Benin: From a Slave Coast to Tourist Coast

Historians recall that in the 17th Century, the area now called Benin Republic was simply called the Slave Coast for the role it played in the transportation of slaves caught from other up-country nations in the West African sub region to Europe and America. The activities in the coasts around the area made it a […]

Historians recall that in the 17th Century, the area now called Benin Republic was simply called the Slave Coast for the role it played in the transportation of slaves caught from other up-country nations in the West African sub region to Europe and America.

The activities in the coasts around the area made it a commercial hub of sorts, booming in trade and commerce that the area became a sub regional power in terms of its popularity and thriving business in humans which drew drew slaves and slave dealers from across the globe.

With the end of slave trade in 1892 however, the grist for the economic mill of the area which became known as French Dahomey was gone and he reputation and boom plummeted.

After more than a hundred years however, the nostalgia for a once regional power seems not to have abated as efforts to relive those ancient memories and re-attract world attention in the magnitude that once existed has been up.

Even a casual visitor to Cotonou would not fail to notice the preservation of colonial relics coupled with other historical monuments to showcase a preexisting culture.

And from the look of things, the effort seems to be paying off as the influx of tourists to Cotonou  the commercial capital of Benin and its neighbouring towns appears quite high.

It is a very common sight in either Cotonou or Porto-Novo or Ouida to see white people trekking on the streets in casual wears or relaxing at some of the beaches or trying to buy an item or two at one of the markets.

Benin offers a lot to the tourists, but unlike France and other European countries that derive their appeal from breathtaking architectural monuments, that of Benin is peculiar as it offers a unique opportunity in reliving history. It’s pilgrimage.

A guide,   Obatade Odunle  said the influx of tourists stretches throughout the year as their interests vary. “Some come for study, others for holiday and others just for curiosity. So as one group goes another comes,” he said.

It is also apparent that the country has developed to offer other attractions beside historical slave routes.

Starting with the border, there are many objects of interest that cannot be ignored.

For visitors from Nigeria, the Seme border holds a spell binding appeal on how a single community can by reasons of artificial border demarcation be infused  with two different and contrasting  cultures.

On the Nigerian side of the Seme border is the unmistakable hustle and bustle that Lagos is notorious for in terms of human and vehicular traffic and its unending grind. The Lagos fever is very much present on the Nigerian side of the  Seme border.

It is evident in the pace of the traders, the gait of the security operatives and the gregariousness of the vehicles.

The security agencies, the traders and other visitors seem not to have any minute to spare as they constantly seem engrossed and neck deep in their businesses to pay heed to anything beyond what brought them to the place.

Even the air blowing on that side of the border is typically Nigerian with the unmistakable sting of heat mixed with a touch of dust, the type that has made pure water a household name in Nigeria. Nigerian GSM networks seem to prefer the weather as their signals are very strong there.

Traders take advantage of that and bring recharge cards of Nigerian networks to sell.  Nigerian dishes like pounded yam, Gari, semovita and rice with the well know Egusi, stew and okro soups are also there for the asking.

A middle aged lady who had just wrapped up her wares enters her car to return to Lagos, although not in a mood for conversation explained to our correspondent that she did not pass the border with her car to avoid paying the charges which she said amounted to about N20,000.

From the number of cars parked on the Nigerian side, it seemed most of the traders would prefer to park their cars on the Nigerian side and cross over on foot to the Benin side, take a commercial vehicle right inside and return to pick their cars. It is cheaper that way.

The human and vehicular traffic striving to enter Benin through the Nigerian side is high. The flow of traffic on the opposite direction seems less however.

Commercial motor cyclists (okadas) conveying passengers to Benin are made to alight from their bikes, switch off their engines to push it right through till they are way into the country.

In reality, the distance between what is said to be the Nigerian gate and that of Benin is just about 100 meters, but the contrast in rhythm and frenzy is sharply visible that it sets the mind of the observer to probably a hundred kilometers.

The Benin side of the Seme border is however different. It is the point where the hustle and bustle slows down till it gradually eases off.  The human and vehicular traffic thins out as it goes deeper and the breeze blows more vigorously  and immediately disallows the Nigerian Networks from connecting. Your MTN GSM Nigeria line automatically changes to Benin MTN Benin but does not allow one to call you.

For most Nigerians, what takes them to Benin, particularly Cotonou is the need to buy second cars imported from the developed world, popularly called “Tokumbo”.

Often they hardly get into Cotonou as their destination ends in a small town known as  Cotonou parc, a rather concentration of car parks, housing varieties of cars that have made their ways into the country. The Parc itself a distance of about 20 kilometers to  Cotonou town is on its own.

In Cotonou parc, almost every available space is fenced and turned into a big garage stocking assorted brands of cars from the most exotic to the ordinary.

For many Nigerians, that is where their businesses end as stopover in any of the parcs is likely to meet the needs of the average visitor whose business is only to buy a car.

Usman Ibrahim, who identifies himself as a car dealer, and shuttles between Nigeria and Benin, says he only went beyond the parc and his business does not require him to into the town.

“Once I come and make purchases, I go back to Lagos immediately, I have no time to go and relax as my customers would be anxious waiting for me,” he says,

Cotonou is near as big as Lagos and has almost same kinds of structures. The flyovers are similar, same with the pedestrian bridges, the big sign boards, many shops and small businesses as well as the large numbers of commercial motor cycles and buses.

The heart of Cotonou sure beats far slower than that of Lagos. Its muscles too are not as taut.  With the near absence of the commotion that makes Oshodi and Ojuelegba in Lagos a study in organized confusion, Cotonou appears more like the serene version of Lagos.

The streets of Cotonou are also clean, but one would require a Ghana- must- go  bags filled with CFA Francs to make a reasonable purchase as almost all the things in Cotonou sell for hundreds of thousands of CFA Francs.

A bottle of water for instance sells for 1,500 CFA at a three star hotel.

In Cotonou, the beaches appeal most to visitors and residents alike as the average Cotonou resident does not joke with an opportunity to be at the beach.

The sight of Ships of various sizes and shapes approaching the ports is a sight to behold especially in the evening when their inner lights are on as they line up on the shores like tiny castles on the waters.

At the beaches, various activities are introduced to liven up the place like beach races, dives, and other forms of entertainments like food and drinks and the ubiquitous Makossa dance.

People stay at the beaches till late into the night.

Though a visitor is warned about the activities of hoodlums, it is obvious that the security challenges are as much as in Lagos.

Vehicles enter and leave hotels without being checked and can park without passes, nor are they parked at owner’s risks as there are no signs indicating such. There seems to be no fear that attempts could be made to steal them.

Most of the private cars in Cotonou are “grade” (in excellent condition) with many of them still bearing their foreign number plates driving unrestricted in many parts of the town.

But the major attraction for tourists lay elsewhere.

Near Cotonou is a town known as Ouida about 30 minutes drive away, which is a repository of the historical and cultural sites that has made Benin a major tourist destination. This is where the “Temple Des Pythons” or the temple of the pythons a must stop for tourists is.

There are other interesting sites in Ouida like the first catholic church in French speaking West Africa, and other slaves routes like Place Chacha and  Le porte de non retour (the point of no return).

The temple of the Python holds attraction to the average tourists because of its unique cultural and superstitious bent.

The temple itself is just a small house with an equally small compound that houses the grotto where pythons are kept, about three other inbuilt shrines and an Iroko tree.

Not very large, an average tourist could complete his tour of the temple in less than 20 minutes.

The myth and superstition surrounding the temple towers above the small space as it connects with centuries of historical occurrences while striking a larger than life image that vibrates millions of kilometers away.

Painted in white and blue colours the Temple Des Pythons makes no pretence of its connection with the practice of voodoo. In front of the main entrance is a large statue of a lady with a green wrapper around her waist depicting the worship costumes of voodoo worshippers but particularly have affinity to the temple.

With all sorts of cryptic inscriptions bearing images of snakes and idols on the fence of the temple, the tourist feels a taste of things to expect inside even from the outside.

Inside, one comes face to face with various sizes of pythons which for most times lay sleeping in their caves even when a tourist enters.

They are said to be properties of voodoo worshippers who come there in certain periods of the year to worship and perform some rituals.

The coldness of the snakes and seeming indifference to human presence does not fail to excite the average tourist who craves the opportunity to take photos of themselves with the snakes around their necks.

From the sites it was evident that when Cotonou thrived as a slave port, it brought with it many things including as some say the voodoo religion which they said came from the Yoruba speaking slaves brought to the area.

The temple attendant Adjovi believes there are spiritual benefits of going to the temple. He says people could offer prayers through the deities in the temple for results.

There is also the Place Chacha where you have the Forgetting tree. There, slaves are said to be made to go round the tree seven times in order to make them cut emotional ties with their families by helping them forget their roots easily.

The female slaves on the other hand being more emotional are made to go round the tree nine times before they are taken to the ports.

The slaves were taken to the port where the ships were waiting for them.

At the port, there were other ceremonies performed like making them go through the gates called the point of no return. It is said once a slave passed through this point; all hopes of returning home or re-uniting with his relations are lost. The long journey to Europe then commenced from there.

History has a way of repeating itself or reversing roles. While hundred years ago, slaves were taken to the ports in chains and against their wishes, this time, it is the great grand children of slave owners that bring themselves willingly to the ports to know firsthand how the trade in human beings transpired in those days..

The  tourists are usually  accompanied by a guide who narrates the significance of each of the sites to them. Some come privately, some in groups, others mostly students come for excursions.

At the point of no return, nearly a hundred students were seen receiving lectures form their guide in the open space  as they sit at the entrance to gate listening and taking pictures.

The economic gains of such tours are evident in that the tourists patronize the markets and the hospitality industries.

In one of the hotels, a group of no less than 20 persons of different ages and sexes were seen relaxing at the side of the swimming pool.

Certainly Benin is not paying lip service to tourism.