Oba Ovunramwen of Benin seated in a wicker chair with three soldiers standing beside and behind him. The Oba is wearing a velvet gown, and his feet are shackled together with chains. The Soldiers wear uniforms; head-gear, short trousers, belts, jackets & holding bayonets. The soldiers at the left and centre are wearing medals.They are British trained members of the Niger Coast Protectorate force mostly of Yoruba and Hausa origin.
After the British punitive expedition of 1897, the Oba was exiled and sent to Old Calabar head quarters of the Niger Coast Protectorate in a small town called "Essien Town". He died in Calabar around the turn of the new year in 1914.
Before reaching Old Calabar he was inside the "S. S. Ivy" vessel on the Bonny River and the opportunity for Nigerians first Photographer Jonathan A. Green was available to take a picture of the Oba which gave much needed spot light to the exiled Oba of great Benin Kingdom. During this time Bonny was under going many societal changes and did not interact with the Oba, this was during the Regency of Chief Waribo Manilla Pepple.
Credit : Biafranupdate
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