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Kingdom divided · 1897–1915

Benin’s lands divided

With the Oba in exile, Britain governed Benin City through a Resident and a native council of chiefs, and the lands that had once answered to Benin were parcelled out among separate British units: Esan and the Asaba hinterland as divisions of their own, the Itsekiri and Urhobo country under Warri, and Akure, Owo and the Ekiti towns with the Yoruba provinces (Ondo Province from 1915).

See it on the old map

Overview

With the Oba in exile, Britain governed Benin City through a Resident and a native council of chiefs, and the lands that had once answered to Benin were parcelled out among separate British units: Esan and the Asaba hinterland as divisions of their own, the Itsekiri and Urhobo country under Warri, and Akure, Owo and the Ekiti towns with the Yoruba provinces (Ondo Province from 1915). Eweka II was restored in 1914, but the old empire’s lands stayed divided.[1],[2],[3]Medium confidence

Unit names follow Southern Nigeria about 1914–1915; the boundaries moved several times after 1897 and are simplified to today’s LGAs.

Who took part

What happened

  1. 1897–1914 · Benin City

    A city without its king

    A British Resident and a council of chiefs rule from Benin City while the Oba lives in exile at Calabar.

Kingdoms involved

Sources

Every claim carries a confidence level: high (well attested), medium (one source or approximate) or disputed (sources disagree).

  1. Wikipedia contributors. Kingdom of Benin
  2. Wikipedia contributors. Benin Expedition of 1897
  3. Wikipedia contributors. Eweka II (cited elsewhere, not yet checked directly)