HOW A BANISHED BENIN PRINCE BECAME THE FIRST YORUBA KING

By Assin Godstime
Author of ODUDUWA

HOW A BANISHED BENIN PRINCE BECAME THE FIRST YORUBA KING

By Assin Godstime
Author of ODUDUWA

The relationship between the Oba of Benin and the Ooni of Ife had continued to gather momentum. Scholarly minds have continually aired their views on the above subject. Many say that the Oba of Benin is a son of the Ooni of Ife. Others say that Ooni is a son of the Oba of Benin. In Ife, the story is told with pride and Ego (In Benin, the story is told with pride and evidence)with facts.

Traditionally, Benin had witnessed two reign of monarchies - the Ogiso and Obaship. The first reign was the Ogiso era (king of the sky or of the sky) and the Obaship, what the Benin Kingdom presently practice. 31 Ogisos' are remembered in history and the last of them was Ogiso Owodo. Owodo was the father of Ekaladerhan who was the only son in a harem of many wives. During the Ogiso era, the present Benin Kingdom was called Igodomigodo, meaning, "towns of towns and villages" while its palace was at Ugbekun.

Owodo was endlessly troubled by his wives, particularly Esagho with a view to knowing while they (his wives) could not bear more male children other than Ekaladerhan. The endless trouble birthed the need to consult an Obiro (a diviner or native doctor). Seven persons were appointed by Owodo to visit the Obiro to foretell while only Ekaladerhan was born in a harem of not less than 15 wives. Esagho was appointed to lead the delegation and possibly prepare them food whenever they were hungry. She, too, was the eldest of Owodo's wives.

On getting to the sacred forest where the diviner lives, he foretold that Esagbo being killed before Owodo could bear more male children. The diviner didn't know that Esagho was the only woman in their midst. They dispersed in silence, worried and surprised. How would they communicate the Obiro's message to their leader, Owodo? Who would say it? The rhetorical questions hung in the air with their mouths widely opened.

On their way home, pretentiously, Esagho held her stomach as though she was in severe pain. She frequently shouted to the extent that they became frightened. They insisted that she goes out of their sights to immediately answer the call of nature with the intention to provide an urgent remedy. Not long, they overhead her scream aloud. Some of them rushed after her and, unexpectedly, saw her nude body which was forbidden in Igodomigodo. Only an Ogiso sees his wives' unclothedness. Right away she compelled all of them to take to oath that Ekaladerhan being alleged to have been the reason for his father's other wives'inability to bear more male children. They, too, would be killed should they violate the oath they had taken in the forest.

The outcome of false claim pushed Ekaladerhan to a capital punishment. Owodo appointed 7 persons to sacrifice Ekaladerhan, headed by Okpia. Among the seven appointed executors, 3 were part of the visit to the Obiro who knew Ekaladerhan was Innocent of the accusation and, they therefore vowed to spare his life. They revealed the secret to their colleagues and spared Ekaladerhan at the spot where he was to be killed. They killed a cock and smeared its blood on their sword to show to their Ogiso since he had insisted on Ekaladerhan's blood. As Ekaladerhan leaves, he declares, 'ilefe', meaning 'I have run for safety'. The spot was immediately named Urhiokhokho, that is, a cock's neck. The village is in between Ekenwan barracks and Ugbineh in Ovia North East.

... to be continued.
Stay tuned for more updates on this history..to be reviewed. ..
Everyone
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samuk:
HOW A BANISHED BENIN PRINCE BECAME THE FIRST YORUBA KING

By Assin Godstime
Author of ODUDUWA

Epic History revisionism fail. From failing to revise the history of Lagos now to attempting to revise the history of the ancient Ile Ife where the Benin royalty of Yoruba descent hail from and heads of departed Oba of Benin are buried. The place called Orun Oba Ado in Ile Ife still stands till date. The Yoruba forebears had a premonition that this kind of time could come so had insisted that the heads of departed Oba of Benin must 'rest' in Orun Oba Ado in Ile Ife.

The Benin royalty is definitely Yoruba and behind the Ooni of Ife https://guardian.ng/features/ogiso-and-ogiamien-are-aborigine-binis-while-oba-of-benin-is-of-yoruba-descent-high-chief-esotericist-monday-wehere/

Africans practiced very weak oral tradition. in this our present time and age, the words oral tradition would be likened to 'propaganda' by some people here cos they will say it is of a biased or misleading nature. The whiteman has done well, some or most of their histories are well documented [I don't want to dwell on how they did it]. This debate about Bini and Yoruba seniority will go on for a very long time. politics really destroyed Africa, it didn't start today o. To even give a vivid account of the 2020 endsars movement, one will hear so many narratives, the tongue will keep telling lies.

That FreestuffsNG guy is acting up, his adrenaline rush is high. he is Nicodemusly romancing the OP, but words has failed him.

let jejely sit on the fence here, I can't cry more than the bereaved

Fake story writen by fake person! So odudua not from mecca again?

Another Benin and Yoruba war about to loom again

Have you watched a monkey pulling the tail of a lion while hanging on a tree brach