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JuJu.
JuJu.
Nov 3 · 7 min read

The shared history of Benin and Yoruba people

There is widespread interest in the power of stories these days. Stories are like maps, they help humans navigate life. Stories are fluid. They morph into something a little different each time they are retold. This is why the creation story has many different versions. It’s been retold millions of times. Monotheistic religions believe that one supernatural being created it all while science holds that a scientific phenomenon caused the world to emerge. Humans are multifaceted beings, each with their own unique ability to perceive, interpret and relate information.

The people of the Benin kingdom and the people of the Yoruba kingdom have more in common than calling their kings “Oba”, their stories are connected.

In this article, we will highlight three ways the histories of the Yoruba and Benin Kingdoms intertwine.

  • Oduduwa (Odùduwà, Odudua, Oòdua)

In Yoruba mythology, Oduduwa was a divine king. He was the Ooni of Ile-Ife in the 1100s, the holy land of Yoruba people. He is often described as a hero, a warrior, the leader, and the father of Yoruba people. It is believed that civilization started when Oduduwa descended on earth. He is seen as a God. He was declared the son of Eledumare, who was sent to create the earth. It is also believed that he has sons who he spread out around earth to rule.

Benin’s history tells it differently. In Benin history, The Ogiso (king of the sky) founded the Benin Kingdom and it was called Igodomigodo. In the 12th century, there was a great palace scuffle and the crown prince Ekaladerhan, the only son of the last Ogiso, was sentenced to death. The palace messengers who were supposed to kill the prince had mercy and set him free at Ughoton near Benin. When his father, the Ogiso died, the Ogiso dynasty ended and another king was chosen. Prince Ekaladerhan was found wandering in the jungle in chains by the early Yoruba people. It had been prophesied earlier that they would find their king in the jungle. When Prince Ekaladerhan reached Ile-Ife, the first word he uttered was Ede-duwa(Oduduwa) which means, “I ran into wealth” in Benin. On the day he was made king, considering his journey from Igodomigodo through the jungle till that point, he declared, Ile-fe (Ile-Ife) which means “I ran into safety” in Benin language. Years later, after the death of the last Ogiso, the kingdom of Igodomigodo was unsettled. After consulting an oracle, they were told that until the prince that escaped death returned, there will be no peace in the kingdom. An emissary was sent to beg their prince to return but Oduduwa declined. Instead, he sent his son, Oranmiyan. Though Oranmiyan was resisted by one of the palace chiefs initially, his son Eweka eventually became king of Benin Kingdom. The strife he faced during the resistance led him to name Igodomigodo, Ile-Ibinu. “Ile” means land, “binu” means anger. Benin is a mispronunciation of Binu by the Portuguese.

  • Olokun (Olóòkun)

Olokun is one of the orishas in Yoruba spirituality. Olokun is described as either female or male and neither, androgynous. They rule the bottom of the sea where no life lives nor breathes. They can establish authority over other water deities. Olokun is worshipped diligently by followers for immense wealth as vast as the oceans over which they preside, long-standing health, and prosperity. During worship, their followers say Olokun Seri Aje, which means “she created the oceans” and Olukun Seri Ade, which means “the maker of brass crowns”. In her time on earth, she made her husband, Oduduwa, a beautiful crown. She also owned a successful bead business. We stan this nonbinary artist and entrepreneur.

In Benin mythology, Olokun’s story is similar. Here, Olokun’s gender remains fluid. Some stories say they are one of the children of Osanobua, his favorite son. This is why his worshippers say OSANOBUA VBE OLOKUN, the way Christians call on God through Jesus Christ. It is believed that every Oba is a reincarnate of Olokun.

Others say Olokun is the Goddess of the river. Olokun is called the beauty of the waters. Beautiful women are said to be as beautiful as Olokun. In a bid to prove that Olokun is androgynous, Alex Igbineweka, a historian argued that the word “Okun” means Sea while “ol’” is an adjectival prefix meaning “chief”, “pilot”, “expert”, “master”, “leader” etc. He says that the word “ol” does not denote any gender. Just as you have “Ol’ibata” (shoe dealer) so also you have Olokun. In Benin, Olokun is worshipped with music made with ema olokun (drums), ukuse (maracas) and egogo (gongs).

  • Lagos.
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Lagos is the largest Nigerian city and the chief port of the federation. Yoruba people settled in Lagos during the 14th century. It is said that the Awori people, a subgroup of the Yoruba people lived in Lagos in the 15th century. They called it “Oko”. The Awori people moved to an island called Iddo. In the 16th century, the Benin Empire conquered Oko and named it Eko. It became a war camp under the leadership of the then Oba, Oba Orhogba. This attracted the Portuguese traders who settled there and Eko became a slave trade port. They renamed it Lagos after their own coastal city in Southern Portugal. In 1851, the British occupied Lagos following a fight between Oba Kosoko and Oba Akintoye over the slave trade proceeds. In 1861, Oba Docemo signed a treaty making Lagos a British colony.

In Benin’s history, it is believed that Oba Orhogba founded Eko. The story dates back to the 1500s when Oba Orhogba’s father, Oba Esigie was baptized into Christianity by the Portuguese missionaries. To bridge the relationship between the people of Benin and the Portuguese, Oba Orhogba sent his first son to Lisbon to become a seminary priest. When Oba Esigie passed, Oba Orhogba moved back home to rule the Benin kingdom. Having experienced a different life, he wanted to combine worlds. When he was coronated, he wanted to practice Christianity but the people of Benin believe that Oba himself is a God so how can a God serve another. In a bid to maintain a connection to Lisbon, he decided to expand his empire towards the waterfront. His expansion spanned from Bayelsa, Forcados river to River Volta (the Bight of Benin). The land surrounding the sea was named Eko, which means “camp” in Benin. This land is now called Lagos Island. It is believed that the Lagos mainland was occupied by the Awori people. A Benin historian, Amowie Izoduwa Imasuen has argued that even the Aworis originated from Benin people. He says that Awori is made up of people from Igodomigodo, who followed Prince Ekaladeran to Ile-fe and could no longer live there. He says, Awori language is a mix of Yoruboid and Edoiod dialects. At a point in history, all the Obas of Yoruba kingdom were buried in the Benin Kingdom. This ended after Oba Akintoye’s reign.

“Shared territories, shared stories and shared histories connect us all, whether we choose to unite or fight over them is up to us.” — JuJu

The sharing of deities is a massive unifying force worldwide, but this force has the potential to be used divisively. Over time, the people of Benin kingdom and the Yoruba people have rejected the other’s stories. Each one saying that the other’s claims are unfounded. Each one with proof that their truth matters. In the end, we can acknowledge that both sides are telling one story from two different points of view. The controversy around the retelling of history is the essence of humanity. Shared territories, shared stories and shared histories connect us all, whether we choose to unite or fight over them is up to us. Though time blurs the fine lines of truth, stories remain powerful. They have the ability to make or break people. In her first TEDTalk, Chimamanda Adichie stressed the danger of the single story. “Stories matter,’’ she said. “Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign, but stories can also be used to empower and to humanize. When we reject the single story, when we realize that there is never a single story about any place, we regain a kind of paradise.”

Just before you go, we’d like you to know that we will be choosing a reader to gift a tote from our new line of totes (yet to be launched). All you have to do to win is share this post on social media, featuring a quote from the article and tag us @artxjuju. The winner will be announced tomorrow.

JuJu.

Written by

JuJu.

JuJu. is an afrocentric brand that intends to create, through ornaments and fashion, a worldwide interest and local acceptance of who we are and who we were.

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