Agba N'Ojie of Uromi, originally called Agba or Agba N'Ojie (Esan ''God of War''), was the

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

of the

Esan people The Esan people ( Esan: ''Ẹ̀bhò Ẹ̀sán'') are an ethnic group of southern Nigeria who speak the Esan language. The Esan are traditionally known to be agriculturalists, trado-medical practitioners, mercenary warriors and hunters. They cul ...

from 1483 AD until 1507 AD. He was an important Onojie within the history of the

. He was instrumental in the independence of

Esanland Esanland ( Esan: ''Otọesan''), or the Edo Central Senatorial District is a cultural region and senatorial district located in south-south Nigeria. It is composed of five Local Government Areas in Edo State. Esanland lies west of the banks of ...

from the old Benin Empire. He stopped tributes from Enijies in

from being paid to the

Oba of Benin The Oba of Benin is the traditional ruler and the custodian of the culture of the Edo people and all Edoid people. The then Kingdom of Benin (not to be confused with the modern-day and unrelated Republic of Benin, which was then known as Dahome ...

, and stopped any appeal cases being taken from Esanland to the Oba's Palace of Benin for retrial during the time of

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. ...

n'Ibarmoi (or ''Ozolua the Conqueror'').

History

Agba N'Ojie inherited the

Uromi Uromi,the real word is Urọnmhun meaning "this is my abode ",or my enclave is a city located in north-eastern Esan people, Esan, a subEthnic group, -ethnic group of the Benin in Edo state, Nigeria. At various points in Uromi's history, the cit ...

throne after the death of his father Onojie Ijesan, the first Onojie of Uromi. He wanted to free his kin from the control of the old Benin Empire. The general population of Esan kingdoms initially relocated from Benin City during the rule of Oba Ewuare. These small settlements extended through interior development and recorded movements from Benin around five centuries ago. Such movements into the zone may have occurred before this date. They were driven by ousted sovereigns, bosses, culprits and others who had abandoned Benin City for the uninhabited woodland before 1460 Ewuare's reign as the Oba of Benin. This was done either through the self-centeredness and outrages of a portion of the Obas, or following the cataclysmic common wars over progression. The recorded relocation out of Benin City occurred amid Oba Ewuare's reign in the fifteenth century when the Oba lost his two children and made some unforgiving laws restricting the subjects from cooking, washing, or having sex for extended periods of time, the Oba needed to use discretion to bring them under Benin's dominion. He welcomed Esan pioneers or their agents to Benin for a

détente Détente (, French: "relaxation") is the relaxation of strained relations, especially political ones, through verbal communication. The term, in diplomacy, originates from around 1912, when France and Germany tried unsuccessfully to reduce ...

. He was prepared to perceive and respect his guests with the title of Onojie, which means king. There is no record of any individuals who received the invitation and disregarded it. They have vanished from history. For the future, Esan laid on the individuals who went to Benin and took the title of Onojie. Agba's father was one of the pioneers initiated by Oba Ewuare in 1463 as the first Onojie of Uromi. At the time when Agba assumed control over the position as the Onojie after the passing of his father, Onojie Ijesan found the way Oba Ewuare used discretion and manipulations to bring the

under the Bini control, choosing to end the Bini control over the Esan people. When Oba Ozolua/Ozolua N'Ibaromi (Ozolua the Conqueror) extended a hand of friendship to Agba Nojie of Uromi, King Agba of Uromi, bluntly and gallantly refused the friendship with the Oba, saying it was not an honest friendship and a gesture whose essence was dead on arrival. Indeed, that was a blow to the ego of Oba Ozolua, and war was declared between the two generals, Oba

of Benin and Onojie Agba Nojie of Uromi, eventually becoming the Bini Esan War.

Bini Esan War

During the 16th century, the Uzea War, which is also known as the Bini Esan War, occurred between the

kingdom and the

Kingdom of Benin The Kingdom of Benin, also known as the Edo Kingdom, or the Benin Empire ( Bini: ') was a kingdom within what is now southern Nigeria. It has no historical relation to the modern republic of Benin, which was known as Dahomey from the 17th ce ...

. The War lasted for many years due to a refusal of friendship from Oba

of Benin by Onojie Agba N'ojie of Uromi. The people of Esan defined him as a God of War and is worshipped today under a tall

kapok tree Kapok tree can refer to several plants Malvales with one exception with seeds that grow long hairs: *''Bombax ceiba'', an Asian tree with red flowers *''Calotropis procera'' (Asterid), a shrub with white and purple flowers, native to Asia and ...

. A peace treaty was signed between the Esans and the Binis, which the Esans call Ukoven. This was done and sealed by planting the Ohimi tree and pledging the Ohimi oath, "Esan I Gbedo...", which is known today as "Esan Igbe Edo" meaning Esans will no longer attack Binis. Esan kingdoms would loan soldiers to the Benin Kingdom, such as during the Idah War of 1515-1516, and on three occasions when some Obas of Benin were denied their throne, they ran to

and were led by Esan warriors back to Benin to reclaim their throne as Oba. An example of this is Oba Osemwende (1816–1848).

Death

Agba N'Ojie of Uromi's exact date of death was never confirmed because he vanished into Ahojie bush in

and was never seen again.

Worship

Alu-Agba Deity is a god of war and is worshipped under a tall

every Uromi first market day by the

. They believe Agba N'Ojie has the power to protect them during the war and hard times.

References

{{reflist 1520 deaths Year of birth unknown 15th-century Nigerian people 16th-century Nigerian people 16th-century monarchs in Africa History of Nigeria Esan people

History

Bini Esan War

Death

Worship

See also

References