A Tale of Two Kingdoms - The Place of Reforms.

Industrial revolution began in Britain during the reign of King George III, 1738 to 1820 AD. According to Dr. Benjamin Franklin (1706 to 1790 AD), one of the founding fathers of the United States,1 “king George was respected for his high office, his love for science and architecture, and for his personal qualities. Waking up at 5.00am daily, the king would dress himself and faithfully go to the chapel to read the Holy Bible, and to offer morning prayers to God Almighty.”

This was after the Dark Ages, from 500 to 1500 AD, when there was little cultural and scientific advancement, and the Word of God was scarce: Until King James I of England launched the English translation of the Latin Bible in 1611 AD. This was the Holy Bible king George read daily, that influenced his personal character and faith.2 Faithful to his wife, the king ate temperately, avoided gambling, womanizing, alcoholism, and all such vices. Instead, he listened to sermons after sermons, like that of Robert Hay Drummond, Lord Bishop of Salisbury: Teaching that “the powers that be, are ordained of God.” King George learnt that one rules over men in righteousness and justice, in the fear of God: And that the Spirit of God says to, “Allow My people express themselves freely.”3 Like sunrise after heavy rainfall, king George decisively enabled his people to freely express and produce own dreams and inventions for common good: With equity, promptly, and without judgement. Popular architectural designs like the Westminster Abbey that spread throughout Europe and beyond, began. Factories manufacturing diverse inventions and machines were built, and by 1776 AD, the industrialization revolution exploded. This was the good governance that brought rapid national development, Dr. Franklin saw as ‘his love for science and architecture.’ The same period king George reigned in the European Kingdom of Britain; five kings reigned in the Kingdom of Dahomey on the African Continent.

During King Tegbesu’s reign, 1732 to 1774 AD, internal corruption and failed foreign policies with bitter wars to expand the lucrative trans-Atlantic slave trade, was the norm. So obsessed was the king about slavery, that the Royal Army captured anyone from the queen mother to domestic servants, and sold into slavery.4 In 1750 AD alone, king Tegbesu sold an estimated 10,000 people to European traders, for an average annual income of £250,000. The dynastic conflict to claim the throne that followed his death, saw the rise of his son Kpengla, 1774 to 1789 AD. Much of the administration of king Kpengla was spent fighting to monopolize and increase profits from slave trade. His son and successor, king Agonglo, 1789 to 1797 AD, inherited many economic problems and domestic oppositions. Fighting fewer wars, the king focused instead on reforms like tax reductions, better gifts distribution during festivals, and reforms in human sacrifices. He was assassinated for allowing Catholic missionaries into the kingdom. His son and successor, king Adandozan, 1797 to 1818 AD, was extremely cruel. He fed subjects and oppositions to hyenas for amusement. To force more favorable terms for slave export, his policy reforms conflicted with interests of both royal family members and priests of the religious Vodun cult. He was overthrown by his half-brother Ghèzo in a palace coup, with the help of foreign slave traders. King Ghèzo, 1818 to 1856 AD, was much loved by his people for lowering taxes, instituting judicial reforms and justice, and diversifying the economy from dependence on slave trade. However, his response to British insistence to end slavery, provides insight into the minds of African rulers. He said, “The slave trade is the ruling principle of my people. It is the source and the glory of their wealth. A mother lulls the child to sleep with notes of triumph over an enemy reduced to slavery." Apparently, the primary concern of African leaders is not for personal character development, or for his people’s freedom of expressions. It is instead for personal or cult glory or interests, and for wealth. Resulting in constant dynastic or electoral struggle for power, greed and corruption, policy under-performance, and a history of colonization the people suffer. As prosperity grew in Europe, African kings were busy waging wars for slaves to sell to European traders searching for raw materials for their industrial complexes in Europe. Wars for personal and cult glory and wealth, until today in 2024 AD.

In this tale of two kingdoms, the lessons are many and open for discernment and discussions. One lesson is that human character, matters! Another lesson is that human character development among people and leaders, is influenced by the spirit they traditionally listen to. Every person and rulers on earth, listens to something or to someone. The state of every national development depends on the spirit behind it. The European kingdom listened to the Spirit of God, and entered an era of freedom and rapid development. But the African kingdom listen to the spirits of the ancestors, and still suffers a history of harsh colonization and underdevelopment. It is easy to see where reforms must take place on the African Continent. Like king George, human character is like a tender plant that must be nursed to maturity like Christ the King of kings. Africa needs a new generation of leaders like king George. The good news is that the African Continent the world considers as dark and underdeveloped is about to rise. Not by the alien spirit of the ancestors, but by the Spirit of God.

Adapted from: The Error of Shinar. 2024.

Igbinnosa I. Scripture International, Abuja Nigeria, 113p (Request for a free eCopy).

References:

1Juan José López Haddad. 2022. Our Common Father: The Image of George III in colonial America. Princeton Historical Review. Department of History, Princeton University, USA. https://history.princeton.edu/undergraduate/princeton-historical-review/2021%E2%80%9322-issue/our-common-father

2Joshua 1:8, Holy Bible

32nd Samuel 23:2-3; Jeremiah 22:3; Proverbs 8: 14-16; 2nd Corinthians 3:17, Holy Bible

4Boniface I. Obichere. 1978. Women and slavery in the kingdom of Dahomey. In: Revue Francaise d’Histoire d’Outre-Mer, No. 238, 1er trimester, 5-20p