Info For Yous Nana Olomu: The Bully Nigerian Millionaire Crude Magnate Of The 19Th Century, Nationalist As Well As An Itsekiri Primary Who Was The Governor Of Benin River
Nana Olomu (1852–1916) was an Itsekiri chief, Palm Oil Super Magnate, nationalist as well as a fighter from the Niger Delta portion of southern Nigeria. He was the quaternary Itsekiri main to concur the seat of Governor of Republic of Benin River. As a powerful nineteenth Century indigenous entrepreneur as well as greatest millionaire, Nana who lived inwards a creek close the oral fissure of the Republic of Benin River as well as Oba Ovonramwen of Benin were the 2 powerful Africans that successfully prevented European penetration of the hinterland of the Republic of Benin as well as the nearby rivers.
Nana was respected as well as feared for his wealth as well as power, as well as the Oba of Republic of Benin for his suzerainty as well as juju power. Most Urhobo people did non believe that the Oba could be, as well as inwards fact live on captured yesteryear the white-man, because of their belief inwards his juju mightiness to transform himself into a spirit.
Nana Olomu was the final of a serial of governors that started amongst the installation of Chief Idiare inwards 1851 yesteryear John Beecroft who was appointed inwards 1849 yesteryear the British Government equally Consul for the Bights of Republic of Benin as well as Biafra. Chief Idiare, along amongst Idibofun, Olomu (Nana's father), as well as a host of other elders later signed a treaty amongst Beecroft to protect merchandise inwards the area. Nana succeeded his father, Olomu of Ologbotsere, equally governor. It was a historical fact that Numa of Batere Emaye menage unit of measurement who was expected to succeed Olomu, is believed to remove maintain raised his son, Dogho (Dore Numa), to avenge the disgrace to his menage unit of measurement when Nana got the nod. Dogho (Dore Numa) an imperialist stooge was later to furnish valuable assist that the British needed to defeat Nana.
Nana`s wealth was an inherited 1 but he managed to expand his trouble concern through his shrewd trouble concern acumen yesteryear monopolizing trade. As a reflection of the grandeur of his achievements, Nana built a magnificent building at the plough of the century. It houses his personal effects as well as evidence of his contact amongst the Queen, administrators as well as traders of the British Empire. Many European Merchants, Missionaries, Explorers as well as Consular Officers who visited the Republic of Benin River inwards the instant one-half of the final century, as well as had occasion to come across Chief Nana, had goose egg but groovy admiration for his outstanding personality, intelligence, wealth as well as hospitality. His mightiness to utter the Urhobo linguistic communication coupled amongst his liberality won for him the favour of practically all Urhobo traders on the River. He, of course, had plenty forcefulness to convey to submission whatsoever 1 who was so unreasonably stubborn equally to interfere amongst his merchandise anywhere. For many years, he concentrated his commercial activities on the Urhobo fossil oil markets until he practically established a perfect monopoly over all the fossil oil markets.
Indeed, Nana was credited amongst having a fleet of 200 merchandise canoes as well as some other 100 state of war canoes amongst the mightiness to muster 20,000 state of war boys. In fact, after his defeat inwards 1884, the arms seized inwards Ebrohimi included 106 cannons, 445 blunderbusses, 640 guns,10 revolvers, inwards add-on to 1640 kegs of gunpowder as well as 2500 rounds of machine gun ammunition (Ikime 1966:41). Therefore, in that location was no uncertainty that his impressive armed services machine, enormous wealth as well as groovy influence were critical factors inwards his virtual monopoly of the palm fossil oil trade.
Major Claude Macdonald, the British Commissioner as well as Consul General for Oil Rivers Protectorate inwards 1887 who in 1 lawsuit reported that Nana was “a human being possessed of groovy mightiness as well as wealth, astute, energetic as well as intelligent” (Ikime 1966:44), wrongly defendant him wrongly defendant him of: disrupting commercial activities inwards the Niger Delta, of terrorizing the Urhobo as well as turning them against the British, of engaging inwards the inhuman
traffic inwards slaves, as well as the most blatant lie, of practising human sacrifice (Ikime 1980:278). But equally it was to live on revealed Nana’s existent offence, however, was that his wealth, seat as well as mightiness gave him considerable influence over the areas surrounding the Republic of Benin River as well as the Warri district, thereby making the penetration
of British traders to live on extremely hard if non impossible.
By the destination of 1893, the Vice Consuls at Republic of Benin River had started to bill the Chief of gross disloyalty to the Government; but his actions, ordinarily through his trading boys, appeared to scope a climax, when inwards July 1894, his boys seized xv Urhobo people (including a local Chief's wife), for an alleged debt of 200 puncheons of palm-oil. It was when Chief Nana refused to give upward those captives, blockading the River instead, that the authorities was obliged to work forcefulness to overthrow him towards the destination of 1894.
Nana was hence captured after a cessation of his war amongst the British as well as was exiled inwards Gold Coast (Ghana). In Britain inwards 1899 the Aborigines' Right Protection Society led yesteryear some Gold Coast (Ghanaian) ethnic Fante intelligentsia amongst people similar billionaire founder as well as president Jacob Wilson Sey, J E Casely-Hayford, George Hughes as well as others complained to the Foreign Office nearly "the arbitrary treatment" to which the main had been subjected, the government's failure to carry out "the searching investigation of his instance which he had ever sought", as well as appealed for him to live on given freedom to behavior his commercial affairs freely fifty-fifty if, for political reasons, he could non live on restored to his one-time position. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 missive of the alphabet from Olomu was also enclosed complaining his maintenance was inadequate for him to back upward himself as well as 5 other persons. In his response the as well as so Prime Minister the Marquis of Salisbury promised to expression into the weather of the chief's maintenance, but ruled out the possibility of a homecoming to his homeland. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 calendar month later the enquiry of his handling was raised inwards parliament as well as the authorities in 1 lawsuit to a greater extent than stated it would live on unsafe to allow his return.
To all intent as well as purposes, equally ikime (1966) rightly averred Nana was an African nationalist who refused to yield to British imperialist ambition as well as so had to live on broken. For Nana was reported to remove maintain stopped all merchandise inwards 1886 as well as 1892 to forcefulness English linguistic communication merchants to pay higher prices. Opposition to Nana, grew non merely from the merchants but also from those Itsekiri traders including Dore Numa, who had suffered from Nana's monopoly.
Nana Olomu of Itsekiri: Palm Oil Super Magnate
Nana Olomu was born nearly 1852 at Jakpa inwards the Itsekiri region, as well as thus operate the wealthiest Itsekiri trader of his age. Incidentally, his father, Olomu was also the richest as well as most powerful Itsekiri merchant during his life time. Nana’s remarkable success was predicated on his inherited wealthy status, his outstanding acumen inwards the organisation of his fiscal as well as human resources as well as also on his formidable armed services machine (Ikime 1966:40-42). It has, however, been reasonably argued that his career was a striking instance of how political advancement was based to a greater extent than on commercial prowess, rather than on inherited status (Soremekun 1985:149; Hopkins 1973:146).
Nana similar Jaja was a province builder. He was able to construct his kingdom due to his effective command of the merchandise inwards palm oil, which dissimilar the slave merchandise called for greater organisation as well as fiscal resources (Law 1993:105). He also greatly developed the novel uppercase at Ebrohimi which had before been founded yesteryear his manly individual parent on an almost impregnable site yesteryear dumping heaps of sand on a hitherto muddied as well as swampy location (Isichei 1977:123; Ikpe 1989:53).
Subsequently, he stationed his trading agents who were responsible for the buy as well as shipping of fossil oil inwards the Urhobo hinterland. This scheme was farther enhanced amongst his conclusion to choose wives from all the leading Urhobo clans amongst which he traded (Crowder 1968:121; Ikime 1966:40-41). In 1885 he became the Governor of the Republic of Benin as well as Ethiope Rivers.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 British official, Gallwey who toured the Urhobo portion inwards 1892 affirms that:
"In terms of relations amongst the British, Nana was the Jaja of the
Western Delta. His concur on most of the Urhobo fossil oil markets was
fifty-fifty firmer than Jaja’s. In terms of wealth, Nana was probably
much wealthier than Jaja as well as similar Jaja was able to dictate his
ain merchandise terms as well as had no demand for trust" (Ikime 1977:46).
Correspondingly, Nana also held upward palm fossil oil exports betwixt 1886 as well as 1887 when the toll of palm fossil oil all of a abrupt roughshod yesteryear 40% inwards lodge to forcefulness European merchants to choose the terms as well as weather of sale equally set downward yesteryear local producers as well as suppliers. This was a strategic agency of securing a favorable ease of merchandise for the Urhobo producers as well as Itsekiri middle-men (Hopkins 1973:155). In 1891 the British tried to undermine Nana’s economical interests yesteryear opening upward some other Vice-Consulate at Sapele, apart from the 1 on the Republic of Benin River inwards lodge to penetrate the hinterland as well as cut back the merchandise on the Republic of Benin River - the main source of his wealth. However, Nana retaliated yesteryear sending his agents to Sapele too. The British were astounded to notice out that his agents were inwards theatre command of the trade, as well as that his trading influence was extremely strong.
Indeed, he was so powerful as well as sufficiently wealthy to dictate his ain merchandise terms, to concur upward merchandise when it suited his fancy as well as to reject to choose trust from European firms (Ikime 1980:278).
During the era of treaty signing inwards Nigeria, Nana Olomu fully understood the immediate import of British royal intentions inwards the Niger Delta. Like Jaja, he struck out offensive clauses which stipulated gratis access to British traders to merchandise wherever they pleased inwards his kingdom. These uncooperative tendencies on his role were the precursor to the Ebrohimi expedition of 1894 (Ikime 1980:276; Onabamiro 1983:56).
Thus, Major Claude Macdonald, the British Commissioner as well as Consul General for Oil Rivers Protectorate inwards 1887 reported that Nana’s influence was exceedingly widespread as well as that it would live on inwards the best involvement of British traders, missionaries as well as colonialists to urgently as well as decisively checkmate Nana’s growing influence as well as power. Macdonald farther reported that at a detail occasion when he met Nana at the Republic of Benin River for a crucial meeting, Nana came inwards a state of war canoe paddled yesteryear nearly 100 people amongst 4 or 5 similar canoes serving equally escorts, as well as personal bodyguards of 20 armed men amongst Winchester repeater rifles. Macdonald concluded that Nana was “a human being possessed of groovy mightiness as well as wealth, astute, energetic as well as intelligent” (Ikime 1966:44).
Indeed, Nana was credited amongst having a fleet of 200 merchandise canoes as well as some other 100 state of war canoes amongst the mightiness to muster 20,000 state of war boys. After his defeat inwards 1884, the arms seized inwards Ebrohimi included 106 cannons, 445 blunderbusses, 640 guns,10 revolvers, inwards add-on to 1640 kegs of gunpowder as well as 2500 rounds of machine gun ammunition (Ikime 1966:41). Therefore, in that location was no uncertainty that his impressive armed services machine, enormous wealth as well as groovy influence were critical factors inwards his virtual monopoly of the palm fossil oil trade.
Nevertheless, the British wrongly defendant him of: disrupting commercial activities inwards the Niger Delta, of terrorizing the Urhobo as well as turning them against the British, of engaging inwards the inhuman traffic inwards slaves, as well as the most blatant lie, of practising human sacrifice (Ikime 1980:278). Nana’s existent offence, however, was that his wealth, seat as well as mightiness gave him considerable influence over the areas surrounding the Republic of Benin River as well as the Warri district, thereby making the penetration of British traders to live on extremely hard if non impossible. Consequently, inwards 1894, the British set siege on Ebrohimi. Nana replied yesteryear farther fortifying his capital. Henceforth, the resistance seat upward yesteryear him was bitter as well as daring, as well as equally skillful equally it was brilliant. Crowder (1971:2), rightly suggests that equally far equally armed services historians are concerned, wars are non assessed alone inwards terms of the victory or success of the victors, but also on the prowess as well as ingenuity of the vanquished, inwards the human face upward of overwhelming odds.
Therefore Nana impressively combined conventional warfare amongst guerilla tactics, as well as used to the fullest wages his superior noesis of the creeks along the British had to canvas to scope Ebrohimi, thereby making what they initially idea would live on a casual armed services expedition, 1 their most hard as well as costly royal adventures inwards West Africa. In short, Nana forced the British to construct upward a large naval as well as armed services forcefulness off the Republic of Benin River, representing virtually the entire British naval strength inwards West Africa, as well as the most impressive collection of British forces inwards the Niger Delta upward until that engagement (Onabamiro 1983:57 as well as Ikime 1977:47). This activity prompted the British to post 4 warships: the HMS Alecto, HMS Phoebe, HMS Philomel as well as HMS Widgem to fix on all the villages around Ebrohimi, which were destroyed. Yet, Nana
refused to give upward or obey British entreaties to come upward for a give-and-take at the Consulate, based on the retentivity of what happened to Jaja when he acquiesced to such a asking (Onabamiro 1983:57).
And thus, all attempts to choose Ebrohimi yesteryear going upward the creek failed, as well as inwards fact, Nana successfully repelled the British forces on 3 occasions so they were forced to withdraw amongst ‘heavy’ casualties. And fifty-fifty cutting a path through the dense swamp woods also proved an impossible chore which was rendered scary as well as unsafe because of Nana’s cleverly masked batteries. Attacking Ebrohimi yesteryear solid ground also failed because of the heavy burn downward directed against the British yesteryear Nana’s forces. However, Nana’s uppercase eventually roughshod on September 25, 1894, mainly because, Dogho, (Nana’s local rival) provided the British amongst logistic as well as news back upward as well as fifty-fifty showed them the best road to Ebrohimi, as well as equally a result, Nana was eventually tried as well as exiled to Gold Coast (now Ghana). And interestingly, his goods were also sold as well as the proceeds were used to defray the cost of the expedition, mark the demise of his trading empire (Ikime 1980:278; 1966:47; 1977:47).
It must live on noted that inwards nearly 2 ½ years before Chief Nana's fall, the Urhobo Chiefs of Abraka, northward due east of the Republic of Benin Consular district had concluded a Treaty of Protection amongst Her Britannic Majesty's Government placing themselves as well as their people nether British protection. In the southward as well as the south-east of the Urhobo province nether Warri district non less than xiv such Treaties had also been entered into. The Treaty making activities were nonetheless intensified after the autumn of Chief Nana.
Recently 1 one of the United Kingdom of Great Britain as well as Northern Ireland of Britain as well as Northern Republic of Ireland National Maritime Museum curators H Finch-Boyer revealed that 3 of the
Museum's African flags were owned yesteryear Nana Olomu who became 4th governor of Republic of Benin River inwards 1884.
Brief descriptions of the flags inwards the Museum's collection are below.
1. The personal flag of Itsekiri main Nana Olomu (1852-1916). The flag
is made wool bunting, amongst a linen hoist containing a rope as well as is hand
sewn. The background of the blueprint is white amongst a printed Union Flag
inserted (upside down) inwards the canton. Near the top border is the name
'NANNA' inwards nighttime blueish letters, below, the flag is painted amongst a naked
human being shooting a leopard. The flag was captured during the drive of
1894.
2. Personal flag of Itsekiri main Nana Olomu (1852-1916). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 dark-green wool
bunting flag amongst a machine sewn linen hoist amongst a rope attached. The
flag is manus sewn amongst applied lettering - inwards crimson wool 'NANNA', below in
white cotton fiber 'ALLUMA'S SON'. It is said to remove maintain been acquired during the
1897 Republic of Benin expedition yesteryear F. W. Kennedy.
3. Personal flag of Itsekiri main Nana Olomu (1852-1916). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 crimson cotton
flag, manus sewn amongst a printed Union Flag placed vertically inwards the
canton. The cite 'NANNA' is applied inwards white damask letters inwards the fly.
There are felt loops along the top edge.and a white strip at the hoist
amongst pocket-sized cord loops.
Source: Reference: Rotimi K as well as Ogen O (2008). "Jaja as well as Nana inwards the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria: Proto-Nationalists or Emergent Capitalists," The Journal of Pan African Studies, 2008 vol.2, no.7.
http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=h-africa&month=1002&week=d&msg=w%2BDfZxHL0PWhBdm21J1rWg&user=&pw=
Nana Olomu the groovy Nigerian millionaire entrepreneur, nationalist as well as Itsekiri main inwards Accra after his defeat as well as deportation there.
Nana was respected as well as feared for his wealth as well as power, as well as the Oba of Republic of Benin for his suzerainty as well as juju power. Most Urhobo people did non believe that the Oba could be, as well as inwards fact live on captured yesteryear the white-man, because of their belief inwards his juju mightiness to transform himself into a spirit.
Nana Olomu was the final of a serial of governors that started amongst the installation of Chief Idiare inwards 1851 yesteryear John Beecroft who was appointed inwards 1849 yesteryear the British Government equally Consul for the Bights of Republic of Benin as well as Biafra. Chief Idiare, along amongst Idibofun, Olomu (Nana's father), as well as a host of other elders later signed a treaty amongst Beecroft to protect merchandise inwards the area. Nana succeeded his father, Olomu of Ologbotsere, equally governor. It was a historical fact that Numa of Batere Emaye menage unit of measurement who was expected to succeed Olomu, is believed to remove maintain raised his son, Dogho (Dore Numa), to avenge the disgrace to his menage unit of measurement when Nana got the nod. Dogho (Dore Numa) an imperialist stooge was later to furnish valuable assist that the British needed to defeat Nana.
Nana`s wealth was an inherited 1 but he managed to expand his trouble concern through his shrewd trouble concern acumen yesteryear monopolizing trade. As a reflection of the grandeur of his achievements, Nana built a magnificent building at the plough of the century. It houses his personal effects as well as evidence of his contact amongst the Queen, administrators as well as traders of the British Empire. Many European Merchants, Missionaries, Explorers as well as Consular Officers who visited the Republic of Benin River inwards the instant one-half of the final century, as well as had occasion to come across Chief Nana, had goose egg but groovy admiration for his outstanding personality, intelligence, wealth as well as hospitality. His mightiness to utter the Urhobo linguistic communication coupled amongst his liberality won for him the favour of practically all Urhobo traders on the River. He, of course, had plenty forcefulness to convey to submission whatsoever 1 who was so unreasonably stubborn equally to interfere amongst his merchandise anywhere. For many years, he concentrated his commercial activities on the Urhobo fossil oil markets until he practically established a perfect monopoly over all the fossil oil markets.
Indeed, Nana was credited amongst having a fleet of 200 merchandise canoes as well as some other 100 state of war canoes amongst the mightiness to muster 20,000 state of war boys. In fact, after his defeat inwards 1884, the arms seized inwards Ebrohimi included 106 cannons, 445 blunderbusses, 640 guns,10 revolvers, inwards add-on to 1640 kegs of gunpowder as well as 2500 rounds of machine gun ammunition (Ikime 1966:41). Therefore, in that location was no uncertainty that his impressive armed services machine, enormous wealth as well as groovy influence were critical factors inwards his virtual monopoly of the palm fossil oil trade.
Statue of NANA OLOMU, Merchant prince of the Niger delta at Koko, Delta State,Nigeria.
Governor (GOFUNE) of Republic of Benin River......1884-1894
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 groovy itsekiri leader/nationalist as well as a Nigerian national hero.
This statue was unveiled inwards the twelvemonth 1995
During the centenary commemoration of the BRITISH/NANA EBROHIMI WAR.... 1894
BY HIS EXCELLENCY GEN SANI ABACHA
Head of province as well as commander inwards main of the armed forces of the federation of Nigeria
Major Claude Macdonald, the British Commissioner as well as Consul General for Oil Rivers Protectorate inwards 1887 who in 1 lawsuit reported that Nana was “a human being possessed of groovy mightiness as well as wealth, astute, energetic as well as intelligent” (Ikime 1966:44), wrongly defendant him wrongly defendant him of: disrupting commercial activities inwards the Niger Delta, of terrorizing the Urhobo as well as turning them against the British, of engaging inwards the inhuman
traffic inwards slaves, as well as the most blatant lie, of practising human sacrifice (Ikime 1980:278). But equally it was to live on revealed Nana’s existent offence, however, was that his wealth, seat as well as mightiness gave him considerable influence over the areas surrounding the Republic of Benin River as well as the Warri district, thereby making the penetration
of British traders to live on extremely hard if non impossible.
By the destination of 1893, the Vice Consuls at Republic of Benin River had started to bill the Chief of gross disloyalty to the Government; but his actions, ordinarily through his trading boys, appeared to scope a climax, when inwards July 1894, his boys seized xv Urhobo people (including a local Chief's wife), for an alleged debt of 200 puncheons of palm-oil. It was when Chief Nana refused to give upward those captives, blockading the River instead, that the authorities was obliged to work forcefulness to overthrow him towards the destination of 1894.
Nana was hence captured after a cessation of his war amongst the British as well as was exiled inwards Gold Coast (Ghana). In Britain inwards 1899 the Aborigines' Right Protection Society led yesteryear some Gold Coast (Ghanaian) ethnic Fante intelligentsia amongst people similar billionaire founder as well as president Jacob Wilson Sey, J E Casely-Hayford, George Hughes as well as others complained to the Foreign Office nearly "the arbitrary treatment" to which the main had been subjected, the government's failure to carry out "the searching investigation of his instance which he had ever sought", as well as appealed for him to live on given freedom to behavior his commercial affairs freely fifty-fifty if, for political reasons, he could non live on restored to his one-time position. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 missive of the alphabet from Olomu was also enclosed complaining his maintenance was inadequate for him to back upward himself as well as 5 other persons. In his response the as well as so Prime Minister the Marquis of Salisbury promised to expression into the weather of the chief's maintenance, but ruled out the possibility of a homecoming to his homeland. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 calendar month later the enquiry of his handling was raised inwards parliament as well as the authorities in 1 lawsuit to a greater extent than stated it would live on unsafe to allow his return.
To all intent as well as purposes, equally ikime (1966) rightly averred Nana was an African nationalist who refused to yield to British imperialist ambition as well as so had to live on broken. For Nana was reported to remove maintain stopped all merchandise inwards 1886 as well as 1892 to forcefulness English linguistic communication merchants to pay higher prices. Opposition to Nana, grew non merely from the merchants but also from those Itsekiri traders including Dore Numa, who had suffered from Nana's monopoly.
Source:
Nana Olomu of Itsekiri: Palm Oil Super Magnate
Nana Olomu was born nearly 1852 at Jakpa inwards the Itsekiri region, as well as thus operate the wealthiest Itsekiri trader of his age. Incidentally, his father, Olomu was also the richest as well as most powerful Itsekiri merchant during his life time. Nana’s remarkable success was predicated on his inherited wealthy status, his outstanding acumen inwards the organisation of his fiscal as well as human resources as well as also on his formidable armed services machine (Ikime 1966:40-42). It has, however, been reasonably argued that his career was a striking instance of how political advancement was based to a greater extent than on commercial prowess, rather than on inherited status (Soremekun 1985:149; Hopkins 1973:146).
Nana similar Jaja was a province builder. He was able to construct his kingdom due to his effective command of the merchandise inwards palm oil, which dissimilar the slave merchandise called for greater organisation as well as fiscal resources (Law 1993:105). He also greatly developed the novel uppercase at Ebrohimi which had before been founded yesteryear his manly individual parent on an almost impregnable site yesteryear dumping heaps of sand on a hitherto muddied as well as swampy location (Isichei 1977:123; Ikpe 1989:53).
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 British official, Gallwey who toured the Urhobo portion inwards 1892 affirms that:
"In terms of relations amongst the British, Nana was the Jaja of the
Western Delta. His concur on most of the Urhobo fossil oil markets was
fifty-fifty firmer than Jaja’s. In terms of wealth, Nana was probably
much wealthier than Jaja as well as similar Jaja was able to dictate his
ain merchandise terms as well as had no demand for trust" (Ikime 1977:46).
Correspondingly, Nana also held upward palm fossil oil exports betwixt 1886 as well as 1887 when the toll of palm fossil oil all of a abrupt roughshod yesteryear 40% inwards lodge to forcefulness European merchants to choose the terms as well as weather of sale equally set downward yesteryear local producers as well as suppliers. This was a strategic agency of securing a favorable ease of merchandise for the Urhobo producers as well as Itsekiri middle-men (Hopkins 1973:155). In 1891 the British tried to undermine Nana’s economical interests yesteryear opening upward some other Vice-Consulate at Sapele, apart from the 1 on the Republic of Benin River inwards lodge to penetrate the hinterland as well as cut back the merchandise on the Republic of Benin River - the main source of his wealth. However, Nana retaliated yesteryear sending his agents to Sapele too. The British were astounded to notice out that his agents were inwards theatre command of the trade, as well as that his trading influence was extremely strong.
Indeed, he was so powerful as well as sufficiently wealthy to dictate his ain merchandise terms, to concur upward merchandise when it suited his fancy as well as to reject to choose trust from European firms (Ikime 1980:278).
During the era of treaty signing inwards Nigeria, Nana Olomu fully understood the immediate import of British royal intentions inwards the Niger Delta. Like Jaja, he struck out offensive clauses which stipulated gratis access to British traders to merchandise wherever they pleased inwards his kingdom. These uncooperative tendencies on his role were the precursor to the Ebrohimi expedition of 1894 (Ikime 1980:276; Onabamiro 1983:56).
Thus, Major Claude Macdonald, the British Commissioner as well as Consul General for Oil Rivers Protectorate inwards 1887 reported that Nana’s influence was exceedingly widespread as well as that it would live on inwards the best involvement of British traders, missionaries as well as colonialists to urgently as well as decisively checkmate Nana’s growing influence as well as power. Macdonald farther reported that at a detail occasion when he met Nana at the Republic of Benin River for a crucial meeting, Nana came inwards a state of war canoe paddled yesteryear nearly 100 people amongst 4 or 5 similar canoes serving equally escorts, as well as personal bodyguards of 20 armed men amongst Winchester repeater rifles. Macdonald concluded that Nana was “a human being possessed of groovy mightiness as well as wealth, astute, energetic as well as intelligent” (Ikime 1966:44).
Indeed, Nana was credited amongst having a fleet of 200 merchandise canoes as well as some other 100 state of war canoes amongst the mightiness to muster 20,000 state of war boys. After his defeat inwards 1884, the arms seized inwards Ebrohimi included 106 cannons, 445 blunderbusses, 640 guns,10 revolvers, inwards add-on to 1640 kegs of gunpowder as well as 2500 rounds of machine gun ammunition (Ikime 1966:41). Therefore, in that location was no uncertainty that his impressive armed services machine, enormous wealth as well as groovy influence were critical factors inwards his virtual monopoly of the palm fossil oil trade.
Nevertheless, the British wrongly defendant him of: disrupting commercial activities inwards the Niger Delta, of terrorizing the Urhobo as well as turning them against the British, of engaging inwards the inhuman traffic inwards slaves, as well as the most blatant lie, of practising human sacrifice (Ikime 1980:278). Nana’s existent offence, however, was that his wealth, seat as well as mightiness gave him considerable influence over the areas surrounding the Republic of Benin River as well as the Warri district, thereby making the penetration of British traders to live on extremely hard if non impossible. Consequently, inwards 1894, the British set siege on Ebrohimi. Nana replied yesteryear farther fortifying his capital. Henceforth, the resistance seat upward yesteryear him was bitter as well as daring, as well as equally skillful equally it was brilliant. Crowder (1971:2), rightly suggests that equally far equally armed services historians are concerned, wars are non assessed alone inwards terms of the victory or success of the victors, but also on the prowess as well as ingenuity of the vanquished, inwards the human face upward of overwhelming odds.
Therefore Nana impressively combined conventional warfare amongst guerilla tactics, as well as used to the fullest wages his superior noesis of the creeks along the British had to canvas to scope Ebrohimi, thereby making what they initially idea would live on a casual armed services expedition, 1 their most hard as well as costly royal adventures inwards West Africa. In short, Nana forced the British to construct upward a large naval as well as armed services forcefulness off the Republic of Benin River, representing virtually the entire British naval strength inwards West Africa, as well as the most impressive collection of British forces inwards the Niger Delta upward until that engagement (Onabamiro 1983:57 as well as Ikime 1977:47). This activity prompted the British to post 4 warships: the HMS Alecto, HMS Phoebe, HMS Philomel as well as HMS Widgem to fix on all the villages around Ebrohimi, which were destroyed. Yet, Nana
refused to give upward or obey British entreaties to come upward for a give-and-take at the Consulate, based on the retentivity of what happened to Jaja when he acquiesced to such a asking (Onabamiro 1983:57).
And thus, all attempts to choose Ebrohimi yesteryear going upward the creek failed, as well as inwards fact, Nana successfully repelled the British forces on 3 occasions so they were forced to withdraw amongst ‘heavy’ casualties. And fifty-fifty cutting a path through the dense swamp woods also proved an impossible chore which was rendered scary as well as unsafe because of Nana’s cleverly masked batteries. Attacking Ebrohimi yesteryear solid ground also failed because of the heavy burn downward directed against the British yesteryear Nana’s forces. However, Nana’s uppercase eventually roughshod on September 25, 1894, mainly because, Dogho, (Nana’s local rival) provided the British amongst logistic as well as news back upward as well as fifty-fifty showed them the best road to Ebrohimi, as well as equally a result, Nana was eventually tried as well as exiled to Gold Coast (now Ghana). And interestingly, his goods were also sold as well as the proceeds were used to defray the cost of the expedition, mark the demise of his trading empire (Ikime 1980:278; 1966:47; 1977:47).
It must live on noted that inwards nearly 2 ½ years before Chief Nana's fall, the Urhobo Chiefs of Abraka, northward due east of the Republic of Benin Consular district had concluded a Treaty of Protection amongst Her Britannic Majesty's Government placing themselves as well as their people nether British protection. In the southward as well as the south-east of the Urhobo province nether Warri district non less than xiv such Treaties had also been entered into. The Treaty making activities were nonetheless intensified after the autumn of Chief Nana.
Recently 1 one of the United Kingdom of Great Britain as well as Northern Ireland of Britain as well as Northern Republic of Ireland National Maritime Museum curators H Finch-Boyer revealed that 3 of the
Museum's African flags were owned yesteryear Nana Olomu who became 4th governor of Republic of Benin River inwards 1884.
Brief descriptions of the flags inwards the Museum's collection are below.
1. The personal flag of Itsekiri main Nana Olomu (1852-1916). The flag
is made wool bunting, amongst a linen hoist containing a rope as well as is hand
sewn. The background of the blueprint is white amongst a printed Union Flag
inserted (upside down) inwards the canton. Near the top border is the name
'NANNA' inwards nighttime blueish letters, below, the flag is painted amongst a naked
human being shooting a leopard. The flag was captured during the drive of
1894.
2. Personal flag of Itsekiri main Nana Olomu (1852-1916). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 dark-green wool
bunting flag amongst a machine sewn linen hoist amongst a rope attached. The
flag is manus sewn amongst applied lettering - inwards crimson wool 'NANNA', below in
white cotton fiber 'ALLUMA'S SON'. It is said to remove maintain been acquired during the
1897 Republic of Benin expedition yesteryear F. W. Kennedy.
3. Personal flag of Itsekiri main Nana Olomu (1852-1916). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 crimson cotton
flag, manus sewn amongst a printed Union Flag placed vertically inwards the
canton. The cite 'NANNA' is applied inwards white damask letters inwards the fly.
There are felt loops along the top edge.and a white strip at the hoist
amongst pocket-sized cord loops.
Source: Reference: Rotimi K as well as Ogen O (2008). "Jaja as well as Nana inwards the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria: Proto-Nationalists or Emergent Capitalists," The Journal of Pan African Studies, 2008 vol.2, no.7.
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