Discussion Board Forum 7
Rhonda Ray
HIWD 320 Africa
Liberty University in Lynchburg VA
The Kingdom of Dahomey was a regional powerhouse on the west coast of Africa under the rule of Chedingen, King Béhanzin of Dahomey.
Dahomey existed from around 1600 to 1895 when French troops defeated Béhanzin, and the kingdom was taken over by the French colonialists. The fall of the empire affected its cultural practices as well as its political and national practices. The present-day Benin was part of the larger Dahomey kingdom. Benin achieved its independence on August 1, 1960. It has undergone a lot of political changes and organizations after French colonization, and this has positively and negatively affected the people as they struggle to conform to the existing cultural boundaries.
Since the attainment of freedom, borders in Benin have been a frequent source of disputes and conflicts with the neighboring countries. The Dahomey Kingdom flourished because it was open as the king conquered many of the coastal regions. The once dominant kingdom had an organized domestic economy that depended on slave labor, invasion and international trade with Europe. The government was controlled by a mighty king who empowered his people economically. Since independence, the modern day Benin struggles to adopt policies that will bring the people together. The people of Benin have been forced to conform to the existing cultural boundaries through interventions from the African Union.
The existing cultural boundaries affected the national and cultural identity of the former kingdom. Benin combines three regions, which had different ethnic and political organizations before the French colonials rule. The people of Benin have learned to live together and embrace each other’s cultural heritage. Various ethnic groups such as the Yoruba, Aja, and the Gbe people live in the coastline. The inland regions are occupied by a mass of tribal - ethnic organizations such as the Mahi, Kabye, Bariba, and the Gedevi people (Guezo, 2008).
Historically, the inland ethnic groups had major conflicts with the coastal ethnic groups. The changes have impacted the stability of Benin. . Traditionally, in Dahomey kingdom, young boys were taught the act of war by veteran soldiers. The domain also relied on a highly trained female elite military. In the current day Benin, soldiers are picked through a recruitment process and later taught in military camps. While Dahomey was depended on invasion and slave trade, the present day Benin is highly depended on agriculture.
Historically, the inland ethnic groups had major conflicts with the coastal ethnic groups. The changes have impacted the stability of Benin. . Traditionally, in Dahomey kingdom, young boys were taught the act of war by veteran soldiers. The domain also relied on a highly trained female elite military. In the current day Benin, soldiers are picked through a recruitment process and later taught in military camps. While Dahomey was depended on invasion and slave trade, the present day Benin is highly depended on agriculture.
The changes have impacted the stability of Benin. Benin has a stable political system. It is a form of democratic republic democratic republic led by a head of the state - President. The president is the head of the government in a multi-party system state. The country has managed to resolve its border conflicts after the adoption of the 1990 Constitution that addressed border issues. The judiciary, executive, and the legislature play integral roles in the running of the state. The current system of government has enabled the people of Benin to embrace their neighbors and live peacefully. Cross-border trade and business activities are exercised on a daily basis without conflicts (Ofili et al., 2003).
The Kingdom of Dahomey is still celebrated as an important administration that defined the culture, religion, and heritage of the people of Benin. The political disagreements that were present in the 1960s and 1970s have been resolved through a constitution that embraces all the ethnic groups. Benin plays a significant role in strengthening other nations in Africa by advising them on how they can solve border conflicts and regional wars.
References
Guezo, A. (2008). From Dahomey to Benin: Exorcising the Ghosts of Memory in a West African State1. Society, State, and Identity in African History, 367.
Ofili, A. N., Ugwu, E. N., Ziregbe, A., Richards, R., & Salami, S. (2003). Knowledge of Disease Notification among Doctors in Government Hospitals in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Public Health, 117(3), 214-217.
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