question 5

(a)   i    Name three Benin rulers in the 19th Century.
        ii.   Name three vassal states of Benin in the 19th century
(b)  Identify three problems faced by Benin in the 19th Century.

This was a very unpopular question and the few candidates who attempted it performed poorly.  The 19th century Benin rulers included:  Oba Osemwede, Obanosa, Adolo and Ovonramwen while the vassal states included: Lagos, Ekiti, Itsekiri, Afemai, Ishana and Urhobo.
 To score high marks in  (b) part, the candidates were expected to identify the following  points:

• succession disputes;
• extensive size of the empire;
• weakness of the army;
• the rise of Ibadan which challenged Benin’s authority in her vassal states of Ekiti and Akure;
• presence of the British in Lagos, etc.