Cultures and Traditions

List of Obas (Kings) of Benin Empire

The title of Oba was adopted in Benin Empire after the Ogiso rule ended. The Oba title was created by Oba Oranmiyan, the first Oba of Benin Empire who is also a grand son of Oduduwa, the first Oni of Ile-Ife. Below is a list of kings (both Ogiso and Oba) of the Benin Empire.

OGISO DYNASTY

* Igodo or Obagodo
* Ere
* Orire
* Odia
* Ighido
* Evbobo
* Ogbeide
* Emehen
* Akhuankhuan
* Ekpigho
* Efeseke
* Irudia
* Etebowe
* Odion
* Imarhan
* Orria
* Emose (female)
* Orrorro (female)
* Irrebo
* Ogbomo
* Agbonzeke
* Ediae
* Oriagba
* Odoligie
* Uwa
* Eheneden
* Ohuede
* Oduwa
* Obioye
* Arigho
* Owodo- Last Ogiso ruler of Benin
* Oranmiyan- First Oba of Benin

EWEKA DYNASTY

Please note that these dates are quiet uncertain.
Pre-Imperial Obas of Benin (1180-1440)
* Eweka I (1180–1246)
* Uwuakhuahen (1246–1250)
* Henmihen (1250–1260)
* Ewedo (1260–1274)
* Oguola (1274–1287)
* Edoni (1287–1292)
* Udagbedo (1292–1329)
* Ohen (1329–1366)
* Egbeka (1366–1397)
* Orobiru (1397–1434)
* Uwaifiokun (1434–1440)

Obas of Benin (1440-1897)

* Ewuare I (1440–1473)
* Ezoti (1473–1474)
* Olua (1475–1480)
* Ozolua (1480–1504)
* Esigie (1504–1547)
* Orhogbua (1547–1580)
* Ehengbuda (1580–1602)
* Ohuan (1602–1656)
* Ohenzae (1656–1661)
* Akenzae (1661–1669)
* Akengboi (1669–1675)
* Akenkpaye (1675–1684)
* Akengbedo (1684–1689)
* Ore-Oghene (1689–1701)
* Ewuakpe (1701–1712)
* Ozuere (1712–1713)
* Akenzua I (1713–1740)
* Eresoyen (1740–1750)
* Akengbuda (1750–1804)
* Obanosa (1804–1816)
* Ogbebo (1816)
* Osemwende (1816–1848)
* Adolo (1848–1888)
* Ovonramwen Nogbaisi (1888–1914) He was exiled to Calabar by the British in 1897 during the punitive expedition

Post-Imperial Obas of Benin (1914 till date)

* Eweka II (1914-1933)
* Akenzua II (1933-1978)
* Erediauwa I (1979-2016)
* Ewuare II (2016 till date)
Oba gha to’kpe re e
Ise e!

Note- Ogiso means ‘Kings of the sky’
References:
* Edo Nation
* Ben-Amos, Paula Girshick; The Art of Benin; Revised Edition; 1995; British Museum Press; [p. 32] If you find this information useful, kindly share on social media and drop a comment below. Thank you.

Cite this article as: Teslim Omipidan. (May 27, 2017). List of Obas (Kings) of Benin Empire. OldNaija. Retrieved from https://oldnaija.com/2017/05/27/list-of-obas-kings-of-benin-empire/

3 Comments

  1. Thanks @ Teslim Opemipo Omipidan for this historical information. However, we need to correct some aspect of it. Just as it is important to acknowledge the ground son of Oduduwa which became an Oba in Benin same applies to the acknowledging that it was Ogiso Oduwa (ize-Oduwa ) that later became the first Oni of lle-ife. You will find his name “Oduwa” in the list of Benin Ogisos. This was the reason the Bini king’s men decided to recall Oduduwa to come back to his father’s thrown but he declined, cause at this time he has already became the Oni, however he gave his ground son instead with condition. The story is a well known in Bini culture.

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