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Orhogbua
Oba of Benin
Brass plaque of Oba Orhogbua at Horniman Museum
Oba of Benin
Reign	c. 1550 AD – c.  1578 AD
Predecessor	Esigie
Successor	Ehengbuda
Born	Benin City
Died	1578 AD Benin City
Issue	Ehengbuda Ashipa, Eleko of Eko
House	Eweka I
Father	Esigie
Mother	Elaba

Orhogbua was the seventeenth Oba of the Benin Kingdom who reigned around c. 1550 AD – c.  1578 AD. He was the son of Esigie and the grandson of Ozolua. Orhogbua was educated in a Portuguese colonial school and was baptised as a Catholic. He was able to communicate in Portuguese, both spoken and written. He established a military camp on Lagos Island, which served as a strategic location for empire expansion and trade control. He also introduced the use of native cooking salt in Benin.

Early life and education

Orhogbua was born in Benin City, the eldest son of Oba Esigie and Queen Elaba, the second Iyoba at lower Uselu palace. He was named after his paternal grandfather, Ozolua. His father had established diplomatic and trade relations with the Portuguese since 1485, providing Orhogbua with exposure to Portuguese culture and education. He attended a Portuguese colonial school, where he learned Portuguese and was baptised as a Catholic. He also studied European arts, sciences, and military techniques.

Reign and achievements

Orhogbua became the Oba of Benin circa 1550 AD, succeeding his father. He inherited an empire, which he aimed to maintain and expand. He faced challenges from towns and villages that failed to pay their yearly tribute, leading him to march against them with an army. He also contended with competition and rivalry from other states in the region, such as Oyo, Allada, and Warri.

He established a military camp on Lagos Island, named Èkó, meaning "war camp" in Edo. This camp served as a base to attack enemies and control trade in the area. He also conquered a town called Mahin and executed its king, Olague. He brought captives from neighbouring towns and villages to his camp. He appointed his grandson, Ashipa (referred to as Esikpa by Jacob Egharevba), as the Eleko of Eko, giving him authority over the camp and its inhabitants. He also appointed a viceroy, Ashipa, to oversee the community and collect tribute. Ashipa founded a new royal dynasty in Lagos, known as the Oba of Lagos. Some traditions suggest that Ashipa was a descendant of Orhogbua, while others suggest that he was a member of the royal family of Isheri who was rewarded by Orhogbua.

Orhogbua conducted trade and diplomacy with Europeans, including the Portuguese and the English. The first English traders to visit Benin in 1553 were hosted by him, led by Captain Charles Windham. He encountered several Portuguese and Spanish missionaries who aimed to convert him and his subjects to Christianity. He did not accept their religious mission and declined further meetings. He resisted their attempts to interfere with local rites and customs, such as burial rites, state ceremonies, and initiation rites. He allowed the few Benin Christians in his kingdom but did not permit them to baptise his children and wives.

Orhogbua introduced native cooking salt in Benin, obtained from the sea or salt pans. He died in 1578 AD. His son, Ehengbuda, succeeded him.

Legacy and descendants

Orhogbua contributed to the expansion of the Benin Empire and the development of trade in the region. He supported arts and sciences, and education and culture. He founded the Eko camp and the Oba of Lagos dynasty in Lagos. He had an impact on the history and culture of other neighbouring states, such as Warri, Mahin, and Isheri.

Orhogbua's descendants continued his lineage and rule in Benin and Lagos. His son, Ehengbuda, succeeded him as the Oba of Benin. His grandson, Ashipa, became the Eleko of Eko. Other descendants include the Obas of Lagos, such as Edo, and Guobaro.

References

Citations

1. ^ Egharevba 1968, p. 29.
2. ^ Asante 2014, p. 152.
3. Mann 2007, p. 27–28.
4. ^ Egharevba 1968, p. 30.
5. Asante 2014, p. 151.
6. ^ Smith 2023, p. 4.
7. ^ Northrup 2009, p. 35.
8. Mann 2007, p. 28–29.
9. Mann 2007, p. 27.
10. ^ Mann 2007, p. 28.
11. Okege 1992, p. 12.
12. Egharevba 1968, p. 29–30.

Bibliography

• Asante, Molefi Kete (10 October 2014). The History of Africa. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-01349-3.
• Egharevba, Jacob U. (1968). A Short History of Benin. Ibadan University Press. ISBN 978-978-121-239-0.
• Mann, K. (2007). Slavery and the Birth of an African City: Lagos, 1760--1900. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-11708-3.
• Smith, Robert S. (28 April 2023). The Lagos Consulate 1851 - 1861. Univ of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-32584-5.
• Okege, Oladipo O. (1992). Contemporary Social Problems and Historical Outline of Nigeria. ISBN 978-978-31951-1-0.
• Northrup, David (2009). Africa's Discovery of Europe. New York: Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 978-0-19-534053-2.
• Nwaigbo, Ferdinand (1996). Church as a Communion. Frankfurt am Main Berlin Bern New York Paris Wien: Peter Lang Gmbh, Internationaler Verlag Der Wissenschaften. ISBN 978-3-631-49853-8.

• 1578 deaths
• Obas of Benin
• 16th-century monarchs in Africa
• People from Benin City
• 16th-century Nigerian people