ugbo, Onitsha-Olona, Onitsha-Mili, Obior, Issele Ukwu, Ossomari, Aboh, etc,
" SOURCE - Nnamdi Azikiwe: My Odyssey, Chapter I (Spectrum Books, 1970) "My Genealogy and Nativity" p 11 - 12

The Lower Niger and Its Tribes.

"A still more striking example, however, is that of Onitsha. For here we find a whole community, numbering now, at the lowest computation, 100,000 souls, Ibo in every respect, who 250 years ago at the most were Bini in language as in everything else.'

AreaFada2
Ghostagain
gregyboy
UMUAZEE

Origin of Obi and Oba titles by Obi of Owa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaMLK9Uo9SY?si=LyFXHQ-d2yJf4J7j



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQFhSRnKKHs?si=z0-MQIG6wHLDCC0v

Benin City and her people in 1701

@Ghostagain

As it stands, Yoruba will continue to appropriate Benin history....what's the alternative? Take Benin out of Ife history, it falls flat. Rather than project Oyo history, they are more interested in Benin history.

Yoruba independent eyewitness historical accounts began in 1824 with the Lander brothers visit to the Alaafin of Oyo, compared to Benin independent eyewitnesses verifiable historical records that began in the 1400s, almost 400 years gap. Yoruba will be committing cultural and historical suicide not to find whichever way to associate themselves with Benin.

You are right, some Benin people are also not helping matters....I have severally separated Benin real history ( 1400 - 1897) from Benin/Ife political history that began after oba Ovonramwen was banished to Calabar in 1897, so no need to keep repeating myself here.

I don't know how much you know about the Museum of West Africa Arts (MOWAA) project being sponsored by various museums and international institutions across the world. MOWAA is designed to project Benin history properly. So with the help of the international community, Benin history is being saved from revisionists. The word knows Benin history and this is more important to me. The workbook on Benin history that was developed for British secondary school students does not link Benin to Yoruba or Ife. Those studying Benin history across the world as part of world history are studying proper Benin history as witnessed by the Europeans between the 1400s and 1897.

Those that want to continue with their fairytales can continue, it makes no difference to what the world knows about Benin history.

This is why the museum of west Africa arts (MOWAA) due to be commissioned in Benin City on 4/11/2024 is very timely. Most people know that Wikipedia is a joke where all sorts of junk are deposited.

The international collaboration on the MOWAA project will ensure that Benin history and heritage is put in her proper place in world history.

@Ghostagain

THE FIRST IMAGE: Humans of Edoland is absolutely correct: They started with Great Benin Obaship title and moved to Benin royal sword of Authority (Ada and Eben) and now going for the Great Benin red beaded crown.

With this beaded crown this today’s ooni is wearing, tomorrow they ll start crowing about how it’s all theirs, how it’s simply ‘yoruba’; just like how they took the word ‘Oba’.

IN THE SECOND IMAGE:

Images 2 and 3 in this pic are of the colonial era politician Aderemi a sycophant to the British colonizers and a charismatic guy whom the British made ‘king’ in 1930 when Ademiluyi the priestly holder of the title passed on on that same year. Before Aderemi, there was no ‘oni, king of Ife’. Rather ‘ooni’ a priesthood title of ife.

The image 1 of this same pic is a digital edit/colouration of Ademiluyi, the priest. Ademiluyi was merely a ‘priest’ when Leo Frobenius went to the village of Ife and uncovered the so-called ‘Ife head’. Suddenly after, the British began the politicization of ‘ooni’ a priestly title to ooni a ‘king’. The ‘Ife head’ is actually a Benin Bronze left by the sculptors that followed Ekarledehan into exile. The people of ife had for centuries, been unearthing and burying the sculpture without clue on how it was made.

In all that time, there was and has never any ‘army’ to any of Ife in any way. You need an army of men to have any kind of kingdom. Else you just have settlements and clans.

The peoples with army were ONLY TWO: Benin Kingdom and Kanem Borno. Nupe were serving Kanem Borno.

The kingdoms of Benin and that of Kanem Borno are the only true legitimate, real kingdoms in any sense of the word. One was south and the other far east in north. From Ewuare the Great era, Benin took interest in the men of Igala in order to have strong fighting force and spread the idea of building ‘kingdoms’. Which is why when the Potoki arrived, they met us having rebellions from Igala, which Oba Esigie was quick to mediate. Ife was never in this picture because all it was a village, with no king.

Let us know the real history for once instead of ‘wazobia’ lies the British fed its colonial creation ‘Nigeria’ and invariably left the same false, coerced creation with falsehoods and lies.

Credit: EFOS BLOG

Source: Noz Nor
#beninkingdom #edostate #Empire #Nigeria

Ooni of Ile-Ife

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OX-1mjOA-U?si=9Nn7AMhB6_FbUESD

AreaFada2:
Well, since everything about tradition is erroneously considered paganism these days, most people don't care to know. Moreover, it does not give you money to know. Money now rules.

Some now even greet "La-Jesu" instead of their family greeting.

Ask people the importance of Evbiemwen, Ibiwe, Ogbe-Alaka or those areas and quarters of Benin, they won't know.

It would surprise them that princes of Benin who were not appointed dukes, resided at Evbiemwen those days. The same applied to such princes in Owo, who were settled at Ugboroko/Igboroko quarter.

Princesses of Benin who became widowed and needed succour later in life, also had own quarter.

Even some family names and names of places have lost their true meanings due to how they are now being pronounced, examples, Oredo, Ero, Oregbeni.

AreaFada2:
Nice one. Very consistent.

Furthermore, the Benin-Idah war was well-documented in a letter still in existence. Written in Benin to King of Portugal in 1516.
Benin army used firearms in that war. Oba Esigie had to come up with new military tactics at that time.

Please always CC guys like AutomaticMotors, Gregyboy, etc.

Okay. I wonder how many people in Benin city know that Ogida quarters got it's name because of the king (Ogie) of Idah was imprisoned there briefly after Benin-Idah War of 1516.

How many Benin people know the connection between Eko (camp) of Oshoidin popularly known as Ekosodi, the community by University of Benin and the Oshodi in Lagos.

How many people know the connection between Ugbo (farm) of Owo or Ugbowo and Owo in Ondo state.

Imaguero have a College named after her in Benin City, Imaguero College Benin City.

Benin City is full of history.

Meanwhile I am still searching for evidence of Benin/Ife connection dating back to the period before 1897 when the British destroyed Benin City.

A BRIEF ON THE BENIN-IDAH WAR.
By Dr. Paul Osa Igbineweka

The first Attah of Idah was a Benin Prince who went for hunting expedition and never returned but displaced the existing rulers to become the Attah.

The war between the Attah of Idah and Benin was a war between relatives caused by the then Oliha whose wife that he boasted of her fidelity was seduced by the stage managed cripple Young man by Oba Ẹsigie to prove to Oliha that no one can vouchsafe for a woman fidelity.

At the end Oliha killed the wife Imaguero. To pay back as revenge he sent emissary to the Attah of Idah that Ọba Ẹsigie was waging war against Idah and did same to Oba Ẹsigie by different emissary.

And in addition to that was Chief Oliha's animosity against Ọba Ẹsigie for accepting Christianity from the Portuguese. The Benin-Idah war was where the The Queen mother Idia fought as the first Amazon of the Benin Kingdom.

After the defeat of the Attah, he was captured and brought to the place in Egọ under house arrest, and upon investigation, it was discovered how chief Oliha caused the war.

The place the Attah was kept was named prison of "Ogie Idah" which to date is called Ogida quarters. When the matter was finally resolved, Attah was released to go back to Idah to be reinstated.

In a mood of tolerance the pendant of Queen mother IDIA was presented to the subsequent Attah as a souvenir of unity and good memories of reconciliation.

Igala Chief depicted in Benin artefact. There are no verifiable historical evidence of Benin/Ife relationship before 1897.


Igala Chief

Igala Chief

Seemingly, the high-profile launching of the book, which brought to light the information mainstream art historians and historians had hitherto called ‘abuse of oral tradition’, frightened the Yoruba scholars, historians and kings. Naturally, there was a lot of mud-slinging as Edo and Yoruba essayists, scholars, and writers presented their "facts" about Ododuwa and the Benin/Ile-Ife relationship. Many Yoruba essayists, scholars and writers stuck to the contention of the Ooni of Ile-Ife that Ododuwa descended directly from heaven, created the world and started civilisation in Ile-Ife in the 10th century. In support of the Ooni, Dr Siyan Oyeweso, a professor of history, of the Lagos State University asserted,


*"... The origin of the Yoruba people started in Ife, the cradle of Yoruba, the Orisu, the word that cannot be translated, which is believed to be their own Garden of Eden. The identity of Oduduwa is not so much in doubt. It is agreed by historians of all persuasions that the ancestor of the Yoruba is Oduduwa. According to the Yoruba belief system, Oduduwa was sent from Heaven through a chain and landed in Ife”.*

Eventually, credible facts began to emerge from the archives. The Eleko of Eko, Oba of Lagos, Eleko Rilwanu Aremu Akilolu threw his weight behind Omo N’Oba Erediauwa’s view, insisting that Oduduwa was the exiled Prince Ekaladerhan from Benin kingdom. According to a newspaper report,
*The Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Aremu Aklolu I yesterday joined the ongoing controversy between Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II and his Benin counterpart, Omo N’Oba Erediauwa, weighing in on the side of the Benin monarch that Qduduwa, was an escapee Prince Ekaladerhan from Benin kingdom*.

The Ooni said,

*It is just right to allow the entire world to know that the name Ododuwa, the founder of our dynasty, can never be corrupted or bastardised by any living being in an attempt to create for himself an unnecessary distortion of historical fact...Oduduwa, the legend, the father of the bigger Yoruba dynasty, has no connection whatsoever with the Ogiso dynasty in Benin history as portrayed by the Oba of Benin because Oduduwa descended directly from heaven through a chain to where is now known as Ife today in the company of 400 deities*


It was like the Yoruba scholars, historians and kings, especially Ooni Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II, were hearing the Edo view of Ododuwa’s origin and the Benin/Ile-Ife relationship for the first time.

In 1960, the Enogie of Obazuwa, Enogie Edun Akenzua (then a journalist), published an article, _A Bini View,_ in the Nigeria Journal of June 1960. It was the Edo perspective of Ododuwa’s origin.

Then, in 1973, Oba Erediauwa, then Prince Solomon Igbinoghodua Akenzua, reiterated this Edo perspective in a lecture to the Benin Museum Society in Lagos, Nigeria. Again, in 1982, during his nationwide Thank-You- Tour after his coronation in 1979, the Benin king repeated the Edo viewpoint about Ododuwa and the Benin/Ile-Ife link on the occasion of his visit to Ile-Ife. Actually, it was the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Ooni Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II, who had raised the subject matter in his welcome address. Once again, in 1984, Oba Erediauwa reiterated the Edo view in a lecture, _The Evolution of Traditional Rulership in Nigeria_, which he gave at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

The Benin king among other things, said,
*We in Benin believe, and there are historical landmarks for such belief, that the person whom the Yorubas call Ododua was the fugitive Prince Ekaladerhan, son of the last Ogiso of Benin by name Ogiso Owodo…*

Oba Erediauwa Book:

Then, on April 29, 2004, the Benin king, Omo N’Oba Erediauwa, publicly launched a book, _I Remain, Sir, Your Obedient Servant_. In chapter 36 of the book, the Benin king claimed that Ododuwa was Ekaladerhan, an Edo fugitive prince from Benin City. He further said that Ododuwa was neither the founder of Ile-Ife nor the progenitor of all Yoruba kings.

He wrote,
*..it is historically wrong to describe Odua or Oduduwa as “father and progenitor of the Yoruba kings.*
*That Oduduwa could not have been the father of Yoruba kings or founder of Yoruba race, as modern Yoruba historians now put it, is also borne out of the fact that the Ife account itself has it that there were five rulers in Ife before the advent of Oduduwa*

Many Yoruba writers, historians and kings reacted furiously to the claim and clamoured for the removal of the book from circulation. They argued that Oba Erediauwa was not a ‘trained’ historian thus not competent to write about Ododuwa’s origin. The Ooni of Ile-Ife, Ooni Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II, accused Omo N’Oba Erediauwa of attempting to re-write Yoruba history saying.

Several Yoruba historians and scholars investigated the possibility that the fugitive or celestial Ododuwa was the founder of Ile-Ife and the progenitor of all Yoruba kings.

These include Professor Bolaji Idowu (_Olodumare Bibliography_), Bose Emmanuel (_Odun Ifa-Ifa Festival_), Dr Isaac Adaegbo Akinjogbin (_Yorubaland before Oduduwa_) and Dr Isola Olomola (_Eastern Yoruba before Oduduwa_). They have essentially enquired whether Ododuwa was a historical or mythological person.

Dr Isaac Adaegbo Akinjogbin argued that probably the alleged descent of Ododuwa from heaven was culled from the mythology of the pre-Ododuwa inhabitants of Ile-Ife. He believed that the fugitive Oduduwa, whether from Mecca or an eastern kingdom, did not establish Ile-Ife but perhaps arrived in the city-state during the last days of the Obalata epoch.

Dr Isola Olomola also dismissed the argument that Ododuwa, celestial or fugitive, founded Ile-Ife and was the father of all Yoruba kings. He believed that the arrival of Oduduwa in Ile-Ife was an isolated event that did not affect the entire area now known as Yorubaland.

Professor Bolaji Idowu also argued that Ododuwa did not establish Ile-Ife. He maintained that when Oduduwa arrived in Ile-Ife, there was already a community of aboriginal people. Indeed, there are many communities in what is now known as Yoruba land, such as Oba-Ile near Akure, and Ijamo and Idoko people of Ondo state, including the Oba Igbomina and Igbo-Idaisa in the present-day Republic of Benin, whose creation story is at variance with the popular Ododuwa’s descent-from-the-sky version.

The Ijebu claim they migrated from Wadai and had nothing to do with Ile-Ife or Oduduwa.

Although these writers did not ascertain Ododuwa’s origin, the descent-from-the-sky postulation became the standard and accepted story. Western scholars of African art history and history such as P.A. Talbot, William and Bernard Fagg, Frank Willett, Ms Blackmun, Paula Amos ,Kathy Curnow, Kate Ezra, Laure Meyer etc also promoted the postulation and claimed that Ododuwa was a god.

Okpame-Edward Oronsaye sent in this lengthy and exhaustive treatise on a trending contentious issue.
Please peruse;

ODODUWA: MYTHS & NARRATIVES AS HISTORY. PART I*

The story of Ododuwa by many essayists and scholars of African art history and history comes in different flavours and styles.

First story of Ododuwa:

One of these narratives claims Ododuwa was the son of Olodumare, a Yoruba(**)deity and the king of the sky or heavens. The assertion is that Olodumare sent Ododuwa from his domain in heaven to create the world. Oduduwa had a cockerel, a handful of sand and a palm nut and sixteen lesser deities (or four hundred according to one other version) were let down from heaven by an iron chain to the exact spot today known as Ile-Ife. On arrival on earth, Ododuwa and his companions found the area was waterlogged. So Ododuwa threw the handful of sand over the water surface, and then the cockerel scattered sand grains, and the place became dry land. Then, he planted the palm nut, which grew into a palm tree with sixteen branches. Each palm tree branch is said to represent each of the sixteen crowned heads of the Yoruba people. The belief is that Ile Ife is the cradle of civilization.

Second story of Ododuwa:

One other narrative asserts that Ododuwa was the son of King Lamorodu, said to be a king of Mecca. Ododuwa and his followers were expelled from Mecca for idol worshipping.

Third story of Ododuwa:

A third variant of the story claims that Ododuwa was a fugitive prince from an unnamed city-state or kingdom ‘East’ of Ile-Ife.

(**)Note
According to Michael Crowder, _Story of Nigeria_ prior to the nineteenth century there was no one common term for the people now known as Yoruba. The word *Yoruba* he claims is a corruption of Yaboo, the dialect of the Oyo people, by CMS European missionaries .

Prior to the 20th century the Ilaje, Ijebu, Egba, Ijesha, Awori, Egun, Oyo, Ondo, Akoko, Akpe, Akure and Ekiti peoples never referred to themselves Yoruba and neither did they in their folktales ever subscribed to an ancient pre-Ododua Yoruba Empire with a presumed capital at Ile-Ife. The Edo people referred to the Oyo people as _Olukumi_, Akure as _Ekue_ and Ekiti as _Ekhiri_. Akure and Ekiti had been colonies of Benin since about the 16th century and there were a large number of Edo merchants and settlers (_Edo N’ Ekue_) that were concentrated in Ado Ekiti and Ado Akure until 1917.

The Ondo people were known as *Emwan N’Udo*(Udo fugitives) while the Ikale(_Eko Alile_) and Akotogbo(_Ago Otobo_ Otobo's camp) people and other migrant from Benin City that intermarried with the indigenous people were known as *Iyanha*. *Alile and Otobo were Edo war chieftains during the Benin/Udo wars.*


In the _Encyclopedia of the Yoruba_ by Professor Toyin Falola and Professor Akintunde Akinyemi, the Term or Word *Yoruba* is claimed to be a creation of European Missionaries and in the middle of the 19th Century. It was given to the ethnic groups in today South West Nigeria who spoke various dialects of the same language.
Culled from a yet to be published manuscript _Benin and Historians_
©2024 Okpame Oronsaye

AreaFada2:
samuk, please tag people or they might miss these eyewitness accounts.

As for the burial rights, not sure when such stopped or if indeed this was in Benin proper.

Okay thanks.

20-12-1514 King Manuel: to Ruy Leite, to give clothes to Benin ambassador

Ruy Leite. We command you to give to Pero Baroso, a black man who came to us with letters from the king of Benin a capuce and a cloth cape worth 200 reals a yard, red or of any other colour, as he prefers, trousers of heavy cloth worth 180 reals, and shorts of red camlet. Give him everything made and tailored to fit him, which we are having him given to wear. Do not wait for a bill, because it is an understanding between us. By this letter, which you are to show to the accountants, I command them to please pay for the cost.
Given in Almerim, on 20 December 1515. The Secretary wrote it. Also give him a red hat.
a) The King -
The said Pero Barroso received from Ruy Leyte all the clothing mentioned above, made and tailored, as well as a red hat on 22 January 1516.
a) Jorge + Correa.
a) P. + Barroso.
A hood and cape made cloth worth two reals a yard, a pair of trousers of heavy material worth 170 reals a yard, shorts of a red camlet and a red hat, to Baroso, who came with letters from the king of Benin, to your Higheness and Ruy Leite.
Received Y. da Fonseca

AreaFada2
Ghostagain
gregyboy
UMUAZEE

Lord, when these fathers reached Benin the pleasure of the king of Benin was too great to be told; the same for all his people. He sent for them at once and they stayed with him during a whole year of war. The fathers and we reminded him of the embassy of your Highness, and he answered that he was very satisfied with that, but, since he was at war, he could not do anything until he returned to Benin, because he needed to take his time to think of such a great mystery as this. As soon as he was in Benin he would fulfil what he promised your Highness and that he would act in a such a way as to give much pleasure to your Highness and to your whole kingdom. And so at the end of one year, in the month of August, the king gave his son and some of the greatest officials of his kingdom, so that they might become Christians. He also had a church built in Benin. The fathers made them Christians right away and taught them to read, which your Highness should know that they learn very well. Lord, the king of Benin hopes to finish his war this summer and we shall return to Benin and give your Highness an account of everything that happens.
Lord, I, Duarte Pirez and Johão Sobrynho, a resident of the island of Principe, and Gregorio Lourenço, a black man and formerlly the servant of Francysquo Lourenço, all remain in the service of your Highness and have made proposals on your behalf to the king of Benin, and have described to him what a great Lord your Highness is and how you can make him a great lord.
Written in this war, on 20 October 1516.
Duarte + Pirez.

20-10-1516 Duarte Pires to King Manuel, on reaction of Oba of Benin to mission

Most high and powerful King, the Prince, our Lord, whose royal status may God increase.
Lord, your Highness will know how Pero Baroso gave me a letter from your Highness, with which I much rejoiced because your Highness remembered such a poor man as I am. And now I give your Highness an account regarding the letter which you sent to me. Lord, regarding what you say that I am on very good terms with the king of Benin, it is very true, because the king of Benin was very happy with the good that I spoke of your Highness and wants to be your very close friend. He speaks of nothing else but of the affairs of our Lord and of yours and takes great pleasure in them, both he and his officials and his people. Your Highness should know how well the king of Benin has treated us for love of your Highness. He gives us every honour and places us at table to eat with his son; he hides nothing in his palace from us, but keeps all the doors open.

They have no hair, but only some tufts on their heads which do not grow. The rest of their bodies has no hair at all.
They live long, even to 100 years, always in good shape and except at certain times of the year, when they feel ill, as when they have fever. Then they have themselves bled and they get well, since blood is the major factor in their treatment.
In the interior there are some superstitious negros who worship the first thing they see in the day.
There grows on this coast a spice called malagueta, very much like Italian millet, but with a strong taste like pepper. Another species of very strong pepper grows there, twice as strong as that of Calcutta which we Portuguese are familiar with. That is because it has a seed that can be preserved when dry; we call it cauda pepper; it is much like the cúbebas in appearance, but its taste is so strong that one ounce of it has the same effect as a pound of ordinary pepper. Although its export from the coast is forbidden under the most severe penalties, it is smuggled out and sold in England at double the price of ordinary pepper. This prohibition stems from the fear of the King our Lord that this plant might displace the large quantity of pepper coming every year from Calcutta; so he decided to take some step to regulate the trade. There is another tree that produces long pods like those of beans, with some seeds inside, which have no taste, but when chewed they have a delicate taste like that of ginger. The negroes call it unias, and they use it as seasoning, together with the said pepper, when they eat fish, which they are so very fond of.
Likewise the king has forbidden making soap from ash and palm oil. That product is strong in making the hands white; it likewise makes linen cloth twice as white as ordinary soap.

AreaFada2
Ghostagain
gregyboy
UMUAZEE

Among others, there is in the kingdom of Benin an ancient custom, observed to the present day, that when a king dies, the peole 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 to 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.
The negros of Guinea and Benin are very irregular in their eating, because they never eat at fixed hours and eat four or five times a day. Their drink is water or palm wine.

Late 16th century, Anonymous Portuguese sea captain: The situation in Benin

To understand the negro traffic, one must know that over all the African coast facing west there are various countries and provinces, such as Guinea, the coast of Malageta, the kingdom of Benin, the kingdom of Manicongo, six degrees form the equator and towards the south pole. In the hinterland there are many tribes and negro kings here and also communities which are partly Muslim and partly idolaters. These are constantly making war among themselves. The kings are worshiped by their subjects, who believe that they come form heaven, and speak of them always with great reverence, at a distance and on bended knees.
Great ceremony surrounds them, and many of these kings never allow themselves to be seen eating, so as not to destroy the belief of their subjects that they can live without food. They worship the sun, and believe that spirits are immortal, and that after death they go to the sun.

UMUAZEE:
Bro forget these Edo/yoruba arguments, we all know the manufactured relationship is less than 100years old. Going back and forth with Yoruba revisionists will distract you.
Focus on your research on Edo history. I saw Benin/Portuguese letters you posted.. Nice one, keep it up.

Thanks. I have more to post as soon as nairaland allow me to post them.