Architecture of Unforgetting

The Invasion of Benin The Maxim Gun was the first fully automatic machine gun in the world. First conceived in 1882 by Hiram Maxim, the gun was the era's most deadly weapon and it is no surprise that its release happened about the same time the Europeans had their 'scramble for Africa' meeting as this deadly weapon was primarily used first on Africans, then elsewhere in Asia and the South Pacific.  Though the inventor of the Maxim Gun was American, the gun was so effective in Britain slaughter at the so-called 'colonies', Queen Victoria bestowed a knighthood on the inventor in 1900. For the invasion of Benin Empire, the English were particularly eager to use this new weapons of mass destruction, bringing as many as 14 into the kingdom from Gwatto, with twice as much (i.e. 24 more) waiting on the ships at the port of (Gwatto) should need be.  Following the 14 deadly maxim guns into Benin City on that week in 1897 was a stronghold of 1400 soldiers (largely ‘Krewmen’n—...

The Benin plaque as actual document, and as cinema. Though the saying of the ancient Edo that ‘War is not beautiful’ has survived to date, the Edo Benin plaques are curiously in a contrary, even singular obsession with war and artefacts of war. In the plaque here is a narrative of the end of a successful war, with the king as warrior-king. This plaque would have been critically produced perhaps at the news of the crier/announcer, meaning ahead of the king's victorious return.  The economy of Benin plaques' interest in war was largely as courtly objects -- as the beautiful depiction of events -- and how these provided livelihood for the guilds (which were not only ancient but remained within generations of artisan Edo-speaking families). More importantly however,  in their proper roles as documents  and  documentation of history in real time, where history was about the upkeep of the mystery and power of the king (and consequently the Edo Benin themselves, since the k...

EXCERPTS OF AN ADDRESS GIVEN APRIL 29 2022 BY THE BENIN MONARCH OBA EWUARE II DURING A VISIT TO PRESIDENT BUHARI, ABUJA NIGERIA Purpose: To thank the president over his support and encouragement regarding the return of 2 items of the stolen Benin artefacts from foreign countries and to present to the president members of the board of the upcoming Benin Royal Museum. Excerpts: His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President and Commander-In-Chief Of The Armed Forces Of The Federal Republic Of Nigeria First of all, we must thank the Almighty God and our ancestors for making this thank-you visit to our dear President possible today, after previous attempts proved unsuccessful, due to Your Excellency’s very busy schedule. As they say God’s time is the best, Mr. President, for finding time to receive us now despite your very tight schedule, we say thank you immensely. Mr. President, sir I bring warm greetings from the Benin Royal Family, the Benin Traditional Institution and the good peo...

Judging from the British Museum’s page, the primary purpose for the #EMOWAA project is continued colonial custody of repatriated Benin artefacts, and the custody as well of any archeological excavations in Benin, which they the British, in the name of the said proposed ‘EMOWAA’, intend on taking as on as some kind of inventory, thus continuing Britain’s legacy of looting by another name.  We are asking @governorobaseki to be clear and transparent on this difference, by which we mean, what exactly is intended for his proposed ‘EMOWAA’.  Clearly, the Oba’s Benin Royal Museum and this British Museum’s ‘emowaa’ are not the same proposal. Yet, the governor keeps failing to state exactly as much.  The 1897 artefacts do not belong to the Edo State government nor to the federation of Nigeria but rather to the spiritual and ancestral heritage of the Benin People, through the ancestral and legitimate representative of the Benin people, the Oba of Benin.  The artefacts from 189...