The Berlin Conference and the British Conquest of Benin

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the British Punitive Expedition of 1897 against the Kingdom of Benin, a direct consequence of the Berlin Conference's partition of Africa. They discuss Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, the ambush at Ughoton that killed Acting Consul General James Phillips, the subsequent sack of Benin City, and the looting of the famed Benin Bronzes. The conversation examines how the conference's principle of 'effective occupation' justified the attack, the role of trade tensions with the Royal Niger Company, and the cultural devastation that still echoes today in debates over repatriation. Lucas also touches on the wider context of colonial violence in the Niger Coast Protectorate and the parallels with King Leopold's Congo. This episode offers a fresh angle on the Berlin Conference's legacy, focusing on a specific, lesser-covered event that illustrates the human cost of the scramble for Africa. #BerlinConference #BeninExpedition #Ovonramwen #BeninBronzes #BeninKingdom #ScrambleForAfrica #JamesPhillips #Ughoton #BeninCity #RoyalNigerCompany #Colonialism #Looting #Repatriation #Nigeria #AfricaHistory #FexingoHistory #History #BritishEmpire Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo