WOMEN AND THE ECONOMY OF PRE-COLONIAL
CHAPTER ONEÂ
INTRODUCTION: THE GEOGRAPHY AND PEOPLE OF BENINÂ
This work is on women and economy of precolonial Benin. This chapter is an introductory study of the geography and people of Benin. Benin was one of the states known for its remarkable civilization and development in the Guinea Forest. Benin was one of the most famous kingdom in the forest region of West Africa and that includes her political system. Scholars and writers alike have shown interest in the history of Benin particularly its participation to the world civilization. It is quite fascinating to known that the Benin history of all the pre-colonial African States, in the most mentioned in contemporary European literature and arts. This chapter centers on the geography and the peoples of Benin.
Geographically, pre-colonial Benin kingdom was located in the forest region of what is now modern Nigeria in West Africa sub-region. This kingdom was not a single administration unit, and its boundaries cannot be precisely drawn.1 The term territory of Benin Kingdom is with the present Orodo, Ovia North-East, Ovia South-West, Uhunmwonde, Orhionmwon and Ikpoba Okha Local Govenrent Areas of Edo State. At the height of its power, the influence of Benin was recorded to have extended westward along the coast of Eko which is present day Lagos and beyond, westwards to Ekiti and beyond which marked the boundary between Benin and Oyo Empire, eastwards to the River Niger as well as the Igbo speaking areas and beyond, and southward to the Atlantic Ocean. The area of pre-colonial Benin had a continuous expansion and that was because Benin was involved with lot of warfare. Warfare and conquering of kingdoms are part of the key answers to empire building. The area does not correspond with what was left of the empire since the European conquest of the kingdom in 1897.2
Evidence have proved that for upwards of three millennium, people speaking varieties of Edo languages (Benin) have occupied an area, some thirty one thousand square kilometer (31,000sqkm) and that is about twelve thousand square miles (12,000skm). It extends to the west of the River Niger in present day Southern Nigeria. From the people, the Kingdom of Benin was established. Still on the linguistics and cultural evidence was the fact that Benin was called differently by her surrounding immediate neighbours. Their Yoruba neighbours called them ‘Ado’, while the Igbo’s to the east called them ‘Idu’, among their southern neighbours, the Urhobo’s called them ‘Aka’ while the Ijaw called them ‘Ado’ and the Itsekiri call them ‘Ubini’.
It is quite unreasonable to suppose that the Edo’s living in the Benin area in pre-dynastic times were organized socially and politically in a manner that has remained typical of that people.
Cosmologically, the Binis believe in the most high God who they call ‘Osanobua’ or Osanoghodua. They were engaged in atonement of sins and lifting of curses as well as the worship of other smaller gods or deities.
