TIME TO RESTORE BENIN KINGDOM!!!! THE HAUSA-FULANI HELP THE BRITISH TO DESTROYED THE BENIN EMPIRE IN 1897 British looting of Benin Great Benin, where the King resides, is larger than Lisbon, all the streets run straight and as far as the eyes can see. The houses are large, especially that of the king which is richly decorated and has Fine columns. The city is wealthy and industrious. It is so well governed that theft is unknown and the people live in such Security that they have no door to their houses. Even so they refused to cooperate with many of the British trading and other demands. In 1897 the British government was keen to add Benin to their tally of countries under their control, and sent a small troop of 10 soldiers to Benin with unclear intentions who were attacked and killed by the Oba’s soldiers. The British government responded by sending 1,200 soldiers, armed with Maxim machine guns to massacre Benin. After 17 days of fierce resistance from Benin’s soldiers and much bloody fighting the British took control of the Kingdom. Most British casualties were African recruits who were sent on ahead, which the British expended with glee. As Felix Roth, a naval surgeon with the British troops put it: No white men were wounded; we all got off scot-free … Our black troops, with the scouts in front and a few Maxims, do all the fighting. The city of Benin was burnt to the ground and the Oba’s palace was destroyed and looted of its magnificent and valuable bronze and ivory sculptures which were sold off to pay for the expedition. There are over 1,000 Benin bronzes in various public and private collections, many in Germany and the USA, and around 200 at the British Museum. Both the morality and the legality of holding art collections which have been stolen are being questioned, and there are a number of demands from Nigeria and Benin as well as within Britain that these bronzes should be returned.
Posted on: Sun, 15 Jun 2014 18:09:44 +0000
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