The Edo people of the Midwestern region of Nigeria believe every living thing has an Ehi (mystical or spirit twin). The Ehi ensures that the uhimwen, self-predestination of the lifespan of an entity on earth, is adhered to precisely as the entity had avowed the day it was created by the supreme creator God. The Edo perceive the Ehi as a guide, guard and witness to the earthly journey of the entity. Ugbine is a small town located a few kilometres west of Benin City and was thrust into the limelight of European history by an incident which took place there on January 4, 1897. Summon My Ehi To Ugbine is the story of the events that led to the defeat and destruction of a clandestine and unauthorised British invasion force on January 4, 1897, at Ugbine, a small town a few kilometres west of Benin City. Mr J.R. Phillips, acting Consul General of the Niger Coast Protectorate, led the invasion force. This defeat and destruction of the British invasion force, which became universally known as the Benin Massacre, gave the British government the much-needed excuse to invade Benin City earlier than was planned. To justify the invasion of Benin City, the British government embarked on a disinformation campaign that the destruction of the invasion force was an unprovoked killing of seven unarmed British envoys and traders on a peaceful mission to Benin City by a group of Benin chiefs. The story is neither a history reference book nor a critique of any publication of the Ugbine incident. Neither is it my personal nor an Edo view of the events,1892-1896, that led to the incident, the subsequent invasion, plundering and razing of Benin City and the reign of terror the British unleashed on the Edo people from 1897 to 1899. Also, it is not an expose of these events because those who consciously or unconsciously initiated, orchestrated and executed this tragic and painful chapter of the history of Benin, recorded and told the story long ago. For 127 years, except for three writers, historians, and art historians, including internationally renowned publications, have retold this story based on the British government disinformation template. Sadly, they retold the story(each with a different flavour) of the events shamelessly, prejudiced and massively distorted. Summon My Ehi To Ugbine is a let-the-truth-be-heard story. And nothing more.

Long before people could turn to books for instruction and amusement, they relied upon storytellers for answers to their questions about life. Africa boasts a particularly rich oral tradition, in which the griot — village historian — preserved and passed along cultural beliefs and experiences from one generation to the next. This collection of 30 timeless fables comes from the storytellers of Nigeria, whose memorable narratives tell of promises kept and broken, virtue rewarded, and treachery punished. Ajapa the Tortoise — a trickster, or animal with human qualities — makes frequent appearances among the colorful cast of talking animals. In "Tortoise Goes Wooing," he learns a valuable lesson in friendship and sharing. Ajapa's further adventures describe how, among other things, he became a chief, acquired all of the world's wisdom, saved the king, tricked the lion, and came to be bald. Recounted in simple but evocative language, these ancient tales continue to enchant readers and listeners of all ages.

This collection of R. E. Bradbury's papers, originally published in 1973 includes edited sections of his (then hitherto) unpublished thesis on the Benin village in Western Nigeria. The book is arranged in 3 parts: historical and political studies of the kingdom of Benin; Benin village organization and religion and art. An introduction by Peter Morton-Williams traces bradbury's development as an interpreter of the culture, society and art of Benin, beginning with his first studies in the filed and culminating in the important anthropological and historical essays.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Walk into any European museum today and you will see the curated spoils of Empire. They sit behind plate glass: dignified, tastefully lit. Accompanying pieces of card offer a name, date and place of origin. They do not mention that the objectsare all stolen. Few artefacts embody this history of rapacious and extractive colonialism better than the Benin Bronzes - a collection of thousands of brass plaques and carved ivory tusks depicting the history of the Royal Court of the Obas of BeninCity, Nigeria. Pillaged during a British naval attack in 1897, the loot was passed on to Queen Victoria, the British Museum and countless private collections. The story of the Benin Bronzes sits at the heart of a heated debate about cultural restitution, repatriation and the decolonisation of museums. In The Brutish Museums, Dan Hicks makes a powerful case for the urgent return of such objects, as part of a wider project of addressing the outstanding debt of colonialism.