I have a photocopy of Chapter One: The Home of the Enahoros, culled from "Fugitive Offender".

I shall be posting it shortly. It eloquently describes the fascinating family tradition of listening to moonlight tales told by the women of the household who passed the oral traditions of the family from generation to generation.

The account rendered by Chief Anthony Enahoro (as he recalled it being rendered to him at age 10 - quite remote in time from early 1962 when he formally put it on paper) emphasizes a special relationship between Uromi, Irrua and Ekpoma on one hand and the Benin Royal Court/Portugal on the other. Interestingly, this version identifies Ijesan (first Onoje of Uromi) as a son of "King Ogiso" of Benin. The site where Ijesan's portuguese mother was buried reportedly remains a place of worship today in Efandion area of Uromi called the Tree of Remembrance.

Since the Ogiso era ended several hundred years before the first recorded visit of the Portuguese to Benin (Ruy de Sequera in 1472), and there is no specific Oba of Benin called King Ogiso, additional clarification may be needed. If you recall, Oronsaye did claim that the Enogie of Uromi was of early Ogiso vintage. But the portuguese connection in Chief Enahoro's account creates a 600-700 year gap from that time until Ijesan became of age as an Enogie. Did Uromi exist long before then - as Chief Oronsaye claims, and Egharevba indirectly concurs? Has the dimming of specific memory of ancient individual Ogisos led to a generic "King Ogiso" to describe the period? Or was there an unknown portuguese connection to Ogiso Benin which has not been so far recorded? Or is the reference to a "King Ogiso" a basic compounding of ancient memory? When you shared your recollection with us last week, your placement of the events to the time of Ozolua (who preceded Esigie) more closely matches the period of known (i.e. written) active early engagement with the Portuguese.

Such questions are for you ( as a proud descendant of that proud tradition) to unearth - which I know you will. Once I type up the section I culled from the Chief's Book, I shall post it verbatim. Thanks for making me to look deeper into this matter. Next time I am in Uromi I shall stop by the Efandion Tree to pay respects. Warm regards

NOWAMAGBE OMOIGUI