Oromiyan-EWEKA DYNASTY

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The Benin Monarcy has evolved from an era of kings who ruled over a small kingdom in the 11th and 12th centuries. From this small kingdom was established an increasingling complex political system that supported the transformation from a small state supported by smaller vassal towns and villages to a huge expansive empire  that maintained trade and consular relations with European nations during the 15th and 16th century

In the beginning, according to oral tradition, Benin, then known as Igodomigodo, was ruled by paramount kings known as the Ogiso who were credited with mythical powers.  Thirty-one of these kings ruled in succession, including two women and 15 of these are known by name. 

It is not clear whether these rulers were elected or followed the same rule of primogeniture that was the custom of the people. However, the fact that thirty-one Ogisos are believed to have reigned, and that some of them were women, suggests that seniority, perhaps within a family, played some part in determining the choice.

The Ogiso period ended by a revolt and the banishment of the ruler followed by a brief phase where there was no royal ruler, described by historian Jacob Egharevba as an experiment in 'republican government’, by which seems to be meant a change in the method of appointing the ruler, so that in place of hereditary succession within a family, a choice was made by the body of chiefs from among their own number.    

This experiment failed as the first ruler appointed under this regime tried to have his son elected to succeed him. Having foiled this attempt to reintoduce paramount kingship, and unable to agree on an alternative candidate from among themselves the chiefs sent emissaries to the Oni of Ife, the mythical king of their Yoruba kins. According to Benin oral traditions Oduduwa is Izoduwa, the exiled son of the last Ogiso. The emmisary was sent to Izoduwa (Oduduwa) asking him him to provide one of his sons to rule over Benin. Iziduwa sent his son, Oranmiyan who would later leave Benin after fathering a son that became Oba Eweka I.    

Thus, the deadlock was resolved with the birth of a new dynasty in Benin, the Oranmiyan-Eweka Dynasty, related to that which about the same time was establishing its rule over several Yoruba groups. Both Benin and Yoruba traditions support the story of Oranmiyan as the first of the new line of Benin rulers, and the circumstances in which he and his followers went to Benin at the invitation of a party among the chiefs of Benin to the now powerful son of their former king..   

The Eweka Dynasty reigns in Benin to this day and the Benin monarchy has evolved through three major phases that describes the growth of the state, the complexiity of its political system and  its sovereignty. The three phases of the development of the Benin monarchy are:

1. Pre-imperial

2. Imperial

3. Post-imperial

The Benin monachy has produced 40 kings who ruled through periods of expansion and growth, conquest and consolidation into a flourishing empire, eventual subjugation by the British Empire, and almagamation into a post-colonial African nation. The 40 kings (Obas) are as follows: 

Pre-imperial Period (c1200 – 1440)

1. Oranmiyan

2. Eweka I 

3. Uwuakhuahen 

4. Ehenmihen 

5. Ewedo 

6. Oguola 

7. Edoni 

8. Udagbedo 

9. Ohen 

10. Egbeka 

11. Orobiru 

12. Uwaifiokun

Imperial Period (c1440 – 1897)

13. Ewuare (1440–1473) 

14. Ezoti (1473–1474) 

15. Olua (1475–1480) 

16. Ozolua (1480–1504) 

17. Esigie (1504–1550) 

18. Orhogbua (1550–1578) 

19. Ehengbuda (1578–1608) 

20. Ahuan (1608–1641) 

21. Ohenzae (1641-1661) 

22. Akenzae (1661-1669)

23. Akengboi (1669-1675)

24. Akenkpaye (1675–1684) 

25. Akengbedo (1684–1689) 

26. Ore-Oghene (1689–1700) 

27. Ewuakpe (1700–1712) 

28. Ozuere (1712–1713) 

29. Akenzua I (1713–1735) 

30. Eresoyen (1735–1750) 

31. Akengbuda (1750–1804) 

32. Obanosa (1804–1816) 

33. Ogbebo (1816) 

34. Osemwende (1816–1848) 

35. Adolo (1848–1888) 

36. Ovonramwen (1888–1914) (last independent king in pre-colonial Benin)

Post-imperial Period (1914–present)

37. Eweka II (1914–1933) 

38. Akenzua II (1933–1978) 

39. Erediauwa (1979–2016) 

40. Ewuare II (2016 - present)

The reigning Oba of of Benin today is Oba Ewuare II who ascended the ancient throne on 20 October 2016. The king, like his father, Oba Erediauwa, and grand father Oba Akenzua II, is at the forefront of the campaign for the recovery and reconstruction of the historical heritage of this great African kingdom as well as the repatriation and restitution of all curtural artefacts looted from the royal treasury and from all parts of Benin during the British attack on the city in 1897.