Podcasts · The History of Nigeria: Kingdoms, Colonies, and Africa's Giant — Fexingo History
The Benin Expedition and the Plunder of Art
· 9:24 · S5 E237
Episode The Benin Expedition and the Plunder of Art
In Episode 237, Lucas and Luna turn away from the palm oil trade and the Sokoto Jihad to examine the catastrophic year of 1897 in the Kingdom of Benin. While previous episodes covered the Itsekiri traders and the Yoruba wars, this episode focuses on the British punitive expedition led by Admiral Harry Rawson and General Sir Garnet Wolseley. We explore the diplomatic failures that preceded the raid, including the failed peace mission where British envoys were killed, and the subsequent burning of the Royal Palace. The conversation details the systematic looting of the famous Benin Bronzes, the removal of thousands of carved ivory tusks, and the deportation of Oba Ovonramwen Ngbua to exile in Calabar. Lucas walks through the archaeological significance of the Igun Eronmwon guild and how their lost-wax casting techniques were preserved despite the colonial destruction. Luna probes the moral complexities of the era, asking about the justification for the invasion and the long-term impact on Nigerian cultural heritage.
#BeninEmpire #BeninBronzes #ObaOvonramwen #BritishPunitiveExpedition #1897BeninRaid #AdmiralRawson #GarnetWolseley #IgunEronmwon #CirePerdue #EdoPeople #NigerColonization #AfricanHistory #ColonialPlunder #WestAfricaHistory #BeninCity #RoyalPalaceBenin #FexingoHistory #History
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