HOW A BANISHED BENIN PRINCE BECAME ODUDUWA (OONI OF IFE)
The present Benin kingdom was formerly called Igodomigodo. Igodomigodo means 'towns of towns' and 'villages' with its defunct headquarters at Ugbekun (Upper Sakponba). The first set of Kings in Igodomigodo were called Ogiso, that is, kings' from or of the sky.
As told in history, 31 of them are remembered to reign over Igodomigodo with Ogiso Owodo being the last. Owodo is believed to have many wives. In those days, an Ogiso could marry as many as a hundred wives. By estimation, Owodo had 15 wives, many princesses but had only a son, named Ekaladerhan.
Having a harem of wives with a son created room for rivalry and endless combats among his wives. Esagho, Owodo's eldest wife, believed that she should have birthed the heir to the throne, and this made her unhappy with Ekaladerhan and his mother. She plotted his downfall at different times without succeeding. When she was unable to succeed, she sought other means to fulfilling her temporary wish.
She and her other mates approached their husband, and persuaded him to consult an Obiro (native doctor) to know why he (Owodo) would have many wives and still battles to have more than a son. Too much trouble in the head of one man, Owodo eventually bowed to their plea by constituting a seven-man team led by Esagho to consult an Obiro in a sacred forest. In those days, native doctors were only permitted to live in a faraway forest. They were not permitted to reside in towns while they worshipped their deities.
The journey to the Obiro would last days, if not weeks and Esagho was to prepare the six courageous men with food wherever they camped as they progressed. As nature would have it, they arrived the Obiro's abode where he was to be consulted. Unexpectedly, the Obiro ruled that Esagho, the only woman in their midst was responsible for her husband's wives inability to bear more male children. Unknowingly to the Obiro having played his magical seeds that Esagho was the only woman in their midst, he ruled that she be sacrificed if the Ogiso wants more male child.
The courageous men left the shrine traumatized. Their eyes had seen their nose. How would they tell the Ogiso that his priceless wife had been responsible for his other wives inability to bear more male children other than Ekaladerhan? As they pondered on how they would relate their encounter with the Obiro to the Ogiso, Esagho held her stomach shouting as though she would drop dead soon. As expected of them, they must protect her and ensure that nothing happens to her in the forest.
In the meantime, they suggested to her to answer the call of nature in a nearby bush. They felt answering the call of nature would remedy the situation. Unfortunately, rather than remedy it, it inflicted more pains on the courageous men. Where she had gone to answer the call of nature, she began to scream, shouting. They, too, unknowingly of her clever moves, ran after her.
Rushing to her, she had completely removed her clothes. In Igodomigodo, it was forbidden for another man other than the Ogiso to see an Ogiso's wife's nakedness. This, the courageous men have seen even though they did not bargain for it. Esagho, having achieved her aim compelled them to abide by whatever she would say. She insisted that they must tell the Ogiso that his only son, Ekaladerhan, had been responsible for his other wives inability to bear more male children. Although the men made attempts to resist her unmerited wish, they couldn't have violated her instruction being that they too would be killed for stripping an Ogiso's wife naked should Esagho raise a contrary opinion.
In line with the oath taken at the forest, the men returned to Ugbekun and told Owodo that his only son has been responsible for his wives inability to bear more male children, and that the Obiro ruled that he must be sacrificed. This was why, in pains, Owodo ruled that his only son, Ekaladerhan being killed eventually.
On the day he was to be killed, nature stood still. Among his executors, there were some who partook in the journey to the Obiro. They knew he was innocent and that his father's wife had forcefully alleged him. They vowed they would not take the blood of an innocent prince. But should they spare his life and he is seen or found not killed, they and their families would face a death penalty. Interestingly, Owodo had ruled that he would like to see his blood as soon as he is killed. At the order of the Ogiso, Ekaladerhan's executors decided to kill a cock and smeared its blood on their sword to enable them show to the Ogiso.
They narrated their encounter with the Obiro to the Prince, and told him they couldn't have taken his life unjustly knowing that he had no hand in what he was accused of. They pleaded with him to go and never return. The spot where the cock was killed and smeared on the executioners swords was therefore named Urhu-okhokho, meaning, 'the neck of a cock. The spot is now a village in between Ekenwan Barracks and Ugbineh towns in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Years after Owodo had ruled that his only son being sacrificed, one would have expected that he would have had other male children in his harem of wives. Sadly, none of his wives who delivered children within the period had a man child. Interestingly, more female children were birthed. At this time Igodomigodo was also boiling due to its invasion by a wild animal named Osogan. Osogan would appear at Eki-Ogiso (Ogiso's market) through the river at Ikpoba Hill to devour children and market women. Several moves to eliminate the wild animal proved abortive. The wild animal often invaded the market on market days when everywhere was crowded. On one of such occasions, the wild animal slaughtered a pregnant woman's child. The pregnant woman was told to have protested to Ugbekun. There, she ruined words at Owodo like rain drops. Out of anger, Owodo unknowingly, while trying to order the woman out, pushed her and she died. In a matter of time, elders of Igodomigodo sat to take a stand. While they pondered on the steps to be taken, a brave man and mere blacksmith on Upper Sakponba road, named Evian, summoned courage to kill the wild animal. The news of his remarkable height soon spread about Igodomigodo. Everyone sang his name in gold. In no distance time, elders of Igodomigodo ruled that since Owodo had taken the life of a pregnant woman unjustly that he be banished in the meantime. He was, therefore, exiled to his mother's village.
After Owodo had been banished, elders of Igodomigodo met and collectively, they agreed that since Evian had achieved a great feat and Owodo was serving banishment, they ruled that Evian be made to oversea the affairs of Igodomigodo pending when they (elders of the land) would conclude on the steps to be taken with him. Evian was to serve as administrator in the meantime.
As expected of man, Evian, too, became desperate, and wanted to smartly have his son Ogiamien to succeed him. Ogiamien was his second son by birth, but his elder brother had died too soon. He was a warrior by nature. Knowing that Evian had no royal blood even though he was accepted to oversea the affairs of Igodomigodo, Oliha and others resisted him. They told Evian point blank that only one of an Ogiso lineage that can be an Ogiso. At that stage Ogiamien began to intimate people, majorly at Eki-Ogiso. In the meantime, the news that Ekaladerhan was not killed and that he was spared filtered in like wind. Evian and his son would fight till death, but nature would have its way.
By determination, Oliha led a delegation in search of the banished Prince. By providence and nature, Oliha and others arrived Uhe, where their son, Ekaladerhan was now enjoying regal authority over the people with the title: ODUDUWA! The elders and people of Igodomigodo or Igodo solicited the return of their son, Ekaladerhan who was already a king in his new found land. He was desirous to return, but considering his age, he had a rethink. To be able to restore peace and security to fatherland, he appealed to Oliha and others that he couldn't have endured the long walk to Igodomigodo, given the fact that age was no more on his side. Oduduwa first established a trial or examination for the guests, by asking them to preserve lice for three moons to enable him have implicit confidence in them that they would be able to safeguard the son that he has agreed to send with them. Oliha achieved this difficult task when he stored the louse on the hair of one of Oduduwa's guards.
Satisfied by Oliha's bravery and distinctive achievement, Oduduwa sent his invaluable son, Oronmiyan with them to Igodomigodo to assume regal authority over his grandfather's place. Before he allowed his son to go with him, he took him through memory lane. He was fortified, and actively prepared for the task ahead. On Oronmiyan's arrival to Igodomigodo, he fought and defeated the Ogiamiens peacefully and also relocated the palace at Ugbekun to Usama. In spite of the successes recorded, Oronmiyan was unsatisfied. He had married a beautiful lady named Erinmwinde, the daughter of Ogie Egor. Furthermore, he had put her in a soon-to-be mother situation.
Interestingly, one morning, Oronmiyan had woken up and had instructed the town crier to summon a meeting, where he openly told everyone that he would be returning to his place of birth, and that only one born and bathed with the water from the kingdom has the wherewithal to peacefully govern the land. Meanwhile, he assured everyone that his wife Erinmwinde would beget a male child whom they must watch over, and that the baby shall be the rescuer that they seek.
Months after Oronmiyan had left, Erinmwinde successfully delivered a bouncing baby boy. Although the baby was naturally born dumb, he was hale and hearty. Painfully, a dumb child or Prince cannot be crowned to oversea the affairs of the people he leads. Elders of the land met and resolved to send a delegation to the dumb child's father. When the news got to the child's father, he had to send some magical seeds with which the child was expected to play it with someone as he knew. In summary, the child eventually spoke while playing the arhue seeds with a friend, pronouncing the word, 'owomika', meaning, 'mine has hit yours or I have won you', which with the passage of time gave birth to the intriguing name, 'Eweka'. The dumb child became Oba Eweka I.
The author of this historical novel, Assin Godstime, is a Benin based writer.
WHO IS A GREAT MAN?
I have observed and researched the lives of a number of people, those
currently alive and those in our past, throughout the whole world and in my
own life and while there are many qualities of a great men, have identified
that a world without heroes is just an empty world. A world without great men
is just a world without great stories! A great man takes steps with the visions of bringing what is beyond the mind and eyes of more men into reality for
them to come to a certain realization. A great man thinks critically to bring
the best guide to discover the right answers to the challenges facing the whole
world. The secret behind a great man’s success lies in his ability to create a
solution tailored to suit each situation at hands step any decision making guide
to adequate. The great men are capable of adapting their analysis to fit any
situation. A great man faces challenges in an overcoming manner with a
certain potential that goes beyond the understanding of mere men! The great
men meet big problems and challenges in their lives but those are what define
great men and even they are unable to solve all the problems and challenges.
They challenge their thoughts and feelings. They make people to reasons and
introduce something unique and unthinkable. They see and acknowledge
what mere people do not see, feel and understand to solve the world problems.
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