Osemwende

Osemwede (also rendered Osemwende; born Eredia-uwa; died 1847 or 1848, or possibly 1850 or 1851) was the thirty-third Oba ('king') of the Kingdom of Benin, reigning from 1816 until his death. A son of ObaObanosa, he became Oba after a succession dispute and civil war with his brother Ogbebo. During the conflict, he obtained support in Ishan before returning to the Benin capital to be installed as Oba. His reign included efforts to restore royal authority after the war and military campaigns intended to renew Benin influence in Akure, Ekiti, and adjoining territories. It also included relations with Esan chiefdoms, Itsekiri polities, and Lagos, while regional commerce changed with the decline of the transatlantic slave trade and the growing importance of palm produce. He installed his mother, Omozogie, as Iyoba ('queen mother') and instituted several titles. Later Benin tradition associates his reign with military campaigns and continued internal political instability. A further disputed succession followed his death, after which his son Adolo became Oba.