1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of Study
Nigeria is a multi-ethnic nation with several ethnic groups. These ethnic nationalities or groups occupy different territories that formed the area known as Nigeria. While geographical factors such as good climate, soil, presence of mineral resources and others such as better security, search for land, religion, trade and migration etc provide explanations to the spread of ethnic groups in different parts of the country. The uniqueness or the geographical attributes of the immediate localities played major roles in the people's culture, economic activity as well as political organizations. Also, through geographical determinisms, certain ethnic groups developed centralized political systems while others developed what is described as non-centralized or segmentary political organizations.
The focus of this study is on notable ethnic groups in the southern Nigeria particularly, the Yoruba, Igbo, Benin and Itsekiri among others with particular emphasis on their culture, economy and political organization. The people of Nigeria are classified under two major geographical groups, namely the forest peoples and the grassland (savannah) people1. Therefore the people of Southern Nigeria belong to the geographical group called the forest people. The forest south is comprised of the mangrove swamp forests of the Niger Delta and coastal Greeks which have provided protection for refuge cultures. The major ethnic groups in Southern Nigeria include the Yoruba and Edo (Benin) people in South West of Nigeria, and the Igbo, Ibibio, Ekoi people of the Southeastern Nigeria.
Igue Festival of Benin is the most popular and colourful festival of the Edo people of Edo state. It consists of up to nine smaller events or mini festivals. It is celebrated by the Oba of Benin and all Edo people to mark the end of the year and for the ushering in of a new year. The Oba dresses in his full regalia and dances with the scimitar; the king's sword. It is an occasion for the Oba end Edo people to thank the gods for their protection during the year. The Oba sacrificed animals to propitiate the spirits, the gods and souls of dead Obas. Evil spirits are exorcised from the land. Finally, it is on this occasion that the Oba re-enacts important events in the history of the kingdom. The festival used to take place in September every year but it was in the 1980s that the late Oba Akenzua changed the Benin “end of the year” to December. The Igue Festival is now celebrated every December of the year. We shall only list some of these events without detailed descriptions because to do so will cover too much time and space.
- Otue Ugierhoba: When chiefs and their special dancing groups visit the palace wearing their full ceremonial dresses to pay homage, and pledge their continued loyalty to the Oba,
- Ugierhoba: On this occasion the Oba confers traditional chieftaincy titles to his loyal deserving citizens.
- Iron: This event recalls the battles fought between the indigenous and pro royalist elements. The Ife dynasty of the Benin ruling family won the battle against Chief Ogiamien.
- Otue Iguoba: Chiefs of various grades dance to the Obas palace to wish him a successful celebration of the Igue Festival.
- Iguoba: The Oba sacrifices to the guardian spirit of the Oba himself.
- Ugie Ewere: Ewere leaves are presented to the Oba to wish him good luck and the people purify their city by carrying lighted firebrands to drop into the river. The Oba appears in the public with all his wives; the only time he does this throughout the year. The Igue festival reminds the Edo people those important events in Benin history.
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Benin Kingdom and Her Deltan Neighbors.
1.2 Statement of Problems
The kingdom of Benin was one of the most important forest states of West Africa during the precolonial period. Of all the West African states and societies, it is the one most mentioned in contemporary European literature.5 This also illustrates a number of important points: First, although much is known about Benin's past from early European travellers and traders, the published information is basically on Benin's external relations.6 Second, the study of aspects of precolonial Benin history will continue to attract the attention of scholars because of the competing interpretations and debates generated by the works of previous writers.7 Third, the historical quest for the historical knowledge of Benin's past remains fascinating because of its royal art. These developments were expected to open up the boundaries of historical space for the understanding of the place of Benin in African history, but the 1980s and 1990s witnessed the collapse of professional historical study on Benin.
Ancient African civilizations span the course of several millennia, in time, and a large expanse of lands stretching from the Nile Valley across the cursed Sahara to the forest states of West Africa, in space.
Many states and kingdoms lived and thrived centuries ago in these regions. Most of them have now been packaged into intellectual memory banks that historians and their ever-probing kindred colleagues in learned literary studies love to mine. Egypt, Kush, Nubia, Ghana, Songhai, and dozens more ancient civilizations that are claimed for Africa have been respectfully treated by African historians and literati.
Many of these past states and civilizations died away before European incursions into Africa introduced new dynamics in the continent's public affairs. Their histories live in blessed memory and are generally safe from attacks by either European managers of the images of Africa or by modern African historians and literary men and women. Who wants to besmirch Egypt's reputation for its atrocities in Kushland? Many African intellectuals would prefer that we allow the holy pharaohs, who have brought so much pride to us in Africa, to rest in peace. Ancient Ghana's glory and veritable history of conquests of ethnic neighbors have been appropriated by nation- alist Kwame Nkrumah for his country whose profane colonial designation of Gold Coast he changed to the famed and exalted name of Ghana in 1957–perhaps the greatest gift this anti-imperialist campaigner made to his native land. Walter Rodney, the formidable Caribbean scholar of African affairs, was bemused by the practices of African intellectuals who rush to invoke the heritage of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai in their search for the validation of claims that Africa too was well developed before the trou- blesome Europeans arrived in our lands.1In this wonderful show of good grace and good manners to kingdoms that are no more, such acts as King Mansa Musa of Mali's reckless endangerment of his country in his carting away so much wealth to Arab lands in his year long pilgrimage to Mecca in the fourteenth century are forgiven or even glorified.
Such robust respect for dead ancient African civilizations contrasts sharply with the searching attitudes and attention by African historians and the literati towards those of Africa's indigenous states and civilizations that survived into the European era of dominance and into our own times.
1.3 Purpose of Study
This study was set out to analyze the Kingdom of Benin and her Deltan neighbors. The study is hinged upon previous literature and the use of expository analysis to assess the nature of the Benin kingdom, the historical antecedents, the militia, the existing relationships between neighboring communities and kingdoms.
1.4 Significance of Study
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.5 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the Benin Kingdom and Her Deltan Neighbors in Edo State Nigeria.
1.6 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
