By Abdulkareem Macaulay

The story of the gallant resistance of indigenous people in the territory known as Nigeria against European imperialism, especially Great Britain, will be incomplete without chronicling the heroic efforts of Oba Ovoramwen (1888-1897) to check the British incursion into his flourishing Empire.

From its fortified moats built by Oba Ewuare The Great (1444-1473) and reported by European writers to be one of the largest in ancient world, that is standing at about 66 feet (20-metre) high, the Kingdom, which was adequately protected, held the first Europeans that encountered it spell-bound with its well-laid out streets, clustered house and a vast Palace.

The Empire also had a strong army at the time Europeans arrived at the Coastal Region of Nigeria where the Benin Kingdom had tremendous influence.

Besides, Benin arts and craft, including its metal cast, were also a marvel to behold.

It was for these reasons that the Dutch and the Portuguese arrived in the area about 1485 A.D. and maintained a peaceful trading relationship with the empire.

This cardinal atmosphere with Europeans existed until the British barbarians, with their war-mongering mentality, arrived at the scene and started to plot not only to monopolize trade in the region, but also to bring the entire empire under their direct control.

The items of trade with the Europeans were mainly palm-oil, Ivory, pepper, among others. But as the Europeans discovered what they described as the new world, that is, the American Continent needed human beings as beasts of burden to work in cotton, sugar cane plantations, among others, the Benin Kingdom like other coastal communities, joined the human trade.

It was against this background that the British firmly established its foothold in Nigeria after the 1884-1885 Berlin Conference in German when European powers partitioned African forefathers in 1888, barely three years after the infamous Berlin Conference bore the historical responsibility of defending the Benin Empire against Great Britain.

Initially, the British Vice Consul,  Mr. Galloway, who was at the time a representative of the Royal Niger Company that had dominion over the area, persuaded Oba Ovoramwen to enter into a trade agreement with Britain under the guise that the Benin Empire would also be protected against external aggression.

It is on record that in 1892, Oba Ovoramwen signed the trade agreement with Britain just like other coastal powers in Nigeria did.

Shortly after this agreement, Captain James Philips, who succeeded Galloway as vice consul, began to pressure Oba Ovoranwen for more favourable trade terms, all of which was intended to prepare grounds to attack the empire if the Oba refused to agree with his terms of trade.

Captain Philips started to accuse Oba Ovoramwen of interfering with British trade, of indulging in large-scale human sacrifices and of engaging in slave trade. Indeed in 1896, Captain Phillips was reported to have sought permission from the British Crown to attack Benin, but this request was not granted.

In the late 1896, Captain Philips, amidst soured relations with the Oba, sent messages to the king that he would like to pay him a “Friendly” visit.

Oba Ovonramwen, who was at that time celebrating the “Ague Festival” during which he did not receive visitors according to Benin tradition, advised the British official to shift his visit until after the ceremonies.

Despite repeated entreaties to Captain Philips to postpone his “Friendly” visit, the obstinate British warlord on January 12, 1897, set out for Benin from the coastal area with a retinue of his entourage, including over 200 armed soldiers.

When news filtered into the Kingdom on the impending “visit,” which for all intent and purpose, was almost an invasion, the Benin soldiers, led by its commander, Chief Ologbosere, ambushed the British detachment and their local collaborators at Ugbine Village near the capital. Captain Phillips and six other invaders were killed.

Fearing a reprisal attack, many residents vacated the capital. And on February 18, 1897, Britain invaded the Empire with about 1,200 soldiers.

Admiral Sir Henry Rauson, who commanded what was tagged: “Punitive Expedition or Benin Massacre,” used bombs, rockets, and other firearms to reduce the Palace and the capital of the Kingdom to rubbles and, thereafter, looted the Benin Royal Art, which they carted away to London.

Although Oba Ovoramwen with his chiefs and military commanders were tried by the Consulate General, Sir Ralph Moor, the Oba was not found guilty.

In spite of that, Oba Ovonranwem was deported and exiled to Calabar in Eastern Nigeria where he died in 1914, and his son, Eweka II, was enthroned but under British subjugation.

It is instructive that while some Benin military commanders and chiefs committed suicide after the fall of the Empire, others were tried, found guilty and hanged before public glare.

This thus ended the flourishing Benin Empire and the glorious reign of the legendary Oba Ovoramwen “No gbaa-isi”

The spot where Captain Phillips and his invading army were killed at Ugbine is one of the historical landmarks and tourist attractions in Benin today.

It will be recalled that at its peak, the Benin Empire stretched from Benin through the coastal line up to Lagos. The Kingdom is believed to have been founded by the Ogiso Dynasty, which started at about 900-1170 A.D until the ascension of Oranmiyan.