SOCIO ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF WOMEN IN OVAH COMMUNITY

SUMMARY

This study aimed to discuss the history of Ovah Community in precolonial times, specifically in the 18th and 19th century. The research began by examining the origins of the Benin Kingdom, a powerful empire that existed in what is now southern Nigeria. The history of the Benin Kingdom was viewed from multiple perspectives, including the debate over the origin of the name "Benin" and the question of whether the kingdom's people were indigenous or migrants. The origin of the name "Benin" has been a topic of much debate among scholars. Some propose that the name is of alien origin, however, the exact origin is still subject to argument. According to some theories, the name "Benin" could have been derived from the Portuguese term "Binin" which was used to describe the kingdom and its people during the precolonial era. Other theories suggest that the name "Benin" is of indigenous origin and was used by the kingdom's people to refer to themselves.

The first proposed theory suggests that the Benin people were always there and that the kingdom was an indigenous development. The second theory, however, suggests that the Benin people were migrants who came from other parts of West Africa. Both positions are however subject to further investigation. The key problem with the migration theory is that this would credit the African civilization to Caucasians and as such is deemed as a Eurocentric and Westernized perspective.