The Oba of Benin is the traditional king of the Benin Kingdom. This monarchy has existed for over 800 years, beginning in the 13th century.
The Oba is a cultural leader and is seen as a divine figure among the Edo people. Historically, the Obas expanded their territory through trade and military strength, especially during the reign of notable kings like Ewuare the Great.
However, the kingdom faced challenges, including British colonization in the late 19th century, which led to changes in its governance.
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List Of Oba Of Benin From 1200 Till Date
No. | Name | Reign | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Eweka I | 1200 AD – 1235 AD | Pre-Imperial Benin |
2 | Uwakhuahen | 1235 AD – 1243 AD | Pre-Imperial Benin |
3 | Ehenmihen | 1243 AD – 1255 AD | Pre-Imperial Benin |
4 | Ewedo | 1255 AD – 1280 AD | Pre-Imperial Benin |
5 | Oguola | 1280 AD – 1295 AD | Pre-Imperial Benin |
6 | Edoni | 1295 AD – 1299 AD | Pre-Imperial Benin |
7 | Udagbedo | 1299 AD – 1334 AD | Pre-Imperial Benin |
8 | Ohen | 1334 AD – 1370 AD | Pre-Imperial Benin |
9 | Egbeka | 1370 AD – 1400 AD | Pre-Imperial Benin |
10 | Orobiru | 1400 AD – 1430 AD | Pre-Imperial Benin |
11 | Uwaifiokun | 1430 AD – 1440 AD | Pre-Imperial Benin |
12 | Ewuare The Great | 1440 AD – 1473 AD | Imperial Benin |
13 | Ezoti | Reigned for 14 days | Imperial Benin |
14 | Olua | 1473 AD – 1480 AD | Imperial Benin |
15 | Ozolua | 1483 AD – 1504 AD | Imperial Benin |
16 | Esigie | 1504 AD – 1550 AD | Imperial Benin |
17 | Orhogbua | 1550 AD – 1578 AD | Imperial Benin |
18 | Ehengbuda | 1578 AD – 1606 AD | Imperial Benin |
19 | Ohuan | 1606 AD – 1641 AD | Imperial Benin |
20 | Ohenzae | 1641 AD – 1661 AD | Imperial Benin |
21 | Akenzae | 1661 AD – 1669 AD | Imperial Benin |
22 | Akengboi | 1669 AD – 1675 AD | Imperial Benin |
23 | Ahenkpaye | 1675 AD – 1684 AD | Imperial Benin |
24 | Akengbedo | 1684 AD – 1689 AD | Imperial Benin |
25 | Oroghene | 1689 AD – 1700 AD | Imperial Benin |
26 | Ewuakpe | 1700 AD – 1712 AD | Imperial Benin |
27 | Ozuere | 1712 AD – 1713 AD | Imperial Benin |
28 | Akenzua I | 1713 AD – 1735 AD | Imperial Benin |
29 | Eresoyen | 1735 AD – 1750 AD | Imperial Benin |
30 | Akengbuda | 1750 AD – 1804 AD | Imperial Benin |
31 | Obanosa | 1804 AD – 1816 AD | Imperial Benin |
32 | Ogbebo | 1816 AD (Reigned for 8 months) | Imperial Benin |
33 | Osemwende | 1816 AD – 1848 AD | Imperial Benin |
34 | Adolo | 1848 AD – 1888 AD | Imperial Benin |
35 | Ovonramwen N'Ogbaise | 1888 AD – 1914 AD | Imperial Benin |
36 | Eweka II | 1914 AD – 1933 AD | Post-Imperial Benin |
37 | Akenzua II | 1933 AD – 1978 AD | Post-Imperial Benin |
38 | Erediauwa | 1979 AD – 2016 AD | Post-Imperial Benin |
39 | Ewuare II | 2016 – present | Post-Imperial Benin |
Who Was The First Oba Of Benini?
Eweka I was the first Oba of Benin and is credited with laying the foundation for the powerful Benin Kingdom. His reign, which lasted from around 1200 AD to 1235 AD, was a notable transition in Benin’s history, moving away from the older Ogiso Dynasty toward a new system of rulership known as the Obaship.
Before Eweka’s rise to power, Benin experienced a period of political instability following the exile of Owodo, the last Ogiso ruler. This created a power vacuum and uncertainty in the kingdom.
Eweka’s father, Oromiyan, who had been sent by his father, Oduduwa, from Ife, played a part in stabilizing the kingdom. Oromiyan attempted to rule but found it difficult to connect with the people of Benin due to cultural and linguistic differences.
Realizing this, he chose to return to Ife, but not before fathering Eweka with an Edo woman named Erimwinde. Eweka was raised with ties to Benin culture and traditions, which made him a suitable candidate to lead the kingdom.
His ascension to the throne represented the birth of the Oba institution, and under his rule, the title “Oba” became synonymous with kingship in Benin.
During his reign, Eweka consolidated power and strengthened the kingdom’s governance. After he died in 1235 AD, Eweka’s legacy continued through his descendants, with his son Uwakhuahen succeeding him as Oba.
Which Oba Of Benin Was Banished?
Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, the 35th Oba of Benin, was the ruler who was banished after a major conflict with the British. He ruled the Benin Kingdom from around 1888 to 1897, during a time when the British Empire was expanding its control in Africa.
The Kingdom of Benin, under Ovonramwen, was still independent and had rich natural resources like palm oil, rubber, and ivory, which attracted British interest.
However, the British were unhappy with the Oba’s tight control over trade, and tensions grew between the two sides. In 1897, things took a serious turn.
A British official named James Phillips led an expedition to Benin City without waiting for approval from his superiors.
He claimed to be visiting for negotiation, but the Oba’s generals believed it was a plot to remove their king. They attacked the British group, killing most of them.
This led to the British launching a “punitive expedition” against Benin. The British forces, led by Sir Harry Rawson, attacked Benin City, destroying much of it and looting valuable artifacts known as the Benin Bronzes.
Oba Ovonramwen tried to avoid capture by hiding in the forests for six months. Eventually, he surrendered to the British on August 5, 1897.
He even offered to pay them a large amount of oil and reveal the location of hidden ivory, but the British had already found these riches.
After his surrender, Ovonramwen was exiled to Calabar, a coastal town, along with two of his wives, where he lived until he died in 1914.
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Who Is The New Oba Of Benin?
The new Oba of Benin is Ewuare II. He was crowned on October 20, 2016, and has been reigning ever since. His real name before becoming Oba was Eheneden Erediauwa.
He is the 40th Oba of Benin, a title that goes back hundreds of years in the Benin Empire. Ewuare II’s rise to the throne followed the reign of his father, Oba Erediauwa, who was the Oba before him.
Ewuare II was born on October 20, 1953, and he attended Edo College and Immaculate Conception College, both in Nigeria and later pursued higher education abroad.
He earned a degree in Economics from the University of Wales in the United Kingdom and completed a Master of Public Administration at Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA.
Ewuare II had a notable career, both in Nigeria and internationally. He worked at the United Nations and served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to several countries, including Angola, Sweden, Italy, and others in Europe.
When Ewuare II became Oba, he chose his name to honor Ewuare I, a great king from the 15th century. Since his coronation, Ewuare II has been involved in several initiatives.
He has worked with the Edo State government, led by Governor Godwin Obaseki. Also, he has been trying to get back the Benin Bronzes, historical artifacts that were taken by the British during the colonial era.