Once Upon a Kingdom: Myth, Hegemony, and Identity

by Isidore Okpewho

Using stories he collected from narrators from the old West African kingdom of Benin, the author shows how the present mirrors the past in both folklore and political reality, suggesting that African states fail to create a level playing field for the plural identities within their borders, leaving marginalized peoples uncertain of their place in an uneven socio-political landscape.

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Nigerian novelist and critic, born in Abraka in midwestern Nigeria, educated at the University of Ibadan and the University of Denver, Colorado.

He has taught at the State University of New York at Buffalo (1974-76), University of Ibadan (1976-90), Harvard University (1990-91), and Binghamton University (since 1991). In 1992 he was appointed Professor of Afro-American and African Studies at Binghampton University, New York.

Reviews

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

A classic case of needing more background knowledge to fully appreciate a book. That was my general feeling while reading, I could not escape the sentiment I was missing the point or failed to see it as a whole. Combined with a style of research I do not fully grasp the nuances off to truly appreciate or evaluate the specific style used by Okpewho and a limited knowledge on the Benin Kingdom made it difficult to keep focused. The style of writing was not very consistent with some parts highly structured and other paragraphs and subchapters that felt like going nowhere or sudden theoretical segments immediately followed by anecdotes on the specific storyteller. The most infuriating thing though was that I know that if I had some more information on the state of Benin as a whole I could have grasped the significance of the stories and themes examined more then I did. After finishing three quarters off the book I kinda accepted that I would not grasp it fully and all of sudden half of the conclusion I a (limited) history of Benin kingdom! Why is that in the conclusion??? If I had have had that In the beginning of the book, I would have grasped a whole lot more then I did now!

Having said that I do recognize the point that the author is trying to make, well the two points; one on the subject of pre colonial Benin and how people today reconfigure stories to comment on their current moral viewpoints (using old Benin as a background and common setting) the other point is explicitly political. Right in the end the author makes some very strong claims and opts for a sort of neo traditional African style of government for Current Nigeria as opposed to Biafra supporters, centralist and federalists that are way to modernist and western(perhaps un African?) in his opinion. His suggestion based on the research for this book would be a state that embraces the republican tradition against the by embrace of western norms and practices monarchic tradition. It's a nice idea but he introduces it so late and it comes out of nowhere, in a way it works for it does make me reconsider and evaluate what I read differently from when I was reading but it still rather forced on.

The rest of the book consists of several chapters dealing with the story topics off; the heroic hunter, the relationship between divine and individual, gender in igbo story telling and the reflection of the storyteller in his/her stories. All contained theories on the subject, a few detailed stories typed out recordings, some additional summaries of similar stories and analysis. All of which from the angle of how republican communities constructed their stories when under the historical influence/domination or threat off the autocratic monarchic empire of Benin. In all the message that is being sent by Okpewho is off the fluidity of these stories within a set of story rules that can be read and analysed to reconstruct historical sentiments on certain topics. With a clear anti authoritarian political viewpoint, based on recurring acts of wanton cruelty by the Oba(king of Benin) made possible by the monarchies subversion or bypassing of mitigating institutions and utilizing traditions and discourses for the benefit of the throne. However this is not to be seen as an anti monarchy or anti central state position but rather a call to embrace the rebellious individualist republican heritage, that enables the poor to gain social justice, the cunning to beat the wicked and to bring dynamic in a political system and society and to level the pyramid hierarchy of power.

In general I am disappointed, I believe that the book was written for a primarily Nigerian audience or for those with extensive knowledge of both current and historic Nigeria and I am neither and felt like I missed to many dimensions to fully appreciate the book. In addition to not being that convinced with his story based analysis( in particular the amount of evidence and theories he pulls out of each story) perhaps if I had more knowledge on the kingdom of Benin I might have but I don't and that's a shame. In addition to several little side remarks such as the empires of Aro and Nri that were in competition of power with Benin or the cultural influence of Bollywood on Nigerian storytelling culture, that were intriguing but are not elaborated upon. I wish to give it three stars but because of the mentioned elements I can't again a shame.