African Women Culture

Although Nigeria won its sovereignty and political freedom from the British colonialists nearly 50 years ago, it is a matter of regret that the British left only in order to stay behind. The ‘middle class’ solution to Nigeria’s decolonization, to borrow Chinweizu’s characterization,49 ensured that, at independence, power passed to the more reactionary or conservative faction of the ruling class.50 The implication of this, among others, was that our political leaders, like the Bourbons of old, simply put, learnt and forgotten nothing. The neo-colonial structure put in place in the

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As earlier indicated, the Treaty was the standard one used in consolidating the British stranglehold on different parts of the Oil Rivers Protectorate which the British had proclaimed on June 5, 1885. in fact, Galway had signed the Treaty as ‘Deputy Commissioner and Vice-Consul, Benin District, Oil River Protectorate,’ in other words, a vice-roy performing routine functions within his area of jurisdiction!

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Pursuant to the expansionist designs of the British in the Benin area, in particular, and the Oil Rivers Protectorate, in general, it was felt that Benin should be brought speedily within the ambit of the protectorate.25 Not only did the British frown at the overlordship of the Oba of Benin in the hinterland in the Urhobo and Itsekiri areas, the sphere of influence of the Oba, especially in relation to trade and other matters was sufficiently irksome to the British that they decided that it was time for flag to follow trade. The appointment of Henry Galway as Vice-Consul for the entire area in 1891 signaled the intention of the British to plant their feet firmly on ground.

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The usual means of establishing colonial hegemony was by conquest. However, in the case of Nigeria, it was a mixed bag of persuasion by way of treaties and ‘pacification’ which, in actuality, signified resort to the Maxim gun, a weapon which was no match for the bows and arrows of the natives. Accordingly, the British, by brute force, extended their power and authority to far-flung parts of the world, thereby creating the much celebrated empire over which the sun never set.

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Africa has always held a fascination for Europeans. As Pliny once observed, “Ex Africa simper aliquid novi” ( There is always something new out of Africa). The so-called ‘Dark Continent’ was an object of both folklore and derision to the Europeans who harboured abysmal ignorance about Africa and its peoples. Aside from biblical references to the Ethiopian Queen of Sheba and a mythical Christian Kingdom of Prester

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Introduction

I wish to begin by saluting the initiative of all those who had thought it fit and proper to institute this annual lecture series in memory of the great historian, Jacob Egharevba, a man who, by dint of hard work and tenacity of purpose, was able to leave behind a worthy heritage in relation to the history of Benin. The man in whose honour we are gathered here today, was able to bring his great intellect to bear on the study of Benin and its people so

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