₦airaland Forum

Iyaloja is Alien to Benin...Oba of Benin to Folashade Tinubu Ojo.

Ekaladerhan succumbed to these entreaties but being fearful for his personal health occasioned by his virtual old age, opted to choose the virile and youthful child of his that was born from his union with an Olukumi woman, that’s the Prince Oromiyan to follow the elders to Idu land to take up his position on the centuries old throne that always been occupied by his fathers before him.
But Oromiyan’s arrival and presence was met with resistance from Ogiamien, who had secured himself in the regency position following the death of Evian his father and inheriting also a formidable militia, an armed group (Odibo’Evian) that had enabled Evian ascendancy following the abdication and demise of Ogiso Owodo.
And the Edion n’ene faced with this intimidating force of Ogiamien, adopted a discretion is better path of valor approach, that eventually saw the young Oromiyan’s being confined to their sections of the kingdom’s capital in the Usama district where they held sway.
And it was until the coming of Oba Ewedo , a fourth generation king, that the nearly 150 years of the Ogiamiens stranglehold on the capital was loosened, following his crushing battlefield defeat at the historic battle of Ekiokpagha.
And for the first time in nearly one and a half centuries, the triadic structures of kingship in Idu land was restored as the Agba throne was seized from Ogiamien by victorious Oba Ewedo in his first move as the overlord of the entire Idu land.
And for 250 years, following this historic defeat, the Ogiamiens were recluse in the ancient kingdom’s until the ascension of Oba Esigie to the throne, faced with unending squabbles with the Uzama lords, to put a check on their excesses, he created the Uzama n’ibie, an adjunct class of chiefs that had among its members, a descendant of the Ogiamien’s lineage.
can quickly fill the role if the Uzama
reneges on their duties.
A development that restored for the clan some relevance in the kingdom’s socioreligious scheme of things, albeit a position of low profile as far as the politics of the ancient kingdom is concerned for the past 500 years.

By Prince Leo Oronsaye 2025

Obsequies was not performed for the Ogiso Owodo, for his only surviving child of his loins the Prince Ekaladerhan was missing or presumed dead.
A development that put on hold the divine and priesthood aspects of kingly duties. And these were the things, Evian as a regent could not perform because he was neither from the lineage of Idu kings nor an offspring of the Ogiso Owodo.
And the Edion nene fearful that the continuous inattention with regard to the divine and priesthood aspects of kingship which Evian could not fulfill and also conscious of the possible dire consequences that could result from a long neglect of these duties, decided to organize another expedition aimed at tracing the whereabouts of the absent prince, a move that lead to discovery of the later at Uhe(Ile Ife)
And consequent upon the discovery, the elders led by the Oliha made the trip to Uhe, where with entreaties finally convinced the prince to return, stating why it was incumbent that he returns to assume his sacrosanct and time acknowledged position of the priesthood role of the the realm’s kingship which was of vital necessity for safeguarding of the spiritual sustenance of the kingdom and its people.

And sitting on Ere stool is one that’s enabled by Oba’s position position as the eldest surviving son, that’s an ‘Omo’Odion’, (a term that denotes the special status of a firstborn son as featured in every Benin family) that invokes his right to preside and participate in the funeral obsequies of his deceased father, that’s the king that previously occupied the throne before him, at which conclusion, earns him the right to sit atop the ‘Ere’ brass stool, a throne of mystical significance, with which he presides in the handling of spiritual matters on behalf of the entire Benin race, at the altar of his royal ancestors.
With the continuous absence of a legitimate king on the throne, the aspects of the Benin kingship deemed necessary for the transcendental protection of the realm was neglected, a development that drew the concern of the Edion n’ene that’s the four lords, that’s the Oliha, Ero, Edohen and the Eholornire , prompting them to seek out ways of getting back the exiled prince Ekaladerhan, who as the duly recognized heir was the only one divinely sanctioned to carry out of the sacred rituals associated with the positions.
Anything outside this was against the dictates of tradition, because first and foremost, the first act, an heir to throne does in his journey to his ascension to the kingship, is to oversee the performance of the funeral obsequies of his father, the deceased monarch, a development that automatically elevates him to the priesthood office, a prerogative that’s is solely that of the first surviving son of a deceased monarch, the
‘Omon’Odion’ as in the order of funerary practice of the Benins.

The Agba still retains its potent traits today as it’s been from the time of the Ogiso kings era, as its usage is still very much significant in the judgment chamber of the palace whenever the Oba make pronouncements or decrees, as attested to by the Benin saying, “Oba gha tota yan’Agba ne, tor ghi kha’emwen” meaning “When the Oba take his position in the Agba seat, he makes pronouncements”
Whereas the ‘Ere’ (Two that were returned recently, among the items looted by the rampaging British pillagers of the ancient city in 1897), The Ere stool which traditions claims was introduced by Ere, a king of the Ogiso era, was originally made of wood likely the Iroko too but the coming to the throne of Oba Esigie in early period of the 16th century saw introduction of a Bronze Ere stool heavily embellished in the tradition of the wooden type, which was a gift from the Portuguese.

And as demanded by the dictates of traditions, an Oba’s primary responsibility is to ensure a synergy of the triadic order as represented by the divine, the jural and the priesthood, for the overall wellbeing of the kingdom.
And the carrying out of the duties requires vehicles that tangibly represent each aspect of the triadic order namely the ‘Ekete’, the ‘Agba’ and the ‘Ere’.
The Divine aspect as represented by the Ekete is that which invokes Oba’s right, to be worshipped as a Deity, a status acquired by his haven gone through coronation process that deified his being, earning him the appellation ‘Osan’obua n’Agbon’ that’s a god in human form’.
The Ekete is a wooden throne that has a rounded form and is enwrapped in a shroud of white textile fabric. It has no back rest but a detached elevated side stool that’s covered all over with beads made of corals, acting as an arm rest.
While the ‘Agba’, meaning the Judgement seat. is what invokes his Jural authority enabling him to act in the supreme capacity as a judge or an arbiter of disputes between persons or the between the various clans that makes up the kingdom. The Agba is also created from wood, notably the stem of the Uloko(Iroko), a tree renowned for maintaining its structural integrity for centuries due to its hardiness and insusceptibility to the ravages of termites and the elements.

And the champion Evian was not one to left out as he chanced upon the moment of chaos to seize power, especially as he enjoyed a celebrity status among the local populace of the capital city.
But throughout the period that Evian and later his Ogiamien descendants held power, they never received the accolades that were the dues of real kings, because the only power they possessed were that of being arbiters of justice that’s the jural authority, whereas the concept of kingship as defined by the Benin traditional dictates, is one that’s hinged on a triadic basis, that’s the Divine, Jural and Priesthood
And Evian and his descendants being conscious of this deficiency in their power arrangements, tried in vain to usurp the Divine and the Priesthood postures but the tangible symbols of the two positions were outside their grasp that’s the ‘’Ekete’ throne and the ‘Ere’ stool, two fixtures of sacred significance for the proper functioning of kingly duties, for only the consanguineous offspring from the Idu lineage of kings could perform the relevant rituals with these two potently charged items.

In course of time, Ogiso Owodo’s with his characteristic unmitigatedly blunderous missteps was subsequently banished from Idu land, only to join his ancestors not quite long, ushering the calamitous interregnum that was to haunt the ancient kingdom for one century and a half due to the apparent absence of a real monarch of the Ogiso’s consanguinity
A degenerative period of disunity was ushered in, that saw the rise of the Warlord chieftains who carved out for themselves petty fiefdoms.
While the Edion’nene
Lords collectively maintained their dominance in their various traditional strongholds, other various settlements or quarters that made up the Idu kingdom, saw the emergence of local champions who cashing in on the chaos instigated by the absence of leadership in the land resorted to seizing power in the various domains they held sway.

meaning
“Korkorokor, the beauty of beads lies the Brass plume embellishments
Yes, the Brass plume.
Who are the intruders, my faithful cock?
They’re your father’s warriors, the beauty of beads lies the Brass plume embellishments
Yes, the Brass plume
Kill them all then,
the beauty of beads lies the Brass plume embellishments
Yes, the Brass plume”
And all the warriors were killed to a man, bythe cock.
With this development, Ekaladerhan decided it best, to move away from Ughoton now that blood had been drawn, for he knew the unrelenting determination and formidability the warriors of Idu especially in their quest for vengeance when provoked, but before he left he had a brass replica of this famous cock of his made in Bronze, which he left in Ughoton as a shrine object.
(This brass cock is the one that was recently restored by the Jesus College of the Cambridge university to the Omo n’Oba Ewuare Ogidigan II.
Erroneously called ‘Okukhor’ its real designation is ‘Okpa’Ekaladerhan’ and some centuries later it was appropriated by the Oba Esigie and given to his mother, Oloi Idia whom he had made an Iyoba, a governess in the Uselu district of the ancient kingdom, a location where it was looted by the rampaging British troops led by Captain Campbell in February 1897.

“Korkorokor igheighan ogbose n’ivie oo, igheighan
An’ikhin okpa mwen
igheighan ogbose n’ivie oo, igheighan
Ibiek’erha nor, igheighan ogbose n’ivie oo, igheighan
V’ihan la owa, igheighan ogbose n’ivie oo, igheighan”
meaning,
“Korkorokor, the beauty of beads lies the brass plume embellishments
who are the intruders, my faithful cock
they’re your father’s courtiers
welcome them into abode then “
The welcomed courtiers awed and enamored by Ekaladerhan’s magnificence, never returned to their lord the Ogiso.
Following this development, Ogiso Owodo deployed a unit of warriors to forcefully bring him back to the city and upon their arrival, the magical cock as usual sounded the alarm;
“Korkorokor igheighan ogbose n’ivie oo, igheighan
An’ikhin okpa vben, igheighan ogbose n’ivie oo, igheighan
An’ikhin okpa mwen
Iy’okuo erha nor
Igheighan gbose n’ivie oo Igheighan
Gbel’ehia wua, Igheighan ogbose n’ivie oo, Igheighan

And as recorded in our folklore, a tale which virtually every Benin child is knowledgeable about, especially those brought up in homes were traditions are upheld, a generation to whom this author belongs,
Ekaladerhan long wanderings in the forest far from human habitations, brought him in contact with the elemental spirits of the wild, who taught him the dark arts of sorcery, a knowledge which enabled to transform a cock he had acquired as a pet into a magical one that possessed martial capabilities which would like a guard dog could alert him about the presence of intruders by its loud crowing and if need be, even attack such at his given command.
So, when words reached his father that he been found alive and living in Ughoton, a coastal village at the fringes of the kingdom, he sent some of his courtiers to the place to try and convince him to return but upon their arrival, as the folks song goes, his magical cock crowed the alarm;

His succumbing to the pressures of his favorite wife Esagho, a woman obviously barren as she was past the childbearing age, whom unbeknownst to him was the main culprit in the malicious web of court intrigues that surrounded his reign.
The Prince Ekaladerhan never forgave the father the Ogiso Owodo for his indiscretion that would have culminated in his death but for the last moment reprieve by his would be executioner, the ‘Odion’omwan the head executioner the kingdom. who compelled him to swear at pain of death never to return to land of his fathers.
The prince in strict adherence to this vow never returned, even when with sincere entreaties, his father, the Ogiso Owodo, upon the uncovering of the real truth behind the heinous episode especially with the Odionmwan’s revelation that he had spared the young prince’s life, organized a search party that had found him alive at the coastal village of Ughoton.

Well, the answer to pertinent question is found in our oral history that records a spectacular event that occurred in the reign of the last king of the Ogiso dynasty, which was the slaying of a gigantic monster Bird called ‘Osogan’ that terrorized the main trading post of the ancient city, that’s the Agbado market is it’s known today, by one Evian, who became the progenitor of the Ogiamien clan.
It was this valorous act that lifted him from obscurity to limelight earning him the fame and fortune that would later propel him to power, following the demise of the reigning Ogiso of the period, whose reign as recorded, was characterized by unending domestic and political missteps which instigated the odium, that earned him the disgrace of abdication in his later years.
And as the Benin oral records attests, the most calamitous disaster of his reign was his approval of a purported oracle’s divination recommending the sacrificing of the only child of his loins and presumptive heir, to the ‘Obi’omon fertility deity, so as to enable the numerous wives of his harem be conceived of children.

The ‘La’iso’ morning salutation, exclusively for the Ogiso’s royal household that was in place until the arrival of Oromiyan that put in place a kingship system that in turn brought about a change in the mornings salutation phrase of La’Iso to that ‘La’umogun’, meaning the “Hail, owner of metals” or “master of the art of metallurgy”.
(A phrase probably adopted because the Obas from the reign of Oba Ewedo appropriated all the precious metals, that’s Bronze, Brass and Iron in the land making them the sole owners, instigating the regulation and redefinition of the position of the ‘Ogi’ogun’, that’s ‘King of Ogun’, an appellation borne by the head workman of of the metalsmiths especially with regards to the later’s control of the metallurgical technology in the kingdom)
But some asks, how then did the Ogiamiens rise to become regents in the ancient kingdom, if they’re not royalty, and why did it take a shooting war to finally dislodge them after nearly a century and a half of their reign?

For history has it that the Ogisos too, in the period their kingships held sway, had their own morning salutations phrase known as ‘La’iso or ‘Do’ela’iso’ meaning “ Hail, owner of the sky!”,
The adoption of this phrase as a matter of fact, was not that the Ogisos were implicitly from the Sky, as erroneously misrepresented by many but because the first Idu Ogie’ meaning King or Leader, that adopted the Ogiso appellation doubled as an ‘Ohen’Iso’ that’s a priest of the shrine dedicated to the worship of the Sky called ‘ Aru’Iso’ in the Benin language.
A development that in the end, birthed the appellation, ‘Ogie n’ohen’Iso’ meaning “a king who doubles as a priest of the Sky shrine”, a phrase that would later be shortened to ‘Og’iso’.

While some are of the opinion that Ogiamiren’s clan progenitor called Evian was the second son Eholor n’ire, hence he inherited the morning salutation phrase, whereas others say, that he was at a point in his life an ‘Ogu’omwandia’ that’s a servant in the the Eholor n’ire’s household and haven been brought up there from his childhood adopted the ‘La’ire’ morning salutation phrase.
Well, whichever opinion one aligns with, the fact remains that the Ogiamien clan’s morning salutation is the same as that of the Eholor n’ire’s clan which is La’ire.
So if the La’ire mornings salutation phrase identifies the Ogiamiens and trace their origins to the Ire district, from whence comes then their purported links with the Ogisos as being touted by mischief makers?

And taking the Oliha clan as an example, their mornings salutation phrase is ‘La’Ogele’ which was adopted to perpetuate the memory of Oliha’s feat of the preservation and propagation of the seven lice handed to him by Oduduwa, to evaluate his guardianship prowess, as suggested by the full phrase, “Oliha nogele” meaning “Oliha the genuinely capable”.
The Eholor n’ire clan which is ‘La’ire’ is a phrase that reflects their links to ‘Ire’ quarter, a district in the ancient city.
And now regarding the Ogiamien clan, the interesting thing is that they share in the same La’ire morning salutation phrase identified with the Eholornire’s clan
The sharing of this morning salutation by the Ogiamiens is what has instigated a debate among pundits of Benin history as to the Ogiamiens real relationship with the Eholor n’ire’s clan, that prompted their usage of the La’ire morning salutation.

The oral and documented Benin history attests to the fact that long before the advent of the Obaship system of Kingship, the Ogiso Ere of the first dynasty of Benin Kings had introduced the guild system for all trades, that’s occupations vital to the economic sustenance and wellbeing of the kingdom, especially those with manual skills in the working of precious metals like iron, brass and copper as evidenced today by the existence of Igun niUgboja and the Igun’Erhonmwon in the Benin Kingdom, hence the ‘Umu’Ogun appellation borne by the Oba of Benin, that has prompted the ‘La’umogun’ royal mornings salutation phrase, as had today.
Mornings salutation phrases practice is also evident in each clans of seven kingmakers of the kingdom especially as practiced by the cardinal original kingmakers of the realm, namely, the Oliha, Ero, Eholornire and Edohen, a group that as the centuries unfolded, grew in size to include the Ezomo, Oloton and the Edaiken making them seven in number)

By Prince Leo Oronsaye 2025

The Ogiamiens.
Debunking the fallacy of their links to the ancient Ogiso kings of Benin, as peddled by mischievous revisionists.

There’s been a lot of fabricated tales by mischievous revisionists, hellbent on distorting the oral and documented narratives of the Benin history and the most worrisome is the linking of the Ogiamien’s ancestry to that of the ancient Ogiso dynasty, especially as these
fabrications ends up being amplified by the equally mischievous and chauvinistic revisionists amongst our ethnic neighbors. But thankfully, in the culture of the Benins, each and every clan that makes up the entire Benin race have its own unique phrase used as mornings salutations, a thing shared by every member of a particular clan and they’re are the things that have upheld and preserved the identify of each Benin clan, since the dawn of the establishment of the Idu country.
Called ‘Ukhu’na’tue’’ in the Benin language, it’s a practice that transcends all classes or statuses from the Royalty through the Nobility to the common people.
It’s normally phrased to reflect or perpetuate the knowledge of either the clan’s place of origin, a notable achievement or the profession of a clan’s progenitor.
And as practiced in the apex clan of the kingdom as represented by the royal family and as headed by the Omo n’Oba n’Edo Oba Ewuare Ogidigan II whose mornings salutation phrase is ‘La’Umogun , this phrase which translates to mean, “Hail, owner of metals or master of metallurgy“, is one that reflects the Oba’s once ownership of all the precious metals of the Kingdom in the pre colonial period.

illicit:
He can beads of anywhere from anywhere...

You are right. We just don't want you people to come up tomorrow and tell us that it was Benin that copied it from you.

Now that the Ooni have started copying Benin royal dressing, other yoruba Obas are sure to join sooner or later, and before we know it, you guys will Start telling us how Benin copied it or how Oranmiyan brought it to Benin.

This was how the Oba's title was copied by the yoruba, there was no social media then. Thanks to our considerable presence on social media today, these things can easily be pointed out. In the past, Benin history and culture were distorted and appropriated without challenge.

This time, it's good that the Ooni acknowledged that he went to Benin Kingdom to get the beads.

Hear it from the Ooni himself.

Ooni of Ife

Museum of West Africa Arts (MOWAA) Institute Benin City


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLXV0kYa8sI?si=Xo3iNkw3oCg6pH0G

AreaFada2:
But did you ever reflect on the meaning or ask elders for clarification?

In 100 years, our descendants may not know that Edo is only Benin people or was until 1991.

So, so to Benin people, it was always Ivbidu, Ivbigodo and from 1440AD, Ivbiedo.

Just to buttress your point, before 1991, Edo as a physical location was actually the city of Benin itself, but people from outside the city of Benin that speaks the city's language (Edo) are referred to as Edo people.

Only a few decades ago, when people are travelling from Obazagbon to Benin City, they will say, they are going to Edo. Even Uselu was not considered Edo, hence the title of the Crown Prince is Edaiken n' Uselu not Edaiken n' Edo, Iyoba n' Uselu not iyoba n' Edo. When there is a reigning Iyoba, her chiefs are Uselu chiefs, not Edo chiefs. There are Udo chiefs who are not Edo chiefs but they are all under the sovereign of the Omo N’Oba n' edo.

Today, all the above mentioned places and much more are now called Edo(Benin City).

Most of the new generation are not well knowledgeable about Edo/Benin City, especially those that cannot speak the language properly. These are Edo people that are miseducated on the social media and Internet.

Any Edo person that can speak and understand Edo language should know that Omo no ba n' Edo literally means The child/someone that shines for Edo, most times, he is most affectionately referred to just as Omo for short. Shines like the stars/sun and moon, he that illuminates the part of progress and prosperity for his people. These were what all Oba of Benin were in history, this is why Benin history largely revolves around them.

Peter, brother to Major Nzeogwu.

Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide Withdraws Sen. John Mbata's Membership, Bans Him From Organization's Activities.*

The Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organization Worldwide, on behalf of Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality in Rivers State, Nigeria after passionate and exhaustive review of the Sacrilegious action of Senator John Azuta Mbata, becoming the President – General of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, a socio-cultural organization of Igbo People of Nigeria, wish to state in no unambiguous and uncertain terms as follows;

(1) That Senator John Azuta Mbata has the inalienable right to belong to any association of his choice in Nigeria as enshrined in Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

(2) That by becoming the President – General of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, an exclusive organisation of Igbo people, he has willingly and freely renounced his membership and identity of Ikwerre people (Iwhuruohna).

(3) That his action is not the collective view, will, position and thinking of Eneka community, Apara Kingdom and the entire Ikwerre Ethic Nationality.

(4) That having freely taken a position to be an Igbo man, and to occupy the position of President – General of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, the Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide, unreservedly and unequivocally disclaims and denounces his action; as such action is his private decision taken without the consent of his Community, Kingdom and Iwhuruohna.

(5) That as an Igbo man, he is now seen, regarded and declared as a stranger living in Ikwerre land. Therefore, he has been barred from participating in any Iwhuruohna gathering, meetings or political representation starting from his Eneka Community, Apara kingdom and Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide.

(6) That all awards, honours , titles bestowed on him by any Organization in Ikwerre are hereby withdrawn

( 7). That we call on the international Community, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, HRM Eze A. A. Worlu – Wodo DSSRS, JP, Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and all lovers of Iwhuruohna that Senator John Azuta Mbata has ceased to represent, speak and act on behalf of Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality.

( That heavy and appropriate sanctions await those who will betray, and sell out their Ikwerre identity on a platter of political expediency and mere mess of porridge, according to Ikwerre custom and tradition.

Signed


Eze Barr. Godspower Onuekwa Ph.D. 

President General, Ogbakor Ikwerre Worldwide
Barr. Nyebuchi Philips
Secretary General, Ogbakor Ikwerre Worldwide

Resigning Ooni commanded by Oduduwa to slaughter 7 black cows before going to Benin, claimed by late Ooni Sijuade.

Konquest:
Since 1981, I have had access to credible world historical research and archaeological evidence from the works of Professor Banji Akintoye and Nigeria's former Ambassador to Germany Professor Jide Osuntokun who are both respected history scholars. In 2004, Professor Jide Osuntokun did state CLEARLY in his articles on the relationship between Benin and Ife that people were already living in Ufe (Ife) and many areas of Yorubaland even before Oduduwa Dynasty started. 3 years ago, the Ooni of Ife in a Punch newspaper interview ALSO stated that the Oduduwa Dynasty in Ife is the 3rd Dynasty. So, Oduduwa was NEVER the originator of all Yorubas of today whose ancestors have been in existence for thousands of years with archaeological evidence proving this. Oduduwa who came down from the hills of his original homeland in Oke Ora (Oke means hill and Ora refers to the Yoruba deity) is just the progenitor of the current lineage of some prominent kings in Yorubaland. Contrary to oversimplistic and misleading claims that were spread by ignorant British colonialists through elementary school books, Oduduwa did NOT come from any Mecca or Egypt. That was just a lazy Islamic attempt to explain Oduduwa's origins. The Ife people have his history well documented.

Right BELOW is the Coronation Speech Video of the 40th Oba, Current Oba Ewuare II of Benin on October 20, 2016, affirming that Oranmiyan His Direct Male Ancestor Came from Ile Ife in Osun State and that Oranmiyan was the FIRST EVER Oba of Benin After the Ogiso Dynasty Ended over 800 years Ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-q_F2zch8M?si=e6yfz-uGrRaJbPZE


Oduduwa [Odu du iwa] "Odu + Iwa" [Literally translates to "the precepts and knowledge of the mysteries of ODU Ifa and it's application to human behavior"]. Odu [knowledge of Ifa mysteries] + Iwa [Human behavior] according to the renowned historian, Professor Jide Osuntokun who is Nigeria's former Ambassador to Germany in his works. Oduduwa is NOT the ONLY Yoruba person with with ODU as a prefix in his name. The Yoruba folks who number over 60 million worldwide have Odujole, Odusola, Odutayo, Oduyele, Oduyemi, Odugbesan, Odujimi, and several other names with ODU attached as prefixes like Oduduwa. So, it's NOT true that Oduduwa was from any place called Ife in Igalaland. There is indeed an Ife in Igalaland but it got it's name from the Yoruba presence due to the part Yoruba bloodlines that make up Igala. Even some Yorubas of Ogori Magongo in Kogi State have it in their history that their forefathers lived in Idomaland in Benue State for 200 years and this is why their language or dialect is partly Idomaoid due to the FACT that Yorubas of Ife and elsewhere in Yorubaland travelled far and wide (as far as Asante Empire of Ghana, Mali Empire, Benin Empire, within Oyo Empire, Nupe country, Ibariba country, Hausaland, etc) on long-distance trading expeditions and hunting. Igala people historically evolved from the FUSION of a significant number of Eastern Yorubas, Jukuns, Edos, etc, around the River Niger and River Benue confluence. It's NOT strange that Igala language is classified as a Yoruboid language with a lot of visible Yoruba-derived words in it of up to 65 percent intelligibility. There's an Igala thread here from 2017 where you will see the CLEAR EVIDENCE of historical similarities in Yoruba and the much smaller Igala ethnicity who according to the late Attah Michael Ameh Oboni in a 2017 Punch article have Yoruba blood lines in addition to Jukun (from Wukari in Taraba State) and Edo. Igala did NOT evolve from one ethnic group but multiple people! It's indeed a historical FACT from my archives that Oba Ewuare 1 actually conquered the Igalas of Idah of present-day Kogi State in the 1500s with the help of armed Portuguese men and firearms while bringing some prominent Igalas as prisoners of war and FORCED the Igalas to pay tributes to Benin. Credible history books I have read for over 40 years CLEARLY state that Oba Ewuare 1 conquered a total of 201 towns and communities forcing them to pay tributes!

In REALITY, it's an open secret in Ufe (Ife) that Oduduwa was from OKE ORA which is just 8 miles away from Ife. He came down from the hilly region of Oke Ora and that is how the religious metaphor of Oduduwa coming from the SKY came from. In this case like in a lot of world religions that use metaphors in their liturgies, the HILLS of Oke Ora represents the SKY. Period. These FACTS are well known in Ife and this is why whenever a NEW Oba (or Ooni of Ife) is about to be crowned, he has to go to Oke Ora in Osun State (Oduduwa's original ancestral hometown) just 8 miles from Ife as part of the coronation rights. Outsiders who don't know these are the ones who keep confusing themselves because they are NOT Ife indigenes.

You did well for bringing up all the possible questions and variables here. That is how to be a logical thinker and analyst when seeking for historical TRUTH! I want you to go through my FIRST and SECOND posts here and watch ALL the videos without having any confirmation bias. Then FACT-CHECK what you have seen and read. I had already anticipated that you would bring these variables OR questions up and that is why I gave you all those videos and interviews in my FIRST post about the Usen Chief in the video on the "History Of Usen, Oba Of Benin & Itsekiris" (Watch this over 2 hours video from the 30 minute timestamp) who CLEARLY stated with FACTS that USEN people are ancestrally from Ile Ife with Afelogiyan, the OLDER brother of Oranmiyan being both biological brothers and grandchildren of Oduduwa of Yoruba descent, with USEN representing the last major frontier of Yoruba territory (though based in Ovia South West LGA in Edo State) as you get nearer to Benin City and this is why their family salutation in USEN is "DELAUHE?" meaning how is Ife? USEN also served as the point of focal contact in terms of correspondence and religious rites between Ife in the current Osun State and Benin kingdom.

NOTE that the correct dialectic Ufe pronunciation and spelling is UFE not Ife. Ife (with the letter "I" is a more recent variant of Ufe). Of course the word Uhe is just an Edonized dialectic pronunciation of the correct spelling of UFE.


The video timestamp from 09:57 to 10:30 BELOW, shows the "Esogban of Benin" explaining clearly where hIs direct male ancestor came along with Oranmiyan (Ile Ife in Osun State) and the unique salutations or ways of greeting one another in Benin based on their different family ancestral origins.

SALUTATION IN BENIN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZQZl-yyNqE

Edo Lineage Greetings Part 5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOBY3QxokR0


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXQiuzdHBVQ?si=poemuYB8M9aIkBm3

Just incase you are not aware, let me point out few things about Benin history.

1. Most parts of Benin history were documented atleast from the 1400s, either on Benin artefacts or by Europeans explorers.

2. Benin City is littered with historical sites. I will mention some later.

3. If you get yourself the full video of the coronation speech of Oba Ewuare 2, he claimed that Oduduwa was a Benin prince, not someone from Oke ora like you claimed. Hope you can see the first problem between Benin version of Oduduwa origin and yoruba version.

Back to how major historical events were recorded in Benin history.

Take for example the Benin Igala relationship and let examine the historical verifiable materials to support such relationship.

1. The Benin Idah war was written about by one of the Europeans who were stationed in Benin in the 1500s...this is an eyewitness historical account.

2. There is statue on third east circular junction, Ikpoba hill, Benin city, to commemorate the war. It is called the Emuemue statue.

3. Queen Idia mask AKA FESTAC mask was commissioned by Oba Esigie to commemorate his mother, who was the first Benin female military general to lead a troop. The FESTAC pendant was to remember her. That is the same mask you see on the neck of every Attah of Igala till date.

4. The Ogida quarters in Benin City is were the defeated Attah was brought to and imprisoned in Benin City, hence the name Ogida which is a shortened form of the full name Ogie(king) Da (Idah) which simply means the king of Idah, this is how Ogida quarters in Benin city got it's name.

5. I already showed you Benin artefacts that depicted an Igala Chief, there are other Benin artefacts that depicts Igala messagers.


6. There is the oral traditions that support the Benin/Igala relationship.

These are some of the ways we verify historical events in Benin. When people seat down somewhere and write fairytales as history, they lack the sorts of evidences which I presented above.

I can support Benin/Lagos relationship using similar evidence as above, but the Benin/Ife relationship cannot be supported apart from contentious stories between Benin and yoruba.

Benin and Yoruba do not agree on Oduduwa origin.

1 There is/are not Benin artefacts to support the relationship.

2. There are no European eyewitness historical accounts of such relationship in the 400 years they visited and documented Benin history.

3. There are no historical sites or landmarks in Benin city to support such relationship.

4. Oral traditions also do not support the relationship, most of us, first came into contact with Benin/Ife relationship by reading it in a book, most of the elders in the villages know nothing about it. Benin/Ife connection is a story for the educated, who read it in books.

Hope you can now understand whilst I have issues with the Benin/Ife story. It a story that have no historical backing in Benin.

Historical Uhe is mentioned in Benin but, evidences point it's location to somewhere around present day Kogi state, not Osun state.

Konquest:
You CAN also watch this video BELOW about Onitsha history to know MORE about the ancestral Igala presence in thhe foundation of Onitsha:
"Reasons Why Onitsha People Do NOT Call Themselves Ibos"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvURUakH13Y


Asaba people of Delta State have Igala Father and Mother

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZj5tfoSApw
United Igala Kingdom TV - 2023


IGALA Footprints In Enugu| TrustTV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8G8SSxm744
TrustTV News - 2022



Second, the people of Usen in Ovia South West LGA of Edo State near Benin are a further evidence of the historical link between Ife and Benin.

Usen or Ode Awure originated as a farmstead founded around the 10th century C.E by indigenes of Ufe (Ile Ife) led by one Oyebo, however, the first crowned ruler of Usen was prince Afelogiyan who was the biological older brother to prince Oranmiyan. Afelogiyan was the first Oba of Usen. It was from Usen that Oranmiyan moved to Igodomigodo [present Benin] on his way to becoming the FIRST ever Oba of Benin based on the coronation video speech of the current Oba Ewuare II.

The people of Usen have NEVER denied their association with Ife [Uhe]. This is why the family salutation or greeting in Benin and nearby towns especially Usen is DELAUHE [or "How is Uhe (Ife)]. The current Oba of Usen is the Elawure of Usen and they speak their own dialect of Yoruba and also Bini based on the FACT that they have family ties with Benin through the royal palace. The Oba of Benin salutation is Lamogun [in veneration of Ogun the God or deity of War and Iron just like in Yorubaland].

Usen is also the original custodian of the deities such as Ogun, Olokun, Osun, and more that are practiced in Benin which came via Ife or Uhe.

=> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usen_people


Elawure of Usen pays thank you visit to Gov. Oshiomhole
Independent Television and Radio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szuC28a68zw
Independent Television and Radio Mar 12 2016


History Of Usen, Oba Of Benin & Itsekiris

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUfCwAlFH-8
A prominent indigene of Usen is in the video right ABOVE and HE CLEARLY explained how the Oba of Benin's paternal lineage is from Ile Ife and also how Usen is RELATED to Benin through Afelogiyan and Oranmiyan. These will CLEAR your doubts. Also the Ogiamien family have always insisted that the Oba's lineage is from Yorubaland!

99 percent of Benin Obaship tradition came from Ife

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZznZ8Cdb5aM

Let me repeat.

1. I have issues with Benin/Ife connection because it lacks material evidences to support it. I am yet to see any material that was written on Benin/Ife connection before 1897, the year Benin lost her independence to Britain.


All you have posted are debated ora traditions which Benin and Ife doesn't agree on.

The Oduduwa/Oranmiyan story was supposed to have happened in the 1100s.

Which of the versions between the Benin palace, that says Oduduwa was Ekaladerhan, or Yoruba version that says Oduduwa fell from the sky, or migrated from Saudi Arabia, or migrated from Egypt do you want the readers to believe.

Yoruba people don't agree on a common origin for Oduduwa. There are several versions of his origin.

1. Oduduwa fell from sky
2. Oduduwa came from Saudi Arabia
3. Oduduwa came from Egypt
4. Oduduwa came from Oke Ora

The other reasons I have issues with the Benin/Ife connection, is that there is nothing to support it in Benin artefacts that were used to record Benin history for hundreds of years. There is also nothing in European eyewitness accounts of Benin history in about 400 years (1400s to 1897) to suggest that Benin had anything to do with Ife in Osun state.

Now to Uhe.

There is another school of thought in Benin that claimed that Uhe is not the same as Ife in Osun state. There are people that believe Uhe was actually located in present day Middle Belt of Nigeria, around Igala land in Kogi state.

There are material evidences and depictions of Igala Chiefs and people on Benin artefacts and there is letter written in Benin to Europe in the 1500s about Benin/Ida war.

There are material, eyewitness and oral traditions to support the school of thoughts, that suggest that Uhe was not in Osun state, but in somewhere around Kogi state.

1. I have issues with Benin/Ife connection because it lack material evidences to support it. I am yet to see any material that was written on Benin/Ife connection before 1897, the year Benin lost her independence to Britain.

2. There are plenty of material evidences to support Benin/Lagos connection. There is eyewitness written account of Benin firmly established in Lagos as early as 1602.

3. There are numerous material evidences including eyewitnesses historical accounts dating back to 1865, before the fall of Benin, to support Benin/Ika connection.

I like evidences.

Davoski001:
Mr Samuk , I’ll just let you know I’m not up for back and forth with you. I have seen your comments everywhere and already know the kinda fella you are when it comes to issues like this .

1. The issues I wrote concerning Edo currently, is not to spite Edo people but to let you know that there are more important things to worry about than what you go about trying to prove or argue against when it comes to the History concerning Igbo Yoruba and Benin. Yes I admit there are also issues in the East and the West, that’s why we should put more effort into that for a peaceful and prosperous living amongst ourselves.

2. I lived in Benin for 7 years and trust me when I say I know them very well. I do not hate them. I know how proud they are of themselves and their kingdom because of what it achieved centuries ago. If they are proud now , imagine how proud they must have been centuries ago. Now the question is , if they moved from Benin as Princes, Princesses, warriors , and even had some servants with them, why will they set up a Kingdom and yet we can’t find Benin names up there? Like I wrote earlier if the first 5 names had one or two trust me the story will fly well.

3. As far as I am concerned , Mr Arthur didn’t do a complete research work before writing that book. And as for the Late Azikiwe, his forefathers might have been Royalty but it was obviously not in Benin.

In that same Benin I met some members of the Ogieamen family, I have friends from the house of the Elawure of Usen, I know the stories I heard and read which came with proofs, but that’s not my business for now.

I’ll give you an assignment , if that Kings list up there is not correct , bring the correct one that has Edo names with proof and I’ll accept that these Onicha people are of Edo blood.

1. History is met to bring people together not a supremacy battle as some of you see it. If history tells us that Onitsha and Benin people are of the same ancestry, how is one superior to the other.

2. The history of Ezechima/his descendants from Benin to Onitsha through Ika land took some time, I already posted a writeup of this journey through Issele-Uku. Names and the language of the people changed along the way.

https://www.nairaland.com/7792922/issele-uku-address-obi-osemene-iii

https://www.nairaland.com/7762239/ezechima-benin-history

.