THE MILITARY SYSTEM OF BENIN KINGDOM, c.1440 - 1897

one society to another. Of course, this is understandable because there is considerablediversity in the ways in which military systems have evolved in different societies over longperiods of time in history. To understand the evolution of a particular military system, it isnecessary to consider first, what elements if any, are acting as “driving forces” and second,what level of adaptability is built into the system. In well established polities, the interactionsof political institutions with other components of the society or social system are often themost important elements. Therefore, the survival of any system lies in its ability to adapt toinevitable external and internal changes. A system which does not have the capacity todevelop own or borrow and adapt ideas from elsewhere can hardly survive. The dynamicnature of a system once it has evolved, is reflected in the complexity of its development. Itexhibits some, if not all, of these features: first, the institutionalisation of the units; second, thedevelopment of a larger and more diverse task environment; third, the incorporation of newtechnologies; fourth, the use of the services of specialised personnel in order to attainorganisational effectiveness.As this study shows, from c.1440 AD, and throughout the different phases of thedevelopment of the Benin polity up to the conquest by the British in 1897, the organisation ofthe army and subsequent reforms, were reflections of the attempts to institutionalise themilitary and create a more diverse task for the Benin army. Several factors were responsiblefor this development and have been discussed in the various chapters of this work. As theresult of this research shows, c.1440 was a critical turning point in the history of Benin. Theinterpretations of the pattern and significance of the events in the phase before that date, andthe phase afterwards, throws some light on the significant new perspectives in the stateformation process, not least of which was the change in the character of Benin expansion andwarfare. Subsequently, the military system of Benin began to witness the incorporation ofnew technologies, especially the use of firearms and gunpowder, and the services ofspecialised personnel as seen in the use of Portuguese mercenaries This was further enhancedwith the division of some of the regiments of the Benin army into specialised units of archersand bowmen or crossbowmen.The historical developments in the core Benin region, partly affected the organisationof the army and all other units or elements that were necessary for the success of the militarysystem. In the phase before c.1440 AD, the kingdom of Benin had disintegrated into threeseparate mini states after the collapse of the Ogiso dynasty. The mini states were Udo in thewest, Ugu in the southeast, and what was left of the old Benin kingdom in the capital andOrganisation and Society. London; P. Blau and W. Scott, 1962, Formal and Informal Organisations. San20