Uselu is a densely-populated neighborhood of

Benin City Benin City is the capital and largest city of Edo State, Edo State, Nigeria. It is the fourth-largest city in Nigeria according to the 2006 census, after Lagos, Kano (city), Kano, and Ibadan, with a population estimate of about 3,500,000 as of ...

Edo State Edo, commonly known as Edo State, is a state located in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. As of 2006 National population census, the state was ranked as the 24th populated state (3,233,366) in Nigeria, However there was controversy ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. It is the headquarters of Egor local government area. Uselu is the site of the traditional grounds of the Edaiken N'Uselu (Duke of Uselu) palace as well as the palace of the Iyoba of Benin.

History

When King

Ozolua Ozolua, originally called Okpame and later called Ozolua n'Ibaromi (Ozolua the Conqueror), was an Oba of the Kingdom of Benin from 1483 until 1514. He greatly expanded the Kingdom through warfare and increased contact with the Portuguese Empire. ...

died in the fifteenth century, he left behind two sons to dispute the royal succession:

Esigie Oba Esigie was an Oba (king) of Benin who ruled the ancient Benin Kingdom, now Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria (c.1504 – c.1550). At the time of his father Oba Ozolua's death, Esigie controlled Benin City and his brother Arhuaran control ...

controlled

, the kingdom's metropolitan center, while his brother Arhuaran was based in Udo – an important provincial seat 20 miles away. Neither prince was prepared to yield to the other, partisans soon declared for one or the other, and Benin was plunged into a civil war shortly thereafter. Seeing an opportunity to take advantage of the situation, the hitherto vassal

Igala people The Igálá are one of the ethnic groups found in Nigeria. The Igala played significant roles in the formation of Nigeria having been made host to the capital of Nigeria at Lokoja in the past, with Lugard as the Governor. The Igala Kingdom expa ...

declared their independence from Benin and seized a swath of territory to its north. In the span of a week, Esigie found himself confronted with what now seemed like the almost certain fragmentation of his father's kingdom. His mother,

Idia Idia was the mother of Esigie, who reigned as Oba (king) of the Edo people from 1504 to 1550 Historians do know that Idia was alive during the Idah war (1515-1516) because she played a role that led to a great Benin victory. It has been arg ...

, is reputed to have stood behind him at this time. By serving as everything from his counsellor to his priestess, she rallied the Binis – including many that had previously supported Arhuaran – to Esigie's standard. After dealing decisively with her stepson, the royal pair turned their attention to the Igala rebels. Following a hard fought campaign, Benin's supremacy was restored, and the victorious army – with Esigie and Idia at its head – returned to the capital in triumph. In gratitude for his mother's efforts on his behalf, King Esigie created a new office – that of Iyoba – for her to occupy. Now ranking equal to the senior chiefs of the royal court, the Iyoba was also built her own palace in the town of Uselu, which was thereafter attached to her title as a perpetual

fief A fief (; la, feudum) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an Lord, overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a for ...

. She was the first woman in the history of Benin to have such power.

Economy

Uselu Market is among the most popular markets in Benin City, and has up to 5,000 shops. It is also a hub for corporate firms such as

bank A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital markets. Because ...

s and

fast food Fast food is a type of mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. It is a commercial term, limited to food sold in a restaurant or store with frozen, preheated or precooked ingredien ...

chains.

Crime

Uselu has high rates of

gang A gang is a group or society of associates, friends or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collectivel ...

activities, cult killings, and armed robberies. In many cases, police response times are unfavorably slow, and usually receive public criticism.

Flooding

Uselu-Lagos Road is prone to flood and residents have contacted the government regarding their concerns, however the issue has not yet been resolved.

References

{{reflist Benin City