Well which was it? Lions or Leopards....This reference indicates a strong preference for Leopards...
http://www.beprimitive.com/stories-d...-royal-leopard
On the other hand ...The lion was the personal symbol of King Glele, ruler of Dahomey (now the Republic of Benin) who reigned from 1858 to 1889. It was also used in a variety of objects to link relatives and would-be allies to the royal power.
Below two masks One Leopard the other Lion.