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The Oba of Benin is the traditional ruler and the custodian of the culture of the Edo people and all Edoid people and head of the historic Eweka dynasty of the Benin kingdom.[1] The ancient Benin homeland (not to be confused with the modern-day and unrelated Republic of Benin, which was then known as Dahomey) has been and continues to be mostly populated by the Edo (also known as Benin ethnic group).[2]
The title of Oba was used after the Ogiso passed on, the title Ogiso was deposed and "Oba" was created by Oranmiyan, when he was sent to Benin kingdom by his father's. Because that was where Oranmiya accestor from, he was Benin kingdom's first "Oba". Oba Oranmiyan, the last son of Oduduwa, the first Ooni Of Ife.
In 1897, a British military force under the command of Sir Harry Rawson mounted the Benin Expedition of 1897 against the Kingdom of Benin. The expedition captured the capital of the Kingdom of Benin, sacking and burning the city while forcing the Oba of Benin, Ovonramwen, into a six-month exile, and was mounted due to the ambush of a British party by a group of Benin soldiers acting without orders from the Oba that had lead to the deaths of all but two of the party.[3] The expeditionary force consisted of both indigenous soldiers and British officers based in colonial-era Nigeria. Numerous artworks (collectively known as the Benin Bronzes) looted from the city palace were sold off to defray the costs of the expedition.[4][5] Ovonramwen died in 1914, his throne never having been restored to him. His son, grandson and now his great-grandson, however, all preserved their title and status as traditional rulers in modern-day Nigeria.[6]
History
List of Obas of the Benin Empire
Pre-Imperial Obas of Benin (pre-1280–1440)[7]
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- Orunmiyan
- Eweka I
- Uwuakhuahen
- Henmihen
- Ewedo
- Oguola
- Edoni
- Udagbedo
- Ohen
- Egbeka
- Orobiru
- Uwaifiokun
Obas of the Benin Empire (1440–1897)
There is some uncertainty in the dates of the reigns of some of the earlier warrior kings[8]
- Ewuare I (1440–1473)
- Ezoti (1473–1474)
- Olua (1475–1480)
- Ozolua (1480–1504)
- Esigie (1504–1547)
- Orhogbua (1547–1580)
- Ehengbuda (1580–1602)
- Ohuan (1602–1656)
- Ohenzae (1656-1675)
- Akenkpaye (1675–1684)
- Akengbedo (1684–1689)
- Ore-Oghene (1689–1701)
- Ewuakpe (1701–1712)
- Ozuere (1712–1713)
- Akenzua I (1713–1740)
- Eresoyen (1740–1750)
- Akengbuda (1750–1804)
- Obanosa (1804–1816)
- Ogbebo (1816)
- Osemwende (1816–1848)
- Adolo (1848–1888)
- Ovonramwen Nogbaisi (1888–1914) (exiled to Calabar by the British in 1897)
Post-Imperial Obas of Benin (1914–present)
- Eweka II (1914–1933)
- Akenzua II (1933–1978)
- Erediauwa (1979–2016)
- Ewuare II (2016–)
See also
References
- ^ "New Oba of Benin, true symbol of Benin heritage, says Tinubu". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 2016-10-22. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
- ^ "See Nigerians mixed reactions on twitter over suspected plans to remove Oba of Benin. - Opera News". ng.opera.news. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
- ^ "Kingdom of Benin", Wikipedia, 2020-02-18, retrieved 2020-02-27
- ^ "The kingdom of Benin was obliterated by the British, who still have the evidence on display". www.abc.net.au. 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
- ^ "Benin Bronzes: Germany to return looted artefacts to Nigeria". BBC News. 2021-04-30. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
- ^ "Leopard's Head Ornament". The Hunt Museum. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
- ^ Ben-Amos, Paula Girshick (1995). The Art of Benin Revised Edition. British Museum Press. p. 20. ISBN 0-7141-2520-2.
- ^ Ben-Amos (1995). The Art of Benin Revised Edition. p. 32.
External links
- Africa Reparations Movement | Campaign for the return of the Benin Bronzes
- Stories of royalty in brass. Collections Multimedia Public Access System, The British Museum, 2000. Accessed 6 September 2006.
- "The Obas that ruled Benin after the Ogiso dynasty". Edofolks - List of Obas of Benin
- Benin kingdom Obas 1200AD–Date (with photos) {source Edoworld}
- Benin Monarchial system {source Edoworld}
- Benin Traditional Temple and Cultural Center to the world
- Royal Art of Benin: The Perls Collection, an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on several Obas of Benin