Oba Eweka N'Ogidigan I (Oba Eweka the Great I) 1200 AD - 1235 AD

 

Ogiso Owodo; the last Ogiso under the (Ogiso periods) was not a very popular king. Apart from the problems of his wives infertility , the execution of a pregnant woman for minor misdemeanor became too much for his subjects and his frontline chiefs, who banished him from his throne. Owodo took refuge at a place called Uhinwinirin. Evaina a brave warrior was subsequently appointed as an administrator he ruled for 40 years and appointed his son Ogiamien as a successor unfortunately, the Edo people maintained that succession to the throne was always applicable to kings and not to commoners of Evian’s class. As a result a search party led by Oliha went to look for Ekaladerhan (the banished son of Ogiso Owodo) who was now taking refuse at Uhe (Ife). At Uhe, the search party met Ekaladerhan already enjoying the status of a king. However the Edo people were unable to persuade him to return home. But, Ekaladerhan now known as Ododuwa agreed to send his son (Oromiyan) if only the Benin could take care of him. Ododuwa gave the Edo people three years to nurse the common louse. On their success, the great Ododuwa was convinced that the people really would care for their king.

In about 1170AD Oromiyan arrived Benin with stiff opposition from Ogiamien who refused him entry into the City which was still under the firm grip of his administration. Oromiyan was therefore forced to settle at Usama which was an outskirt of the City State. There he remained under the political support of the elders {Edion} headed by Chief Oliha. Oromiyan had both language and cultural handicaps because of his Yoruba backgrounds. Although he had a Benin father (Ekaladerhan) yet he was really born and bred in yoruba land which was then the adopted kingdom, a refugee prince who had now found a new home at Ife. Unable to bear the animosity for very long, Oromiyan renounced his position and labeled Edo land [Benin kingdom] lle Ibinu meaning land of annoyance and vexation and declared that only a child of the soil educated in the culture and tradition of the land could rule the kingdom. On his way back home to Uhe {IIe Ife} he stopped briefly at Ego where he had a son with princess Erimwinde the daughter of the Enogie of Ego.
In his early years the boy couldn’t talk when his father (Oromiyan) who by now established the Alafin dynasty in Oyo heard of his son predicament, sent his son’s mother seven marbles. While playing this marbles with other children one of his throws hit the targetnand he screamed out in excitement Owomika (I have succeeded) which was Corrupted into Eweka.

For a period of over 30 years, the administration of Benin City was virtually in the hands of Ogiamien family until 1200 AD when the "Boy-King" Eweka I ascended the throne as a young king ruled the kingdom with the assistance of his maternal grandfather Ogiegor. The reign of Obas started with Oba Eweka 1. He reigned for 35 years. The word Oba is believe to be short for Obaa meaning (hard or difficult) others think its a yoruba word which means king. or probably from an abbreviation of the original name of the first Ogiso (Obagodo {Oba godo)-Oba king; godo-high : High King).

 

Culled from Edo People's Parliament Facebook post