THE BENIN INVASION OF LAGOS
Written
by R.O. AJETUMOBI Ph.D
Historical Origin
Lagos
is Just an essential part of Lagos State which the land area extends into the
interior of the state with district ecological zones.1 The conducive
atmosphere as well as the possibility of satisfying the physiological and
biogenic needs, such as food, water, made Lagos attractive to many immigrants.
The Yoruba sub-groups such as the Awori and coastal Ijebu constitute the bulk
of the indigenous inhabitant. these groups could be distinguished from other
ethnic groups in the area on the basis of their language with variations of
dialects, traditions of migrations whether directly or indirectly from Ife;
traditions amongst most of their rulers of descent from Oduduwa (the eponymous
hero of Yoruba), affinal relation with Benin, and existence of Yoruba cultural
feature such as regal paraphernalia, facial makings, as well as physical
outlook.2 Though, the power of the Benin kingdom was impressive as
early as the second half of the fifteenth century during the reign of Oba
Ewuare, Benin occupation and subjugation of Lagos and its neighbourhood did not
start until the sixteenth century when Benin troops and traders took effective
control of the coastal region from the Niger Delta in the East to Porto Novo in
the West.3
Ewuare
ascendancy to the throne of Benin in the early fifteenth century put the
kingdom into a splendid period of successful and rapid expansion With a fearful
military arsenal, strong, well equipped and battle-ready army, Benin became a
terror and lord of her neighboring settlements.4 This interest was
reinforced in the 1550 as a result of the relative peace at home and the
growing European trade on the coast which Benin wanted to control. The need for
areas of economic control, security, free flow of coastal trade, as a result of
the need to secure the base for harnessing goods from the inland made the
control of Lagos a necessity for Benin. By the opening of the sixteenth century
a large section of eastern Yoruba land had come under Benin influence and the
Ilaje territory on modern Ondo state served a passage to the far western coast
in the area of modern Lagos. Thus, the areas between Lagos and Porto Novo
became the focus of Benin military activities till the seventeenth century. In this century, Mahin, an Ilaje communities
founded by immigrants from the neighbourhood of Itsekiri were destroyed, while Isheri Olofin, Lagos,
Ido, Ebute Metta, Oto-Olofin and other coastal Yoruba communities in the area
fell to superior Benin invading army.5
After
Oba Ehengbuda (C. 1578-1606) who consolidated the imperial achievement of
Orhogbua (C. 1550-1578), Benin entered a long period of internal crisis. The
Oba stopped being forceful as they no longer led their subjects in battles;
rather, they reinforced their mystical attribute, palace rituals and led a
secluded life. As a result, the noble men, chiefs and ambitious individual
especially the soldiers seized the opportunity to increase their powers and
founded their own kingdoms at the expense of the monarchy. Although, the era of
warrior kings was terminated in the 17th century with the reign of Oba Ehengbuda
who died on his way to Lagos. After him, priests and aristocratic rulers began
a prolonged civil war which encouraged the flight of many families and soldiers
to different parts of Lagos state. At the western extreme, the situation was
such that the colonies were disbanded as a result of ineffective military and
personal ambitions. The immediate effect of this was the widespread dispersal
of Benin cultural traits. Added to this, the rise of Agaja Trudo of Dahomey (C.
1704-1740) and his coastal military in Porto Novo, coupled with internal
disorder in Benin was decisive factors in the emergence of many Yoruba
settlements founded by people of Benin origin in Lagos state. Other settlement
in the region were founded by warriors, brave hunters, fugitives, refugees and
adventurous individuals from other parts of Nigeria but such groups were not
shielded from the effects of Benin militarism and cultural imposition.6
The
influence of Benin pervades every sphere of life of the Yoruba of the coast
especially Lagos. The name of some of their towns, teir folk tales, rituals,
dialects, music, regal goods and dances in varying degrees portray evidence of
close interaction with Edo. This is a manifestation of the nature of Benin
relations with coastal Yoruba land from about 1500 onwards. Benin invasions of
the region of Lagos were profound in shaping the socio-political, economic and
culture history of the Yoruba settlement in the area that the erroneous
impression that Benin kingdom actually founded all the pre-nineteenth century
coastal Yoruba settlements was created. Oral traditions and archival source
materials show that not all the Yoruba settlement in the area were actually
founded by people of Benin origin.7
Benin Invasions of Lagos and Awori Land
A
major theme in the historical development of coastal Yoruba land in the
sixteenth century was the collapse of many settlements as a result of Benin
interests and military incursion into the region.8 The exact date
when the Benin regular expedition began in the region of Lagos and Awori was
not known. What is clear is that the region had long been affected by the
events in the interior, thus making Awori land the refuge of those seeking
social security. There are many conjectures as to the presence of Benin
military personnel in the region of Lagos in the sixteenth century. A Benin
source recorded by the Talbot, says that the first Benin settlers were part of
an invading army which was unable to return to Benin and therefore encamped in
Lagos9 at a place called Ogulata which is possibly a corruption of
Ebute-Metta. Another tradition posits that it was Oba Orhogbua who, in about
1550 made his camp, Eko, on Lagos Island.10 What seem
incontrovertible is that the Edo had already had camps and satellite states in
Ikale and Ilaje areas before the major expedition to the Awori country. The
quick response of Benin authorities to demand for military assistance and reinforcement,
in the conflict between the party of Ogunfunminire and that of Aina Elewure,
and the number of expeditionary wars in Awori land suggests that the invading
armies were near to Lagos than to Benin. In fact, most of the Benin soldiers
could have been recruited from Benin Satellite camps from the east of the
coastal Yoruba land.
The
first military encounter between Benin and Lagosians which is well remembered
in tradition is associated with prosperous, powerful and influential woman in
Lagos who kept a large number of domestic animals on the account of which she
was popularly nick-named Aina Elewure (Aina the goat rearer). It is stated that
on account of her riches she became a victim of communal jealousy and organized
conspiracy. Her opponents falsely accused her of witchcraft and she was
requested to go on exile since it was customary for people with witchcraft to
be sent to exile. Her resistance led to disputes in which her economic base was
destroyed. Consequently, she left for Benin where she implored the king’s
assistance in avenging the wrong done to her person and belongings. The Oba
sent some of his men in canoes to Olofin Ogunfunminire at Ido to make
enquiries. The messengers on getting near Iddo Island, observed from the
distance, fishing stakes on which were hung fishing baskets and mistakenly took
them for men who were ready to fight them. They at once returned to Benin and
reported to the Oba that the inhabitants on the Islands were strongly armed,
and ready to attack them. The Oba thus decide to send the imperial army with
three war captains named; Aseru, Akigbida and Olorungbiwe. The army attacked
Ile-Olofin and his men repulse this attack. In a much futile effort to
subjugate the Island, and alliance was made with Ajaye, one of the wives of
Ogunfunminire. The tradition represent a classical example of an aggrieved
Aina-Elewure’s party, in a state troubled by internal dissension and
socio-economic crisis, appealing for outside help against the majority and more
powerful party. One observation here is that Aina did appeal to Benin and not
to Ife or Oyo which were not only powerful Yoruba kingdoms but also the
ancestral homes of the early Yoruba. An immediate suggestion is that the two
parties belong to two different political backgrounds. Apart from the view that
Aina was aware of the growing power of neighbouring Benin settlements along the
coastal corridor, there is the plausible suggestion that she was one of the
early Benin traders in the area.11
This
suggestion is reinforced by the fact that the early sixteenth century, the
region was regularly visited by fishing folk from the area of the Ilaje,
Itsekiri and Benin, and that by the seventeenth century the Benin traders were
already on the coast in the Lagos Area. Added to this, the quick military
response of Oba of Benin to Aina Elewure’s case would be explained in the terms
of the need to control the economy of the area in the age of Benin imperialism
and profitable European trade.
In
spite of the great impact of Benin kingdom on the people and the settlement in
the region, there are strong indications that Benin, as powerful as she was,
could not always have its ways without checks and balances or a competitor. In
the military encounter at the battle of Isheri, one of the Benin Military generals,
Aseru lost his life. Also, the prolonged nature of the war conquest, the
enforced journey of Olofin to Benin and his eventual restoration as indicators
that the aboriginal inhabitant of coastal Yorubaland in the Benin invasions
were not push-over. Indeed, the return of the Olofin and his restoration as a
vassal of Benin is a compromise between the conqueror and the conquered group.
With an army of between 20,000 and 100,000, Benin successfully established a
firm base and campus on Lagoon of the Lagos Island. Important places like
Aromire’s pepper farm (Igaran), Ebute Ero and Enu-Owa became occupied by the
people of Benin origin.
The
resistance to Benin occupation continued till the opening of the seventeenth
century. The Benin colonial administrator had to seek foreign support to
suppress incessant revolts. It has also been suggested by evidence that
activities of the foreigners (Benin) mercenaries precipitated a crisis which
led to the death of Ogunfunminire under circumstance which suggests that his
children though Ajaye (who had collaborated with Benin traders), were guilty of
regicide. The death of Ogunfunmire put-paid on Lagos resistance. The children
of Ajaye were consequently incorporated into the dynasty created by Edo in
which four classes of chiefs were created.
The
Lagosians and indeed the people of Lagos state would continue to remember the
incursion of Benin into the territory for long, as a result of emergence of
Benin-Awori settlements and influence in the socio-political institutions. The
Benin-Awori settlement were founded in the region of Aworiland by Benin
imperial troops; Ojo, Iba, Idoluwo, Obanikoro, Ijanikin, Oto-Awori, Gbanko,
Osolu, Omore, Ibiku, now Ibiye among others have rich traditions linking the
origin of most of them to Benin in spite of recent attempt to link some of them
with interior Yorubalands. Until the opening of the twentieth century
possession of white caps and Abere (Scepter) as a symbol of authority confirm
royal linkage with Benin. Although, the impressive population of Yoruba
immigrants from the interior that settled among the groups imposed a
distinctive emblem of Yoruba-Awori and Yoruba-Ijebu culture on the groups, most
traces of their Benin origin are preserved in tradition, royal costumes and
traditional titles.
Notes and
References
1.
A.A. Abegunde (1987)
Aspects of the Physical environment of Lagos in Ade Adefuye et al (eds) History
of the People of Lagos State, Lagos, Lantern p.6
2.
Talbot, P. The Peoples of Southern Nigeria, Vol. IV
(Linguistic and Statistics) London, Frank Cass. 1969, p.31
3.
See, Agiri, A. and Barnes,
S.: Lagos before 1603 in Agiri. B. et al (eds) History of the Peoples of Lagos
State. Lagos, Lantern 1987.
4.
See Adediran’ Biodun:
Pleasant imperialism : Conjectures on hegemony in Eastern Yorubaland African
Notes 1991, pp.83-95: In swarch of identity: The Eastern Yoruba and the Oduduwa
tradition ODU: A Journal of West African studies No. 36, July, 1989, p.125.
5.
Ryder, A.F.C. The Benin
kingdom in Ikime. O.(ed.) Groundwork Nigeria History, Ibadan, Heinemann, 1980
p.178
6.
Oral histories of some
Awori Kingdoms such as Ojo, Iba, Oto-Awori, show that the culture heroes of
these kingdoms were ambitious individual soldiers of Benin origin.
7.
See Intelligence Report on
Badagry District of the colony Province. Wormal, National Archive, Ibadan.
8.
See J.B. Losi, History of
Lagos, Lagos. C.S.S. 914 pp. 1-2
9.
Talbot, P.A. The peoples
of Southern Nigeria op. cit. Vol. 1 p 926
10. Aderibigbe,
A.B. Early history of Lagos to about 1850 in A.A. (ed.) Lagos: The Development
of an African City, Lagos Long P.4
11. Interview
with Chief J.J. Eko, 7, Enuwa Street. The Olorogun Lagos. (Aged 60+)
13/02/1997.
Culled
from The Evolution and Development of Lagos State, A publication of Centre for
Lagos studies, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education.
Post a Comment