THE INDIGENOUS TECHNOLOGY OF PRE-COLONIAL BENIN

SUMMARY

If all the theories of tradition of origin of Benin people, none has been generally accepted as been her one true tradition of origin, rather several divergent theories shrouded in myths and “what ifs” are continually professed as been the traditions of origin of the Benin kingdom. However, on the certain fact is that the Benin people invested in their present abode for centuries. Nevertheless, the kingdom emerged at about 900AD, under the dynasty of sky-kings the Ogiso dynasty. The Ogiso era came to an abrupt and after the banishment of the headless Ogiso Owodo. A republican government was introduced to fill gap, but the administration soon became unpopular. The save the polity of the kingdom from that collapse, delegation was sent to Ife, requesting that a leader be sent to the Benin kingdom. The delegated ruler – Oranmiyan was unable to rule over the Benin people. After some years, he left the kingdom, leaving a long lasting legacy on the ruling house of the Benin kingdom, his son Eweka who began the second ruling dynasty. Nevertheless, an evaluation of the socio-political and economic structures of the state depicts how all facets of the Benin society revolved around the Oba and how these structures ensured the prompt collection of taxes and tributes for the economic well being of the Oba.