Everyone it seems have heard about the Great Wall of China, but how about the Walls of Benin – the world’s second longest man-made construction?
Baby Owl just read this interesting article about the Benin Empire ((1440-1897) and finds it a refreshing reminder of the greatness and cultural richness of our nation.
Baby Owl recommends that our Ogas at the top revisit this history to know what leadership of a great nation entails.
Ridiculous as it may sound, Baby Owl suggests that it be enshrined in our constitutions that passing a National History exams with top marks be a prerequisite of being a politician in this country. The product of this would be having a leadership class with national pride and true sense of purpose to preserve the greatness of the nation.
Yes, ridiculous idea but again it is Just An Observation.
Anyway, in the context of today’s Labour Day celebrations, it is also worth noting from the content of this article the tremendous contributions the Nigerian labour force makes in the advancement and development of our nation’s greatness. “…if spread out over five dry seasons, would have required a workforce of 1,000 labourers working ten hours a day, for seven days a week to construct – a rough total of 150 million man hours.”
The nations leaders should value and appreciate the nation’s workforce in words and deeds. Pay people their fair share for work they do and pay them on time (repeating for emphasis, Pay Workers On Time!!).
Teachers, Nurses, Doctors, Construction Workers, Service Personnel, Sanitation Workers…all those who sweat out for the development of our great nation are to be paid and treated fairly otherwise their pain and sorrows would be reflected in their disloyalty to the nation – a recipe for rampant bribe seeking to supplement wages!!!
HAPPY LABOUR DAY
- Long Live A Vibrant, Strong And Dedicated Labour Force In Naija
Baby Owl
Excerpts of article by Think Africa Press:
Nigeria’s Forgotten Empire: The Walls of Benin
…A benign development?
The Benin Empire (1440–1897) was a pre-colonial African state, which at its height stretched from the western Igbo tribes on the shores of the Niger River, through parts of the south-west including present day Ondo State, and the isolated islands of Lagos. The empire was famed for nurturing of artistic creativity and using advanced techniques in its bronze and ivory sculptures (especially its life-sized bronze heads) that predate similar works in the Western world.
Construction started on the Walls of Benin in 800 AD, now situated in modern day Benin City, capital of Edo State, and continued into the mid-1400s. Stretching seemingly endlessly across the land, the Benin Moat is the world’s second longest man-made construction, falling short of only the Great Wall of China. The Walls of Benin, built as a city fortification against neighbouring rivals such as the Oyo Kingdom to the south and the Sokoto Caliphate in the north, is estimated to be 10,000 miles in length and 2,000 square miles in area. Excavations by British archaeologist Graham Connah in 1960 uncovered a rural network of earthen walls that, he estimated, if spread out over five dry seasons, would have required a workforce of 1,000 labourers working ten hours a day, for seven days a week to construct – a rough total of 150 million man hours.
The rise and fall
The Walls once protected a proud state, but this civilisation’s fate began to change in the face of foreign aggression. Towards the end of the 19th century, the British Empire began to try and forge a closer relationship with the Kingdom of Benin. Yet all overtures were rebuffed by a cautious King Ovonramwen.
A series of delegations were sent to Benin in what can only be described as a strong-armed attempt to further Britain’s burgeoning commercial interest in West Africa. The culmination of these ‘diplomatic measures’ was the signing of the 1892 Gallwey Treaty. Terms were heavily skewed in favour of British interests, affording them, amongst other benefits, complete control over Benin’s foreign policy and total authority over civil and criminal matters involving British subjects and property within the territory.
King Ovonramwen initially denied ever signing the treaty. However, after the murder of eight visiting British representatives by palace guards, there was no longer a need for diplomacy. The British launched a punitive expedition in 1897, using superior armoury and ammunition to overpower the Benin army. Benin was razed to the ground, with much of the wall destroyed in the process. Treasured art was looted and sold to collectors abroad. Many of these artefacts still adorn museums around the world today, including the Boston Museum of Fine Art and the British Museum. The invasion and eventual annexation of the Benin Empire by the British Colonial forces in 1897 led to the destruction of long stretches of the wall.
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