1. There are historical evidence that supports the indigenous evolution for the origin of Eweka I dynasty as opposed to alien antecedents being canvassed by some writers. In the records covering the period of the Ogisos, it was found out that Ogiso Orire (66-100CE) died without an heir and the oldest man was chosen among the nobles as successor who became Ogiso Odia (385-400CE). There was no use to demand for a ruler from Uhe. when Ogiso Eheneden died without heir in about (821 – 871 CE), they chose another man Ohuede, son of Oboite, the second son of Ogiso (that is Oriagba’s grandson) as next of kin who became Ogiso Ohuede. There was no delegation to Uhe. During the period of Owodo’s travails that culminated in the years of interregnum, prince Ikaladerhan and his family was in Uhe. It would be wrong therefore to choose another while the genuine heir apparent to the throne was still living. A.F.C Ryder point out that “… next to nothing is known about the Yoruba people themselves at this early date, and the assertion that Benin sent for an alien (yoruba) ruler instead of accepting one of their numbers was inherently implausible”.The evidence provided thus far are glaring and it will be historical malnourished for some historians or writers to create an imagination that beats all odds of logic and suggest that Benins went to Uhe to seek for a king when we have maintained a very high internal mechanism in ensuring our primogeniture is sustained by the examples given above.
2. In January 1175AD, Oranmiyan called the council of elders and renounced his leadership. The statement ‘Ile-Ibinu’, which was credited to Oranmiyan while he was leaving Benin which means ‘land of vexation’, is anachronistic. From here, it was alleged Benin drew its name. This is untrue as the land had been called ‘Benin’ centuries before Oranmiyan. First let’s look out how benin word became known, it was first called “Ubini” meaning ‘a place of heavenly pageantry and prosperity’ that was so because the origin of benin point towards plains of Ogboka (so named because the land was not undulating) in the Guinea forest region in the dying years of the 6th century. This area has Ikpoba and Ogba rivers flowing through it. In the eleventh century onwards during the reign of Ogiso Evbobo, the word Ubini(Benin) instead of Igodomigodo was used to identify the city and it became more frequently used and has been till date, so the word Ubini is centuries older than the coming of Oranmiyan, I wonder how Ubini was then now corrupted from Ile-Ibinu.
3. The naming of the land “Edo” by Oba Ewuare I is simply not sensible to me because he was a slave; in which the story goes as Edo was the slave of chief Ogiefa, the slave betrayed his master’s evil plan to arrest prince Ogun. When prince Ogun eventually became Oba he rewarded the slave with mammoth gifts for saving his life. When Edo died, Oba Ewuare I legislated that the land of Benin and its people be called Edo as a matter of immortal reciprocal gesture for Edo loyalty. On this incident, A.F.C Ryder even raised an eyebrow on the acceptability of a name “ chosen in such a casual manner among a people with chains of tradition from time immemorial”
T.N: Point Number 2 and 3 might not be agreeable with some Benin historians and people in general as it is against the already established historical work done by earliest historians but more researches could shine more light on some history that might not have been true and it opens our mind to do more research as there are so much that are yet to be known.
Oba Gha To Kpere … Isee
Compiled by Imasuen Amowie Marvis.
No comments:
Post a Comment