 | |
| Use | Banner  |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 1:2 |
| Design | A red banner charged with two white figures, the one to the hoist decapitating the one to the fly with a sword. |
| Designed by | Itsekiri people (possibly) |
The 'flag of the Kingdom of Benin' is an unidentified West African flag that was brought to Britain after the Benin Expedition of 1897 against the Kingdom of Benin. [1] [2] Debate exists over the origin of the flag, including which West African people created it.
Dean Nicholas of History Today writes that "little is known of the flag's origins or meaning, nor even if it belonged to or was used by the Kingdom of Benin, though it is believed to be of Itsekri origin." [1] According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, which has the flag in the National Maritime Museum's collection, it was brought to Britain by Royal Navy officer Francis William Kennedy who was part of the punitive expedition against the Kingdom of Benin in 1897.
The flag is located at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London, where as of 2022 [update] it is not on display. [2] The Museum description says the flag is "probably Itsekri", and that "the Itsekri people acted as middle men between the Edo people of Benin in the interior and the Europeans on the coast." [2]
The Benin expedition was launched in reprisal against an attack on a British mission in the service of Niger Coast Protectorate by forces of the Oba of Benin. It was a combined naval and military operation under the command of Rear-Admiral Harry Holdsworth Rawson C.B. with local troops and carriers. The towns of Guato and Sapobar were attacked by detached forces while the main part of the expedition marched on Benin. The town was captured and accidentally burnt. Oba Overami, was exiled to Calabar where he died in 1914. The famous Benin bronzes were removed as reparations by the British. [2]
Since at least 2009, the flag has attracted attention for its unusual and highly distinctive graphic design. [3] [4]
The National Maritime Museum holds a personal flag of Itsekiri chief and trader Nana Olomu which was also recovered by F. W. Kennedy. [5]
Admiral Sir Harry Holdsworth Rawson, was a British naval officer in the Royal Navy. He is chiefly remembered for overseeing the Benin Expedition of 1897, a British punitive expedition against the Kingdom of Benin. Rawson's force looted and burned the palace, exiled the Oba, and plundered a large number of the Benin Bronzes and other royal treasures. Rawson was appointed Governor of New South Wales, serving from 27 May 1902 to 27 May 1909.
The Benin Expedition of 1897 was a punitive expedition by a British force of 1,200 men under Sir Harry Rawson. It came in response to the ambush and slaughter of a 250 strong party led by British Acting Consul General James Phillips of the Niger Coast Protectorate. Rawson's troops captured Benin City, bringing to an end slavery and human sacrifice in Benin, and indeed the Kingdom of Benin itself, which was eventually absorbed into colonial Nigeria. The expedition freed slaves held by the Oba.
The Oba of Benin is the traditional ruler and the custodian of the culture of the Edo people and all Edoid people. The then Kingdom of Benin has continued to be mostly populated by the Edo.
Admiral Sir Frederick George Denham Bedford, was a senior Royal Navy officer and Governor of Western Australia from 24 March 1903 to 22 April 1909.
The Benin Bronzes are a group of several thousand metal plaques and sculptures that decorated the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin, in what is now Edo State, Nigeria. Collectively, the objects form the best examples of Benin art and were created from the fourteenth century by artists of the Edo people. The plaques, which in the Edo language are called Ama, depict scenes or represent themes in the history of the kingdom. Apart from the plaques, other sculptures in brass or bronze include portrait heads, jewelry, and smaller pieces.
Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, also called Overami, was the thirty-fifth Ọba of the Kingdom of Benin reigning from c. 1888 AD – c. 1897 AD, up until the British punitive expedition.
Idia was the mother of Esigie, who reigned as Oba (king) of the Edo people from 1504 to 1550. Historians do know that Idia was alive during the Idah war because she played a role that led to a great Benin victory. It has been argued that Idia, therefore, was the true power behind the throne of her son. She played a significant role in the rise and reign of her son, being described as a great warrior who fought relentlessly before and during her son's reign as the Oba (king) of the Edo people. Queen Idia was instrumental in securing the title of Oba for her son Esigie following the death of his father Oba Ozolua. To that end, she raised an army to fight off his brother Arhuaran who was supposed to be the Oba by right and tradition but was subsequently defeated in battle. Esigie’s mother became the 17th Oba of Benin.
Benin art is the art from the Kingdom of Benin or Edo Empire (1440–1897), a pre-colonial African state located in what is now known as the Southern region of Nigeria. Primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory, Benin art was produced mainly for the court of the Oba of Benin – a divine ruler for whom the craftsmen produced a range of ceremonially significant objects. The full complexity of these works can be appreciated through the awareness and consideration of two complementary cultural perceptions of the art of Benin: the Western appreciation of them primarily as works of art, and their understanding in Benin as historical documents and as mnemonic devices to reconstruct history, or as ritual objects. This original significance is of great importance in Benin.
Nana Olomu (1852–1916) was an Itsekiri chief and palm oil merchant from the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria. He was the fourth Itsekiri chief to hold the position of Governor of Benin River.The Merchant Prince Nanna Olumu founded Koko Village before he became the Governor of Benin River
Koko is the major town in and the headquarters of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, South South Nigeria. Koko is one of the major towns in the Niger Delta region with a rich history and is known for its unique cultural heritage, natural resources, and vibrant economy.
The Kingdom of Benin, also known as the Edo Kingdom or Benin Kingdom, is a kingdom within what is now southern Nigeria. It has no historical relation to the modern republic of Benin, which was known as Dahomey from the 17th century until 1975. The Kingdom of Benin's capital was Edo, now known as Benin City in Edo State, Nigeria. The Benin Kingdom was "one of the oldest and most developed states in the coastal hinterland of West Africa". It grew out of the previous Edo Kingdom of Igodomigodo around the 11th century AD, and lasted until it was annexed by the British Empire in 1897.
Nigerian traditional rulers often derive their titles from the rulers of independent states or communities that existed before the formation of modern Nigeria. Although they do not have formal political power, in many cases they continue to command respect from their people and have considerable influence in their community.
Benin ancestral altars are adorned with some of the finest examples of art from the Benin Kingdom of south-central Nigeria.
The Bronze Head of Queen Idia is a commemorative bronze head from the medieval Kingdom of Benin in West Africa that probably represents Idia, mother of Oba Esigie, made during the early sixteenth century at the Benin court. Many Benin works of art entered the European art market after the Benin Expedition of 1897 – Four cast bronze heads of the queen are known and are currently in the collections of the British Museum in London, the World Museum in Liverpool, the Nigerian National Museum in Lagos, and the Ethnological Museum of Berlin.
The Benin ivory mask is a miniature sculptural portrait in ivory of Idia, the first Iyoba of the 16th century Benin Empire, taking the form of a traditional African mask. The masks were looted by the British from the palace of the Oba of Benin in the Benin Expedition of 1897.
James Robert Phillips was the deputy commissioner and consul for the Niger Coast Protectorate. He is remembered for his part in the events that led to the Benin Expedition of 1897. In 1897, Phillips set out to petition the Oba of Benin, although his reasons for doing so remain unclear. He and his party were ambushed and slaughtered as they approached Benin City, with Phillips being among the casualties. Though Phillips had acted without consulting the Royal Niger Company authorities, after his death the British government dispatched an punitive expedition against the Benin monarchy, which the force defeated and deposed, leading to the kingdom's eventual absorption into colonial Nigeria.
Aiguobasinwin Ovonramwen, Eweka II was the thirty-sixth Oba of Benin, reigning from 1914 to 1933.
Admiral Francis William Kennedy, was a Royal Navy officer.
General Ologbosere, also known as Chief Irabor, resisted the conquest of Benin Empire before he was captured and killed.
Igun Street, also known as Igun-Eronmwon Quarters, is a street situated in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. This street is renowned for being the residence of the Guild of Benin Bronze and Brass Casters, known as the Igun-Eronmwon. It holds the designation of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Notably, it stands as the second most frequented tourist attraction within Benin City. Tourists, art dealers, and collectors routinely visit Igun Street to observe the comprehensive process involved in crafting these objects.