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151 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett
The front wall ran in a straight line along the Sapoba to Gilli Gilli road, almost Northwest
and South-east for about 500 yards, and it was called OBOLOBA. The quarter
behind it was called IDUMIWEBO, part of which is situated near to the OBA. The second
wall was called OZAMOKO, while the quarter behind it was that of the Eunuchs, called
URUKPOTA. The third wall was called UGOHE and the quarter behind it UGWOZOLA.
Here the late OBA had a tin house built upon iron pillars, and it was in this quarter
where people wishing to see him had to wait. There is a deep pit here and another just
behind the present cemetery these pits are called IRIDIAWÃ1.
I never saw the palace, and cannot therefore describe it, but while wandering about its
ruins I have come across holes in the ground some 15 feet deep, which were in some of
the divisions of the palace, and were used by the late OBA as the burial place of those
visitors whom he did not wish to see again.
The people still dig amongst the ruins of the palace for the bronzes the OBA and his
followers valued so much. Mr. Erdmann, a well known German trader, on his last visit to
Benin City informed me that he had seen the palace just after its roof had been burnt off
and had taken many photographs of it. He said that the bronzes were ranged along the
walls and served as historical symbols, reminding the historian of the chief events of the
past history of the BINI people. Unfortunately this much-respected trader died on his
way home in the year, 1904.
Inside the first or second wall was the tree under which people were sacrificed to the
Rain power, this ceremony was called AIYAWOMANAMI.
People were sacrificed to the Sun76 power under the UBOGWE tree which once stood
just in front of the first wall outside the Compound. Where murderers are now hung
under the OKHA and ULOHE trees near to IMARAN's quarter the ceremonies connected
with the new Yam Juju were commenced.
And in the ODERIE where there is now a fowl house, and under the IKHIMI tree cows
were sacrificed.
What we know now as the Sapeli Road was called UBOKA, while just outside the
Residency on the Sapoba Road there was a place and a tree to which people used to be
tied called the OGYUWO. Along one side of the IKPOBA road there are the ruins of a line
of blacksmiths' shops, and blacksmiths are still found in different parts of the city
working in iron and brass. The present productions in brass are rough and crude, but
there are some artists who sculpture very well in clay, and so ornament the pillars in
some of the houses of the Benin City Chiefs. Carvers in wood also exist, but the ivory
carvers cannot be compared to those of Luango south of the Equator.
Upon showing the photos of bronzes and ivory in the "Antiquities of Benin" to certain
chiefs, their surprise and satisfaction was very great, and they were glad to think that
76 This was called AIYAWOMANUKBO
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