MEET THE NEW KING OF BENIN KINGDOM, EDO STATE NIGERIA

History is being made once again, in the ancient city of Benin Kingdom, as a new Oba emerges. This epoch making event will forever remain notable in the annals of history, as one of the world’s renowned ancient kingdoms celebrates the
final coronation rites ceremony of Crown Prince (Amb.) Eheneden Erediauwa, the Edaiken N’Uselu, as the new and 39th Oba of Benin, after the successful completion of a very rigorous process that is in line with the customs and tradition of this great kingdom, for ascension to the highly revered throne of his forefathers.

The great Benin Kingdom remains one of the most famous kingdoms in the history of Africa and the world. With “Benin” as the name of the kingdom as well as its central city, it is famous for its oral history traditions and highly skilled craftsmanship and arts, especially wood carving, weaving and brass casting. Even more, its social structure is complex and sophisticated, and the territory is well developed with the Oba residing in an extremely well-fortified and masterfully designed palace. Prince Ehenede Erediauwa Benin was central to the cultural and pre-colonial political evolution of some contemporary States of Africa, and its glory cannot diminish as long as history provides the bedrock of rational reasoning; this perhaps accounts for the land mark statement by High Priest Osemwengie Ebohon “Benin is the centre of cultural microcosm in Africa”.

Historical Perspectives Most of the Benin history is told in Bronze. Past Obas of the kingdom are well represented in bronze statues both at Igun and the Royal Palace as Brass casting reached a particularly high level of aesthetic and technical sophistication in the sixteenth century when decorative plaques and sculptures (now known as ‘The Benin bronzes’) were made to decorate the palace of the Oba.

The origin of Benin monarchy dates back to the origin of Ogiso Igodo, who was reputed to have begun his reign in the year 900 AD. Linguistic evidence suggests that that Benin civilisation has occupied their region for thousands of years. Benin, the capital of Edo state, south-south Nigeria, was founded in 1440-1897, as a per-colonial African state. The original people and founders of the empire were ruled by Ogiso (King of the sky) who called their land Igodomigodo.

In 8th century AD, he (Ogiso) expanded Igodomigodo into a system of autonomous settlements that is protected by large earth walls under the rule of the king. In 12th century AD, the grandson of the last Ogiso, Eweka, became the first Oba, changing the ancient name of Igodomigodo to Edo. Since then, several Obas have ruled this great kingdom, with the Crown Prince father, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’ Oba Erediauwa, Uku Akpolokpolo, as the 38th Oba, and most recent translated.

Coronation Ceremonies of an Oba of Benin usually last about 10 days. It begins from Egua-Edaiken, the traditional residence of the heir-apparent to the Benin Throne. On a day fixed by the Edaiken, he is escorted by his Uselu people on his journey back to Benin City. On the way, he stops at an historical palm tree named “Udinama aimiuwa” (translated to mean “work before pleasure”) which the Edaiken “climbs” symbolically. 

This little ceremony dates its origin to the time of Oba Ewuare the Great, whose life as heir apparent to the throne was characterized by long suffering which included periods when he personally had to climb palm trees on this spot to cut the fruits for a living. This act of suffering by the father of the first Edaiken has ever since been re-enacted in a symbolic way by every Edaiken. 

From the palm tree, the Edaiken continues his journey to Benin City; but at the first moat called (Iya-akpan) in the vicinity of where the firm of Mid-Motors Nigeria Limited now stands, the Uselu chiefs in the procession take leave of the Edaiken and return to Uselu while the Edaiken is thereafter escorted into the City by Oredo Chiefs. The Edaiken enters the City via Iguisi (now Lagos Street) and Proceeds to Eko-Ohae (bachelor’s camp) where he stays for three days. After three days at Eko-Ohae the Edaiken continues his journey to Usama, the venue of the traditional coronation rites. Usama was the site where Oromiyan, the father of Eweka I, built the first Palace and all succeeding Obas from Eweka I, were crowned and lived there, until Oba Ewedo in the 13th century, moved the palace to the present site in the centre of the town. 

The Edaiken remains in Usama for 7 days performing all the rituals and ceremonies of the Oba. Before the expiration of 7 days, he visits a village a few kilometers outside Benin, where he performs the ceremony for choosing the name he will answer as the Oba of Benin. 

This tradition started during the period of Oba Eweka I, whose maternal grand-father, Ogie-Egor, lived in the next door village of Egor. When Prince Oromiyan left Benin, he left behind his Bini wife who was pregnant in the care of her father the Ogie of Egor. The woman delivered a male child who was dumb from birth. The maternal grand-father then sent him to Use, the mother’s village for treatment, but when he grew up and still could not talk, words were sent to his father at Uhe. His father sent 7 magical akhue with which the dumb Prince participated in the popular village game known as akhue. With only one seed remaining on the ground and every player having failed to strike it. The young Prince used the magical akhue from his father and succeeded in striking down the remaining seed. Excited by this feat, he spoke for the first exclaiming in Yoruba, Owimika (my hand has struck it). He later assumed this expression for a title which became corrupted to Eweka. Having picked a name to use, the Edaiken returns to Usama where the crowning ceremony is performed by Oliha. The leader of the Uzama and proclaims Edaiken in his newly acquired name as the Oba of Benin.

It is significant to note that until the ceremony at Use, the Edaiken never knows before hand what name he is going to be crowned with. From this moment also, the Edaiken ceases to use his personal names and he is henceforth known by the new name of an Oba. Also significant is the fact that both at Egor and Use, there still exist almost in their Original form the shrines established by the diviners and the native doctors who brought the magical akhue seeds from Uhe. After the crowning ceremony the new Oba then leaves Usama on the 7th day for the town centre to be proclaimed and presented to Benin people. On his way to the City, he stops at Isekherhe to perform the ceremonial crossing of a bridge, a reminder of the day Oba Ewedo, on a similar journey, erected a bridge to enable him pass Isekherhe territory without stepping on the ground. After crossing the bridge, the Oba and his entourage engage in a mock battle with Ogiamien and his followers. The resistance of Ogiamien forces collapses while the Oba and his entourage proceed to Urho-Okpota.

Urho-Okpota (the gate of Okpota) dates its existence to the era of Oba Ozolua about 15th century, and it is the area now known as “Ring Road” including where Exhibition centre and the Local Government Secretariat now stand. Okpota was a powerful native doctor who prepared a charm of good luck for the Oba. It is said that the charm which was buried at the gate of the Palace brought prosperity to the Kingdom. The Oba lodged Okpota in a house near the Palace in the area of the present day Exhibition Centre. The verandah to his house soon became a meeting place for the elders, even for the Oba, and Urhokpota has ever since remained a centre for meeting and useful deliberations. For the same reason, Oba Eweka II, chosed the site for building the new Native Court, now known as Exhibition centre. The ceremony at Urhokpota completed. The new Oba then moves into the palace as the Oba of Benin. But he still has Ogiamien’s challenge to meet and so 7 days after, he assembles his troops and proceeds to Ekiokpagha where he engages in a mock battle with Ogiamien, a reminder of the real battle between Oba Ewedo and Ogiamien in the 13th century when the latter attempted to prevent the former from entering the city from Usama.

By the treaty between the two, Ogiamien surrendered his claim to the ownership of land to the Oba. THE NEW OBA His Royal Highness Crown Prince (Amb.) Eheneden Erediauwa, Edaiken N’ Uselu, is the eldest son of His Royal Majesty, Omo N’ Oba Erediauwa, Uku Akpolokpolo, (the translated) Oba of Benin, the possessor and custodian of this unbridled heritage which had gone way back into thousands of years. Born in 1953, Crown Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, is a former Nigerian Ambassador to the Kingdoms of Sweden, Norway and Denmark; the Republics of Finland and Angola. He also served in Rome, Italy and Albania. His Royal Highness attended Edo College, Benin City, from 1965 to 1967, and Immaculate Conception Collage (I.C.C), Benin City, from 1968 to 1970, where he obtained his Secondary School Leaving Certificate. After obtaining his Secondary School Leaving Certificate in 1970, His Royal Highness proceeded to England, and studied from 1971 to 1972, at South Thames College, South West London, for the General Certificate for Education (G.C.E. Advance Level). As a result of the Crown Prince’s love for education, he quickly applied for tertiary education and secured admission to study at the University of Wales, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, in 1973, and graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Economics (B.Sc. Econ.) in June, 1977.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince (Amb.) Eheneden Erediauwa, Edaiken N’Uselu, did not just stop at acquiring a first degree from the University OF WALES because of his quest for knowledge, this time around, he relocated to another continent of the world, America, in 1979, where he studied and obtained a Masters Degree in Public Administration (MPA) at Rutgers Graduate School, New York, New Jersey, U.S.A., from 1979 to 1981.

It may interest you to know that His Royal Highness also enrolled for a Doctorate degree in International Administration at the University of London, United Kingdom, but had to suspend his thesis due to family commitments. Worthy of note about this well read and outstanding Crown Prince of one of the world’s greatest and oldest kingdoms on earth, is that, he also served the compulsory one year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, in which he is currently a member; and participated in the Graduate Internship at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, U.S.A., as part of A post graduate training in international administration. 

Since 1987, His Royal Highness Crown Prince (Amb.) Eheneden Erediauwa, Edaiken N’ Uselu, has been active in leading positions within the Nigerian business community, especially in the oil and gas industry, and prior to his diplomatic assignments as Nigerian Ambassador to the Kingdoms of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, as well as Republic of Finland, Angola, Italy and Albania, served on the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and many other Company Boards.

Based on the foregoing, it is very clear that this new Oba of Benin is well armed with education and experience to take his kingdom and the entire people of Edo state to enviable heights. Without any iota of doubt, this marks a new dawn in Benin Kingdom. As he ascends this highly revered throne of his forefathers, we wish him long life in good health and a happy peaceful reign.