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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.) |
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Benin Empire / Edo Empire
AD 1400 - 1960
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.
The empire was located largely in what is now south-western
Nigeria, to the east of Yorubaland and
west of the River Niger, but also with areas which now lay in eastern
Benin. The region was
populated by speakers of a group of closely related languages called Edo.
The Benin kingdom was originally founded around AD 900 as a small city
state, possibly the same kingdom of Oyo which was responsible for founding
Ibinu (Benin City) around AD 1170 or 1180. Known in its early years as the
kingdom of Igodomigodo (although precisely when is unclear), it began to
expand into the thirteenth century. It was unified with the territory of
surrounding tribes around 1300. The Benin empire was born, although it may
have been better known by its own citizens as the Edo empire.
Information on the empire is extremely sketchy, with many gaps. Even the
story of the empire's founding is debatable. It was ruled by a regent
called the oba. The modern oba of Edo (now within Nigeria)
is still highly respected, although his powers are largely ceremonial.
(Principle original information from External Link:
Genealogical
Gleanings. Additional information from External Links:
Encyclopaedia
Britannica, and
History of the Newly Elected / Appointed Oba of Benin (Daily Mail).) |
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c.800 BC |
The
Jos Plateau is settled by the Nok people, a Neolithic and Iron Age civilisation.
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The Jos Plateau (formerly known as the Bauchi Plateau)
in central Nigeria covers nearly 9,000 square kilometres
and provides a cool, rainy climate which provides a
source for several rivers
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c.1170/80 |
The
city of Ibinu (later called Benin City) is founded by Eweka, ruler of Oyo.
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 ogisos rule the kingdom of Igodomigodo, although the
available information in this regard is sometimes contradictory and poorly
explained. Now as first oba of Benin, Eweka begins the kingdom's
expansion. |
fl c.1170/80 |
Eweka I |
Ruler of Oyo.
First oba of Benin. Grandson of the previous osigo. |
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? |
Second oba
of Benin. Name unknown. |
fl c.1200s? |
? |
Third oba
of Benin. Name unknown. |
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Fourth oba
of Benin. Name unknown. |
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Fifth oba
of Benin. Name unknown. |
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Sixth oba
of Benin. Name unknown. |
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Seventh oba
of Benin. Name unknown. |
fl c.1340s? |
? |
Eighth oba
of Benin. Name unknown. |
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Ninth oba
of Benin. Name unknown. |
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Tenth oba
of Benin. Name unknown. |
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11th oba
of Benin. Name unknown. |
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12th oba
of Benin. Name unknown. |
1440 - 1473 |
Ewuare / Ewuare
the Great |
13th oba
of Benin/Edo. |
1440 - c.1470 |
Under
Oba Ewuare, the kingdom, now known as 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 which weakens opposing political factions. In 1470 the state is
renamed from Benin to Edo. |
1473 - 1483 |
? |
Name unknown. |
1483 - 1504 |
Ozolua |
15th oba
of Edo. |
1504 - 1550 |
Esigie |
Spread
Christianity throughout the kingdom. |
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According to some
English visitors, the oba can field twenty thousand warriors in
one day, and up to 100,000 men if necessary. Oba Esigie, in an effort to
spread Christianity throughout his realm sends Ohen Okun, the olokun
priest at Ughoton, as an ambassador to the king of
Portugal
to ask him to send priests to Benin to teach him and his people about the
Christian Faith. He also allows churches to be built in the city at Ogbelaka,
Idumwerie and Akpakpava. The oba and the king of Portugal exchanged
valuable gifts and a Portuguese ambassador is accredited to Benin (or Edo,
as it has been renamed). |
1550 - ? |
Orhogbua |
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Name unknown. |
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Name unknown. |
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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 |
22nd oba
of Edo. |
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? |
Name unknown. |
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? |
Name unknown. |
1689 - 1700 |
Oreoghenen |
25th oba
of Edo. |
1700 - 1712 |
Ewuakpe |
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1712 - 1713 |
Ozuere |
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1713 - 1735 |
Akenzua I /
Nisonorho |
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1735 - 1750 |
Eresonyen |
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1750 - 1804 |
Akengbuda |
Son. 30th oba
of Edo. |
1804 - 1814 |
Since
the thirtieth oba, Akengbuda ends his reign in 1804 and the
thirty-first begins his reign in 1814, there seems to be an interregnum in
the kingdom in this period. The circumstances are unknown, but could it be
related to the founding in 1809 of a single Islamic state, the Sokoto
caliphate, to the immediate north of the empire? The caliphate claims
territory which roughly covers all of northern modern
Nigeria. |
1814 - 1816 |
Obanosa |
31st oba
of Edo. |
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 1897 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'.
During that time, in 1901-1902 the Northern Nigeria Protectorate is formed
out of the territory of the Sokoto caliphate from 1900 and areas of the
defeated Bornu
empire formerly under the command of the
Zobeir dynasty from 1902.
The Southern Nigeria Protectorate is itself a merger between the Niger Coast
Protectorate and territories which had been under the control of the Royal
Niger Company. The Lagos Colony is added to this in 1906. The two
protectorates are amalgamated in 1914 to form a single administrative body,
largely due to financial necessity. |
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. Born 1899. Remained
titular oba after independence. |
1960 |
Nigeria
achieves independence from
Britain
as the 'Federation of Nigeria'. |
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Modern Nigeria
AD 1960 - Present Day
Nigeria is located on the southern coast of Western Africa, one of a
jumble of smaller states along the Gulf of Guinea, although in fact
Nigeria is just about the biggest of these. 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 modern 'Federal Republic of Nigeria' has its capital at Abuja,
virtually dead-centre in the country, which has its own administrative
area called the Federal Capital Territory.
Modern Nigeria is an amalgam of several older states which had been
merged by
British
control into two regions: the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and the
Northern Nigeria Protectorate. The southern protectorate was itself
a merger between the Niger Coast Protectorate and territories which
were under the control of the Royal Niger Company. The Lagos Colony
was added to this in 1906. The northern protectorate encompassed
territory of the Sokoto caliphate from 1900 (which covered much of
what is now northern Nigeria) and areas of the defeated
Bornu empire
formerly under the command of the
Zobeir dynasty from
1902 (which lay to the immediate north-east of the caliphate - the
corner of modern Nigeria which borders Chad and Niger). The caliphate
had been formed in 1809, immediately to the north of the former
Benin empire. Amalgamation
in 1914 between the northern and southern protectorates was largely
due to financial necessity, with the north running a deficit.
With the advent of independence from Britain in 1960, Prime Minister
Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa led a coalition government. However, in
1961, South Cameroon decided to join the republic of Cameroon to the
east, while North Cameroon remained within Nigeria. On 24 May 1966
the parliamentary system was abolished when the Federal Republic of
Nigeria was declared. In the following year the eastern region of
the country - comprising three states - seceded as the republic of
Biafra, although this was not internationally recognised. These
areas had lain outside the former Benin empire and Sokoto caliphate,
and its people felt that they could not be dominated by these more
populous regions. While this break-away territory was eventually
pulled back into Nigeria, elements in the Sokoto north have caused
longer-lasting problems with their wish for an Islamic-dominated
state.
Since independence the titular oba has had no political power.
However, he is still recognised as a symbol of authority. Successive
holders of the title are shown below in normal text but with a shaded
background to highlight the fact that they have been sidelined.
Military seizures of official power were often headed by army officers,
and these are shown with a normal background as it was these people
who ran the country. Rival claimants to control of the nation are
shown with a shaded background and in green
text.
(Additional information from External Links:
Premium Times of Nigeria, and
History of the Newly Elected / Appointed Oba of Benin (Daily Mail), and
BBC Country Profiles, and
Abacha leader with an iron grip (BBC News).) |
1960 - 1978 |
Akenzua II |
Titular oba since 1933, but with no political power.
Died 1 Dec. |
1966 |
In
January, Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa is assassinated during
a coup. Major-Gen Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi is now in command of a military
administration, ending the brief 'First Republic' period. The Federal
Republic of Nigeria is declared on 24 May, but a counter-coup is launched
in July and Ironsi is killed. This time Lieutenant-Colonel Yakubu Gowon
heads up the administration.
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As so often in Africa when granted independence from a colonial
empire, Nigeria's 1960 achievement of independence was greeted
with festivals and celebrations, but violence set in within just
six years
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1966 |
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi |
Army major-general
who lead a coup. Killed. |
1966 - 1975 |
Yakubu Gowon |
Army
lieutenant-colonel who lead a counter-coup. Usurped. |
1967 - 1970 |
Three
eastern states secede from the country and form their own independent state
known as the republic of Biafra. It is not internationally recognised but
the act does spark a bloody civil war, known as the Biafran War or
Nigerian Civil War. In 1970, Biafra is reintegrated within Nigeria
after its leaders surrender. |
1975 |
Yakubu
Gowon is overthrown and flees to
Britain. He is replaced by Brigadier Murtala Ramat Mohammed, who begins
the process of moving the federal capital to Abuja in the very centre of
Nigeria. |
1975 - 1976 |
Murtala Ramat
Mohammed |
Army
brigadier. Assassinated. |
1976 |
Mohammed is assassinated during a failed coup attempt. He is replaced by his
deputy, Lieutenant-General Olusegun Obasanjo, who helps to introduce an
American-style presidential constitution. |
1976 - 1979 |
Olusegun Obasanjo |
Army
lieutenant-general. Oversaw the move to elections. |
1979 - 2016 |
Erediauwa |
Son of Akenzua. Born 22.06.1923. Died before 29.04.2016. |
1979 - 1983 |
Elections bring Alhaji Shehu Shagari to power and, perhaps remarkably, he
manages to retain it.
Ghanaians have been
migrating into the country during a period of disruption in their own
country, but in January 1983 the government expels more than one million
foreigners, mostly of them Ghanaians, stating that they have overstayed
their visas and are taking jobs from Nigerians. The move is condemned
abroad but proves popular in Nigeria. Between August-September, President
Shagari is re-elected amid accusations of irregularities. The situation
boils over in December when Major-General Muhammad Buhari seizes power
in bloodless coup. |
1983 - 1985 |
Muhammad Buhari |
Army
major-general. Seized power in a coup. |
1983 - 1985 |
Having
terminated the country's 'Second Republic' period, Muhammad Buhari curtails
political activity. The 1970 constitution is suspended amid claims that 'a
flawed democracy is worse than no democracy at all'. In 1985, Ibrahim
Babangida seizes power in another bloodless coup, and he also curtails
political activity. Buhari is imprisoned for a time, but is eventually
released unharmed. |
1985 - 1993 |
Ibrahim Babangida |
Army
major-general. Seized power in a coup. |
1993 - 1998 |
In
June, the military annuls elections when preliminary results show a victory
for Chief Moshood Abiola. In August power is transferred to an interim
'National Government'. General Sani Abacha emerges from obscurity in
November to take over the presidency. He is the latest in a long line of
military rulers in post-independence Nigeria and, like his predecessors, he
is determined to maintain an iron grip on power. He proves himself to be a
master of political craftsmanship by establishing five political parties,
and then having them all approve his unopposed candidacy for an elected
presidency. Only his death following a spell of ill health in 1998 ends his
'elected' rule.
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General Sani Abacha secured power during the transfer to an
interim government and the elections of 1993, but turned out to
be no different from any of the military officers who had seized
power in the past
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1993 - 1998 |
Sani Abacha |
Army general.
Took over presidency and ensured he kept it. |
1994 |
Sani Abacha faces a minor crisis when Moshood Abiola declares himself
president. He is arrested, and dies in custody in 1998. Curiously (or not),
this is just a month after the death of Sani Abacha himself. Modern Nigeria
is being run very much like a medieval monarchy, with seizures of the throne
and eligible (or otherwise) contenders proclaiming their own position at the
top and then being defeated and imprisoned. |
1994 |
Moshood Abiola |
Claimant to the presidency. Arrested and died. |
1998 - 1999 |
Abdulsalami
Abubakar |
Army
major-general. Oversaw elections in 1999. |
1999 - 2001 |
Parliamentary and presidential elections are held in 1999, with Olusegun
Obasanjo being sworn in as president. Despite the apparent return of
democracy in a 'Third Republic', the country's misery has not yet ended.
The following year sees the adoption of Sharia law by several northern
states in the face of opposition from Christians. Tension over the issue
results in hundreds of deaths in clashes between Christians and Muslims.
Tribal war flares up in Benue State in 2001 (eastern-central Nigeria).
This displaces thousands of people. Troops sent to quash the fighting
kill more than two hundred unarmed civilians, apparently in retaliation
for the abduction and murder of nineteen soldiers. |
2006 - 2008 |
In August 2006, Nigeria agrees to cede sovereignty over the disputed Bakassi
peninsula to neighbouring Cameroon under the terms of a 2002 International
Court of Justice ruling. In April 2007, Umaru Yar'Adua of the ruling
People's Democratic Party is proclaimed the winner of the presidential
election. It takes until August 2008, following agreement in March, for
Nigeria to finally hand over the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon, ending a
long-standing dispute. |
2009 - 2010 |
Hundreds die in north-eastern Nigeria after the Boko Haram Islamist movement
launches a campaign of violence in a bid to have Sharia law imposed on the
entire country. The movement is loosely modelled on the Taliban movement in
Afghanistan, but it suffers an early setback when security forces storm
Boko Haram's stronghold and kill its leader. Violence between Muslims and
Christians continues elsewhere in the country.
In May 2010 May, President Umaru Yar'Adua dies after a long illness and is
succeeded by Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, who has already been
fulfilling the duties of the president. In December, Christmas Eve bomb
attacks near the central city of Jos kill at least eighty people. Further
attacks which are claimed by Boko Haram spark even more clashes between
Christians and Muslims. Some two hundred are killed in reprisal attacks. |
2011 - 2015 |
In March 2011, Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan wins the presidential
elections, confirming him in the role he has already performed for a year
or more. In August a suicide bomb attack on the UN headquarters in Abuja
kills twenty-three people, with Boko Haram again claiming responsibility.
Following December 2011 Christmas Day bomb attacks by Boko Haram on
churches, President Jonathan declares state of emergency in an attempt to
contain the violence.
The violence is not contained, however, and in April 2014 more then two
hundred schoolgirls are kidnapped from a boarding school in the northern
town of Chibok. In August, Boko Haram proclaims a caliphate in the territory
which it controls in the north-east, and in November the group launches a
series of attacks in north-eastern Nigeria, capturing several towns near
Lake Chad and running raids into neighbouring Chad and Cameroon in early
2015. This forces Nigeria,
Chad, Cameroon, and
Niger to form
a military coalition against Boko Haram, which claims successes in pushing
it back in all of these countries. The Nigerian army captures Gwoza, which
it believes is Boko Haram's main stronghold, in late March 2015, leaving
the armed group with only two towns under its control.
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Boko Haram's seizure of two hundred girls from a northern
Nigerian boarding school won it worldwide news coverage and a
whole new wealth of enemies, although little could be done to
free the girls - in the meantime some of the girls have escaped
or have been found
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2015 |
The winner of Nigeria's presidential poll is Muhammadu Buhari. He hails his
victory as proof that the nation has embraced democracy. He is the first
opposition candidate to win a presidential election in Nigeria, and his
opponent, Goodluck Jonathan, congratulates him and relinquishes power
peacefully, urging his supporters to accept the outcome. The threat of Boko
Haram in the north has played a large part in the election's outcome. |
2016 |
The
death of Oba Erediauwa is announced on 29 April 2016, but without
stating precisely when he died or of what causes. As the oba and
also a former federal permanent secretary to the government, his death is
accorded reverential national coverage, even though it is believed by many
Nigerians that his passing (seemingly related to an illness) had taken
place long before the formal announcement. |
2016 - Present |
Eheneden Erediauwa |
Son of Erediauwa. Born 1953. 39th oba of Benin. |
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