AreaFada2:

There was a Nollywood movie on it many years back starring Olu Jacobs as Ezomo. Though not exactly as the film portrayed it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FRcCgfA6Ww

Well, the stories were first moonlight stories by various elderly relatives as a kid. They were from different villages but remarkably consistently. Quite surprising how identical the stories were to ones I later saw written and read in books. Except Dr J U. Egharevba's account that deviated markedly in many parts from what I heard as a kid.

Sadly, many of the books are not in print. It appears oyinbo people and foreigners have the books more in their libraries.
Though more are being written, their distribution is poor. Everybody dey go church. Many take tradition or culture as pagan. Those non-Edo pastors are taking our people from culture. Of course many of the MoGs are from envious neighbours places. I am saying what I have seen. People are reading less too.

Why people believe that anybody has anything to tell us about Christianity that we were the first to have in what is now 9ja baffles me.

Thanks boss I would watch the movie, about Egharevba what was he thinking writing all those lies and misinformation about Benin Empire in his books?

AreaFada2:


davidnazee, you sef get time o. Somebody who believes that everybody else has low IQ, can he learn from even Einstein?

Let him be.

Low IQ man refer to me with your full chest, I am still waiting for your response since I threw you a challenge.

Any man that will use the word stuck for 'Esan a core Edoid group' when she uses the title Onojie, and the person was rebuked several times and he refused to see his mistake. Sincerely the person has low IQ. It is not an insult sir, it is an observation, I was already tired of showing you error, and wanted to just spill it out anyway that you have low IQ. God faithfully your emotions took over you and I had to let you know your deficiency. Don't be pained man, if you can't take lashing, don't give, I would probably never have mentioned your deficiency level in IQ, even if I had observed it, save for the fact you insulted me first, I am not one to insult someone first.

You probably overlooked his insult to my person and you centred on mine because he seem to be on your side and he is saying what you want to hear.

Davidnazee, there are loopholes in your argument, I don't have much time to respond now but I will do that later eventually

Edeyoung:


The UGBE634 guy has self hate for the Oba one day he will spill it,


If Ugbe has been saying the truth since one of us here would have seen reason to side with him, but the guy keeps saying rubbish he thinks this is YouTube that's full of his family members and is village people listening to his crap

Ede, I don't have a youtube channel, a youtube channel might be different from a youtube account. I have a youtube account which I use in watching videos right. But I don't have any videos on it, when I watch some of these Esan videos, I usually go to their comment to debunk these things. I seem too old for that now

AutomaticMotors:


Thanks boss I would watch the movie, about Egharevba what was he thinking writing all those lies and misinformation about Benin Empire in his books?

Well, Egharevba had no major local Benin literary source to draw on. Remember, it was only 20 years after restoration of the monarchy when he first wrote. 20 years since 9ja was amalgamated. These might appear unrelated but remember that spinning a web to first unite Benin and SW among Southern protectorate was vital beforehand. Benin history that was well documented centuries before SW history was vital to Yoruba. Since if Benin and Ife are related through Oranmiyan/Oduduwa, by extension Benin history would also become part of Yoruba history, as Yoruba was missing early documentation.

Ask yourself as well-travelled and versatile Ajayi Crowder was, how did he totally miss Benin-Ife link? Something that would be so central at the time if it was true? But commented on Asaba that they were Benin people?

Alaafin also totally missed Benin-Ife link tales in the 1820s? Since if the link existed and Oranyan left Benin to found Oyo as now purported, it would have been vital for Alaafin to mention it in 1820s.

Oba of Benin totally missed something that would be so vital in the 1840s?

UGBE634:
Ede, I don't have a youtube channel, a youtube channel might be different from a youtube account. I have a youtube account which I use in watching videos right. But I don't have any videos on it, when I watch some of these Esan videos, I usually go to their comment to debunk these things. I seem too old for that now

Just stop claiming our oba is of a yoruba ancestry you have no substantial prove for it, we all here have debated on the history for quite a long time, before now we all believe on the oduduwa crap of an history if we can change our mindset towards that side of history then we are not dogmatic like you assume us to be you're simplying not convincing us

AreaFada2:


Well, Egharevba had no major local Benin literary source to draw on. Remember, it was only 20 years after restoration of the monarchy when he first wrote. 20 years since 9ja was amalgamated. These might appear unrelated but remember that spinning a web to first unite Benin and SW among Southern protectorate was vital beforehand. Benin history that was well documented centuries before SW history was vital to Yoruba. Since if Benin and Ife are related through Oranmiyan/Oduduwa, by extension Benin history would also become part of Yoruba history, as Yoruba was missing early documentation.

Ask yourself as well-travelled and versatile Ajayi Crowder was, how did he totally miss Benin-Ife link? Something that would be so central at the time if it was true? But commented on Asaba that they were Benin people?

Alaafin also totally missed Benin-Ife link tales in the 1820s? Since if the link existed and Oranyan left Benin to found Oyo as now purported, it would have be vital for Alaafin to mention it in 1820s.

Oba of Benin totally missed something that would be so vital in the 1840s?

You are 100% right

UGBE634:
Low IQ man refer to me with me with your full chest, I am still waiting for your response since I threw you a challenge.

Any man that will use the word stuck for 'Esan a core Edoid group' when she uses the title Onojie, and the person was rebuked several times and he refused to see his mistake. Sincerely the person has low IQ. It is not an insult sir, it is an observation, I was already tired of showing you error, and wanted to just spill it out anyway that you have low IQ. God faithfully your emotions took over you and I had to let you know your deficiency. Don't be pained man, if you can't take lashing, don't give, I would probably never have mentioned your deficiency level in IQ, even if I had observed it, save for the fact you insulted me first, I am not one to insult someone first.

You probably overlooked his insult to my person and you centred on mine because he seem to be on your side and he is saying what you want to hear.

Davidnazee, there are loopholes in your argument, I don't have much time to respond now but I will do that later eventually

You think you can come here and throw insults and Diatribes on people that have dedicated years and time for the Edo Cause on nairaland, People such as AreaFada2 that have earned legend status in this parts and go Scott free? Because you feel this is a faceless blog? Uhundan I must find you !!!!

AutomaticMotors:


You think you can come here and throw insults and Diatribes on people that have dedicated years and time for the Edo Cause on nairaland, People such as AreaFada2 that have earned legend status in this parts and go Scott free? Because you feel this is a faceless blog? Uhundan I must find you !!!!

My brother, don't bother. Do not stoop so low.

Already you can see that anybody related in anyway to the palace or Oba dynasty would automatically earn his hatred.

Our people on the other side would say : À ń pe gbẹ́nàgbẹ́nà ẹyẹ àkókó ń yọjú

Sadly, when a serious discussion is to be had, anyone can show up on a faceless forum and feign Albert Einstein.

AreaFada2:

My brother, don't bother. Do not stoop so low.

Already you can see that anybody related in anyway to the palace or Oba dynasty would automatically earn his hatred.

Our people on the other side would say : À ń pe gbẹ́nàgbẹ́nà ẹyẹ àkókó ń yọjú

Sadly, when a serious discussion is to be had, anyone can show up on a faceless forum and feign Albert Einstein.

Yh you are right boss!

AreaFada2:

My brother, don't bother. Do not stoop so low.

Already you can see that anybody related in anyway to the palace or Oba dynasty would automatically earn his hatred.

Our people on the other side would say : À ń pe gbẹ́nàgbẹ́nà ẹyẹ àkókó ń yọjú

Sadly, when a serious discussion is to be had, anyone can show up on a faceless forum and feign Albert Einstein.

If you have don't have low IQ, you would know there is no way one can verify you are related to the palace,
Also I do not care whatsoever, I don't think I have ever approached you via any medium for assistance.

What led me to register here largely, I am achieving results, and that's what matters to me.

What I am happy about is that we did not write these things to hide it and show some selected few. It is on nairaland database, I am elated because anyone can read and verify that it was never about an hatred for anyone related to the Oba's family. My comment and Argument are on nairaland, where over millions of nairalnders can have access to it.

It is the same Oba ego you have, that's why you feel you can insult someone and because they have some form of respect, you will go scot free.

I have never impersonated the Oba's family even when I could have done so as this forum is faceless.

The Joy is that some of us are so proud of Our autochthonous heritage and will not relinquish it for anything, and we do hate when history is distorted to suit any part.

I am so sorry for busting your Obagodo myth, that must have busted a nerve, I had no choice as I seem to be unapologetically tied to the truth and would not want a distortion of our native history to suit any part.

If there is anybody that has distorted our history the most is the Oba's family, and in the process of correcting it, there might be inevitable bruises on the family. Correcting an history that was told by someone earlier which is false would seem to appear that you are calling the person a liar

If there is any Bini sect that should be more entitled to Bini history should be us-the natives. You cannot tell me how to comment as it pertains to my history, my story

Edeyoung:


Just stop claiming our oba is of a yoruba ancestry you have no substantial prove for it, we all here have debated on the history for quite a long time, before now we all believe on the oduduwa crap of an history if we can change our mindset towards that side of history then we are not dogmatic like you assume us to be you're simplying not convincing us

I have been here for a while now, I have been convinced for some time now, but you can see I was never this assertive, even while Tao mentioned me severally when she was arguing to join her train, I never joined. The posts of mentions are here, it is not hidden

But what really got me to come out was that yourself and motors insulted me anyhow, I will wake up to see arrays of insult and mentions, I would get several mentions from Binis challenging my own viewpoint even though it might appear once a month. Not coming out will mean I am standing on that path without proof which was not true.

If you truly understand history, I would not take several oral account of different families and groups to be fake. Ogie-amien, Ogi-egor, Ife, Usen, Chief Edebiri and so on.

It might not be Oronmiyan or even Oduduwa, but one thing I am very certain of is that the patrilineal heritage of the Oba is foreign, and it tilts more 95% to the present day yoruba more than anything else. I am not so fixated on Ife, up to me, I would think he was an "Ekue" but to say that he was 100% Bini from the onset is highly unlikely

Edeyoung:


Just stop claiming our oba is of a yoruba ancestry you have no substantial prove for it, we all here have debated on the history for quite a long time, before now we all believe on the oduduwa crap of an history if we can change our mindset towards that side of history then we are not dogmatic like you assume us to be you're simplying not convincing us

I have never ever believed that Oduduwa/yoruba oba nonsense.. just saying.

Edeyoung:


Just stop claiming our oba is of a yoruba ancestry you have no substantial prove for it, we all here have debated on the history for quite a long time, before now we all believe on the oduduwa crap of an history if we can change our mindset towards that side of history then we are not dogmatic like you assume us to be you're simplying not convincing us

Do you know that a great percentage (over 95%) of Bini people don't believe that Yoruba origin for our monarchy. They either believe that Oduduwa is Ekaladeran or there is nothing like Oduduwa connection to bini monarchy.
It is only very few like UGBE634 and maybe his family members that will say our Oba is yoruba..

davidnazee:


Do you know that a great percentage (over 95%) of Bini people don't believe that Yoruba origin for our monarchy. They either believe that Oduduwa is Ekaladeran or there is nothing like Oduduwa connection to bini monarchy.
It is only very few like UGBE634 and maybe his family members that will say our Oba is yoruba..

then you never waka Nazee, I have seen many Binis and many Ogie-amiens who hold on to that view, to them especially for the fact that the Ekaladerhan story started in 1978 but they will not go about arguing with you, because na fanatic full Benin

UGBE634:
then you never waka Nazee, I have seen many Binis and many Ogie-amiens who hold on to that view, to them especially for the fact that the Ekaladerhan story started in 1978 but they will not go about arguing with you, because na fanatic full Benin

No short waka to ogieamen house you don do thats why u think many Binis believe same nonsense as you do. FYI, you and the people that hold that view are minority.. Majority believes Oba is 100% Edo and has been that way.

UGBE634:
then you never waka Nazee, I have seen many Binis and many Ogie-amiens who hold on to that view, to them especially for the fact that the Ekaladerhan story started in 1978 but they will not go about arguing with you, because na fanatic full Benin

Try they read bro

. You look like someone who is not after the truth but after your own personal interest

The oba is 100 percent edo

The oba was and still adored in benin today not because he is a stranger but because the benin tradition believes he is a God on earth
He doesn't have to come from Cameroon before the edo people would identify a divine person among them

The oba rewarded ezomo family in the olds when the oracle told the benins that only ezomo who was still a young boy In an unknown village in benin that could kill a spiritual elephant that was coming out to kill market women in the then ekiosa market, many benin hunters tried killing it but couldn't succeed until ezomo was chooosen by the oracle to be the one that would kill the elephant And after the Young boy ezomo killed the elephant he was rewarded by the Oba and later grew to become the militarily commander of the benin people

Are you now going to say ezomo was from far away yoruba land because he was special

AreaFada2
UGBE634
Samuk
Davidnazee

davidnazee:


No short waka to ogieamen house you don do thats why u think many Binis believe same nonsense as you do. FYI, you and the people that hold that view are minority.. Majority believes Oba is 100% Edo and has been that way.

The guy and anyone else that believe the oba is a yoruba nonsense are super minorities. Most families in Benin are related in one way or the other to the Oba, if they can trace their ancestors back enough. My ancestor for example was a sibling to Oba Ewuare 1 and this is reflected in our family morning greeting and the association reply. Those very familiar with Benin family greetings would know the family I am talking about even without mentioning the name.

Benin is/was a very structured society not comparable to any of our neighbours. Benin may seem alien to those that doesn't fully understand how it evolved.

The guy said he doesn't believe a Ekhaladerhan is Oduduwa. He doesn't believe that Benin sent for Oranmiyan because that will mean sending for a total stranger.

He somehow believe that Ife invaded and conquered Benin, give us the oba dynasty which ways he and his people doesn't understand because it seems foreign to them. If he is not close minded, which of our neighbours possess the attributes he associated with the Oba, his very limited knowledge of the yoruba society and kingdom/kingship makes he believe that the Oba of Benin or the Benin palace is similar to yoruba palace. Nothing can be further from the truth.

The Benin culture and traditions is very different from that of Ife, pointing to the the title is not enough. Apart from the oba title that is now being shared by Benin and Yoruba, the culture and traditions are very different. This is the conclusion reached by scholars for dismissing the Benin/Ife. Connection.

The fact that the traditional institution within Benin keep evolving while that in his village remained stagnant didn't make Benin foreign. For Benin to have lasted that long, it needed to keep evolving to a level that her boundaries villages and those far removed from the centre of Benin city could not recognised. This is why they argued that it's foreign.

Ordinarily the guy should have been long ignored but for the sake of those reading to lean.


It's a logical fallacy to claim Benin is from Ife, when according to scholars that studied both places, there were no similarities between both places.

The Benin traditional system is only unique to Benin in Nigeria. Although There are varying imitations in various places, the Benin influence of those places are sometimes not in dispute, the direction of flow of the cultural influence is usually from the centre of Benin.

He doesn't believe in yoruba version of Oduduwa and doesn't believe in the Benin version either. So he has joined a few others to invent a new version of Ife army invading and conquering Benin and giving Benin the Oba, and a unique traditional institution that Ife didn't have and not found in any other yoruba communities.

AutomaticMotors:


Thanks boss I would watch the movie, about Egharevba what was he thinking writing all those lies and misinformation about Benin Empire in his books?

Just a bit more on Dr Eghareba. His book in hindsight could have been better researched but what resources did he have to do so? Until success of that 1934 book he had little money. It was even Oba Eweka II support and his own tenacity that helped him. By the time he was 10, his Benin father had already died.

For a guy who was born and bred in Yorubaland for the first 20 years of his life, he would have been much influenced by the narrative of Samuel Johnson that gradually permeated SW by second half of the 20th century. His mum was Yoruba or at least partly Yoruba. After fall of Benin Empire, former vassals there would have finally felt free to badmouth their exiled overlord. Eastern Youbaland where he was born still had many Benin people living and trading to and from there. Like Egharevba's merchant family. I can relate with it.

I heard accounts growing up as a kid of some of our folks who used their privileged position to trade from Eastern Yorubaland through present day Osun to Illorin, Lokoja and beyond. Then also back to Benin. Beads, corals of all types, gold, scents and Aso-oke were some of the important commodities then.

When his family moved to Western Yorubaland/Ibadan and Oba Ovonramwen was by now in exile, he heard largely negative stereotypes about Benin. I don't believe the Europeans would have done much to make things better. The British gleefully reported what they call "barbaric practices" in Benin upon invading, looting and burning it down just years earlier. Such as the possible heads of Ogioboro and Deji Arakale they found on the alter. The British had to justify their heinous act in Benin.

It was a good coincidence that Egharevba had arrived in Benin, a full grown young man by early 1914. Just early enough to witness the Evbinekhua and later the coronation of Oba Eweka II. Although the coronation was only a fraction of the pomp and splendour of previous ones, the grandeur, colourfulness, vibrancy and sheer display of culture totally blew the young man Eghareva away. He was hooked on researching this culture. There were hardly any major literary Benin Sources. He was convinced that all the negativity about Benin he heard growing up outside Edo land was due to ignorance (and envy, I might add).
If you look at the several editions of his book from 1934 to 1960s, there were quite some differences in some narratives, obviously as he did more research.

For a guy who didn't grow up in Benin to have been writing books/stories in Benin language by 1920s that he later gathered to become the book we now know in its English version is no mean feat. He was already in his 20s when he obtained his primary school certificate in Benin. The way his early education was truncated by his father's death, a less determined person would have given up.

AreaFada2:


Just a bit more on Dr Eghareba. His book in hindsight could have been better researched but what resources did he have to do so? Until success of that 1934 book he had little money. It was even Oba Eweka II support and his own tenacity that helped him. By the time he was 10, his Benin father had already died.

For a guy who was born and bred in Yorubaland for the first 20 years of his life, he would have been much influenced by the narrative of Samuel Johnson that gradually permeated SW by second half of the 20th century. His mum was Yoruba or at least partly Yoruba. After fall of Benin Empire, former vassals there would have finally felt free to badmouth their exiled overlord. Eastern Youbaland where he was born still had many Benin people living and trading to and from there. Like Egharevba's merchant family. I can relate with it.

I heard accounts growing up as a kid of some of our folks who used their privileged position to trade from Eastern Yorubaland through present day Osun to Illorin, Lokoja and beyond. Then also back to Benin. Beads, corals of all types, gold, scents and Aso-oke were some of the important commodities then.

When his family moved to Western Yorubaland/Ibadan and Oba Ovonramwen was by now in exile, he heard largely negative stereotypes about Benin. I don't believe the Europeans would have done much to make things better. The British gleefully reported what they call "barbaric practices" in Benin upon invading, looting and burning it down just years earlier. Such as the possible heads of Ogioboro and Deji Arakale they found on the alter. The British had to justify their heinous act in Benin.

It was a good coincidence that Egharevba had arrived in Benin, a full grown young man by early 1914. Just early enough to witness the Evbinekhua and later the coronation of Oba Eweka II. Although the coronation was only a fraction of the pomp and splendour of previous ones, the grandeur, colourfulness, vibrancy and sheer display of culture totally blew the young man Eghareva away. He was hooked on researching this culture. There were hardly any major literary Benin Sources. He was convinced that all the negativity about Benin he heard growing up outside Edo land was due to ignorance (and envy, I might add).
If you look at the several editions of his book from 1934 to 1960s, there were quite some differences in some narratives, obviously as he did more research.

For a guy who didn't grow up in Benin to have been writing books/stories in Benin language by 1920s that he later gathered to become the book we now know in its English version is no mean feat. He was already in his 20s when he obtained his primary school certificate in Benin. The way his early education was truncated by his father's death, a less determined person would have given up.

I like this insight inside Egharevba's actions I understand now his frame of mind at that time, do you have any info about his later years and his offsprings? I want to also ask you something tho unrelated how did Ohenhen die (heard accident)? And did he have any kids? And abeg " Atiti nu go " na actual woman ?

AutomaticMotors:

I like this insight inside Egharevba's actions I understand now his frame of mind at that time, do you have any info about his later years and his offsprings? I want to also ask you something tho unrelated how did Ohenhen die (heard accident)? And did he have any kids? And abeg " Atiti nu go " na actual woman ?

Atti nu go

Probably is a woman he sang it for atiti from Ugo village in benin

AutomaticMotors:

I like this insight inside Egharevba's actions I understand now his frame of mind at that time, do you have any info about his later years and his offsprings? I want to also ask you something tho unrelated how did Ohenhen die (heard accident)? And did he have any kids? And abeg " Atiti nu go " na actual woman ?

I know Egharevba has family in Benin but I am not familiar with them today. Unless I ask a relative who knew him quite well in Benin literary circle back then.

I am not familiar with who Atiti is or was.
I was already in diaspora when I heard that Ohenhen died. No idea how he died.

AutomaticMotors:

I like this insight inside Egharevba's actions I understand now his frame of mind at that time, do you have any info about his later years and his offsprings? I want to also ask you something tho unrelated how did Ohenhen die (heard accident)? And did he have any kids? And abeg " Atiti nu go " na actual woman ?

I believe Ohenhen had many children and I also believe atleast one of his sons Benard is a musician. I heard Atiti nu go was a real woman.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3b8zJSpeFc

samuk:


I believe Ohenhen had many children and I also believe atleast one of his sons Benard is a musician. I heard Atiti nu go was a real woman.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3b8zJSpeFc

Bernard is not his son, but his nephew, He died in 1994/1995, I am not so certain of the year anymore, He died of sickness, the nature I would not know, He has three children who I know sings, Terry, Isoken, And Kelly who is also called Nimien. Akhase was one of his first boys, He tutored Bernard O. But he was never his son biologically.

I am not a boy after all, I am an Odion.

Automaticmotors

UGBE634:
Bernard is not his son, but his nephew, He died in 1994/1995, I am not so certain of the year anymore, He died of sickness, the nature I would not know, He has three children who I know sings, Terry, Isoken, And Kelly who is also called Nimien. Akhase was one of his first boys, He tutored Bernard O. But he was never his son biologically.

I am not a boy after all, I am an Odion.

Automaticmotors

Thanks for the correction, I knew atleast one of his sons was a musician, Isoken escaped me. You are also probably right about the year he died because I met someone in th UK around 1995 and he was listening to what he said was Ohenhen's last song, I asked if Ohenhen was dead and what killed him, he told me he was sick, I believe he said he played his last album in a wheelchair. I am not sure how correct the story was.

The Binis are Yoruba descendants

Atigba:
The Binis are Yoruba descendants

Mugu

AreaFada2:


I know Egharevba has family in Benin but I am not familiar with them today. Unless I ask a relative who knew him quite well in Benin literary circle back then.

I am not familiar with who Atiti is or was.
I was already in diaspora when I heard that Ohenhen died. No idea how he died.

Okay thanks boss

samuk:


Thanks for the correction, I knew atleast one of his sons was a musician, Isoken escaped me. You are also probably right about the year he died because I met someone in th UK around 1995 and he was listening to what he said was Ohenhen's last song, I asked if Ohenhen was dead and what killed him, he told me he was sick, I believe he said he played his last album in a wheelchair. I am sure how correct the story was.

Isoken sings too?

samuk:


Thanks for the correction, I knew atleast one of his sons was a musician, Isoken escaped me. You are also probably right about the year he died because I met someone in th UK around 1995 and he was listening to what he said was Ohenhen's last song, I asked if Ohenhen was dead and what killed him, he told me he was sick[b], I believe he said he played his last album in a wheelchair[/b]. I am sure how correct the story was.

I don't have any idea of that

Boss I just came across this video of Adviser nowamagbe performing in Agbor, I know Agbor people are Ediod but do they understand Benin dialect? because this their enjoyment and rocking to his Benin songs really shows this people are deep into His/Edo music.


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

AreaFada2

samuk:


Thanks for the correction, I knew atleast one of his sons was a musician, Isoken escaped me. You are also probably right about the year he died because I met someone in th UK around 1995 and he was listening to what he said was Ohenhen's last song, I asked if Ohenhen was dead and what killed him, he told me he was sick, I believe he said he played his last album in a wheelchair. I am sure how correct the story was.

I just confirmed he died June of 1995

AutomaticMotors:


I just confirmed he died June of 1995

Okay. Thanks.