Ovonramwen Nogbaisi

Ovonramwen refused British demands to sign a treaty granting exclusive trading rights and extraterritorial jurisdiction. He maintained Benin's independence and restricted European access to the kingdom's interior.

British forces launched a punitive expedition against Benin City after the killing of a British delegation. The expedition captured and burned the city, looting thousands of bronze and ivory artworks from the royal palace.

Ovonramwen was captured by British forces and deposed as Oba of Benin. He was exiled to Calabar in southeastern Nigeria, where he lived under British supervision until his death in 1914.

Following Ovonramwen's exile, the British incorporated Benin into the Niger Coast Protectorate. The ancient kingdom lost its sovereignty and became part of British colonial Nigeria, ending centuries of independence.