Bight of Benin

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Map of the Gulf of Guinea showing the Bight of Benin.

The Bight of Benin is a bight (a type of bay) on the western African coast that extends eastward for about 400 miles (640 km) from Cape St. Paul to the Nun outlet of the Niger River. To the east it is continued by the Bight of Bonny (formerly Bight of Biafra). The bight is part of the Gulf of Guinea.

On December 25, 2003, UTA Flight 141 crashed in the Bight.

[edit] Cultural references

The Bight of Benin is known for its fearsome tides and has a long association with slavery.

An old rhyme says Beware, beware the Bight of the Benin, for few come out though many go in. A variation goes Beware beware, the Bight of Benin: one comes out, where fifty went in! This is said to be a slavery jingle about the risk of disease in the Bight. A third version of the couplet is "Beware and take care of the Bight of Benin. For one as comes out, there's ten as goes in."

The author Philip McCutchan has written a book titled "Beware, beware the Bight of Benin."

A short story by Elizabeth Coatsworth, "The Forgotten Island" (1942), deals with a treasure from Benin. The rhyme is also mentioned.

In Patrick O'Brian's novel The Commodore (1996), Dr. Maturin recites the rhyme when he learned of his ship's destination. Commodore Aburey checks him, telling him it is bad luck to say that out loud on the way in.

In 2007, a collection of short stories entitled The Bight of Benin: Short Fiction by Kelly J. Morris was published by AtacoraPress.com. The stories are set in Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria.

[edit] History

On 1 February 1852 the British established the Bight of Benin British protectorate, under the authority of Consuls of the Bight of Benin:

Term	Protectorate
May 1852 – 1853	Louis Fraser
1853 – April 1859	Benjamin Campbell
April 1859 – 1860	George Brand
1860 – January 1861	Henry Hand
January 1861 – May 1861	Henry Grant Foote
May 1861 – 6 August 1861	William McCoskry (acting)

On 6 August 1861 the Bight of Biafra protectorate (see there for their common further history) and Bight of Benin protectorate were joined as a united British protectorate, ultimately to be merged into Nigeria