Did you know that the Dahomey Kingdom, in present day Benin, has a long history of supporting women? As early at the 1700, the people of Benin had learnt what people today still struggle with: that women are a force to be reckoned with.

THE “MINO”

The Kingdom of Dahomey was an incredibly wealthy West African empire in what is now Benin. It was ruled by King Agaja from 1718 to 1740. Under his reign, the Kingdom of Dahomey conquered many new lands and was greatly expanded. The kingdom was known especially for its trade and invincible army.

The Army contained 25,000 warriors. Of this army, King Agaja set aside a regiment of 5000 soldiers made up entirely by women. These women were called the ‘Mino’ (which means “our mothers” in Fon) and they ranked above the men.

These women were thoroughly trained and loyal only to the King. They learnt survival skills and how to separate themselves from pain and death. They organised their lives around discipline. The King picked his wives from this group as they were the healthiest and bravest women in the kingdom.

The Mino also had a huge political influence that matched their military might. The King gave them a prominent role in the Grand Council where they drove foreign policy.

GOOD THINGS HAPPEN WHEN THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN ARE RESPECTED

The legacy of the Mino shows that when people believe in women, kingdoms prosper. Women have essential strengths which were recognised in ancient empires. These women were not excluded from military, political, economic or social life because of their gender.

By learning to respect and understand people of the opposite gender, we can learn new and important perspectives. Everybody has an interesting perspective. Perspectives are views of life based on who you are and the things that you have seen. Different perspectives are helpful when you need advice with an issue because you understand the problem from the position of different people. Men need to encourage women to reach their full potential.

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