Benin

Former African kingdom 1200-1897, now a province of Nigeria known as Edo; population (1991 est) 2,172,000. It reached the height of its power in the 14th-17th centuries when it ruled the area between the Niger Delta and Lagos. The province trades in timber and rubber.

Benin traded in spices, ivory, palm oil, and slaves until its decline and eventual incorporation into Nigeria. The oba (ruler) of Benin continues to rule his people as a divine monarch. The inhabitants (Bini) are Edo-speakers.

Artworks honouring the Oba of Benin were looted by a British military expedition in 1897. They included cast bronzes and carved wood and ivories and have since found their way into museums and into the hands of collectors worldwide. (See African art.)