Evidence given by witnesses (both sides British Government and the king and his chiefs) during the trial of the king and his chiefs enable us to piece together the true sequence of events and the reasoning behind actions taken by each person.
These are the actual statements made by each person regarding the Benin Massacre.
Obahawaie
Whenever anything happened, the king would call the chiefs and tell them¹, and they did what they thought fit. We were in this town about five days before the massacre, having a big play, when we heard that white men were coming with war. The king then called the people², and told them ' the white man is bringing war—now if you go you must not fight with him—let them come, and if they like they can come and see me and say anything they have to say. Perhaps they are coming to play [to pay a friendly visit] ; you do not know, you must allow them to come and if it is war, we will find out.' " ³
He went so far as to say that the king had even offered kola nuts to lyasheri, begging him not to fight the white men.
Usu
Usu likewise defended the king, saying : " The king called me and sent me to tell the people not to kill the white men. If they brought war to catch the king, or they came to play with him, the people must allow them to come. The king said since he was born there had not been any white men killed in Benin city, so no white man must be killed." He said that Ologbosheri had countermanded the king's orders, saying lyasheri had threatened to kill him if the white men were not killed.
Ugiagbe
Ugiagbe told the court he was stationed at Egbini, in order that when a white man came from the Jekries he could take him to the king and bring him back. Ojuma had also been sent to fight. He was not sent by the king.
Omaregboma
Omaregboma, who was stationed at Gwato to take white men to the king, said : " Ohebo came and met me at Gwato, and told me that the chiefs sent him to say that they had heard that plenty white men were coming, and I must send to tell the king what they brought. ³
Ohebo had not come from Benin city yet when the white men came, and I allowed them a room where they put all their things, so I asked Ohebo to look at the things that the white men brought.
They had neither guns nor swords. The only cutlasses that the carriers had were tied up and put in the launch; I made Ohebo look at them so that he could tell the chiefs what they wanted when he came to Benin city. It was evening, so the white men slept at Gwato and in the morning they started for Benin City.
Idiaie
Idiaie's evidence was to the effect that he was sent by the white man, who gave him a message with a stick to hand to the king.
Chief Aro
The great chief Aro told the court that the Jekries sent word to Benin that the white men were coming with war, at which news the king was much concerned, as since the time of his grandfather, no white man had made war against Benin ; neither the king nor Ojumo wished to fight. There was some doubt as to the white man sending sometime beforehand saying he was coming.
Consul General Phillips
Mr. Phillips writes this letter this evening. It is to be his last letter:
As things are turning out I think we shall be back within the fortnight from the start. We have been threatened and solemnly warned at every step that the soldiers of the King of Benin are waiting to fire upon us if we dare to land at Gwato. So much so that in a moment of panic I sent back the Band for which I am sorry now. However, here we are. We have had a palaver with the representatives of the Benin standing army which ended in great hilarity and general good will and they propose to accompany us at daybreak to the City of Benin. Chief Dore did his level best to frighten us out of going and all the interpreters etc. are in league together to keep us back but so far we have had no opposition to talk and I don’t think we shall have any at all. ⁴
Footnotes
¹This provides evidence on how the Benin royal administration worked. The king of Benin ruled through his chiefs.
² This is further evidence on how the king and his chiefs involved the people in decisions making. On 30th December when Mr. Phillips sent his message that he was on his way to visit, all the people were involved in composing a response to him. They agreed to monitor developments. Mr. Phillips then substantiated the Jakri (Itsekiri’s) information that the white men were bring war by the sheer numbers of personnel he had coming with him. Albeit he wanted ‘to make a show.’ As Mr. Boisragon has disclosed.
³ The chiefs made efforts to gather more information on Mr. Phillips mission. Whilst intelligence from Benin border guards were accurate, the Jakris and other carriers reported what they had seen with their own eyes. The situation was not helped by Mr. Phillips making every effort to show off his carriers, stores and white men and their roles.
Omaregboma with other soldiers searched their luggage during the night and found no war weapons. However, this was not the impression that Mr. Phillips had given to everyone throughout.
⁴ This letter is very telling and one cannot help but feel some sympathy for Mr. Phillips who success of the expedition is very important to. His mindset must have been, ‘I have come this far and I am not prepared to back down now particularly as my very experienced colleagues believe that this should be nothing but successful; Consul General Moor and Captain Gallwey have said so and Vice Consul Campbell has made all the arrangements.’ But Phillips failed to reckon with how the king works with his chiefs to rule the people. ₁
References
1) Boisragon A, The Benin Massacre, 1897, pages 76 – 89
2) THE BENIN MASSACRE ITS PROBABLE CAUSE. Hobart Newspaper (3rd March 1897), page 3. Retrieved from http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/9392982 ₁
3) THE BENIN MASSACRE - WHY THE EXPEDITION WENT TO BENIN;
Publication: Guardian 1821 - 2000; Date: Jan 18, 1897, Section: None; Page 5.
4) Roth, H. L, Great Benin, 1903, app xiv – xv
5) Roth H.L.,Transcript of the Trial of the king, (appendix 11); 1903
6) Roth H. L Transcript of the Trial of Ologbosheri; 27 June 1899, (appendix xviii); 1903
These are the actual statements made by each person regarding the Benin Massacre.
Obahawaie
Whenever anything happened, the king would call the chiefs and tell them¹, and they did what they thought fit. We were in this town about five days before the massacre, having a big play, when we heard that white men were coming with war. The king then called the people², and told them ' the white man is bringing war—now if you go you must not fight with him—let them come, and if they like they can come and see me and say anything they have to say. Perhaps they are coming to play [to pay a friendly visit] ; you do not know, you must allow them to come and if it is war, we will find out.' " ³
He went so far as to say that the king had even offered kola nuts to lyasheri, begging him not to fight the white men.
Usu
Usu likewise defended the king, saying : " The king called me and sent me to tell the people not to kill the white men. If they brought war to catch the king, or they came to play with him, the people must allow them to come. The king said since he was born there had not been any white men killed in Benin city, so no white man must be killed." He said that Ologbosheri had countermanded the king's orders, saying lyasheri had threatened to kill him if the white men were not killed.
Ugiagbe
Ugiagbe told the court he was stationed at Egbini, in order that when a white man came from the Jekries he could take him to the king and bring him back. Ojuma had also been sent to fight. He was not sent by the king.
Omaregboma
Omaregboma, who was stationed at Gwato to take white men to the king, said : " Ohebo came and met me at Gwato, and told me that the chiefs sent him to say that they had heard that plenty white men were coming, and I must send to tell the king what they brought. ³
Ohebo had not come from Benin city yet when the white men came, and I allowed them a room where they put all their things, so I asked Ohebo to look at the things that the white men brought.
They had neither guns nor swords. The only cutlasses that the carriers had were tied up and put in the launch; I made Ohebo look at them so that he could tell the chiefs what they wanted when he came to Benin city. It was evening, so the white men slept at Gwato and in the morning they started for Benin City.
Idiaie
Idiaie's evidence was to the effect that he was sent by the white man, who gave him a message with a stick to hand to the king.
Chief Aro
The great chief Aro told the court that the Jekries sent word to Benin that the white men were coming with war, at which news the king was much concerned, as since the time of his grandfather, no white man had made war against Benin ; neither the king nor Ojumo wished to fight. There was some doubt as to the white man sending sometime beforehand saying he was coming.
Consul General Phillips
Mr. Phillips writes this letter this evening. It is to be his last letter:
As things are turning out I think we shall be back within the fortnight from the start. We have been threatened and solemnly warned at every step that the soldiers of the King of Benin are waiting to fire upon us if we dare to land at Gwato. So much so that in a moment of panic I sent back the Band for which I am sorry now. However, here we are. We have had a palaver with the representatives of the Benin standing army which ended in great hilarity and general good will and they propose to accompany us at daybreak to the City of Benin. Chief Dore did his level best to frighten us out of going and all the interpreters etc. are in league together to keep us back but so far we have had no opposition to talk and I don’t think we shall have any at all. ⁴
Footnotes
¹This provides evidence on how the Benin royal administration worked. The king of Benin ruled through his chiefs.
² This is further evidence on how the king and his chiefs involved the people in decisions making. On 30th December when Mr. Phillips sent his message that he was on his way to visit, all the people were involved in composing a response to him. They agreed to monitor developments. Mr. Phillips then substantiated the Jakri (Itsekiri’s) information that the white men were bring war by the sheer numbers of personnel he had coming with him. Albeit he wanted ‘to make a show.’ As Mr. Boisragon has disclosed.
³ The chiefs made efforts to gather more information on Mr. Phillips mission. Whilst intelligence from Benin border guards were accurate, the Jakris and other carriers reported what they had seen with their own eyes. The situation was not helped by Mr. Phillips making every effort to show off his carriers, stores and white men and their roles.
Omaregboma with other soldiers searched their luggage during the night and found no war weapons. However, this was not the impression that Mr. Phillips had given to everyone throughout.
⁴ This letter is very telling and one cannot help but feel some sympathy for Mr. Phillips who success of the expedition is very important to. His mindset must have been, ‘I have come this far and I am not prepared to back down now particularly as my very experienced colleagues believe that this should be nothing but successful; Consul General Moor and Captain Gallwey have said so and Vice Consul Campbell has made all the arrangements.’ But Phillips failed to reckon with how the king works with his chiefs to rule the people. ₁
References
1) Boisragon A, The Benin Massacre, 1897, pages 76 – 89
2) THE BENIN MASSACRE ITS PROBABLE CAUSE. Hobart Newspaper (3rd March 1897), page 3. Retrieved from http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/9392982 ₁
3) THE BENIN MASSACRE - WHY THE EXPEDITION WENT TO BENIN;
Publication: Guardian 1821 - 2000; Date: Jan 18, 1897, Section: None; Page 5.
4) Roth, H. L, Great Benin, 1903, app xiv – xv
5) Roth H.L.,Transcript of the Trial of the king, (appendix 11); 1903
6) Roth H. L Transcript of the Trial of Ologbosheri; 27 June 1899, (appendix xviii); 1903