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FIND OUT MORE. Africa 238–239 • Age of Empire 422–423 • Exploration 400–401 •Islamic Civilization 386–387

History^395

OBAS

From around 1250 to 1800, a number of

different kingdoms made up what is now

southwest Nigeria, in west Africa. Each of

these was ruled by an oba. The obas were

both religious and political leaders. Their

subjects, the Yoruba people, lived as

farmers, and built city-states surrounded by

massive walls of earth.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE KINGDOMS OF THE OBAS?

The power of the obas and other African rulers was

weakened by the arrival of Europeans. Portuguese, Dutch,

and British traders took back news to their countries of

the riches of Africa. Explorers were encouraged to travel

there and, by 1900, almost all of Africa was ruled by

European powers.

WHERE WERE MANY STATUES OF OBAS MADE?

People living in the rainforest kingdom of Benin, now

in south Nigeria, were expert metalworkers and cast

elaborate portrait heads of their obas, as well as

decorative plaques and ceremonial objects. These were

made from brass or bronze and were used for ancestor

worship, or to decorate the rulers’ palaces.

ZANZIBAR 2

The island of Zanzibar, off the

coast of East Africa, is where

Swahili was first spoken. It

became a major trading centre

for slaves, ivory, and cloves.

1 STATUE OF OBA FROM BENIN

Most Benin bronzes, like this one,

were in fact made of brass. Obas

commanded large armies, and

controlled trade in ivory, palm oil,

pepper, and slaves.

WHO DID THE SWAHILI PEOPLES TRADE WITH?

East Africans produced valuable goods, such as leather,

frankincense, leopard skins, ivory, iron, copper, and gold.

They sold these to Indian Ocean traders. From around

1071, they sent ambassadors to trade with China,

and, from 1418, welcomed Chinese merchant

ships to East Africa’s ports.

SWAHILI

Swahili became the main language used by different peoples on the

coast and islands of East Africa. Many of its words were taken from

Arabic – the language of traders who sailed across the Indian Ocean,

linking India and Arabia with East Africa’s ports such as Mogadishu,

Gedi, and Kilwa.

Elaborate

metalwork

collar

Oba’s cap would

have been made

from beads

4 OBA MASK

This mask of an

oba is from around

1500. Cast in brass,
      it is decorated with a
      crown of small heads,
      portraying Portuguese
      people who first arrived
      in Yoruba lands around


1501. These look weak and
      unimportant, compared with the
      impressive size and proud
      expression of the oba.