THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN SACRIFICE IN DAHOMEY KINGDOM
In 1720 CE, during the peak era of the European trans-atlantic slave trade, Agaja, king of Dahomey raided and sacked all slave trading forts that were set up on the coastal areas of his kingdom by Europeans. King Agaja burnt everything down and blocked off supply routes to the hinterlands. Slavery was in conflict with Dahomey's development. Europeans were bitter. They tried to sponsor Africans they had made slave dealers, against King Agaja. "They failed to unseat him or to crush the Dahomey kingdom. But in turn, king Agaja failed to persuade the Europeans to introduce a new line of trade or other economic activities such as local plantations agriculture. Being eager to acquire firearms, Agaja agreed to resume the slave trade in 1730 CE." - (Walter Rodney, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa). During the time of King Wegbaja in the 17th century CE, European often preferred to obtain a shipload of captured and enslaved men and women from one spot. Dahomey was in constant co...