Benin City is the capital and largest city of

Edo State, Nigeria Edo, commonly known as Edo State, is a States of Nigeria, state located in the South South, South-South Geopolitical zones of Nigeria, geopolitical zone of Nigeria. As of 2006 National population census, the state was ranked as the 24th populate ...

. It is the fourth-largest city in Nigeria according to the 2006 census, after Lagos, Kano, and Ibadan, with a population estimate of about 3,500,000 as of 2022. It is situated approximately north of the

Benin River The Benin River is a river that flows through the south west of Nigeria. The river starts under the name " Ethiope" in the south east of the state Edo. Subsequently, it runs through various cities and villages, such as Umutu, Owah Abbi, Obiar ...

and by road east of Lagos. Benin City is the centre of Nigeria's rubber industry, and oil production is also a significant industry. The city was the most important settlement of the

Edo Edo ( ja, , , "bay-entrance" or "estuary"), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a ''jōkamachi'' (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the ''de facto'' capital of ...

Kingdom of Benin, which flourished during the 13th to the 19th century. It held important trade relations with Portugal during the last centuries before being captured, sacked and burnt in 1897 by a British punitive expedition. Many bronze sculptures in Benin City palace, collectively termed the Benin Bronzes, were taken by the British who followed up their victory by gradually colonizing the area, eventually incorporating the region into

Colonial Nigeria Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence. British influence in the region began with the prohibition of slave trade to British subjects in 1807. Britain a ...

. The indigenous people of Benin City are the

Edo people The Edo or Benin people are an Edoid ethnic group primarily found in Edo State, Southern part of Nigeria. They speak the Edo language and are the descendants of the founders of the Benin Empire. They are closely related to other ethnic group ...

(the Benin People), and they speak the Edo language or Bini Language. The people of the city have one of the richest dress cultures on the

African continent Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

and are known for their beads (the beads stand for royalty and usually stand out during the traditional marriage of the Benin people), body marks, bangles, anklets,

raffia Raffia palms (''Raphia'') are a genus of about twenty species of palms native to tropical regions of Africa, and especially Madagascar, with one species (''R. taedigera'') also occurring in Central and South America. ''R. taedigera'' is the sour ...

work and the subsistence farming of

yam Yam or YAM may refer to: Plants and foods *Yam (vegetable), common name for members of ''Dioscorea'' * Taro, known in Malaysia and Singapore as yam * Sweet potato, specifically its orange-fleshed cultivars, often referred to as yams in North Amer ...

, plantain and cassava.''Benin, City, Nigeria,''
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2005 Columbia University Press. Retrieved 18 February 2007

History

Edo people

According to tradition, the original people and founders of the Ẹdo Empire and the Ẹdo people initially were ruled by the Oyo empire (Oduduwa grand son Oranmiya) dynasty who called their land Igodomigodo. Igodo, the first Ogiso, wielded much influence and gained popularity as a good ruler. He died after a long reign and was succeeded by Ere, his eldest son. A battle for power soon erupted between the wife of the last Ogiso and prince Ekaladerhan from Ife, son of the last Ogiso. Prince Ekaladerhan was framed by his father's wife and sentenced to death. The men sent to kill him, however, released him at Ughoton. The exiled prince made his way to where he changed his name to Izoduwa, meaning "I have found prosperity". It was during this period of confusion in Benin that the elders, led by Chief Oliha, mounted a search for the banished Prince Ekaladerhan – whom the Ife people now called Oduduwa. The exiled Ekaladerhan, now Oduduwa, refused to come to Benin because of how he was treated, having found out that he wasn't killed. He divised to send one of his sons, Oramiyan. He refused to return from Ile-Ife but sent his son Ọranmiyan to become king in his place. Prince Ọranmiyan took up residence in the palace built for him at Uzama by the elders, now a coronation shrine. Soon after he married a beautiful lady, Ẹrinmwide, daughter of Osa-nego, the ninth ''Enogie'' of Egor. He and Erinmwide had a son. After some years he called a meeting of the people and renounced his office, remarking that the country was a land of vexation, ''Ile-Ibinu'', and that only a child born, trained and educated in the arts and mysteries of the land could reign over the people. The country was afterward known by this name. He caused his son born to him by Ẹrinmwide to be made King in his place and returned to Benin land. After some years in Ife, he left for Benin, where he also left a son behind upon leaving, and his son Ajaka ultimately became the first Oba of Benin of the present line, while Ọranmiyan himself was reigning as Ọọni of Ifẹ. Therefore, Ọranmiyan of Ife, the father of Ẹwẹka I, the Ọba of Benin, was also the father of Ajaka,

Alaafin Alaafin, or ''The Owner of the Palace'' in the Yoruba language, is the title of the emperor of the medieval Oyo empire and present-day Oyo town of West Africa. He ruled the old Oyo Empire which extended from the present day Benin republic to Ni ...

of Ọyọ. Ọọni of Ifẹ. Allegedly Ọba Ẹwẹka later changed the name of the city of Ile-Binu, the capital of the Benin kingdom, to "Ubinu." This name would be reinterpreted by the Portuguese as "Benin" in their own language. Around 1470, Ẹwuare changed the name of the state to Ẹdo. This was about the time the people of Ọkpẹkpẹ migrated from Benin City. Alternatively, the Yoruba nation has a different conception of Oduduwa. According to Yoruba tradition, because of his power and military might, he was able to defeat the enemies invading Benin and that is why the people of Benin made him the King or Ọba of Benin. In any case, it is agreed upon by both the

Yoruba The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba consti ...

and the

that Oduduwa sent his son Prince Oranmiyan of Ife to rule Benin City and founded the Oba dynasty in Benin City. Benin

imperialism Imperialism is the state policy, practice, or advocacy of extending power and dominion, especially by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other areas, often through employing hard power (economic and ...

was started in the last decade of the thirteen century by

Oba Ewedo Ewedo, originally known as Prince Efabo, was the fourth Oba of the Kingdom of Benin who reigned from 1255 AD to 1280 AD. He was the only son and successor of Ehenmihen. He is credited with moving the seat of his government from Usama to the pr ...

European contact and colonization

The Portuguese visited Benin City around 1485. Benin grew rich during the 16th and 17th centuries due to trade within southern Nigeria, as well as through trade with

Europeans Europeans are the focus of European ethnology, the field of anthropology related to the various ethnic groups that reside in the states of Europe. Groups may be defined by common genetic ancestry, common language, or both. Pan and Pfeil (2004) ...

, mostly in pepper and ivory. In the early 16th century, the Ọba sent an ambassador to

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...

, and the

King of Portugal This is a list of Portuguese monarchs who ruled from the establishment of the Kingdom of Portugal, in 1139, to the deposition of the Portuguese monarchy and creation of the Portuguese Republic with the 5 October 1910 revolution. Through the n ...

sent

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

missionaries A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...

to Benin. Some residents of Benin could still speak a

pidgin A pidgin , or pidgin language, is a grammatically simplified means of communication that develops between two or more groups of people that do not have a language in common: typically, its vocabulary and grammar are limited and often drawn from s ...

Portuguese in the late 19th century. Many Portuguese

loan words A loanword (also loan word or loan-word) is a word at least partly assimilated from one language (the donor language) into another language. This is in contrast to cognates, which are words in two or more languages that are similar because the ...

can still be found today in the languages of the area. A Portuguese captain described the city in 1691:"Great Benin, where the king resides, is larger than

; all the streets run straight and as far as the eye 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 doors to their houses". This was at a time when theft and murder were rife in London. Drawing of Benin City made by an English officer 1897

Drawing of Benin City made by an English officer 1897

On 17 February 1897, Benin City fell to the British. In the " Punitive Expedition", a 1,200-strong British force, under the command of Admiral

Sir Harry Rawson Admiral Sir Harry Holdsworth Rawson, (5 November 1843 – 3 November 1910) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy. He is chiefly remembered for overseeing the Benin Expedition of 1897, a British punitive expedition against the Kingdom of Benin ...

, captured, sacked, and burnt the city after all but two men from a previous British delegation led by Acting Consul General Philips were ambushed and killed.

Alan Boisragon Alan Maxwell Boisragon (22 January 1860 – 18 March 1922) was a British Army officer, and author, and was Captain Superintendent of the Shanghai Municipal Police from 1901 to 1906. Life Born in Bengal, India, on 22 January 1860, the son of an ...

, one of the survivors of the Benin Massacre, included references of the practice of human sacrifice in the city in a firsthand account written in 1898 (one year after the Punitive Expedition).

James D. Graham James D. Graham (1873-1951), was a Scottish-born American trade union leader and socialist politician. Graham is best remembered as the longtime leader of the Montana Federation of Labor (MFL) and the Socialist Party of Montana, state affilia ...

notes that although "there is little doubt that human sacrifices were an integral part of the Benin state religion from very early days," firsthand accounts regarding such acts often varied significantly, with some reporting them and others making no mention of them. The " Benin Bronzes", portrait figures, busts and groups created in iron, carved ivory, and especially in brass (conventionally called "bronze"), were looted from the Benin City palace by the expeditionary force and are currently on display in various museums around the world. Some of the bronzes were auctioned off to compensate for the expenses incurred during the capture and occupation of the city. Most of these artifacts can be found today in Western museums and locations around the world. In recent years, various appeals have gone to various museums and governments to return such artifacts. The most prominent of these artifacts was the famous Queen Idia mask used as a mascot during the Second Festival of Arts Culture (FESTAC '77) held in Nigeria in 1977 now known as "Festac Mask". The capture of Benin paved the way for British colonization and the merging of later regional British incorporation of African kingdoms into the Niger Coast Protectorate, the

Protectorate of Southern Nigeria Southern Nigeria was a British protectorate in the coastal areas of modern-day Nigeria formed in 1900 from the union of the Niger Coast Protectorate with territories chartered by the Royal Niger Company below Lokoja on the Niger River. The ...

and finally, into the

Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence. British influence in the region began with the prohibition of slave trade to British subjects in 1807. Britain an ...

. The British permitted the restoration of the Benin monarchy in 1914, but true political power still lay with the colonial administration of Nigeria.

Nigerian independence

Following Nigeria's independence from British rule in 1960, Benin City became the capital of Mid-Western Region when the region was split from Western Region in June 1963. In 1976 when the region was renamed as

Bendel State The Mid-Western Region was a division of Nigeria from 1963 to 1991, from 1976 being known as the Bendel state. It was formed in June 1963 from Benin and Delta provinces of the Western Region, and its capital was Benin City. It was renamed a pro ...

, it remained the capital of the region and became the State Capital of

Edo State Edo, commonly known as Edo State, is a state located in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. As of 2006 National population census, the state was ranked as the 24th populated state (3,233,366) in Nigeria, However there was controversy ...

when Bendel state was split into Delta State and

in 1991.

Geography

Climate

Climate refers to the characteristic conditions of the earth's lower surface atmosphere at a specific location; weather refers to the day-to-day fluctuations in these conditions at the same location. The commonly used variables that are by meteorologists to measure daily weather phenomena are air temperature, precipitation (for example, rain, sleet, snow and hail), atmospheric pressure and humidity, wind, and sunshine and cloud cover. Benin City has a borderline tropical savanna climate ( Köppen ''Aw'') bordering upon a tropical monsoon climate (''Am''). The weather is uncomfortably hot and humid year-round, and generally very dull, especially between July and September.

Education

Benin City is home to some of Nigeria's institutions of higher learning, namely, the University of Benin located at Ugbowo and Ekenwan, the

Ambrose Alli University Ambrose Alli University (AAU) is a state-owned university in Edo State, Nigeria. It was established in 1981 by the governor of Bendel State (now Edo and Delta States), Ambrose Folorunsho Alli. Initially known as Bendel State University, sub ...

located at

Ekpoma Ekpoma is a town in Edo State, Nigeria. It is the administrative headquarters of the Esan West Local Government Area. Ekpoma lies on the geographical coordinate of latitude . The town has an official Post Office, and it is home to the Ambrose A ...

, the College of Education Ekiadolor,

Igbinedion University Igbinedion University, Okada (IUO) is a privately owned university in Nigeria (West Africa). It was founded and established on 10 May 1999, following the Certificate of approval by the Federal Government of Nigeria with the Certificate No. 001. ...

, the Benson Idahosa University,

Wellspring University Wellspring University is a private university, licensed by the Federal Government of Nigeria in November 2009. It is located in Benin City, Edo state, Nigeria. The university was founded by the Management Science Centre, a Professional Trainin ...

Edo State Polytechnic Edo State Polytechnic Usen is a higher institution of learning located in Usen community of Ovia South West local government area of Edo State, Nigeria. It was formerly known as Edo State Institute of Technology and Management (ESITM) Usen. ...

located in Usen (formerly known as Edo State Institute of Technology and Management Usen) and Edo State University, Uzairue. Secondary schools in Benin such as, Edo College, Edo Boys High School (Adolo College), Western Boys High School, Oba Ewuare Grammar School, Greater Tomorrow Secondary School, Imaguero College, Oredo Girls Secondary School, Oredo, Garrick Memorial Secondary School, Winrose Secondary School, Asoro Grammar School,

Eghosa Anglican Grammar School Eghosa Anglican Grammar School is a secondary school located along New Lagos road in the ancient city of Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. History Eghosa Anglican Grammar School was first established in 1954 as Adolor College by Osaze Igbinokpogie ...

, Edokpolor Grammar School, Covenant Christian Academy, Niger College, Presentation National High School, Immaculate Conception College, Uselu secondary school, Idia College, University of Benin Demonstration Secondary School, University Preparatory Secondary School,

Auntie Maria School Auntie Maria School (AMS) is located in Benin City Benin City is the capital and largest city of Edo State, Edo State, Nigeria. It is the fourth-largest city in Nigeria according to the 2006 census, after Lagos, Kano (city), Kano, and Ibadan, ...

, Benin Technical College, Headquarters of Word of Faith Group of Schools, Lydia Group of Schools, Nosakhare Model Education Centre and Igbinedion Educational Center, Federal Government Girls College, Benin City, Paragon Comprehensive College, and Itohan Girls Grammar School, Negbenebor International School, Divine Wisdom School. Some of the vocational schools in Benin City include Micro International Training Center, Computer Technology and Training Center, Okunbor Group of Schools.

Environmental issues

Climate change

The city is already feeling the effects of climate change, with increases in temperature, humidity and precipitation trends between 1981 and 2015.

Flood management

Benin city experiences regular flooding. Studies have consistently highlighted the problem since at least 1993. Experts have recommended a number of ways to improve flood management, including better controls on land use, construction and development, improved Community-based programs designed to improve city adaptation and disaster management, and improvements in individual preparedness. In June 2020, a significant number of communities and individuals were left homeless because of city flooding. At the time, residents and the city blamed poor

storm drain A storm drain, storm sewer (United Kingdom, United States, U.S. and Canada), surface water drain/sewer (United Kingdom), or stormwater drain (Australia and New Zealand) is infrastructure designed to Drainage, drain excess rain and ground water ...

s and a failure to continue flood adaptation programs.

Urban heating

The city, on average is .5 degrees Celsius warmer than the surrounding rural areas, and these temperature differences are greater during workweeks when human activity increases pollution in the urban area.

Waste management

A 2021 study published in '' Nature'', highlighted that the city has not met the standards for waste management set by the

Edo State Waste Management Board Edo ( ja, , , "bay-entrance" or "estuary"), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a '' jōkamachi'' (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the ''de facto'' capital of ...

. After surveying 2720 inhabitants of the city, the authors found that most people in the city didn't understand proper waste management practices. Moreover, the study found that survey participants didn't understand how waste management was connected to other issues like greenhouse gas emissions. An additional study, found that most residents didn't understand the health impacts of bad waste management.

Culture

Attractions in the city includes the National Museum, the Oba Palace, Igun Street (Famous for bronze casting and other metal works). Other attractions include various festivals and the Benin Moats (measuring about 20 to 40 ft), the King's Square (known as Ring Road) and its traditional markets. The Binis are known for bronze sculpture, its casting skills, and their arts and craft. Benin City is also the home of one of the oldest sustained monarchies in the world. Various festivals are held in Benin City yearly to celebrate various historic occasions and seasons.

Igue festival Igue festival (also known as King’s Festival) is a celebration with its origin in the Benin Kingdom of Edo State Edo, commonly known as Edo State, is a state located in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. As of 2006 National popula ...

is the most popular of the festivals where the Oba celebrates the history and culture of his people and blesses the land and the people. It is celebrated at a time between Christmas and New Year.

Festival

Benin city has a popular festival called

. The festival is an annual event held in Benin to usher in the new year. The festival is an integral part of the culture of the people in Benin City (formerly referred to as Benin Kingdom or the Kingdom of Benin). The festival is believed to renew Oba Ewuare magical powers and it celebration comes between Christmas and New Year celebrations. The festival includes the Oba's blessing of the land and his people. Aside the cultural festival, the city also play host to the Benin City Film Festival. The festival create room for the promotion of works produced by local film community. It also promote contents of National and International emerging filmmakers to showcase their works in an environment where they have access to experienced industry professionals.

Bini market days

The "Bini" people have four market days: Ekioba, Ekenaka, Agbado, and Eken.

Transportation

Benin Airport serves the city with three commercial airlines flying to it, including Arik Air, Air Peace and Azman.

Gallery

File:Ameosa Motors, Benin City Edo State,.jpg File:Baptist College of Theology, Benin City, Edo State.jpg File:Baptist High School Main Entrance, Benin Edo state.jpg File:Baptist Secreteriat, Benin Edo state.jpg File:Edo Specialist Hospital, Benin City, Edo State.jpg File:Edo state House of Assembly complex, Benin city3.jpg File:Endurance Education Centre, Benin City.jpg File:Investment House, Benin city, Edo state.jpg File:Nigerian Television Authority, Benin City, Edo State.jpg File:Oba of Benin Palace, Benin, Edo state.jpg File:Oredo Constituency Office, Benin city, Edo State.jpg File:Ovia North East Line, Benin City, Edo State.jpg File:Pension House, Benin city, Edo state.jpg File:Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City Edo State.jpg File:Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City Edo State 01.jpg File:St. Patrick Catholic Church, Ugbowo, Benin City 2.jpg File:St. Patrick Catholic Church, Ugbowo, Benin City.jpg File:Welcome to the Palace of the Oba of Benin signpost, Benin, Edo state.jpg

Notable people

* Godwin Abbe, former Nigerian Minister for Interior and Defence *

Ambrose Folorunsho Alli Ambrose Folorunsho Alli (22 September 1929 – 22 September 1989) was a Nigerian medical professor who served as Executive Governor of the defunct Nigerian state of Bendel State (now the Nigerian states of Edo and Delta (state), Delta) betw ...

, former governor of the defunct Bendel State. He created the Bendel State University now named after him as "

" *

Eghosa Asemota Agbonifo Eghosa Asemota Agbonifo is a Nigerian businessman and serial entrepreneur from Benin City. Education Eghosa was educated at Emotan Primary School, Benin City from 1991-1997. He later proceeded to Negbenebor International School for his second ...

, politician * Anthony Anenih, chairman, the board of trustees (PDP) and Nigeria's former Minister of Works *

Suleiman Braimoh Suleiman Okhaifoede Braimoh Jr. (born October 19, 1989) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League and the Euroleague. He played college basketball for Rice University befo ...

(born 1989), Nigerian-American basketball player in the Israel Basketball Premier League *

Archbishop John Edokpolo John Enoyogiere Edokpolo (9 October 1918 – 17 June 1996) was a Nigerian businessman in the rubber industry and founder of Edokpolo Grammar Schools in Benin City, Nigeria. Edokpolo was also a property developer who created a number of residen ...

, Minister of Trade and Founder of Edokpolor Grammar School *

Francis Edo-Osagie Francis Edo Osagie (1914-1994) was a Nigerian businessman from Benin City. He was born into an elite family; his father worked in the forestry department and was also a farmer in Benin City. Education and career He attended the Baptist primary s ...

, businessman *

Jacob U. Egharevba Chief Jacob U. Egharevba MBE (1893–1981) was a Bini historian and traditional chief whose writings specialized in the history of Benin Kingdom. Life Early life Egharevba was born in Idanre, Ondo State, His father was related to Ohenmwen, Iyase o ...

, Bini historian and traditional chief *

Anthony Enahoro Chief Anthony Eromosele Enahoro (22 July 1923 – 15 December 2010) was one of Nigeria's foremost anti-colonial and pro-democracy activists. He was born the eldest of ten children in Uromi, present-day Edo State of Nigeria. His Esan parents we ...

, anti-colonial and pro-democracy activist and politician * Festus Ezeli, basketball player * Abel Guobadia, former Chairman of Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission *

Benson Idahosa Benson Andrew Idahosa (11 September 1938 – 12 March 1998), was a Charismatic Pentecostal preacher. He is the founder of Church of God Mission International, Archbishop Benson Idahosa was popularly referred to as the father of Pentecostalism ...

, Founder of Church of God Mission International Incorporated and Idahosa World Outreach (IWO) *

Felix Idubor Felix Idubor (1928–1991) was a Nigerian sculptor from Benin City, a city with a rich history of artistic excellence. He was part of a young group of artists in the 1950s and 1960s who raised awareness of the artistic consciousness of African tra ...

, artist * Felix Liberty, musician *

Gabriel Igbinedion Chieftain, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion (born 11 September 1934) is a Nigerian businessman and Nigerian chieftaincy, traditional aristocrat from Okada Town in Edo State. He holds the chieftaincy title of the Esama of the Benin Kingdom. Esama ...

, businessman and Esama of Benin kingdom *

Divine Ikubor Divine Ikubor (born 1 May 2000) professionally known by his stage name Rema, is a Nigerian singer, musician, and rapper. He rose to stardom with the release of the song "Dumebi". In 2019, he later signed a record deal with Jonzing World, a s ...

, known professionally as Rema, musician. *

Festus Iyayi Festus Iyayi (29 September 1947 – 12 November 2013) was a Nigerian leftist writer, best known for advancing his politics through realist novels depicting the socopolitical environment of contemporary Nigeria. He was also a former president of t ...

, novelist and first African to win the Commonwealth Writers Prize *

Suleman Johnson Johnson Suleman (born Johnson Sule; 24 March 1971) is a Nigerian televangelist and the senior pastor and general overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, a church with its headquarters in Auchi, Edo State. After working as an assistant ...

, senior pastor and general overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International *

Godwin Obaseki Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki (born 1 July 1957) is a Nigerian politician and businessman who is currently the Governor of Edo State. He was first elected governor under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the year 2016 where He de ...

, the current governor of

* Samuel Ogbemudia, former governor of the Midwest region of Nigeria and later Bendel state * Sonny Okosun, musician *

Suyi Davies Okungbowa Suyi Davies Okungbowa (born Osasuyi Okungbowa in 1989) is a Nigerian fantasy, science fiction and speculative writer and academic. He is the author of The Nameless Republic epic fantasy trilogy, beginning with ''Son of the Storm'' (Orbit, May 202 ...

, African fantasy and speculative fiction author *

Osasere Orumwense Osasere Orumwense (born June 20, 1954) is a Nigerian academic, author and professor of mechanical engineering. He was the ninth substantive vice-chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or c ...

, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Benin *

Osayuki Godwin Oshodin Osayuki Godwin Oshodin (9 August 1950 – 29 May 2022) was a vice-chancellor of University of Benin (Nigeria), University of Benin. He was professor of health education and published several journals and books concerning health and education. Os ...

, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Benin *

Demi Isaac Oviawe Demi Isaac Oviawe ( ; born 2 November 2000) is an Irish actress. She is best known for her role as Linda Walsh in the RTÉ and BBC comedy '' The Young Offenders'' (2018–2020). In 2017, the '' Irish Examiner'' named Oviawe as one of their an ...

, Ireland-based actress * Chris Oyakhilome, founder and president of Believers LoveWorld Incorporated, also known as

Christ Embassy Christ Embassy (also known as LoveWorld Incorporated or Believers' Loveworld) is a megachurch and Christian denomination founded by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome in 1987. The Church, with the headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria, has since become a global ...

* Modupe Ozolua, cosmetic surgeon * Lilian Salami, Vice-Chancellor of university of Benin *

Victor Uwaifo Victor Efosa Uwaifo (1 March 1941 – 28 August 2021) was a Nigerian musician, writer, sculptor, and musical instrument inventor, university lecturer, music legend, and the first Honorable Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism in Nigeria. ...

, musician

References

Bibliography

* Bondarenko D. M. A Homoarchic Alternative to the Homoarchic State: Benin Kingdom of the Thirteenth - Nineteenth Centuries. '' Social Evolution & History''. 2005. vol. 4, no 2. pp. 18–88.

External links

WorldStatesmen- Nigeria
The Fall of Benin]
Benin kingdom/Edo state tourismStory of cities #5: Benin City, the mighty medieval capital now lost without trace
{{Authority control Benin City, Populated places in Edo State State capitals in Nigeria Cities in Nigeria Sacred sites in traditional African religions