Wando Achebe
speaker
43 appearances
1 recordings
1 series
first heard Jan 2025
last heard Jan 2025
Wando Achebe’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.
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It was nothing short of a marvel. It was very vibrant and dynamic. It had bustling markets with trade in yams, palm oil, taxiles, iron tools, and more.
The kingdom's military was highly effective, maintaining stability within the region and controlling all of the key waterways as far as Lagos.
Benin City even had street lighting. These large metal lamps filled with palm oil, which illuminated the streets at night, making it one of the first cities in the world with such a feature, and even an underground drainage system.
And I am the Jack and Margaret Sweet Endowed Professor of History at Michigan State University. My main area of concentration is West Africa.
At its height, it was well-organized. It was thriving. It was a highly advanced society.
Which stretched over 10,000 miles, making them the largest earthworks in the pre-mechanized world.
Its interconnected earthworks were not just defensive structures, but also a statement of the kingdom's engineering brilliance and power.
So when European traders and explorers arrived, which is how we know what we know for the most part about Benin, they were astonished by what they saw. For instance, you had a Portuguese captain remarking that Benin city was larger than Lisbon and described its streets as seemingly endless.
And in return, European traders are offering firearms, textiles, and other goods.
During the late 15th and 16th century, the kingdom is actively participating in the slave trade. These are captives from all of its military campaigns. And sometimes it would be captives or these tributary states made offerings to Benin, right? In addition, the kingdom also enslaved individuals who were convicted of crimes.
These renowned artisans would melt these bracelets down to create these intricate bronze and brass sculptures and plaques.
And it's these so-called Benin bronzes that we're talking about today.
The royal palace was adorned with copper engravings and brass plaques that celebrated victories. They recorded Benin's achievements and reflected the kingdom's grandeur. So these engravings and plaques told stories.
The Oba, or king, wasn't just a political leader but held divine status, acting as a spiritual bridge between his people and the gods.
With the introduction of the pneumatic tire by J.B. Dumlap in 1888, rubber became a critical raw material for industries in Europe, especially for bicycles and later automobiles, right? Benin... had vast rubber forest.
Allowing for free trade... It allowed for the presence of Christian missionaries, and it required the king, the Oba, to consult with British on governance.
So a number of historians have actually suggested that if he did sign this treaty, He probably didn't understand what he was signing.
But despite this treaty, The Oba maintained control over trade. And it's this control that frustrated the heck out of British ambitions.
In comes James Phillips.
He was acting British consul.
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