Ewedo

Ewedo, originally known as Prince Efabo, was the fourth Oba of the Kingdom of Benin who reigned from 1255 AD to 1280 AD. He was the only son and successor of Ehenmihen. He is credited with moving the seat of his government from Usama to the present palace site, introducing various gods and laws, and changing the name of the country from Ile or Ile-Ibinu to Ubini ( Benin). He also reformed the political and administrative system of the kingdom, established a palace bureaucracy, and expanded the territory and influence of Benin.

Background

The Kingdom of Benin was one of the oldest and most influential states in West Africa. According to oral tradition, it was founded by the Ogiso (meaning "kings of the sky" or "rulers of heaven") who ruled from a mythical city called Igodomigodo. The Ogiso dynasty lasted for about 31 generations until the last Ogiso, Owodo, was deposed by a group of elders led by Chief Odion. The elders then sent an emissary to Ife, a powerful Yoruba city-state, to ask for a king who would be related to the Ogiso.

The king they received was Oranmiyan, a son of Oduduwa, the legendary ancestor of the Yoruba people. Oranmiyan found it difficult to rule over the people of Igodomigodo, who he described as "vexatious". He eventually abandoned his throne and returned to Ife, leaving behind his son Eweka, who was born to an Egor princess named Erimwinde. Eweka became the first Oba (meaning "king" or "ruler") of Benin and changed his name to Eweka I. He consolidated his power by defeating the remaining Ogiso loyalists and expanding his domain. He also initiated a series of cultural and religious reforms that blended elements of Ife and Ogiso traditions.

Early life and coronation

Ewedo was born by a woman who was said to be the wife of a chief in Benin Kingdom. She was impregnated by Ehenmihen, the son of Oba Eweka I. To avoid trouble with the chief, she was sold as a slave to an Ilaje man from Ugho-Mahin, who freed her when he discovered that she was pregnant. She gave birth to a son and named him Efabo. Efabo grew up among the Ilaje, where he came into contact with the Eneha, who were the singers of a dance group called Ewini.

Efabo, being the sole heir of Oba Ehenmihen, was then entrusted to the care of a priest of Ugbo during his father's lifetime. Following his father's demise, Prince Efabo returned home and ascended to the throne as Oba at Usama, assuming the regal title Ewedo. Prior to his coronation, he grew increasingly concerned about the influence and authority wielded by the Uzama Nihinron (Kingmakers), which rivalled that of the Oba. In response, he resolved to relocate the seat of his government from Usama, located amidst the Uzama Nihinron, to the current palace site. Collaborating with Ogiamwen, a formidable chief who owned the land designated for the palace, Ewedo discreetly arranged the necessary preparations for his move without prior notification to the Uzama Nihinron until the day of his coronation.

Battle of Ekiokpagha

Departing from Usama shortly after his coronation, Ewedo employed a strategic ploy, wearing a white hen tied around his neck. He encountered obstacles akin to those faced by his great-grandfather, Prince Oranmiyan, from the ferryman at the Ovia river. Isekherhe, the landowner between Usama and the palace site, initially refused passage. To overcome this obstacle, a bridge was constructed, and Isekherhe permitted passage upon payment of a fee, comprising a wife and a sum of money known as ugiamwen, now equivalent to six shillings and sixpence. Upon landing from the bridge, Ogiamwen, armed, attempted to block the Oba's entry into the city, urging him to return to Ife, his father’s native land. Despite Ogiamwen seizing the hen from the Oba's neck, the royal troops intervened, enabling the Oba to establish his residence at the present palace site while Ogiamwen withdrew to his quarter.

A stipulated seven-day period was designated for a fair confrontation. During this encounter, Oliha-Ogiamwen, the leader of Ogiamwen’s troops, met his demise, and Ogiamwen, subsequently pursued and defeated at Ekiokpagha, eventually surrendered and reconciled with the Oba. The Ekiokpagha treaty resulted in Ogiamwen being appointed a chief, retaining his moniker Ogiamwen as his title. Since then, every Oba, on their coronation day, must cross a bridge at Isekherhe quarter and, on the seventh day, engage in a ceremonial fight with Ogiamwen to commemorate the victory of that day.

Ewedo secured the royal stool of the Ogiso from Ogiamwen for his personal use and initiated the construction of the present palace on land previously utilised as a public cemetery during the reigns of Oba Ogiso and the republican rulers.

Reign

Reforms and innovations

Ewedo, in asserting his supreme authority, implemented significant ceremonial changes, compelling all chiefs to stand in his presence—a departure from the previous practice where the Uzama remained seated. Additionally, he prohibited them from wielding state swords (ada) or conferring titles. Despite this reduction in their status, the Uzama retained considerable influence in Benin, and historical accounts suggest that in a subsequent reign, they led a rebellion against the Oba. Ewedo is also credited with introducing various deities, legal reforms, and the establishment of a hierarchical system of chiefs dedicated to the palace. This laid the foundation for an intricate structure of palace officials, numbering in the hundreds, devoted to the service of the Oba. These officials aspired to climb a meticulously graded ladder of ranks, culminating in specific titles bestowed by the Oba at his discretion.

While the palace organisation underwent numerous refinements over the centuries, the form it assumed by the nineteenth century appears to align with the framework instituted by Ewedo. The Oba's servants belonged to one of three palace associations, each assigned distinct responsibilities within the household. The senior association, Iwebo, initially managed the Oba's wardrobe and regalia. Over time, it evolved to oversee financial and trade matters, led by the Uwangue, a title attributed to Ewedo. The second association, Iweguae, comprised the Oba's personal attendants and domestic servants, led by the Esere. The third association, Ibiwe, was responsible for serving the Oba's wives and children, with its senior chief, Osodin, tracing its origins to Ewedo. The strict division of functions and confinement of each association to its designated quarters within the palace fostered rivalry and emulation—a crucial element in Benin's political structure, enabling a shrewd Oba to balance factions and maintain independence as the ultimate arbiter among powerful subjects. Conversely, a weak monarch risked being ensnared by his own ambitious household.

Another notable aspect of Ewedo's governmental transformation was his decision to rename his state Ubini. The exact significance of this name remains unclear in traditional accounts, and intriguingly, it appears to have non-Edo origins. It is speculated that the name may reflect Ewedo and his supporters, representing the alien element introduced by the new dynasty. His victory in this struggle marked the ascendancy of this element over the Edo, following a period of uneasy cohabitation and compromise.

Ewini music

Ewedo is also credited with introducing the Ewini music to Benin in 1255 AD, which became a symbol of the Oba's authority and prestige. Ewini music originated from the Ilaje people, who lived along the West African coast, in a town called Ugbo Maghan, which the British colonialists referred to as Mahin. When Efabo became Oba with the title Ewedo, he brought the Ewini dance to Benin. He was a member of the Ewini dance group at Ugho-Mahin. He placed the group at the Ogbelaka quarters in Benin City and since then, every Oba has used Ewini music for every important occasion, ceremonies and festivals. The Oba of Benin can show his dance moves and beat the drums when the Ewini music is played. This is visible during the Ugie-Emobo festival when the Oba starts his dance by hitting the drums.

Expansion and conquest

Ewedo established the groundwork for Benin's expansion through military conquest, a departure from the previous slow colonisation that had only allowed for minimal territorial growth. This shift towards a more militaristic approach in Benin could be attributed to the introduction of advanced weaponry and warfare techniques. The arrival of horses and specific types of bows and swords are often linked to this dynasty. The implementation of new organisational methods, which led to a more specialised state function and autocratic control, likely contributed to Benin’s ability to efficiently mobilise its resources for war.

Tradition states that the region surrounding Benin City was known as Ogodomigodo during the Ogiso era. The first leader of the new dynasty reportedly renamed it Ile-Ibinu (land of vexation) due to the resistance he faced there. It is believed that Ewedo later altered this name to Ubini.

Death

Ewedo died in 1280, after ruling for about 25 years and had two sons, Obuobu being the first, and Oguola being the second.

Legacy and succession

Ewedo is remembered as one of the most wise and effective Obas of Benin. He implemented beneficial laws and established a prison, named Ewedo in his honour, where lawbreakers were held until 1897. He introduced various titles such as Uwangue, the Custodian of the Oba’s Wardrobe; Esekhurhe, the Chronicler of the Obas' Demises; and Osodin and Uso, the Guardians of the Oba’s Harem. He also decreed that only Oliha should crown the Oba of Benin and that he and the other Uzama Nihinron should no longer bestow titles. The authority to confer titles was later given to the Iyase of Benin, who does so on behalf of the Oba.

Ewedo preserved the connection with his ancestral home through rituals performed at the coronation and death of each Oba. During these events, Obas received brass symbols of power from the spiritual leader of their dynasty, known in Benin as the Oghene or Great Lord. Oba Oguola, Ewedo's successor, is said to have procured the services of a brass-worker from the Oghene, who introduced the art of lost-wax casting in brass to Benin, thereby establishing a craft closely tied to the dynasty's temporal and spiritual powers. Upon an Oba's death, his body, or parts of it, were taken to the Oghene for ceremonial burial. This practice allowed the dynasty to maintain its link with the source of its mystical authority, which may have played a role in its initial acceptance by the Edo.

Ewedo's reign was long and peaceful, and he left two sons behind. He was succeeded by his second son Prince Oguola, because the first son, Prince Obuobu, embarked on a campaign to Igboland, where he spent several years engaged in warfare. In his absence, and following the death and subsequent funeral rites of Ewedo, Prince Oguola, Ewedo’s second son, ascended to the throne and became the fifth Oba of Benin. Upon the return of Prince Obuobu to Benin City three years later, He was appointed as the Ogie of Avbiama, becoming the first to hold this title.

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{{Obas of Benin

1280 deaths
Obas of Benin
13th-century Nigerian people
13th-century monarchs in Africa
Kingdom of Benin
Nigerian traditional rulers
History of Nigeria
Yoruba history
Yoruba royalty
Yoruba military personnel
Yoruba politicians