₦airaland Forum

Radoillo:
Interesting, bro.

But according to the writings of the Nri-born traditional historian, Ambrose Nnalue, the Oba title system in Nri is a recent phenomenon - which can only mean that the Bini Oba title could not have derived from it.

That he wrote something does not immediately translate to him knowing more about Nri practices than me.
Umu-Nri were not known to have copied any cultural practices from elsewhere.
Again, I will have all these OBA details in a couple of weeks time.

OfoIgbo:
That he wrote something does not immediately translate to him knowing more about Nri practices than me.
Umu-Nri were not known to have copied any cultural practices from elsewhere.
Again, I will have all these OBA details in a couple of weeks time.

You've admitted yourself that you do not possess the details of the oba title as practised in Nri. Yet you question that a titled and (apparently) informed Nri elder who has researched and written about it could know more about Nri practices than you.

Well, Ambrose Nnalue Okonkwo (Ezedioramma II of Nri), the writer I mentioned, is not only a redcap chief in Nri. He is a member of the Eze Nri in Council and is in his eighties. His father, Chief Okeke Okonkwo, was the Ezeana of Nri in his days - a custodian of tradition, who no doubt schooled his son in his people's lore

In his book 'Nri Kingdom', Chief Ambrose writes the following about the Oba title society:

"The Oba society was newly introduced to the town [i.e., Nri] a few years ago ['a few years ago' here probably means the 1970s or earlier, since the book was first prepared in the 1980s]. The membership of this Oba is very small, although they spend a lot of money and foodstuffs in initiating the new members. The aspirant must be a rich man, an Ozo titled man and must be an irreproachable man in the town before you seek for membership of Oba society at Nri.... This newly introduced society which originated at Anambra local government areas like Aguleri, Umuleri, etc is only performed by rich farmers who boast of producing 1000 "mkpa ji", about 50,000 yam seedlings in a year, those can be initiated into Oba society in their areas."

From the connection of this title with yams, it becomes clear that 'oba' here is a reference to the Igbo word 'oba' - which means 'barn'. Since the Yoruba language has a perfectly satisfactory etymology for their own 'oba' - which is very different in meaning from the Igbo 'oba' - then it is very clear that the Yoruba/Edo 'Oba' and the Igbo/Nri 'Oba' are entirely different words and concepts that just happen to sound alike.

In any case, if Chief Ambrose is correct, then it is likely that the Nri themselves adopted the Oba title from the Igbo Adegbe area (Anambra River area) too recently in history to have been responsible for its spread to Benin and other non-Igbo areas.

I might also add that one should never say that his people never copied cultural practices from others. Every civilization no matter how advanced always incorporates a thing or two from the people they interact with.

Look at these pictures, for example. This is a Regent of Oraeri, the second and less-known Nri Kingdom, photographed in 1960. Notice the face mask around his neck. This is the same face mask that the Eze Nri of Oraeri wears around his neck till the present day. The Eze Nris of Oraeri have worn this mask for centuries. What bronze artistic style does this mask remind you of? People make contacts, people borrow/copy. That's how cultures operate.

macof:
There's still much that is not known about Ife. . A map will not tell us that

Isn't oriki a yoruba thing?

bini royal families had oriki, it is used as a greeting. it contained the history of the family and its relationship to the king.

wytecat:
You have this big problem of identity crisis, and trying to make up for it by fitting in any ethnic topic.

You are not Yoruba, be proud of your confused tribe!

lol macof hear ur friend.

OfoIgbo:
It is a pity that records were not kept. But I won't be surprised if it turns out that the Eweka royal family are of Nri ancestry. I know you must have come across ILE-IBINU, but do you know that
1) We believe Bini was derived from ILO-OBINU, which is an Igbo phrase that means A ROAD TO BITTER HEARTS
2) EWEKA is IWEKA which is an Igbo phrase that means that ANGER IS GREAT, supposedly describing the inhabitants.
3) OBA is a title born by highly respected individuals in Umu-Nri towns, and the word does not mean KING in Igbo. A few weeks ago, someone wrote in nl that OBA does not also mean KING in Edo.
4) Obas in Benin were crowned by Nri priests, up till the crowning of Ewuare
5) Anthropologists recorded that Eze Nri Obalike mentioned IDU as one of the territories under the Nri cultural influence when he was interviewed by early Anthropologists.
6) Most Igbo villages and town were "governed" by councils of elders and nze and ozo titled men before the coming of the white man, but according to Umu-Nri records, about sixty something towns had Igwes most of whom trace their ancestry to Nri. Places like OraEri and Ogwashi-Uku included. Back in those days, thdse communities preferred Nri royal houses because of their culture and traditions and civilisation. I won't be surprised if this was also the case in Benin, thus leading to the installation of the IWEKA dynasty, which led to the Nri cultural influence that can still be observed in Benin culture

lol

Radoillo:
You've admitted yourself that you do not possess the details of the oba title as practised in Nri. Yet you question that a titled and (apparently) informed Nri elder who has researched and written about it could know more about Nri practices than you.

Well, Ambrose Nnalue Okonkwo (Ezedioramma II of Nri), the writer I mentioned, is not only a redcap chief in Nri. He is a member of the Eze Nri in Council and is in his eighties. His father, Chief Okeke Okonkwo, was the Ezeana of Nri in his days - a custodian of tradition, who no doubt schooled his son in his people's lore

In his book 'Nri Kingdom', Chief Ambrose writes the following about the Oba title society:

"The Oba society was newly introduced to the town [i.e., Nri] a few years ago ['a few years ago' here probably means the 1970s or earlier, since the book was first prepared in the 1980s]. The membership of this Oba is very small, although they spend a lot of money and foodstuffs in initiating the new members. The aspirant must be a rich man, an Ozo titled man and must be an irreproachable man in the town before you seek for membership of Oba society at Nri.... This newly introduced society which originated at Anambra local government areas like Aguleri, Umuleri, etc is only performed by rich farmers who boast of producing 1000 "mkpa ji", about 50,000 yam seedlings in a year, those can be initiated into Oba society in their areas."

From the connection of this title with yams, it becomes clear that 'oba' here is a reference to the Igbo word 'oba' - which means 'barn'. Since the Yoruba language has a perfectly satisfactory etymology for their own 'oba' - which is very different in meaning from the Igbo 'oba' - then it is very clear that the Yoruba/Edo 'Oba' and the Igbo/Nri 'Oba' are entirely different words and concepts that just happen to sound alike.

In any case, if Chief Ambrose is correct, then it is likely that the Nri themselves adopted the Oba title from the Igbo Adegbe area (Anambra River area) too recently in history to have been responsible for its spread to Benin and other non-Igbo areas.

I might also add that one should never say that his people never copied cultural practices from others. Every civilization no matter how advanced always incorporates a thing or two from the people they interact with.

Look at these pictures, for example. This is a Regent of Oraeri, the second and less-known Nri Kingdom, photographed in 1960. Notice the face mask around his neck. This is the same face mask that the Eze Nri of Oraeri wears around his neck till the present day. The Eze Nris of Oraeri have worn this mask for centuries. What bronze artistic style does this mask remind you of? People make contacts, people borrow/copy. That's how cultures operate.

Thanks for the pics with an obvious Nri man with his ICHI marks

I'm sure you know that Nris of OraEri are offshoots of the Nri kingdom that most people are aware of.
I take it also that you know that the Nris of OraEri were responsible for the archaeological discoveries of Igbo-Nkwo now known as Igbo-Ukwu.
I hope you know that the Igbo-Ukwu bronze digs are the oldest of bronze artefacts ever discovered in Nigeria, and that they are hundred of years older than Benin and Yoruba artefacts of comparable intricacies.

Now what makes you think that ndi Bini did not adopt that sculpture style from ndi Nri? Especially as archeology has already shown that Nris were hundreds of years ahead of our neighbouring cultures in terms of such artworks.
You may not know this, but the pics you posted indirectly links Nri to the Benin bronze works, bearing in mind that early Portuguese explorers may have attested to the presence of HIGHLY RESPECTED Umu-Nri in the Benin royal palace. Of course unless OraEri authorities claim they got this from Benin, with incontrovertible proof of course.

Another point I intend to make is that Nri was a kindom and not a town. It was in the 1940s that Agukwu-Nri unilaterally took that name to the chagrin of Enugwu-ukwu which is the first born lineage of Eze Nri Menri known as Nri-Okpalanakana. Others are Nri-Okpalariam for Nawfia, Nri-Omenakanu for Enugwu-Agidi with Aguiyi as the major lineage, Nri-Nwora-Oruora for Oruora which is now extinct, and of course Nri-Ifikuanim for Agukwu the last born lineage of Eze Nri-Menri. Based on the covenant of the brothers after they buried their father at Eriaka, they mutually agreed to concede the Eze Nri title to the last born lineage I.e Ifikuanim. Which is why since then, Eze Nris are usually last born males from last born lineages

So basically clan-wise, Agukwu is the last born and within Agukwu itself, the last born lineages take it e.g the Onyesohs, Tabansis e.t.c
So any mention of Nri town is 419, especially if attempt is not made to put the picture in perspective.

Ambrose Nnalue Okonkwo (Ezedioramma II of Nri), may be a title he got specifically for and from Agukwu-Nri, and if that is the case, then the Nri in his title is grossly misleading, because nothing can be completely Nri without the acquiescence of the four core towns of Enugwu-Ukwu, Nawfia, Enugwu-Agidi, and the Agukwu section of Nri town.
Eze Nris were what they were because they were the custodians of Ofo Nri-Menri which is jointly owned by the 4 core Nri towns.

The book written by Ezedioramma must
1. Acknowledge the four core towns that make up Nri
2. Show knowledge of Oruora, the extinct core Nri town
or else, it won't be measuring up. If by Nri, he is only concentrating on Agukwu, without showing knowledge of the core group, then he is either biased and has an agenda, or he is not properly versed in Nri foundation.

Now, every true Igboman knows that OBA means YAM BARN, but before I let loose on that topic, I want to cross check that and other facts with a proper OBA.

I still think the Portuguese explorations of 1472 and 1485 will answer a lot of questions visavis Nri and Benin relationship

Get the hell off my mentions!

Ubenedictus:
lol macof hear ur friend.

Ubenedictus:
bini royal families had oriki, it is used as a greeting. it contained the history of the family and its relationship to the king.

Well, maybe that's one of the yoruba influences on the Royal family

OfoIgbo:
I'm sure you know that Nris of OraEri are offshoots of the Nri kingdom that most people are aware of.

Yes, this a well-known fact.

I take it also that you know that the Nris of OraEri were responsible for the archaeological discoveries of Igbo-Nkwo now known as Igbo-Ukwu.

Yes, it is also an established fact that the archaeological sites in Igbo-Ukwu formerly belonged to Oraeri until the Igbo-Ukwu fought a war with Oraeri and drove them away from the area.

I hope you know that the Igbo-Ukwu bronze digs are the oldest of bronze artefacts ever discovered in Nigeria, and that they are hundred of years older than Benin and Yoruba artefacts of comparable intricacies.

Again, this is an accepted fact.

Now what makes you think that ndi Bini did not adopt that sculpture style from ndi Nri? Especially as archeology has already shown that Nris were hundreds of years ahead of our neighbouring cultures in terms of such artworks.
You may not know this, but the pics you posted indirectly links Nri to the Benin bronze works, bearing in mind that early Portuguese explorers may have attested to the presence of HIGHLY RESPECTED Umu-Nri in the Benin royal palace. Of course unless OraEri authorities claim they got this from Benin, with incontrovertible proof of course.

Now, while it is well known that the Igbo of the Igbo-Ukwu area were making sophisticated bronze work as early as the 9th century (before the beginning of the Bini bronze - or rather brass - school), archaeology also indicates a discontinuation of Igbo-Ukwu bronze making around the 15th century. Thurstan Shaw who led the excavation suggests (based on the outlay of the finds) that there was an abandonment of the sites, induced probably by war. We know from oral traditions that there were some pretty serious wars fought in that general area. These wars led to the annihilation of such Nri towns as Ovolo and Oruora (I hope I got the name right). It was in one of such wars that the present Igbo-Ukwu people beat back Oraeri and captured the archaeological sites.

Anyway, probably owing to the unrest, the artistic tradition of Oraeri must have come to an end from around this time, since we see no evidence of their bronze working from about the beginning of the 16th century - till the present day. Benin brass working began flourishing from about this time and is still practised to the present day, albeit on a small scale.

Now, is it improbable that an Oraeri that has lost its caste of bronze workers would seek to obtain the 'bronze' paraphernalia of its royalty from a neighbouring centre of 'bronze' art, from about the 16th century? No, it's not improbable - and this is exactly what archaeologists like Thurstan Shaw and historians like Adiele Afigbo have suggested. And their suggestion makes sense for two good reasons:

1. The face mask in the pictures I posted were made of brass. Igbo-Ukwu casters did not make brass - they made real bronze. Of all the numerous works that has been found at Igbo Ukwu, not one of them was made of brass - everything is bronze, with some quantity of lead. It was at Benin and at Ife that brass works were made.

2. Look at the scarification marks on the face of the mask. It consists of two long and deep marks in the middle of the forehead between the eyes, and some smaller marks on both sides of the long ones, above the eyes. You will never find marks like that on any of the faces sculpted at Igbo Ukwu, or even on the face of any Igbo man, in the past or in the present. Those marks are nothing but Bini marks. Bini face sculptures are littered with the same exact facial marks (including the famous FESTAC '77 icon). If you have any information that Nri or their Igbo neighbours ever made such facial marks, you can share.

Let's not forget that my point here isn't that Nri civilization was based off Bini civilization. Nothing can be farther from the truth. My point is simply that neighbouring civilizations/kingdoms borrow from each other, inevitably. While it is clear that Oraeri/Igbo Ukwu did not learn bronze making from Benin, and in fact were practising the art long before it flourished in Benin, the evidence also indicate that in a latter period of her history, Oraeri probably obtained at least one of its royal insignia from the brass casters in Benin. Nri on her part exported the Ikenga cult to both Igala and Benin.

Another point I intend to make is that Nri was a kindom and not a town. It was in the 1940s that Agukwu-Nri unilaterally took that name to the chagrin of Enugwu-ukwu which is the first born lineage of Eze Nri Menri known as Nri-Okpalanakana. Others are Nri-Okpalariam for Nawfia, Nri-Omenakanu for Enugwu-Agidi with Aguiyi as the major lineage, Nri-Nwora-Oruora for Oruora which is now extinct, and of course Nri-Ifikuanim for Agukwu the last born lineage of Eze Nri-Menri. Based on the covenant of the brothers after they buried their father at Eriaka, they mutually agreed to concede the Eze Nri title to the last born lineage I.e Ifikuanim. Which is why since then, Eze Nris are usually last born males from last born lineages

So basically clan-wise, Agukwu is the last born and within Agukwu itself, the last born lineages take it e.g the Onyesohs, Tabansis e.t.c
So any mention of Nri town is 419, especially if attempt is not made to put the picture in perspective.

Ambrose Nnalue Okonkwo (Ezedioramma II of Nri), may be a title he got specifically for and from Agukwu-Nri, and if that is the case, then the Nri in his title is grossly misleading, because nothing can be completely Nri without the acquiescence of the four core towns of Enugwu-Ukwu, Nawfia, Enugwu-Agidi, and the Agukwu section of Nri town.
Eze Nris were what they were because they were the custodians of Ofo Nri-Menri which is jointly owned by the 4 core Nri towns.

The book written by Ezedioramma must
1. Acknowledge the four core towns that make up Nri
2. Show knowledge of Oruora, the extinct core Nri town
or else, it won't be measuring up. If by Nri, he is only concentrating on Agukwu, without showing knowledge of the core group, then he is either biased and has an agenda, or he is not properly versed in Nri foundation.

Now, every true Igboman knows that OBA means YAM BARN, but before I let loose on that topic, I want to cross check that and other facts with a proper OBA.

Everything you've written here is known to every schoolboy within the Umunri clan. Chief Ambrose also mentioned them in his book. However there is one thing that most people do not seem to understand about this name controversy concerning 'Agukwu-Nri'. Do you know that 'Agukwu-Nri' itself is a misnomer? There are three quarters that make up 'Agukwu-Nri' - Agukwu, Akamkpisi and Diodo. Sometimes Diodo and Akamkpisi are reckoned as one quarter and called Diodo-Akamkpisi. Now because Agukwu has been the most prominent section of the town since the time of Nribuife, the whole town became known as 'Agukwu'. But the other sections of the town had never liked this name which seems to honour only one section of a three-section town. That is what led to the name change. They couldn't possibly have renamed it Agukwu-Akamkpisi-Diodo. That is a long-ass name! The name Nri seems natural. I do not think they changed the name for any other reason other than the fact that the name 'Agukwu-Nri' wasn't fair to Akamkpisi and Diodo.

I still think the Portuguese explorations of 1472 and 1485 will answer a lot of questions visavis Nri and Benin relationship

Maybe, though I think not. There are other analyses of the Portuguese records which makes it very unlikely that the 'Ogane' of the Portuguese could be the Nri.

Nice.

My respect for Radoillo has multiplied. Somewhere else, an Igbo bigot had implied that the Binis got EVERYTHING they are known for from the Igbos,contrary to my postulation that as an imperial power , Benin was bound to be influenced by everyone they had interacted with whether through war, diplomacy or trade. And only logical that Benin influence would be felt in such places as well. I had even enumerated some Bini ways that were not originally Benin's, including Igbo ones.

The OGANE of the Portuguese records will remain a mystery .
The Binis know their four cardinal points. The OGHENE's place was said to lie to the east of Benin. Ife is to the west of Benin. But the OONI is known as OGHENE in Bini language. Did the Binis deliberately mislead the Portuguese not to go in search of the Oghene that was in the west?
If it was the Attah Igala, as some analysis have attempted, because Idah lies northeast of Benin kingdom, would they have fought many wars with a power they revered? Many of the wars with Idah were lost by the Binis and oral history has it that at a point the Igallas got to Oregbeni right at the entrance to the city before they were repelled. Obe Esigie's mother, Queen Idia , who is immortalized in the FESTAC mask,had to lead an army of warriors made-up of men and women to save her son's Kingdom against the attackers from Idah.
It wasn't until the Portuguese joined the war on the side of Benin that Idah was defeated. But nowhere during this period that the Portuguese refered to the Attah as the OGANE.

A commentator on a different thread once asked me why I believe that Oba Ewuare was usurper to the throne of Benin Kingdom.
There are two versions of the demise of Oba Ewuare.
One version holds that he joined his ancestors the natural way . The other is that Oba Ewuare's tomb is missing from the tombs of Benin kings.
As a child growing up in the seventies and eighties, I listened to an Enogie, a direct descendant of Oba Ewuare. Though he believed the Oba to have been a prince of blue blood, my analysis of the stories he told then ,with maturity, have enabled me to reach the conclusion that I hold today.
With age and disappointment on not be able to live forever ( an episode that is a life lesson which story will be told another day ) Oba Ewuare was said to have taken ten men with him on a journey home EASTWARDS! At a point in the journey, he asked the men to wait for him and he went into the forest . After waiting and searching for sometime and the Oba could not be found,the ten men, knowing it was certain death to come back to the city without the king decided to settle down there...
Many people will dispute the above with names and history, even,places but that is what I learnt. Blame oral history, if anything.

If true that Oba Ewuare went home eastward, where did he go?
However, there are names of personalities and places in Benin history but NRI is not one of them. Never.

bokohalal:
The OGANE of the Portuguese records will remain a mystery .
The Binis know their four cardinal points. The OGHENE's place was said to lie to the east of Benin. Ife is to the west of Benin. But the OONI is known as OGHENE in Bini language. Did the Binis deliberately mislead the Portuguese not to go in search of the Oghene that was in the west?
If it was the Attah Igala, as some analysis have attempted, because Idah lies northeast of Benin kingdom, would they have fought many wars with a power they revered? Many of the wars with Idah were lost by the Binis and oral history has it that at a point the Igallas got to Oregbeni right at the entrance to the city before they were repelled. Obe Esigie's mother, Queen Idia , who is immortalized in the FESTAC mask,had to lead an army of warriors made-up of men and women to save her son's Kingdom against the attackers from Idah.
It wasn't until the Portuguese joined the war on the side of Benin that Idah was defeated. But nowhere during this period that the Portuguese refered to the Attah as the OGANE.

Alan Ryder, who did some very admirable work on Bini history, made what I find to be a compelling argument that the Ogane may have been a potentate ruling over the Beni-Nupe Confederacy in the distant past. One of the clues that helped him to draw that conclusion was the crosses which Bini people told the Europeans were associated with this Ogane, and which appeared in Bini art.

The article is titled 'A reconsideration of Ife-Benin relationship' by Alan Ryder. If you haven't read it and would like to, I could mail it to you. Would have uploaded it, but it's size exceeds the limit for nairaland.

bokohalal:
A commentator on a different thread once asked me why I believe that Oba Ewuare was usurper to the throne of Benin Kingdom.
There are two versions of the demise of Oba Ewuare.
One version holds that he joined his ancestors the natural way . The other is that Oba Ewuare's tomb is missing from the tombs of Benin kings.
As a child growing up in the seventies and eighties, I listened to an Enogie, a direct descendant of Oba Ewuare. Though he believed the Oba to have been a prince of blue blood, my analysis of the stories he told then ,with maturity, have enabled me to reach the conclusion that I hold today.
With age and disappointment on not be able to live forever ( an episode that is a life lesson which story will be told another day ) Oba Ewuare was said to have taken ten men with him on a journey home EASTWARDS! At a point in the journey, he asked the men to wait for him and he went into the forest . After waiting and searching for sometime and the Oba could not be found,the ten men, knowing it was certain death to come back to the city without the king decided to settle down there...
Many people will dispute the above with names and history, even,places but that is what I learnt. Blame oral history, if anything.

Bro, the information you just dropped here is very interesting, and - to be honest with you - very exciting to me, personally as an amateur researcher into Bini-Igbo relations. Before I reply, I need to ask: Are you Bini? Did you say you obtained the emboldened information from a Bini man? (I know you already said you did, but just oblige me )

What does "Ofo Nri-Menri" mean? Could I get word for word translation too?

@ bokohalal interesting stuff right there. but what place east of Bini is highly revered?

@ Radoillo, I don't understand what you mean by "Beni-Nupe confederacy"

Radoillo:
Bro, the information you just dropped here is very interesting, and - to be honest with you - very exciting to me, personally as an amateur researcher into Bini-Igbo relations. Before I reply, I need to ask: Are you Bini? Did you say you obtained the emboldened information from a Bini man? (I know you already said you did, but just oblige me )

I am a Bini. Or,as we say in the native language, "ovbiedo kpataki."
Alan Ryder no doubt did some seminal work on Benin history. An uncle, a lecturer of art history, is also interested in the Beni-Nupe confederacy and Tsoede, the Igala prince. He has some Igala blood, however,and his research therefore might be tilted hence.
Ryder,I presume, is basing his OGANE on Nupe because of the abundance of bronze works between the two areas, Benin and Nupe. There are many Benin brass works depicting emissaries on horseback from the north on visits to the Benin royal court.

Radoillo:
Alan Ryder, who did some very admirable work on Bini history, made what I find to be a compelling argument that the Ogane may have been a potentate ruling over the Beni-Nupe Confederacy in the distant past. One of the clues that helped him to draw that conclusion was the crosses which Bini people told the Europeans were associated with this Ogane, and which appeared in Bini art.

The article is titled 'A reconsideration of Ife-Benin relationship' by Alan Ryder. If you haven't read it and would like to, I could mail it to you. Would have uploaded it, but it's size exceeds the limit for nairaland.

Cannot wait!

kaidegue@yahoo.com

macof:
What does "Ofo Nri-Menri" mean? Could I get word for word translation too?

@ bokohalal interesting stuff right there. but what place east of Bini is highly revered?

@ Radoillo, I don't understand what you mean by "Beni-Nupe confederacy"

I did say it was going to remain a mystery. Nupeland is northwest of Benin.
The question that I think would be interesting to answer is where the horse riders came from.

bokohalal:
I am a Bini. Or,as we say in the native language, "ovbiedo kpataki."

Great.

Now, what the Enogie told you about Oba Ewuare's 'home EASTWARDS' may in fact contain some elements of truth in it, because I have encountered traditions from the people living east of Benin that affirm that Ewuare was a son of their daughter's. I had dismissed that tradition until you mentioned that stuff with the Enogie.

According to Agbor tradition, as recorded by Chief Iduwe in his manuscript "A History of Greater Agbor" (written in the 1970s):

"Ogun's mother was an Agbor woman betrothed to the Oba of Benin in those days of old. The woman bore a son to the Oba and received a name Ogun meaning medicine. It happened that Ogun disputed with his half brother about who was to be the heir to the Benin throne. As it were, Ogun had no helper in the dispute so his mother left the city with her son to Agbor her former town. The mother was a daughter of an Oki man of Ikpami cult in a family of the royal physician Nmuw Obonbon. [Note: Oki is one of the sections that make up Agbor.]

Her mother appealed to doctors and priests for help to her son to be the Oba of Benin. She handed Ogun to Oheren Ezuku (priest). Ogun served the priest very well as a good hunter and taught him the Ika arts and science as dibie. Hereafter, Ogun was called back to Benin to be Oba. He went and became the Oba with the title of Eware. He was grateful to his warden and offered him the Ada sword which is yet in the shrine of Ezuku Ogan as a token of gratitude to his warden."

Concerning the Ezuku Ogan and the priest who (according to Agbor traditions) mentored Ewuare for some years, let me quote another passage from Iduwe - to put things in perspective:

"The name Oghan alias Ogan signifies the den of elephants where Agbor hunters found such beasts in the wilderness close to Ohiomo river, thus the saying, "Okeme eyin, ola Oghan" meaning after work elephant retires to its den.

Tradition says hunters formed the cottage called Ogan. After some years a native doctor from Ozoigbon Ubulu-Uku by name Eze Uku came there on Mbian business, i.e., as a herbalist. After some years of toil he died without anybody to inherit his things or manage his medicine with sacrifices but at long last his medicine for lack of sacrifices pestilence began to harm the inhabitants of the village so they went and reported the cause and effect to Eze Agbor [i.e., the Obi/Dein of Agbor] who without delay contributed a sheep and money to the people for the appeasement. The medicine became a shrine called Ezuku or Eze-Uku-Ogan."

So, according to Agbor oral history, Ewuare was not only maternally descended from the Agbor people, he was also mentored by a priesthood that had Ika and Aniocha connections (The Ezuku Ogan). Taking these bits of information together with what the Enogie told you, it may begin to make sense which 'home eastwards' Ewuare was returning to --- his maternal home in Agbor where he had earlier sought refuge in his years of trouble, and where he probably felt at home.

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All this talk about Ewuare and his possible connections with the regions to the east of Benin make me want to revisit a little issue that has puzzled me for a long time now, but which I have never had an occasion to discuss with anyone. It's about the possible etymological roots of the word 'Igue', as in the famous Bini Festival.

Many traditions affirm that Ewuare instituted Igue (although I know of some traditions that say Igue is older than Ewuare). If indeed Ewuare instituted Igue, then the observation/speculation I'm about to make may be something to look into, bearing in mind Ewuare's probable eastern (Ika-Aniocha) connections.

The Igue Festival in Benin appears to have a Yoruba parallel celebrated in Oyo called the Orun Festival. The parallels are striking:

1. The Orun Festival centres around the veneration of Ori ('spiritual head'). Igue festival centres around the veneration of Ehi, the Bini counterpart of Ori.

2. The Bashorun (the Alafin's chief minister) plays a central role in the Orun Festival. The Iyase ( the Oba's chief minister) plays a central role in the Igue Festival. Around 1918, Eweka II told an European Commission that, "I cannot celebrate Igue Festival without my Iyase. When you took my Iyase away, you took Igue Festival with him."

3. The Orun Festival takes place in September. The Igue Festival now takes place in December, but historically, it was celebrated in September. Bini history has it that it was Oba Akenzua who moved it to the month of December.

If these two festivals are rooted in the same concept, as seems likely from the similarities, shouldn't one also expect the names of the festivals to show some etymological cognacy?

'Orun' means sky or heaven in Yoruba. But 'sky/heaven' doesn't seem to be 'Igue' in Bini. The interesting thing here is that 'Igwe' is sky/heaven in the Igbo-speaking areas. If indeed Ewuare was maternally from Agbor, and if indeed he instituted Igue (as some traditions maintain), is it possible he gave the new festival he created a name from the language of his maternal folks and his mentor at Ogan?

o

bokohalal:
Cannot wait!

kaidegue@yahoo.com

Sent!

To correct an erroneous statement I made earlier, Ryder didn't quite say the Ogane was a Beni-Nupe king. He only demonstrated that the Beni-Nupe confederacy is a piece in the puzzle of the Ogane's identity. Towards the end of the article, he made a fleeting indirect suggestion that it could have been the King of the Kwararafa/Jukun.

macof:
What does "Ofo Nri-Menri" mean? Could I get word for word translation too?

Ofo is a ritual staff of office, normally held by Chief Priests, Kings, Lineage heads, titled men.... Virtually every position of spiritual or temporal authority had an Ofo staff attached to it.

Nri-Menri can be looked at in two ways. Menri is the name that has come to be attributed to the earliest ancestor of the Nri people. (This Menri was himself a son of Eri). The 'Nri' attached in front of 'Menri' is a title, like Eze, Ozo or Oba. Hence Nri Menri or Nri-Menri.

Nri-Menri is also the name given to the Cult of the Royal Ancestors of the Nri Kings. Thus the staff of office of the headship of this Cult is called the Ofo Nri-Menri.

@ Radoillo, I don't understand what you mean by "Beni-Nupe confederacy"

The Beni are one of the subgroups that make up the Nupe nation. The city of Bida is located in Beni territory. The Beni had formed a confederacy with a paramount king who was a kind of first among equals, before the coming of Tsoede.

Radoillo:
Ofo is a ritual staff of office, normally held by Chief Priests, Kings, Lineage heads, titled men.... Virtually every position of spiritual or temporal authority had an Ofo staff attached to it.

Nri-Menri can be looked at in two ways. Menri is the name that has come to be attributed to the earliest ancestor of the Nri people. (This Menri was himself a son of Eri). The 'Nri' attached in front of 'Menri' is a title, like Eze, Ozo or Oba. Hence Nri Menri or Nri-Menri.

Nri-Menri is also the name given to the Cult of the Royal Ancestors of the Nri Kings. Thus the staff of office of the headship of this Cult is called the Ofo Nri-Menri.

Ok, let me add that OFO NRI-MENRI is the only ofo that I know of, that does not come in the form of a ritual staff. At time it is also called NRIMERI.

It is jointly owned by indigenes of the four core Nri towns, but held in the custody of any reigning Eze Nri.

it will normally be housed in Eze Nri's UNO NGU which is the HOLY OF HOLIES for the Igbo traditional belief system.

The only people that can see or touch it are the Eze Nri and the Adama Nri, but it only changes hands/custodianship from one Eze Nri to another Eze Nri.

It has only ever been seen by direct descendants of Nri Menri, of the last born lineage, Nri Menri himself and Eri his father, from whom Nri Menri inherited that ofo.
The Adamas help to custody it but they don't own it.

So even though I know what the OFO Nri-Menri is made of, I am not at liberty to disclose it, as reverence has to be given to such ancient relics

Very plausible that Ewuare's mother was Ika as Ika was considered part of Benin Kingdom then. I am of the opinion that there was a supremacy battle Edo, Udo and Agbon (Agbor.) I am sure the Portuguese helped Oba Esigie to consolidate power in Edo.

Radoillo:
o

Sent!

To correct an erroneous statement I made earlier, Ryder didn't quite say the Ogane was a Beni-Nupe king. He only demonstrated that the Beni-Nupe confederacy is a piece in the puzzle of the Ogane's identity. Towards the end of the article, he made a fleeting indirect suggestion that it could have been the King of the Kwararafa/Jukun.

Now whats the connection between Jukun and Benin? You must admit that if anyone wants to suggest such a thing, there has to be traditons of a strong relationship between Benin and the King of that place

bokohalal:
Very plausible that Ewuare's mother was Ika as Ika was considered part of Benin Kingdom then. I am of the opinion that there was a supremacy battle Edo, Udo and Agbon (Agbor.) I am sure the Portuguese helped Oba Esigie to consolidate power in Edo.

Bros I'm sure the correct term is "empire" not kingdom

Radoillo:
Ofo is a ritual staff of office, normally held by Chief Priests, Kings, Lineage heads, titled men.... Virtually every position of spiritual or temporal authority had an Ofo staff attached to it.

Nri-Menri can be looked at in two ways. Menri is the name that has come to be attributed to the earliest ancestor of the Nri people. (This Menri was himself a son of Eri). The 'Nri' attached in front of 'Menri' is a title, like Eze, Ozo or Oba. Hence Nri Menri or Nri-Menri.

Nri-Menri is also the name given to the Cult of the Royal Ancestors of the Nri Kings. Thus the staff of office of the headship of this Cult is called the Ofo Nri-Menri.



The Beni are one of the subgroups that make up the Nupe nation. The city of Bida is located in Beni territory. The Beni had formed a confederacy with a paramount king who was a kind of first among equals, before the coming of Tsoede.

You know I asked you that question cus I thought I was on to something

1. "Ofo" in yoruba is word of power/authority ie. Blessing, curse, incantations. And I know "Ofo" (pronounced slightly differently) is related to authority
2. There are four core Nri towns. .. and "Merin" is 4 in yoruba..

Anyway now I think it's of no use

macof:
Now whats the connection between Jukun and Benin? You must admit that if anyone wants to suggest such a thing, there has to be traditons of a strong relationship between Benin and the King of that place

You cannot get where the whole thing is going until you have read the paper.

I'll try and break down the idea behind that suggestion later tonight when I'm less busy. But I have to warn, it's going to be a very, very long post!

macof:
You know I asked you that question cus I thought I was on to something

1. "Ofo" in yoruba is word of power/authority ie. Blessing, curse, incantations. And I know "Ofo" (pronounced slightly differently) is related to authority
2. There are four core Nri towns. .. and "Merin" is 4 in yoruba..

Anyway now I think it's of no use

I myself have always felt that there is an etymological connection between Yoruba 'Ofo' and Igbo 'Ofo' -- one of those relics from the common language that both languages sprang from. 'Blessing/incantation/curse' in Igbo is 'Igo Ofo'. The Igbo took the 'Ofo' idea further by 'concretizing' it into a ritual staff, and built an entire philosophical system around it.

I see what you're saying with merin = four. But I doubt there is a connection there between Nrimenri and this merin, for reasons that may be too complex for me to put in writing.

atbu1983:
You are d one who is confused not edo. The Benin Empire was a large, powerful and well organised empire b4 the British came and scattered it. The Benin Empire was d last empire conqured by British in today Nigeria. Benin Empire extend to Kogi in today North central, d whole of south south except akwa ibom and cross river, part of ondo, ekiti, d whole of lagos and part of ogun state in today south west and Onitsha in today South East. Even Nnamdi Azikiwe clearly stated it in his book that Onitsha are descendant of Benin base on what his mother told him.

it is because of this type of story written by Azikiwe, that for about 20years after his death, his tomb still remain uncompleted...

He is one of those that confused Nigeria's history...

No wonder Ndi Igbo care little about him...