Short History Of Benin and Culture

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Short History Of Benin and Culture
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Benin was the seat of one of the great medieval African kingdoms. During the 13th century, the indigenous Edo people were run by a group of local chieftains. However, by the 15th century, a single ruler, known as the oba, had asserted control.

Under the dynasty established by Ewuare the Great, Benin's territory expanded to cover a region between the Niger river delta and what is now the Nigerian city of Lagos. The obas brought great prosperity and a highly organised state to Benin.

French takeover and colonisation came in 1872. In 1904, the territory was incorporated into French West Africa as Dahomey. On 4 December 1958, it became the République du Dahomey, self-governing within the French community and gained full independence from France on 1 August 1960.

A succession of military coups brought about many changes of government; the last of these brought to power Major Mathieu Kérékou. The new ruler, who was at the head of a regime professing strict Marxist-Leninist principles, remained in power until the beginning of the 1990s, when the Kérékou government introduced a new democratic constitution and held presidential and legislative elections.

Kérékou's principal opponent at the presidential poll and the ultimate victor was Prime Minister Nicéphore Soglo.

Benin was the first country in the 1990s to successfully effect the transition from dictatorship to a pluralistic political system.

Political newcomer Yayi Boni won the second round of presidential elections in March 2006, gaining more than 74% of the vote. His rival was the former parliamentary speaker, Adrien Houngbedji. Mathieu Kérékou, his predecessor, was barred by the constitution from running for a third term as he was over the age limit of 70. Benin's president heads the government, the state and the military and appoints members of the cabinet.