‘Ogiso ma m’ẹmwẹn ẹ fian agba’ (When the Ogiso does not have a case to judge, he will not ask for Agba to be made)

The Agba is regarded as the stool of judgement, and according to oral tradition, it originated during the Ogiso dynasty. In Benin Kingdom, there are two kinds of stools with ceremonial and ritual functions: the Agba and the 

. The Agba is rectangular in shape, with a carved panel forming the seat and four carved interconnected panels that serve as the legs. Agba may be used by the Ọba, chiefs and some priests, and it is believed they were carved by members of the Emada (Hess, 1983, p.41

). The Erhe has a circular seat and base with a central supporting column and can be cast in brass or carved in wood. Although a third kind of stool, the Ekete, has been identified in literature (e.g. Ezra 1992, p.263

), our own research indicates that the word means ‘throne’ and can be used to describe any kind of stool the Ọba may sit upon, thus both the Agba and Erhe could be Ekete as well. (Hess, 1983, p.41

Agba

In Benin Kingdom, there are two different kinds of stool that have ceremonial and ritual functions, these are the Agba and Erhe. Although a 3rd kind of stool, called 

, has been identified in literature (e.g. Ezra 1992, p.263

), our own research indicated this word means ‘throne’ and can be used to describe any kind of stool that the Ọba may sit upon, Thus both the Agba and Erhe could in fact be _Ekete _as well. The Agba is rectangular in shape, with a carved panel forming the seat and four carved interconnected panels that serve as the legs. Agba may be used by the Ọba, chiefs and some priests (Hess, 1983, p.41

). The Erhe is formed of a circular seat and base with a central supporting column and can be cast in brass or carved in wood.

Stool

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The British Museum’s archives are held in various locations across the institution. The items listed here aim to give an overview of the main locations where relevant archival and photographic material relating to objects from the Kingdom of Benin is housed. Key areas relevant for cultural objects from the Kingdom of Benin are: Corporate Archives; Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas archives; Department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory archives; and the Anthropology Library and Research Centre.

Website

Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas 

Online Catalogue

Library & Archive

British Museum

Internal Data (eng)

Oldman, Dorothy K. 

Collector

Dealer

Wikidata Link

Oldman, William Ockelford 

Suggestion: The word juju in itself is not harmful in as much as it refers to the belief system. It can be used in a harmful or derogatory way and is context dependent. Please assess the context of this word as a user of the platform.

 more about the background of this statement here.

juju 

Suggestion: Replace with, “a person of short stature,” “little person” or "someone with dwarfism". (See 

Read more about the background of this statement here.

dwarf

Suggestion: Replace with First Nations, First people, or particular community name. (See 

aboriginal

Suggestion: Replace with the name of the particular community and delete where it is used to reference an already identified group, e.g Igbo ~~tribe.~~

tribe

This word was redacted from the catalogue as a derogatory racialised word.

DB_redacted_word

Suggestion: Be as specific as possible in terms of country, population etc. (See 

non-western

western-art

western museum

tribal

hofzwerg

For more information on this term and its violent and inherently harmful context to indigenous communities, see 

British Colonial Military Campaign on Benin, February 1897

expedition

exotic

negro

Suggestion: Replace with the word Africa.

Black Africa

Warning: This word is used in a historic context of a title for a book, exhibition, institution name or book description etc. We recognise the potential for the material to cause physical and mental distress as well as evoke strong emotions. The material within the catalogue does not represent Digital Benin’s views. Digital Benin maintains a strong anti-colonial, anti-racist position and affirms its support for centring the humanity of historically marginalised and disenfranchised communities.

Read more about the background of this statement here

primitive

Suggestion: Replace with traditional healer, spiritual healer, or specific name that particular communities use to define this role. (See 

medicine man

Suggestion: Replace in cases where it used to describe human beings, with the term indigenous communities, first people or particular community name.