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The
Ik’edionwere members selected one from among their members, usually
the oldest in age, to lead them. Often he was very old, so he
nominated a much younger member of the council as his Oka’iko, a
helping hand. This was how what became known as the Edo kingdom
evolved. It was by no means a perfect arrangement from day one, but
it worked for hundreds and perhaps thousands of years, solving some
problems, creating others, with occasional damaging fights for
supremacy among the council members.
Ogiso
Igodo (40 BCE – 16 CE).
In 40 BCE, ‘Igodo,’ an ambitious, young, smart, Edionwere,
from Idunmwun Ivbioto district, emerged as the Oka’iko. Igodo
staged a coup, by abolishing the Ik’edionwere and declaring himself
the Ogiso. He set up the Odibo-Ogiso group to help him consolidate
his authority. Ogiso means ruler from the sky. By calling himself
Ogiso, he was implying direct lineage to Pa Idu, the youngest son of
Osanobua from the sky. He named his combined territories or
sprawling nation state, Igodomigodo, and set up his capital at
Ugbekun. The people of Igodomigodo enthusiastically accepted him as
their ruler. They saw him as the reincarnation of Pa Idu and
accorded him divine qualities. They transferred to him, all the
myths associated with Pa Idu, including the God-son creation myth.
All Ogisos and Obas of Benin naturally try to strengthen these myths
in a variety of ways, including not allowing themselves to be seen
eating in public and so suggesting that they can live without food.
They are in myth, not mortal but god-kings, with celestial mystique
attached to them.
Ogiso Igodo,
after consolidating his hold on power, set up a Royal Council which
included members of the disbanded Ik’edionwere Council and the
Odibo-Ogiso group. He toyed with the idea of his succession by
heredity and recommended in the alternative, succession by a close
relative, who is mature, wise, and acceptable to the Royal Council.
Ogiso Igodo died in 16 CE. None of his sons was able to succeed him
to the throne.
Ogiso Ere
(16 - 66 CE).
Ogiso Ere, who was Ogiso Igodo’s kinsman, succeeded Igodo to the
throne in 16 CE. Ogiso Ere transferred the capital of Igodomigodo
from Ugbekun to Uhudumwunrun. This implies that Igodomigodo was a
sprawling kingdom with more than a few large
gathering points rather than a
series of small hamlets. It was a very sophisticated kingdom too
from that far back in history. Ogiso Ere, a lover of peace, was
also a very resourceful king. He brought his kingdom several
innovations. He was the first to wear a Cowry Crown. He introduced
the guild system of carpenters and wood carvers, which eventually
developed into the world’s celebrated wood works and bronze casting
factories of today’s Igun Street in Benin City. Ogiso Ere built the
first ever Igodomigodo market, known then as Ogiso market and in
modern times as Agbado market. Ogiso Ere, invented the famous
African kingship paraphernalia which includes the Ada (a sword of
honour), Eben (a sword for dancing), Ekete (a royal stool), Agba (a
rectangular stool), and Epoki (a leather box). These still serve
today as the symbols of Obaship authority in many West African
countries that experienced Bini control and or influence.
The Ada
with one cutting edge is sometimes described as the senior sword of
state, and the Ebe, with its double cutting edge, is the thrusting
sword, (or the sword for dancing), trilled four times in
thanksgiving and in self-identification, to the spirits of the
ancestors. It must not fall when being trilled. While the Ada is
believed to link the Edo with Egypt where a similar sword was used
in battles, the Eben is linked with the Bronze Age, which the Bini
may have used to fight their way through the desert and bush path to
reach their present location. All Benin chiefs have the authority to
use the Eben but only a few among them are allowed to possess the
Ada. The Ada chiefs include, Enogies, the Ovies in Urhobo land, who
can pronounce death sentence on citizens, and the Uzama nobles (Oliha,
Edohen, Ero, Eholorn’ire etc), during the Ogiso era. None of these
chiefs is allowed, however, to carry the Ada into palace grounds.
Only their Eben can go in with them.
Ogiso
Orire (66 – 100 CE).
Ogiso Ere died in 66 CE and was succeeded by his son, Ogiso Erire,
introducing the primogeniture (son succeeding his father)
principle. He is credited with greatly expanding the kingdom. He
had no male child so Igodomigodo was thrown into a long and
devastating succession battles that lasted for 285 years. During
that time 19 Odionweres attempted to usurp the position of Ogiso
without receiving recognition from the people, and the consensus of
the Elders’ Council. The issue was finally resolved with the
compromise choice of Ogiso Odia in 385 CE.
Ogiso
Odia (385 – 400 CE), was
an Odionwere with ocultic gift of prophesy and prediction. His
ascension introduced the system of gerontocracy (i.e. the oldest
person in the community rules), until the death of the twenty-second
Ogiso when the primogeniture system was restored.
Ogiso
Ighido (400 CE – 414
CE), succeeded Ogiso Odia. Ighido was a successful blacksmith
producing knives, chains, hoes and cutlasses when he was oracularly
chosen to be the Ogiso. He was the oldest citizen around at the
time anyway, an Odionwere. Ogiso Evbuobo (414 -432 CE), was
very old when he was chosen to be the Ogiso. He died at the age of
110 years. Ogiso Ogbeide (432 – 447 CE), was from Ugbague
quarters. A proud king. He died on Ugie Day.
Ogiso
Emehe (447 – 466 CE),
was one of Edo’s greatest diviners. He was an oguega oraclist from
the Emehe quarters. Ogiso Ekpigho (466 – 482 CE), was a
money lender before he became king. He was heartless and merciless
in the business of managing money. Even his name suggests his
trade, ‘bag of money.’ Ogiso Akhuankhuan (482 – 494 CE), was
an economist and trader who specialized in the textile trade before
he was chosen king. Ogiso Efeseke (494– 508 CE), was very
wealthy before becoming Ogiso. He came from the Urubi quarters. He
had large herds of cows and goats.
Ogiso
Irudia (508– 522 CE).
His period was not considered eventful in anyway. Ogiso Orria
(522– 537 CE), was a great hunter who specialized in killing or
capturing and training elephants. He hailed from Oregbeni
quarters. Ogiso Imarhan (537– 548 CE) had a thriving
business in terracotta, making pots before becoming king. He was
from Oka quarters. Ogiso Etebowe (548– 567 CE), was a
powerful boxer and wrestler from Oroghotodin quarters. He wasn’t a
giant in size but had the reputation of ‘destroyer of leopards.’
Ogiso Odion (567– 584 CE), was a renowned hunter, fairy and
folktales teller, intelligent singer, dancer and a moralist.
Ogiso Emose (584– 600 CE), was a posthumous child. He inherited
the mother’s wealth. He loved beautiful things. At his coronation,
he took the mother’s name ‘Emose,’ and so earned the reputation of
being regarded as a woman Ogiso.
Ogiso
Ororo (600– 618 CE), was
brought up as a blacksmith at Eyanugie. He travelled far and wide
as a trader in Ogisodom before becoming Ogiso. Ogiso Erebo
(618– 632 CE), was a fisherman and canoe carver, chosen from Okhorho
quarters. He had a repertoire of stories about sea animals such as
mermaids, sharks, crocodiles etc. Ogiso Ogbomo (632 –647
CE), was chosen from Ugbowo quarters. He was a nurse or doctor,
treating venereal diseases, arthritis, epilepsy and pregnant women.
Ogiso Agbonzeke (647–665 CE), was a philosopher, historian
and a great poet with a rich range of songs and proverbs. He
interpreted native laws and customs well and had the reputation of
telling truth from lies. Ogiso Ediae (665– 685 CE), was the
last Odionwere Ogiso. A great carver and sculptor. He died at the
age of 115 years.
Ogiso
Orriagba (685– 712 CE)
ascended the throne of his father, Ogiso Ediae, under the
primogeniture system, and was determined to introduce stability to
the succession process. He was not happy with the gerontocratic
system that tended to produce very old Ogisos counting their days to
the grave. He felt that the son taking over from his father system,
would bring young blood to the throne, so he canvassed seriously for
the process and backed it with the Oba’s next of kin taking over in
a situation where the Oba left no son. He invoked the spirit of
Erinmwindu, and the ancestors of the land, to support his efforts
and positively influence members of the Royal Council. The
Edion‘isen, (Royal Council, later known as the Seven Uzama, and
which included chiefs Oliha, Edohen, Ero, Ezomo and Eholo-Nire),
after long deliberations adopted the system of primogeniture and
swore on the shrine of Erinmwindu to uphold it at all times both for
the monarch and themselves. The rule was extended to their
properties, duties, and debts, when they die.
Ogiso
Odoligie (712– 767 CE),
was a soldier. He defeated Udo, Iguabode, and Urhonigbe towns;
united and enlarged his kingdom. He used tamed elephants to
prosecute his wars. Ogiso Uwa (767– 821 CE) inherited a rich
kingdom. A luxury lover, extravagant and a gambler, he introduced
brass work to Igodomigodo. Ogiso Eheneden (821–871 CE), like
his father, inherited an expanded kingdom and wealth. He introduced
innovations that improved the arts and crafts and the practice of
agriculture. Ogiso Ohuede (871– 917 CE), introduced the UKO
(or ministerial system of government), and developed the guild
system. He was considered a weak king. Ogiso Oduwa (917–
967 CE), experienced serious rebellion during his reign. He could
not control the large kingdom.
Ogiso
Obioye (967– 1012 CE),
was a resourceful king. He introduced the use of cowry as currency
to Igodomigodo. His reign witnessed fire outbreak, severe
inflation, food scarcity and immigration. Ogiso Arigho
(1012– 1059 CE), was a great merchant. He introduced the double
payments system, a bank, and the slave labour culture to Igodomigodo.
Ogiso Owodo
(1059-1100 CE), was the thirty-first and last Ogiso of Igodomigodo.
He freed the slaves. He was considered a weak king because he could
not handle Osogan who was a thorn in his flesh during his reign.
Ogiso Owodo had only one son, called Ekaladerhan, despite having
many wives. In attempt to unravel the cause of his wives not being
able to bear children, he sent his first wife Esagho and three male
messengers, namely Osaghae, Osagiede and a fourth person to consult
an oracle. Details of what happened have been preserved for
centuries in palace
folklore and practice and who better to provide this than an
illustrious Edo prince soaked in the tradition.
According
to the book, Ekaladerhan, written by His Royal Highness,
Ovbia Oba Edun Agharese Akenzua, the Ogie-Obazuwa, published by
Ukhege Heights, Benin City, 2008, Odionmwan and his aids,
Omokpaomwan and Osifo were summoned to appear at noon before Ogiso
Owodo, because there was a job for the executioners. The prison
cells were empty, so they did not know who was going to be
executed.
They
brought out their whetstone, some lime and ash and began to sharpen
and polish their swords. A stranger in his mid 50s approached them
and said he wanted to share something with them but that they had to
take an oath with him before he could reveal it. They wondered why
they should take an oath with the stranger and tried to dismiss
him. He insisted that he would not leave until they took the oath
and heard him out. With the swords put together, the intruder
untied an edge of his cloth to bring out a kolanut and some
ehien-edo (alligator pepper). He incised his arm with the tip of
the sword and asked the others to do likewise. He plucked a cocoyam
leaf to collect the blood from the four of them, broke the kolanut,
dipped the pieces in the blood and placed them on the sword. Then,
he added three ehien-edo seeds.
The three
men placed their hands on the sword and swore not to divulge the
information they were about to receive. Each of them took a piece
of the kolanut and one seed of the ehien-edo and chewed them with a
sip of water. Then the intruder began to speak: “I was one of the
four persons sent by the Ogiso to the oracle to find out why his
wives could not bear children. Esagho was one of us. The Obiro
revealed that a sorceress had cast the spell on Ogiso’s wives to
prevent them from bearing children. The sorceress must be destroyed
and her blood sprinkled on the shrine of Olode. She is an evil
woman, I can see her face. She is trying to hide but can’t. Her
name is Esagho, Ogiso’s wife.
“On the way home,
in stormy whether, Esagho ripped off cloth from her waist.”
Seeing the nakedness of an Ogiso’s wife carried the death penalty.
“We lowered our gaze and screamed, what is this? She accused us of
removing her cloth to rape her. Rape you, we screamed. One of us
tried to strangle her for lying but the rest of us restrained him.
We fell on our bellies, buried our faces in the mud and pleaded with
her but she would not bulge. She insisted we agree to say that the
oracle fingered Ekaladerhan and not her. We knew that no one would
believe our story against hers so, to save our necks, we gave in.
On arrival at the palace, Esagho told Ogiso that the oracle declared
Ekaladerhan as the Alagbode. That the Alagbode passed over the
bridge and burnt it, so he
must be sacrificed to the gods for Owodo’s wives to bear him
children. This is the genesis of what you are about to do now.”
The
executioners could not believe their ears. They asked for the names
of the other messengers and the stranger said they were Osaghae and
Osagiede and that “they could not live with the treachery so, they
drank poison one after the other these last two years. “I have
waited for this day to tell what I know. Now that I have done so, I
am ready to die,” he said. The executioners debated the issue and
decided they would save the life of the prince. They would not want
to soil their hands with the blood of the innocent. They would tell
the prince what happened and let him escape. The messenger was
happy with their decision and asked them to tell the prince the
truth at the time of the execution. They took oath again, swearing
not to divulge their decision not to execute Ekaladerhan. “If I do,
may I become victim of the sword; my body food for the birds; my
branches obliterated from the surface of the earth.”
Ekaladerhan
had just finished his meal and his best friend and play mate,
Okpomwan, was clearing the plates. “Hurry,” Ekaladerhan said,
“let’s continue our hunting. The sun has already climbed high. We
have to get more lizards for the cats.” There was a knock on the
door. Okpomwan answered it. “Greetings from your father,” the
leader of the three visitors said. “It is his wish that you
accompany us on a journey. He sent you this agba as proof that we
act on his authority. Wear it on your right arm.” It was too large
for his young slim arm so they cut it and pressed its ends
together. Okpomwan wanted to go with the prince but they would not
let him. It was a journey for the prince alone. The kids sensed
something sinister but were helpless and too young to resist. It
was the first time Ekaladerhan was going anywhere without his
friend.
They walked
and walked. The sun was at the centre of the sky, scorching the
earth. The prince was extremely tired. He threatened several times
that he could not continue. Eventually at Igo forest, they came
face to face with the man who took the oath with the executioners.
The executioners and the prince were surprised and the executioners
exchanged greetings with the man. He appeared to have materialized
by magic and they joked about his mysterious powers. “Who is this
man?” The prince asked. The messenger said: “the sun is there but
it has no heat. This is the day of the sun without sunshine; the
clouds that bear no rain. A strange phenomenon! No wonder, the
glory of the land is about to depart.” Odionmwan, leader of the
executioners said, “this is the end of the journey.” Then he began
slowly to tell Ekaladerhan the reason for the journey, but that they
didn’t want the blood of an innocent person on their hands.
“What would
you do to me then?” The prince asked. “Leave you here to find your
way. Do not return because you will be executed,” Odionmwan said.
“Find my way? To where?” The prince said with tears rolling down his
cheeks. As the executioners were leaving, he begged them not to
leave and asked to be killed instead. He clung to one of them.
Odionmwan said to him, “Ekaladerhan, the son of Ogiso, your father
ordered that you be executed. We will not spill the blood of the
innocent. So wander into the jungles beyond. Do not look back; do
not return. Fate may layout pain and sorrow for you, but we layout
hope and prayers.” They gave him a hunter’s knife, a bag with some
survival items, a cross-bow and arrows, and told him these were all
they had to give him along with their hope and prayers. “Go now
with Osanobua. Go, good spirits will go with you and guide you.”
Odionmwan
brought out a cock from his bag, cut its neck and smeared their
swords with its blood. “It would be the evidence that the deed has
been done,” he said. The messenger said, “this place shall
henceforth be known as Urhu Okhokho or Aghi de ere yi.” He brought
out a short stem of Ikhinmwin from his bag and planted it at the
spot to commemorate the event. Then, they freed the man from
Ekaladerhan’s grip and headed for home. He ran after them for a
while, sobbing, pleading, but it was of no use. He flung himself to
the ground, sobbing. Exhausted from sobbing, he did not know when
he drifted into sleep. He slept for a long time and woke up
refreshed. He
realised he was alone in the
bowel of the jungle and it was getting dark. He lifted himself
slowly from the ground and emboldened by despair, began his journey
into the unknown, with the Odionmwan’s parting words ringing in his
ears: “do not look back, do not return,” as he kept walking, running
and trotting. Light was failing, his legs got tangled in ropes and
shrubs now and again. He thought he was being followed. He looked
back; saw no one, as he continued running. When it got too dark, he
took shelter under a large tree but was too frightened to shut his
eyes. He took off the next day, trotting. He had turned his back
on the land of his birth, forever. He had been running for three
days.
He got to a brook
and stopped. The clear water rippled slowly southwards. According to
Edun Akenzua’s book, Ekaladerhan, “the bank was full of
brightly coloured flowers, some red, others yellow, blue and green.
The grass was luscious and equal in height, rising in even
progression from the river bank towards the bush. All was neatly
arranged as if by a horticulturist, but then, nature is the greatest
horticulturist of all. He went down to the brook, stretched his
legs out into it and let them bathe in the cool water. It felt
good. He scooped some of the water to wash face and drink.
Finally, he put his clothes aside and plunged into the shallow water
and bathed his entire body.
With the
birds singing, the butterflies dancing, oblivious of his presence,
the trees, the animals for companion and the beautiful brook all to
himself, he felt a special bond and decided to settle there. After
taking his bath he stretched out on his back on dried leaves for a
nap.”
In those
days, groups of hunters would go on safaris in the jungle, sometimes
for several weeks at a time. Their wives would accompany them.
They would pitch camp and from there the men would hunt at night.
In the morning, the women would disembowel the game brought from the
hunt, clean and stack them up on racks above fire to dehydrate the
animals and prevent them from rot. At the end of the expedition,
they would take large quantities of dehydrated animal home for
family needs and the rest to trade by barter. One day, a band of
hunters on a safari got to a piece of land slopping gently into a
slow-running brook. The brook was clear and a bush of bamboo trees
was near-by. They liked the topography and decided to set up camp
there. They cleared the ground and used the bamboo sticks to build
their tents while the women cooked yams brought from home. They
spent that first night in the camp hoping to start their hunt the
following evening.
That night one of
the men needed to ease himself and asked the man sleeping next to
him to accompany him. He too needed to answer the call of nature.
“They picked up their akare and walked some distance away from their
camp to squat and empty their bowels a few meters from each other.
One suddenly thought he was hearing heavy breathing from under a
near-by shrub. He listened attentively and was convinced his ears
were not deceiving him. He could trace a form under the shrub in
the moonless night. The form moved slightly. He whispered to his
colleague that there was something near-by. He raised his hand to
train his akare at the form but his friend exclaimed that he should
hold it, that it was a man not an animal. A man here in the
jungle? What the hell is he doing here by himself? Ekaladerhan
recognized them at once as people from Igodomigodo. He joined their
camp, told his story and impressed the hunters with his agility and
hunting prowess. It was his first human contact since his
banishment.” They called him a man, so he must have been there by
him self for three or more years because he could not have been much
more than 15 years of age when he was taken from home. They
thoroughly enjoyed each others company. After they had packed their
things and left for home, he too packed his kits and left. “He was
sure that the hunters would take the news of their encounter home
and his father would send troops after him. He resumed his running
to get as far away from the area as possible. The news quickly
spread in Igodomigodo that Ekaladerha was alive. The hunters were
brought before Ogiso Owodo. “You saw Ekaladerhan?” He
asked. “Yes my Lord,” they said.
“You saw the dead among the living?’ “He is not dead. We saw
him.”
“Shut up!
Do you mean you saw a ghost? Can’t you tell the living from the
dead? We gave Ekaladerhan to the gods. Does anyone ever return
from the great beyond? Answer fools!” The king was in rage. The
hunters were subjected to rigorous interrogation. They stood by
their story. Finally, they were made to take an oath to attest to
the veracity of their story. In Igodo, statements made on oath were
held to be true because perjurers died within three years. Owodo
sent for the Okaokuo. Get your men, go with these men and bring
Ekaladerhan back home. Go at once. You have three moons in which
you must bring him back. Turning to another aid, he said: “You go
and bring the Okao-Odionmwan here to explain how the man he executed
came alive again. Keep him in the dungeon until they bring
Ekaladerhan back.”
They
trooped out of Ogiso’s presence. They had reached the end of the
road. They were in a quandary. If they failed to bring Ekaladerhan
back they would die and if they succeeded, they would still die
because they would not want his death on their conscience. On their
way out of the palace arguing and blaming each other for the mess
they had put themselves into by reporting their find, one of the
hunters suggested that when they leave, he would not come back. He
would find a settlement elsewhere. They all agreed, including
members of the king’s troops assigned to go with them, that that was
what they would all do.
Okpomwan now in his
late teenage, was coming from his farm when he came upon a crowd of
people moving down the road, talking loudly, some giggling
excitedly, some quarrelling. Okpomwan recognized an elder among them
and asked what the commotion was about. “So you haven’t heard that
Ekaladerhan has been found?” “Ekaladerhan? Where?” Okpomwan
screamed, unable to contain himself. They told him how they found
him in the forest and that Ogiso had ordered them to go and bring
him. They are going home to get ready for the journey. “I will go
with you sir. I’ll run to the palace to seek Ogiso’s permission and
meet you at home,” Okpomwan said. Ogiso read Okpomwan’s mind and
asked him if he had heard that they found his friend in the forest
and whether he believed them? “I have asked them to go and bring
him even if it is a ghost,” Ogiso said. Okpomwan said “I ran into
Okaokuo on the way, he told me the story. May I go with them?” “He
will be glad to see you. Go,” the Ogiso said. “Thank you my Lord.”
Soon as Okpomwan arrived at Okaokuo’s home, the other members of the
team began arriving with their belongings, wives and children. He
soon learnt that the team was going for good and would not return to
Igodomigodo. He too said he
was prepared to go with them for good. Okaokuo’s wife prepared one
last major meal of pounded yam for the entire team before they
left.
When they
eventually reached where the hunters had camped and encountered
Ekaladerhan, it was deserted and the huts had been taken over by
shrubs. For three days, they searched far and wide, calling out
Ekaladerhan’s name; the only response they got was the echo of their
voices. The leader of the party then assembled them and said: “we
are far from home, yet we have found a home. A home free from fear,
uncertainty and treachery. God protect us here. This settlement
besides this brook shall be known henceforth as Iguekaladerhan in
memory of the prince. Through here, the glory of Igodomigodo
departed; by the same route shall it return.” He planted the
ikhinmwin stem. “It is the first tree on earth; it was planted by
God as the forerunner of all trees. Wherever man has established a
settlement, Ikhinmwin is planted to sanctify the land. I plant it
here now. It shall consecrate this land and bear testimony that man
has chosen this place as home.” After that ceremony, the men began
to build their homes and prepare the ground for farming. A new
settlement had begun.
Ekaladerhan
in the meantime had been running for several days, crossing rivers
after rivers, to get as far away from Igodo as he possibly could.
He did not want the troops he expected his father to send after him,
to catch him. One afternoon, tired of running, he sat under a tree
to rest and soon slept off. When he woke up, he saw two Eghodin
birds in the air. Eghodin birds fly where there is smoke and
fire. He wondered if he had run all this far only to be back to
Igodo. The bush was clean around the near-by pond and cocoyam
plants littered the place. He tried to pull one out of the ground
but the stem broke so he got a piece of stick to dig the yam out of
the ground. As he was doing that, a man came out of the bush,
holding a bow in his left hand and a bag was slung across his
shoulder. He was very dark in complexion, unlike the men of
Igodomigodo. The man moved with caution towards him and it suddenly
dawned on Ekaladerhan that there were other humans on earth. The
intruder too was puzzled. He had never seen a man as huge and
muscular. Was the giant a god or a spirit? He thought.
Ekaladerhan sensed his confusion and decided to take advantage of
it. He spoke to him but he did not understand. The man too spoke
and Ekaladerhan did not understand.
He began to move
away but Ekaladerhan beckoned that he should follow him. After
walking a short distance, Ekaladerhan stopped suddenly; placed a
finger to his lips, to suggest that the man should be quiet and
indicated that the man should wait; then he moved stealthily alone
into the woods. The stranger was afraid of happenings and even
more scared to run away.
Ekaladerhan soon returned with a live antelope slung on his
shoulders, to the hunter’s surprise. Ekaladerhan presented the
animal he apparently caught with bare hands to the man and motioned
to him to take it home. The man gratefully carried his gift and
hurried away but soon returned with another man. They both
prostrated, muttering words, which seemed to be of gratitude for the
antelope. Back home, the hunters recounted their encounter in the
forest. News spread that the god of the forest had arrived as was
predicted long time ago by their oracles. People began to visit the
forest to catch a glimpse of the friendly god.
One day, a
young lad accompanying his father to hunt gave a piglet a chase not
knowing that the mother was near-by and watching. The mother pig
charged at him and dug its teeth into his calf. The lad’s father
chased away the pig. His son’s leg was bleeding profusely so he
carried him on his back and as he was heading home, Ekaladerhan
stopped them, plucked some leaves, chewed them into a pulp to paste
on the wound. The bleeding stopped immediately, then he peeled the
skin of cocoyam to bandage the wound. When the bandage was removed
a week later, the wound, as if by magic, had completely healed. They
concluded that the forest god was not only a master-hunter, he was
an herbalist too. From then on, they brought their sick to him for
treatment. Their friendship blossomed. They brought him food,
clothing and other gifts and as the moons rolled by Ekaladerhan
began to pick a few words of their language.
Three
harvests later, the people gathered at their village square to
discuss their relationship with their god-friend. Agbonmiregun, the
priest, said at the gathering: “Dear citizens, I welcome you. We
are here to jointly express our thanks to God for hearing our
prayers. For a long time we prayed to Him to send us a leader. The
oracles foretold that God would send the leader from the land of the
Rising Sun. I thought it would not happen in my life-time. Now the
leader has come. He has come down to teach our young ones the
technique of hunting. Since his advent, our sons have become brave
and accomplished hunters; farmers now have plentiful harvest. The
barns are full; no more hunger. Disease and sickness have been
reduced. With a single leaf, he cures yaws, guinea worm and
scabies; just one leaf and mortality rate has been reduced. Should
a personage of that statue continue to live there, in the forest? I
say no! And I know I speak for all of you. I propose that we
invite him to live among us. We should build a house for him, and
give him our daughters to marry to beget his kind and perpetuate his
line in our country. I call on you to give me the mandate to send a
delegation to invite him down.”
“Go on,
Agbonmiregun; send a delegation to him,” the people shouted
unanimously.” Agbonmiregun then turned to Ilowa, “take with you as
many persons as you consider necessary and go to him. Come over and
collect wearing apparels and a staff for him. Ogun, Eshindale and
Obameri will go with you. Go and tell him it is our wish that he
comes and lives among us. Go and prepare. You set out on the
seventh day from today.”
Ilowa and
his delegation meet Ekaladerhan in the forest. “Greetings, god of
the forest. My name is Ilowa. I am the custodian of records for our
people. This is Ogun, Eshindale, Obameri….. They are elders in our
country. We bring you greetings from our people. The oracles
foretold your coming a long time ago. We did not know it would be
in our life-time. We are happy that our eyes have seen you. Glory
be to Olodumare. Your coming has liberated us from hunger and from
diseases. We thank you for the wonderful things you have done in
our lives. We have been mandated to bring you these gifts and to
invite you to come and live with us. We will build a home for you
on the highest peak in town and give our daughters to you in
marriage.”
Ekaladerhan
after thanking them profusely said among other things, “…..I am
overwhelmed by your warmth, friendship and generosity…..but I cannot
accept this kindness. I pray, friends, do not be offended.”
“Son of the
forest, do not turn down our invitation, we beg of you. Olodumare
himself sent you to us; otherwise you would not have been here. We
thank Him. For His sake, do not turn your back on us. The trees
and the animals and birds are always here. You can visit them
whenever you wish,” Ilowa pleaded, but to no avail. Ekaladerhan was
tempted to explain that he was not a spirit, but decided it was more
beneficial to let them think he was one. Disappointed, the
delegation returned home. Three harvests passed before they tried
again. This time, their friendship with Ekaladerhan had grown
tremendously and Ekaladerhan had performed several more of what
seemed to them like miracles in their lives. Ekaladerhan accepted
their invitation and gifts, then asked for permission and
disappeared into the forest. Moments later, he was back with a bush
pig. “Let us celebrate with this,” he said.
The men
excitedly lit a fire and soon they were feasting. After they had
left, Ekaladerhan could not sleep that night. Tears rolled down his
cheeks as he ruminated on his life. He knelt down and thanked
Osanobua. Then he told him self that from that day on: “my name
shall be Ize-Odo’uwa.” Meaning I have chosen the path of glory.
The
following morning, town criers took to the streets before the first
light, beating the drums, summoning citizens to the village square.
A large crowd assembled including all the leaders: Agbonmiregun,
Ilowa, Obameri, Eshindale, Ogun….. Agbonmiregun mounted the rostrum
and welcomed everyone to the gathering. “I will not waste time,” he
said. “I have good news, but a song is sweeter in the mouth of the
minstrel. The minstrel today in Ilowa. I shall now invite him to
step forward and sing the song.”
Ilowa on
the rostrum, after greeting formalities, said: “it is now over six
harvests since a man appeared in our forest and has been living
there. The oracle had foretold of his coming and we have been
expecting his arrival. Since he came, our land now yields great
harvests. Our hunters no longer come home without a game. Our sons
are now accomplished hunters and sharp-shooters. Generally, we are
now used to a better life. Olodumare sent him to bring bounty to
our land. You are witnesses to the miracles this great teacher,
hunter and physician has performed. Lest we become like the blind
man who does not see the beauty of day and the glory of the sun, the
elders and your good selves decided that the Forest-god be persuaded
to come and live amongst us.
“A
delegation led by this speaker and including Ogun, Eshindale and
Obameri, was sent to invite him. It took 39 moons (three harvests),
to persuade him to accept the invitation. It is now my joy and
privilege to break the good news that he has agreed to come and live
with us.” A thunderous ovation greeted the announcement. The
people burst into spontaneous songs of joy, promising to build a
house for the Forest-god at the highest peak of town and reveling in
the prospect of the god ushering in the cradle of their New World.
When they
asked him, “Baba, we do not know what to call you,” he said “my name
is IZE-OD’UWA n’ovbie Ogiso. It is a long name. You may simply
call me Ize’oduwa. My father’s name is Ogiso.” He looked skywards
as he called his father’s name.
Ogiso Owodo,
apart from the domestic problem of his wives not being able to bare
children, was not a very popular king and his execution of a
pregnant woman for some minor misdemeanor, proved to be one offence
too many for his subjects and his frontline chiefs, who banished
Owodo from his throne. Owodo took refuge at a place called
Uhinwinirin.
During the period
of Owodo’s banishment, a monster snake that appeared to be coming
out of the Ikpoba River, (although the Igodomigodos believed it was
coming from the sky), bit people now and
again at the Ogiso market and many
died from the attack. The Igodomigodos as a result, nicknamed the
Ogiso market, “Agbado Aigbare,” (meaning we go there together we
never return together), which is how Ogiso market acquired its
current name of Agbado market. Every effort to tackle the monster
snake, including spiritual means failed until Evian, kindred of the
Ogiso royal family, succeeded in throwing a fire-hot iron rod into
the mouth of the monster snake. The feat appeared to have sent the
monster snake to its eventual death. It endeared Evian to his
people, because the monster snake never bothered the people of
Igodomigodo again.
The death
of Ogiso Owodo at that same time created leadership vacuum for the
first time since the re-introduction of the son succeeding his
father to the throne in Igodomigodo’s history. There was confusion
and anarchy in the land with powerful chiefs jostling for the
throne. The Edion’isen, after long deliberations, installed a
temporary administrator, the hero, Evian, an old man at the time, to
oversee the affairs of Igodomigodo. He turned out to be a very
popular administrator. He invented the acrobatic dance called Amufi
and the traditional dance called Emeghute. He ruled until very old
age and before his death, nominated his oldest son, Irebor, to
succeed him. Many of the people of Igodomigodo and the Edion’isen
would not have this. They rejected Irebor on the ground that his
father, Evian, was not an Ogiso and, therefore, lacked the divine
authority to bequeath kingship (Ogisoship), to his heir.
Leadership
vacuum was again created in Igodomigodo. The Edion’isen (Royal
Council, made up of Chiefs Oliha, Edohen and Eholo-Nire), whose
ancestors had sworn during the reign of Ogiso Orriagba (685– 712
CE), on the shrine of Erinmwindu to uphold the primogeniture system
for the monarch and themselves, was in a fix. Apart from the fear
of the ‘Erinmwindu curse,’ the Chiefs were not prepared to
countenance a mere mortal from a non-Ogiso lineage ruling them. It
had to be the God-son’s first son or nothing. It was during this
period of bewilderment and uncertainty that the Edion’isen, decided
to send a delegation into the forest to look for their son, Prince
Ekaladerhan.
Oliha assembled a
team of six men and two maids. Edohen, Eholo and two other nobles
volunteered to join the party and also assembled their own teams.
Oliha, as leader of the search group, invited four experienced
hunters to join them making thirty-one persons in all who set out
from Urhu-Okhokho the next day, heading westwards in the bush. They
camped early on that first day and kept moving deeper and deeper
into the forest as the days mounted. It was not an easy assignment,
and before long, they had lost two members, one to a snake bite and
the other through drowning. After four moons in the woods
without trace of Ekaladerhan, they
were running out of food and frustration had begun to set in. They
sat down to discuss terminating the mission and decided to sleep
over it and let Oliha decide the following day, when before evening
to pack and begin to head back home.
In the
meantime, Izoduwa whose name was initially corrupted to
Ijoduwa, called his new community Uhe (re-birth) and his
new home ‘Ilefé,’ (successful escape), which his subjects
corrupted to Ile-Ife. He had acquired the Yoruba
title of Ooni, and his subjects were according him great
reverence as their ancestor because they believed he was a deity and
the direct descendant of Olodumare. This notion was strengthened
because Izoduwa looked skywards on the rare occasions when he had to
mention his father’s name, Ogiso. They assumed he came
directly from the sky, so, his banishment link with his God-son
Igodomigodo lineage never had to be raised or revealed to his Yoruba
subjects. As his fame spread among the Yoruba communities far and
wide as the spiritual leader of the Ifa divinity, his name was
corrupted to Oduduwa. Izoduwa had eight children and his
first was a son by a Yoruba woman called Okanbi. This son was called
Omonoyan (meaning precious child),’ which the Yoruba
corrupted to ‘Oronmiyan.’
The Ifa
myth of creation draws significantly from the Bini and Egyptian
corpus. It claims that Olodumare sent his son, Orunmila, (another
name for Oduduwa), from heaven on a chain, carrying a five-legged
cockerel, a palm-nut and a handful of earth. Before then, the
entire earth surface was covered with water. Oduduwa scattered the
earth on water; the cockerel scattered it with its claws so that it
became dry land. The palm-nut grew into a tree representing the
eight crowned rulers of Yoruba land. Oduduwa had eight children who
later dispersed to found and rule other Yoruba communities. The
Yoruba myth of creation is community based, confirming lineal
relationship with it’s (earth based Bini, and universe based
Egyptian), mother sources.
In the
morning after the Oliha search party
had decided to terminate their mission, two young females in the
camp, Osayi and Emoze, talked two young males in the camp, Sokpunwu
and Idiaghe to go a-hunting for the youths to prepare a lavish
returning home party for the elders.
The young men were
arrested in the forest by a crowd of hunters who did not understand
their language and assumed they were enemies planning evil. The
captives’ hands were tied as they were being led to the place the
youths were gesturing they came from in the woods. Oliha, Eholo and
Edohen were surprised when the hunters descended on them and
arrested every one in the camp. They were taken to meet Oduduwa, the
Ooni of the community. Oduduwa suspected they were Igodo people
but he did not know any of
them. The leaders of the captives too, felt that there was
something familiar about Oduduwa. He looked like his father, huge,
fair in complexion and masculine. Oduduwa instructed Ilowa and the
others to treat their captives well. “Let them have their bath,
give them food and let them rest for the night. I want to see their
leaders again in the morning. I want to interrogate them.”
In the
morning, the village elders were surprised that Oduduwa could
converse with the captives and concluded that gods are capable of
anything. “Men of Igodo,” Oduduwa said presently in Igodo language,
“we meet again but at a strange place and in a strange
circumstance. Welcome to our sanctuary. Now who are you? What do
you want? How did you get here?” His manner of address and the
mention of Igodo convinced the captives that they were indeed in the
presence of Ekaladerhan. Thus persuaded, Oliha felt at ease to
speak. “Hail, noble One, you are right. We are men of Igodo. I am
Oliha. This here is Edohen and the next is Eholo. We left home
some four moons ago in search of Ekaladerhan n’ovbie Ogiso. Now our
eyes behold him that we seek.” “Why do you seek him,” Oduduwa
interjected rather sternly.
Oliha took
his time to explain what had happened in Igodo since Ekaladerhan’s
father died and said that they had been in search of him to invite
him to his father’s vacant throne. That since the father died,
anarchy, hunger and diseases had become the order of the day in
Igodo, with powerful chiefs fighting each other to occupy the
throne. That an old man, Evian, took over but he died and his son
wants to succeed him. That Evian was not of royal blood; only the
son of Ogiso succeeds Ogiso.
Oduduwa,
after listening attentively said: “I will not dwell too long on
contemplation before responding to your request. My age and this
new situation prevent me from going back with you. But I will not
desert Igodo in her hour of need. I will give my son to you, if you
wish. After all, he is my blood. He is, therefore, of the royal
line of Owodo, your last Ogiso. But before I release my son to you,
you will have to submit yourselves to a test. If you pass, it will
be proof that you will be able to look after him. I will present
your matter to my people tomorrow and after that you will take the
test.”
For the test, he
gave the three leaders, a louse each to nurture for three moons. If
they bring them back healthy, “I will be convinced that you will
take care of my son,” Oduduwa said and turned to Ilowa, Eshindale
and Obameri, “separate them into three groups and each of you take a
group home for the three moons they would be with us for the test.
Give them good accommodation
and hospitality. None of their groups is to meet with the other
until they come back here in three moons’ time.”
Oliha’s
group went with Ilowa to his house and one of Oliha’s boys wrapped
the louse in a cocoyam leaf and put it under a water pot. Eholo’s
group followed Eshindale home and after racking brains with his men,
decided to keep the louse in a gourd. Oliha, who followed Obameri
home, decided that his Odemwigie would keep the louse in his bushy
hair. “Do not have a bath or a hair-cut until further notice,” he
told him.
In the
meantime, Oranmiyan was protesting against being sent to the strange
land with the strange people. “Why not send someone else dad?” The
father decided to tell him his secret and insisted he kept it to him
self. “It is not a strange land, it is our ancestral land, he
concluded.” Oranmiyan was pleased to be taken into confidence by
his father and promised to do honour to the family name in Igodo.
After three
moons, Izoduwa, surprised at the level of preservation and
development of the lice, concluded that if the Edion’isen could so
adequately take care of the lice, his son was likely to be in good
hands. In the meantime, many ordinary people in Igodomigodo were not
excited about the prospect of an Ife prince ruling them and also did
not consider the Igodomigodo’s stool vacant. Irebor was on the
throne and he was warning the people of Igodomigodo against what he
described as (Ogie a mie, aimie Oba, meaning it is an Ogie that
rules Igodomigodo and not an Oba), in protest against the intrusion
of the Ife prince. The word Ogieamie then became the nickname of
Irebor and subsequently the hereditary title of the ruler of
Irebor’s Igodomigodo.
Oronmiyan’s
intervention in Igodomigodo was around 1170 CE. Ogieamie Irebor
prevented Prince Oronmiyan from entering the heart of Igodomigodo
kingdom. The Edion’isen built a palace for Prince Oronmiyan at Usama.
The Yoruba prince refused to fight Ogieamie. Unable to bear the
animosity for too long, Oronmiyan renounced his office and called
Igodomigodo, Ile Ibinu, (meaning a land of annoyance and vexation).
He declared that only a child of the soil, educated in the culture
and traditions of Igodomigodo could rule the kingdom.
Prince Oronmiyan,
on his way home to Ife, stopped briefly at Egor, where he pregnated
Princess Erimwinde, the daughter of the Enogie of Egor. Enogieship
was created by the Ogiso dynasty. Egor was a dukedom and the Enogies
of dukedoms were usually relatives and siblings of Igodomigodo
monarchs. Many members of the guild of royal drummers whose
ancestral home was at Ikpema quarters in Benin City, where allowed
to settle in Ovia territory of Egor by the Enogie on the
instructions of the Igodomigodo
monarch at the time. Therefore, Oronmiyan’s choice of the Enogie of
Egor’s daughter, on his way out of Igodomigodo, could not have been
a casual decision and may have been arrived at through divination,
and with the connivance of the Edion’isen. There was a strong link
with the Igodomigodo royal family.
Oronmiyan
left three of his chiefs behind to take care of the pregnant
princess. The three chiefs were Ihama, Letema and Legema. Judging
by Oronmiyan’s understanding of the intricacies of Igodomigodo
traditions and culture, it is very likely that the ancestors of the
three chiefs, like his own, were soaked in Igodomigodo mores. Ihama,
the leader of the chiefs was definitely an Edo chieftaincy title.
Oronmiyan, after his Igodomigodo experience, went on to establish
the first Alaafin dynasty in Oyo. Apart from the seed he sowed in
Benin, he eventually fathered two younger sons, Ajaka and Shango,
who succeeded him in turn as the Alaafins of Oyo. Ihama and the two
other Oronmiyan chiefs in Ile-Ibinu, successfully supervised
Princess Erimwinde’s pregnancy and her eventual delivery of a baby
boy who was speechless at birth, but who from early years loved
playing the game of marble. When the Alaafin was informed by his
chiefs in Ile-Ibinu about his son’s predicament, he sent seven
‘akhue’ seeds to the boy through Chief Ehendiwo. Children throw the
seeds against targets on the ground in the marble game. While
playing the marble game with other children, one of Oronmiyan son’s
throws hit the target and in the excitement he screamed: ‘Owomika,’
(meaning I have hit the target). This is how his title of Oba Eweka
was derived. |
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