THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN THE RURAL AREAS OF BENIN CITY, NIGERIA

- July 22, 2021

Benin City is the capital of Edo State in southern Nigeria. It is approximately 40 km (25 miles) north of the Benin River. Formerly known as Benin Kingdom, the city is one of the most ancient in the whole of Africa, standing partly as the remains of what was once a powerful and famous African Empire during the 15^th and 16^th centuries. From its rich cultural attractions and traditions to its colorful festivals and world-renowned art, here are the best things to see and do when in town.

THE ROYAL PALACE OF THE OBA OF BENIN

Monastery

The palace, which was declared one of Nigeria‘s UNESCO Listed Heritage sites in 1999, is an architectural wonder. The Oba of Benin is the traditional ruler of the Edo people, and his palace has sacred cultural significance. The palace, which is centrally situated at the heart of the city, was erected by Oba Ewedo (1255 – 1280). It was later rebuilt by Oba Eweka II (1914 – 1932) after the 1897 war. A palace visit comes with dos and don’ts as regards traditions – one of the restrictions includes no wearing of black clothing, as black represents mourning and the Oba is seen as a deity who has no reason to mourn. Others include whistling (which is seen as summoning evil spirits) or pointing at the Oba or his chiefs, while dogs are not allowed due to sacrificial reasons. A tour guide will come in very handy to fully enjoy the experience.

BENIN CITY NATIONAL MUSEUM

Benin City National MuseumIC is home to a large number of Nigeria’s terracotta, bronze, and cast iron artefacts. In the 1940s, what was then the museum was privately located in the Oba’s Palace. It was relocated in the 1970s and became a public center. The museum holds three galleries and is one of the largest museums in terms of indigenous artefacts in Nigeria, making it a must-visit for history and cultural lovers.

OKOMU NATIONAL PARK

Okomu National Park is the smallest of the forest reserves in Nigeria, and is a forest block that covers 1,082 sq km (418 sq miles). The park holds a remnant of the Nigerian lowland forests that once formed a continuous 50-100 km (31-62 mile)-wide belt from the Niger River west to the Dahomey Gap in Benin. Home to buffaloes, red river hogs, chimpanzees, leopards, bush baby, putty nosed guenon, porcupine, pangolins, duikers, and antelopes, it is also a sanctuary for the white-throated monkey, one of the rarest in the world. Bird watchers and butterfly lovers will find this a magical place.

THE BENIN MOAT

Construction of the Benin Moat, also known as ‘Iya’, is estimated to have started as early as 800AD, and was finally completed around 1460. The moat dug by the Edo people was constructed as a defensive barrier against external forces during the times of war, took an estimated 150 million hours of digging to construct – it encircles the city covering 6,500 sq km (2,510 sq miles). The moat is four times longer than the Great Wall of China and is said to be the largest single archaeological phenomenon in the world.