African Kingdoms

Nigeria

Nigeria is a large state in western Africa which opens out onto the South Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered to the north by Niger, to the east by Cameroon, and to the west by the state of Benin, which can cause some confusion, as Nigeria itself was home to the Benin empire which appeared at the start of the fifteenth century. The first kingdoms emerged in the late first millennium AD.

When the Nubians conquered Meroë at the start of the sixth century BC, some of the Meroë fled west and ended up establishing themselves in what is now Nigeria and Benin. This is known because the priesthood in these countries uses technical words which are Semitic. One of these is 'Al' as a prefix, used in the names of their spirits (angels). The word also lent itself to the name of the medieval state of Alodia.

(Additional information by Edward Dawson.)

Benin Empire / Edo Empire
AD 1400 - 1960

The kingdom was originally founded around AD 900 as a small city state, but it only developed in the twelfth or thirteenth centuries and was unified with the surrounding tribes in about 1300. Located in southern Nigeria, east of Yorubaland and west of the River Niger, it was populated by speakers of a group of closely related languages called Edo.

Benin is one of the southern Nigerian states which claim to have obtained kingship from the Yoruba city of Ife. However, archaeological research at Benin has shown that important developments preceded the foundation of the empire. In the countryside around Benin City lies an extraordinary complex of walls, thirty feet high in places and stretching perhaps 15,000 kilometres (10,000 miles) in length. Because they are older than the walls of the city which became the capital of the Benin empire, historians believe that the region was the home of a large population before the emergence of a centralised state.

Information on the empire is extremely sketchy, with many gaps. Even the story of the empire's founding is debatable. The empire was ruled by a regent called the Oba. The modern Oba of Benin (now Nigeria) is still highly respected, although his powers are largely ceremonial.

EXTERNAL LINK:
Genealogical Gleanings (Main source for this list).

c.800 BC

The Jos Plateau is settled by the Nok people, a Neolithic and Iron Age civilisation.

The Jos Plateau in central Nigeria covers nearly 9,000 square kilometres

c.1180

The city of Ibinu (later called Benin City) is founded. According to traditional accounts, the original people of the Benin area, the Bini, are initially ruled by the Ogisos ('Kings of the Sky'). About thirty-six Ogiso rule the empire at its height.

c.1180

Eweka I

First Oba of Benin.

1440 - 1473

Ewuare / Ewuare the Great

1440 - c.1470

Under Oba Ewuare, the kingdom of Benin becomes an empire through conquests which range from Idah to the north, and from Owo and Akure to Igboland, west of the Niger. The Oba give Benin a strong central government that weakens opposing political factions. The state is renamed as Edo.

1473 - 1483

?

Name unknown.

1483 - 1504

Ozolua

15th Oba of Benin.

1504 - 1550

Esigie

Spread Christianity throughout the kigdom.

Esigie contacts the king of Portugal to ask him to send priests to Benin. He also allows churches to be built in the city at Ogbelaka, Idumwerie and Akpakpava. The Oba and the king of Portugal exchange gifts and a Portuguese ambassador is accredited to Benin.

1550 - ?

Orhogbua

?

Name unknown.

?

Name unknown.

?

Name unknown.

? - 1669

?

Name unknown.

16th - 17th cent.

The empire becomes rich by selling slaves from enemy states to the burgeoning slave trade with Europe, where they are carried to the Americas in Dutch and Portuguese ships. The Bight of Benin's shore soon comes to be known as the 'Slave Coast'.

1669 - ?

Akengboi

(Unknown)

(Unknown)

1689 - 1700

Oreoghenen

1700 - 1712

Ewuakpe

1712 - 1713

Ozuere

1713 - 1735

Akenzua I / Nisonorho

1735 - 1750

Eresonyen

1750 - 1804

Akengbuda

1804 - 1814

(Ruler unknown)

1809

A single Islamic state, the Sokoto caliphate, is founded in the north of the country.

1814 - 1816

Obanosa

1816

Ogbebor

Son. Ruled for 8 months.

1816 - 1851

Erediauwa Osemwede

Brother.

1830s - 1886

Civil wars plague Yorubaland in the south.

1851 - 1888

Odinovba Adolor

Son.

1849

Britain establishes a presence around Lagos and from 1861 governs what it calls the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria by indirect rule through local leaders.

1888 - 1897

Idugbowa Ovonramwen

Son. Deposed in 1897 by the British. Died in exile at Calabar, 1914.

1897 - 1914

The monarchy is suppressed on 9 September by Britain as direct colonial rule is instigated. Only on 24 July 1914 is the monarchy restored while the state is known as the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria.

1914 - 1933

Aiguobasimwin Eweka II

Son. Died 2 Feb.

1922

Part of the former German colony of Kamerun is added to Nigeria under a League of Nations mandate.

1933 - 1960

Akenzua II

Son. Remained titular Oba after independence.

1960

Nigeria achieves independence from Britain as the Federation of Nigeria.

Modern Nigeria
AD 1960 - Present Day

Nigeria is located on the southern coast of Western Africa. It is bordered to the east by Cameroon, to the north-east by Chad, to the north by Niger, and to the west by Benin. The Federal Republic of Nigeria has its capital at Abuja.

With the advent of independence from Britain in 1960, Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa lead a coalition government. However, in 1961, South Cameroon decided to join the republic of Cameroon, while North Cameroon remained within Nigeria. On 24 May 1966 the parliamentary system was abolished when the Federal Republic of Nigeria was declared. The following year, the eastern region of the country succeeded as the republic of Biafra, although this was not internationally recognised.

1960 - 1978

Akenzua II

Titular Oba since 1933, but with no political power. Died 1 Dec.

1966

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is declared on 24 May 1966.

1970

Biafra is reintegrated within Nigeria.

1978 - Present

Erediauwa

Son. 38th Oba of Benin.

1983

Ghanaians have been migrating into the country during a period of disruption in Ghana, but now Nigeria forcibly returns many of them.