26/04/2026
A Historical Reconsideration of the Origins of Usen, Oranmiyan, and the Igodomigodo (Benin) Kingdom
The founder of Usen is traditionally regarded, in certain oral accounts, as the elder brother of Oranmiyan, the warrior-prince who later conquered the Bini, or Igodomigodo, Kingdom. Within these narratives, it is asserted that Oranmiyan was not the son of Ekaladaren, as commonly claimed in mainstream historiography. Rather, this lineage has been described by some traditions as a later construction intended to conceal perceived historical embarrassment.
A critical question often raised in these discussions is as follows: if Oranmiyan were truly the son of Ekaladaren, why would he invade the very palace he was supposedly appointed to protect, and why would conflict arise involving his own extended family, including his alleged aunt?
According to alternative historical accounts preserved in oral traditions, when Oranmiyan and his elder brother advanced their campaign to expand territorial influence, they arrived at the land known as Ogidomigodo. They initially settled in Usen, which became a strategic base for their military operations..
However, after several unsuccessful attempts to capture the kingdom, the elder brother reportedly became reluctant to continue the campaign.
During one of these invasion attempts on the royal palace, it is alleged that Oranmiyan violated the daughter of Ogiso Owodo, resulting in pregnancy. At that time, the kingdom was already experiencing internal divisions. Several influential families from the gates of Emehi and Efa had migrated from the territory to settle in what is now Delta State. The intense struggle for succession had destabilized the political structure of the Ogiso dynasty.
The Aka, or Eka, gate, considered smaller in population compared to the Emehi and Efa gates, sought to secure hereditary rulership. During the reign of Ogiso Owodo, who himself came from the Aka or Eka lineage, the monarch intended for his first son, Ekaladaren, to succeed him. However, the king’s second wife reportedly preferred her own son as heir. Through political intrigue, she orchestrated circumstances that led to the exile and outcasting of Ekaladaren.
At the same historical moment, the Owodo ruling faction feared a possible internal invasion by their estranged kinsmen from the Emehi and Efa gates, who had previously departed from Udo. These displaced groups were perceived as potential challengers to the throne, and the ruling elite anticipated that they might someday attempt to reclaim authority.
When the princess became pregnant by Oranmiyan, the situation was interpreted as a strategic opportunity. The ruling authorities saw the possibility of forming an alliance with the royal lineage of the Oni of Ife. Consequently, Chief Oliha was dispatched to Usen to establish diplomatic contact with the elder brother of Oranmiyan. However, by the time he arrived, Oranmiyan had already departed on another military campaign, reportedly to defend Oyo from Nupe incursions.
Nevertheless, Chief Oliha returned with significant information. He reported that Oranmiyan and his elder brother were originally from Ife, which some traditions identify with an earlier settlement located in present-day Kogi State. According to these accounts, they later migrated from that region to what became known as Ile-Ife.
Further narratives describe an earlier period in African history when catastrophic flooding nearly destroyed settlements across large portions of the continent. In this tradition, the area known as Uhe, or Ife in present-day Kogi State, served as a refuge. From this location emerged Pa Iduh, described as the original founder of the Igodomigodo Kingdom.
Pa Iduh is said to have fathered three sons, Emehi, Efa, and Aka (or Eka), each born to different mothers associated with the ancestral lineage of what is now recognized as the Igala people. In addition to his political leadership, Pa Iduh reportedly served as the chief priest of the Oduwa shrine, also referred to as Oghene, described in tradition as the deity symbolized by four legs.
These accounts further indicate that subordinate chief priests operated in various settlements under the spiritual authority of Pa Iduh. These priests were known collectively as Oni, serving as intermediaries between the people and the deity Oghene.
Subsequently, when early colonial forces entered the region identified as Ife in present-day Kogi State, they reportedly relocated segments of the population to establish a new settlement that became known as Ile-Ife. Within this new community, the inhabitants selected a custodian of the Oduwa shrine who possessed the spiritual authority to communicate with Oghene. This religious custodian came to be known as the Oni.
Meanwhile, Pa Iduh later journeyed to a location near Udo, where he established a permanent settlement with his children. Over time, this settlement developed into the powerful Ogidomigodo Kingdom.
Returning to the period of Udo’s prominence, Chief Oliha’s investigations reportedly revealed the historical relationship between Ile-Ife and Ogidomigodo. In the view of some commentators, this relationship has been misrepresented or simplified in modern historical narratives.
Further traditions recount that Oranmiyan’s elder brother later summoned him from Oyo. By that time, however, Oranmiyan had already been crowned Oba of Oyo. He therefore instructed that the child born from the earlier union be raised in Usen.
After the child’s birth, he was reportedly groomed within the palace of the Obas of Usen. He was later sent to Oyo for military and political training, after which he returned to be crowned the first Oba of the Benin Kingdom, Oba Eweka.
These accounts emphasize that the newcomers entered Udo as Yoruba-speaking people who brought with them their religious traditions, including the worship of Ogun, Sango, Orunmila, and other deities. They spoke the Yoruba language and attempted to influence or transform the existing linguistic and cultural structures of the region.
It is further asserted that Oba Eweka granted freedom to his mother’s relatives, the Owodo lineage, who are identified in these narratives as the ancestors of the group now known as the Ogiame. At the same time, other populations within the kingdom were allegedly reduced to subordinate or servile status. Nevertheless, it is emphasized that many of those who arrived from Ile-Ife were themselves originally free people.
Within this social classification system, the people of Usen are described as belonging to a privileged category known as Aseesee, signifying their recognition as free citizens.
Following the consolidation of royal authority, the kingdom of Bini grew in wealth and political power. According to certain interpretations, Benin later became an important center in the trans-regional slave trade, acquiring influence through commerce and warfare. In this perspective, the expansion of slave trading activities is linked to the earlier conquest of the territory.
# # Selected Scholarly References for Historical Context đź“š
The following works are widely recognized in academic discussions of Benin, Ife, and related West African histories:
* Jacob U. Egharevba — *A Short History of Benin*
* *A.F.C. Ryder*— *Benin and the Europeans 1485–1897*
* *Samuel Johnson* — *The History of the Yorubas*
* *Philip Igbafe*— *Benin Under British Administration*
* *Paula Ben-Amos* *The Art of Benin*
* R.E. Bradbury — *The Benin Kingdom and the Edo-Speaking Peoples of South-Western Nigeria*
* *J.D.Y. Peel*— *Religious Encounter and the Making of the Yoruba*
These texts document both oral traditions and documented historical interpretations, while also acknowledging that multiple narratives exist regarding the origins of the Benin Kingdom and the role of figures such as Oranmiyan and Eweka.
