In the long, shadowed corridor of Benin’s royal history, where myths often intertwine with governance and legend collides with lineage, the name Ohuede emerges with a complex resonance. Ruler, reformer, and progenitor of a significant royal line, Ohuede’s brief reign in the 12th century would shape the trajectory of one of West Africa’s most sophisticated monarchies.
The Unlikely Monarch: Ohuede’s Rise to the Throne
When Ogiso Ehenneden died without an heir, a vacuum emerged in the delicate succession matrix of the Igodomigodo kingship system. That absence left the royal court scrambling to determine legitimacy and continuity. According to historian O.S.B. Ọmọregie in his authoritative volume Great Benin: The Age of Ikaladerhan (1130–1200 AD), published in 1997, Ohuede was brought forward from among the surviving male relatives of Orriagba—an earlier royal progenitor (Ọmọregie, 1997b, pp. 13–14).
Ohuede was not born into the center of the royal court’s power structure. His ascension was more a product of strategic positioning than dynastic expectation. As Ọmọregie explains, “Ohuede looked at the succession line of his uncle Odoligie as one placed under a curse… He then decided to raise his own name Ohuede as beginning a new succession line or dynasty.” Thus, what began as an emergency fill-in monarch soon turned into the founding moment of a consequential royal house.
A Reign of Transition and Conflict
Though Ohuede’s reign lasted only two years—between 1110 and 1112 AD, according to Ọmọregie (1997b, p. 14)—it was marked by decisions that would ripple across generations. His son, Oduwa, would succeed him, and through this dynastic link, Ohuede effectively founded a new era of rule in Igodomigodo.
O.O. Ero, in his 2003 book The History of Benin: Ogiso Dynasties, 40 BC – 1200 AD, acknowledges the dynastic realignment sparked by Ohuede, though his proposed dates differ and are considered less historically consistent. Ero’s account, however, adds another layer of intrigue: he emphasizes the role of the Edionisen (kingmakers) in safeguarding Ohuede’s lineage against opposition from rival political factions, particularly the Edionwere (Ero, 2003, p. 87).
This conflict between two groups of elders—Edionisen and Edionwere—was not merely political but ideological. The Edionwere pushed for an open contest to fill the throne, seeking to democratize kingship. Yet the Edionisen held their ground, favoring hereditary continuity over political experimentation. In a calculated move to preserve their own status, they crowned Oduwa, Ohuede’s son, solidifying the Ohuede Dynasty and quashing opposition attempts (Ero, 2003, p. 87).
Innovations in Governance and Control
Oduwa’s reign, an extension of his father’s dynastic vision, would become critical in stabilizing the region after the succession controversy. Rather than retaliate against dissenting nobles with violence, Oduwa opted for diplomacy and institutional reforms. He strategically appointed Okaevbo (provincial governors) to administer territories and counterbalance rebellious local chiefs (Ero, 2003, p. 88). These governors were empowered with wide administrative autonomy and became trusted agents of the central authority.
This administrative reconfiguration marked a significant innovation in the Ogiso system. According to Ero, some of these Okaevbo eventually gained enough authority and respect to be recognized as enigie (local rulers), thereby creating a new class of loyalist aristocracy reporting directly to the monarchy (Ero, 2003, p. 88). The delicate use of institutional authority, rather than brute force, ensured not just peace but also long-term consolidation of Ohuede’s dynastic intentions.
Cultural Legacy: The Law of Salutation
While political changes dominated the headlines of history, cultural continuity also flourished under the Ohuede dynasty. One particularly enduring practice was the use of the royal salutation “Delaiso” or “Laiso,” which translates to “the king from the sky.” As recorded by Ero in his 2006 work The Philosophy of Edo Morning Salutation (ukhu), this tradition was instituted by the earlier Ogiso Igodo but maintained religiously by Ohuede’s lineage (Ero, 2006, pp. 10–11).
Remarkably, this royal greeting has survived for centuries. Even after the fall of the Ogiso dynasty and the rise of Evian’s successors, the descendants of those who once served under Ohuede continued to use the greeting. Ero notes that “Ogieamien's family, who are the descendants of Evian, still greet ‘Delaiso or Laiso’ till date” (Ero, 2006, p. 11). This linguistic relic stands as a subtle yet potent reminder of Ohuede’s embedded influence in the culture of Benin.
The Dynasty That Birthed a Legend
Perhaps the most far-reaching consequence of Ohuede’s reign was the birth of Ikaladerhan—his grandson and one of Benin’s most mythologized figures. Through his marriage to Ometo, daughter of Idiado and niece of Ogiso Ehenneden, Ohuede’s son Owodo produced Ikaladerhan in 1102 AD (Ọmọregie, 1997b, p. 13). This son would later become a symbol of persecution, exile, and eventual redemption.
During the devastating Great Famine that gripped the region between 1119 and 1125, Ikaladerhan, still a youth, joined his family in supporting anti-inflation measures such as the “double-payment scheme” instituted by Arigho, an earlier Ogiso (Ọmọregie, 1997b, p. 14). That formative experience would shape the young prince’s ethos as he later embarked on an exile that would ultimately lead to the re-establishment of the Benin monarchy under his grandson, Eweka I, in 1200 AD (Ọmọregie, 1997b, p. 13).
Final Reflections
Ohuede’s place in the annals of Benin history may not carry the grandeur of longer-reigning monarchs, but his role as a dynastic architect is undeniable. He bridged the chaotic succession of a kingless throne and laid the groundwork for some of the most critical figures in Benin’s royal legacy. His legacy, sustained through political reforms, cultural norms, and genealogical impact, offers a masterclass in how even short reigns can leave enduring marks.
As contemporary Nigeria grapples with questions of governance, heritage, and national identity, the legacy of kings like Ohuede reminds us that history is often written in quiet revolutions—decisions that echo far beyond the years they were made.
Sources:
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Ọmọregie, O.S.B. (1997b). Great Benin: The Age of Ikaladerhan (1130–1200 AD). Neraso Publishers.
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Ero, O.O. (2003). The History of Benin: Ogiso Dynasties, 40 BC – 1200 AD. Nosa Computers.
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Ero, O.O. (2006). The Philosophy of Edo Morning Salutation (ukhu). Osun Ero Consult Publications & Sky Ero Communication Associates.
Image credits:
- Ekaladerhan (also spelt as Ikhaladerhan), the son of Owodo, By Vanderwaalforces - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link