By Daniel A. Noah Osa-Ogbegie
When people discuss history, they remove their brains. It is generally agreed that Ife was not a Kingdom until Oduduwa got there. It is also generally agreed that Oduduwa was not from Ife. That he came from the east of Ife. That he fell from the sky.
Benin people have said Oduduwa was their long lost Prince who was banished from their kingdom of Igodo owing to palace intrigues. Benin is to the east of Ife.
The Ekaladerhan/Oduduwa story is a story well told in Benin folktale. I knew about this story when I was four but didn’t know it was this elaborate. I just knew it as a story told in my village under the moonlight.
He was born by a bond woman ( I was shocked to read much later that Oduduwa was the son of a bond woman). That bond woman was among the wives of the ogiso, but she was the only one who ate the one aligator pepper ( ehiendo) that the oraclist provided and prophesied that the wife that ate it would conceive and bear the heir. She indeed became pregnant. The other wives also pretended to be pregnant.
Ekaladerhan was born but was haunted by the other wives of the Ogiso all through his childhood with each laying claim to him. He survived many death traps and plots to kill him.
To cut a long story short, Esagho lied against him and he was condemned to death. They took him down to Urokhokho where the messengers set him free to go and not return. They killed a chicken instead and smeared the cutlass with the blood of the fowl.
He wandered through the bush and appeared at Ile Ife after some years.
Ile Ife at the time was a trading post, where traders met. The people of Ugbo used to harass them and loot their wares, but Ekaladerhan put a stop to them. He organised Ife people and made them formidable.
The people of Ife were in awe of him. They asked him who he was and he told them he was Ogiso (King from the sky) The King of Igodo ( Benin) then was called Ogiso. He also told them his name was Idoduwa, which they inadvertently corrupted to Oduduwa. Oduduwa became their leader, if you like, King. His stories got to Benin ( Igodo) . Till this day, there’s an adage in Benin that says the head that will wear a crown, nothing whatsoever can stop it.
Today, over One thousand years after the demise of Oduduwa, there are Edo people known as Idoduwa, Izoduwa, Okoduwa, Oduware, Oduwa, Aduwa etc. I doubt if any Yoruba answers these kinds of names today. There’s an ancient village near Benin called Ekaladerhan. There’s a community called Urhuokhokho in that same place where Ekaladerhan was supposed to be sacrificed.
The then four Chief or elders in Benin led by Oliha went to see Oduduwa to convince him to come back to Igodo or Benin to take back his stool. Before now, Ereyi was already acting like a regent because the last Ogiso died without a son to succeed him. Oduduwa declined though after much pressure he sent his son, oranmiyan, who could not really gain access and only spent some months before leaving…
Benin history are not just mere written history. They were not written today. Much of Benin history were written by Portuguese and Dutch people who encountered Benin over 500 years ago. They are also documented in our artefacts that were stolen by the British. They are also in our names, folk songs, folktales and in the names of our villages and towns. For instance in Edo, especially in Benin area and Esan area, there are places called Eko or with the prefix of Eko: Beside University of Benin, there’s Eko Osodin. Not far from there on Lagos road, there’s Eko Nobore. Near my village in Uhunmwode, there’s Eko Ologbosere. I can go on and on.
Benin as a Kingdom and an Empire was huge. The British did a lot to obliterate Benin. By God and our ancestors, they did not succeed. They only succeeded in blighting our history and reducing the plenitude of our glory.
Until all acknowledge Benin and reparations paid, Nigeria will find it impossible to move forward. The Oba of Benin owned a vast part of southern and middle belt Nigeria that the British stole to make Nigeria, while destroying Benin and looting our prized assets. Until reparations are paid to the Oba of Benin and Edo people, Nigeria and Britain will not move forward.
Addition
As I said in my latest post on Benin history, writings on Benin history did not just start today. It is in our folklore, in our Chieftaincy, our towns and villages, streets and quarters.
The Elders of Igodo/Benin who went to Oduduwa to persuade him to return and take over the stool of his ancestors were Oliha, Edohen, Eholo Niren and Ero. They were the Elders or top Chiefs at the time. They ruled the Kingdom of Igodo with the King at that time.
They had a responsibility to ensure a continuation of the Monarchical system at the time as opposed to the Republican practice Igodo/Benin drifted to under the administration of Evian the father of Ogiamien.
They felt that Evian should not have his child succeed him being that he was not a direct descendant of Ogiso Owodo. Being a nephew was not enough for them. Evian was from a woman’s lineage.
As mentioned above, the four Chiefs or elders were Oliha, Ero, Edohen and Eholo. Ezomo was not part of them. Ezomo was a more recent creation and addition to the Uzama. By recent, I meant almost 500 years ago.
All these above names are still existing in Benin. Their palaces are still there, though they are not as powerful as they were in those days for many reasons. Oliha’s powers and influence , for instance, atrophied since his role in the Idah war of around 1517 and the story behind it. I shared this story on my old Facebook page some years ago.
Ezomo became less influential after the British Invasion of 1897 probably because of his refusal to participate in the war.
Benin has a rich history and Henceforth we will share some of the stories with you.
