Uselu | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates: 6°24′32″N5°36′51″E / 6.40889°N 5.61417°E | |
| Country |  Nigeria |
| State | Edo State |
| LGA | Egor |
| City | Benin City |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (WAT) |
| ZIP code | 300212 |
Uselu is a densely-populated neighborhood of Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. It is the headquarters of Egor local government area. [1]
Uselu is the site of the traditional grounds of the Edaiken N'Uselu (Duke of Uselu) palace as well as the palace of the Iyoba of Benin. [2]
When King Ozolua died in the fifteenth century, he left behind two sons to dispute the royal succession: Esigie controlled Benin City, the kingdom's metropolitan center, while his brother Arhuaran was based in Udo – an important provincial seat 20 miles away. Neither prince was prepared to yield to the other, partisans soon declared for one or the other, and Benin was plunged into a civil war shortly thereafter.
Seeing an opportunity to take advantage of the situation, the hitherto vassal Igala people declared their independence from Benin and seized a swath of territory to its north. In the span of a week, Esigie found himself confronted with what now seemed like the almost certain fragmentation of his father's kingdom.
His mother, Idia, is reputed to have stood behind him at this time. By serving as everything from his counsellor to his priestess, she rallied the Binis – including many that had previously supported Arhuaran – to Esigie's standard. After dealing decisively with her stepson, the royal pair turned their attention to the Igala rebels. Following a hard fought campaign, Benin's supremacy was restored, and the victorious army – with Esigie and Idia at its head – returned to the capital in triumph.
In gratitude for his mother's efforts on his behalf, King Esigie created a new office – that of Iyoba – for her to occupy. Now ranking equal to the senior chiefs of the royal court, the Iyoba was also built her own palace in the town of Uselu, which was thereafter attached to her title as a perpetual fief. She was the first woman in the history of Benin to have such power. [3]
Uselu Market is among the most popular markets in Benin City, and has up to 5,000 shops. [4] It is also a hub for corporate firms such as banks and fast food chains.
Uselu has high rates of gang activities, cult killings, [5] and armed robberies. In many cases, police response times are unfavorably slow, and usually receive public criticism.[ citation needed ]
Uselu-Lagos Road is prone to flood and residents have contacted the government regarding their concerns, however the issue has not yet been resolved. [6]
Benin City is the capital and largest city of Edo State, southern Nigeria. It is the fourth-largest city in Nigeria according to the 2006 census, after Lagos, Kano, and Ibadan. It is situated approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of the Benin River and 320 kilometres (200 mi) by road east of Lagos. Benin City is the centre of Nigeria's rubber industry, and Palm oil production is also a significant industry.
The Oba of Benin is the traditional ruler and the custodian of the culture of the Edo people and all Edoid people. The then Kingdom of Benin has continued to be mostly populated by the Edo.
The Benin Bronzes are a group of several thousand metal plaques and sculptures that decorated the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin, in what is now Edo State, Nigeria. Collectively, the objects form the best examples of Benin art and were created from the fourteenth century by artists of the Edo people. The plaques, which in the Edo language are called Ama, depict scenes or represent themes in the history of the kingdom. Apart from the plaques, other sculptures in brass or bronze include portrait heads, jewelry, and smaller pieces.
Ewuare, originally known as Prince Ogun, was the twelfth Oba of the Benin Empire from 1440 until 1473. Ewuare became king in a violent coup against his brother Uwaifiokun which destroyed much of Benin City. After the war, Ewuare rebuilt much of the city of Benin, reformed political structures in the kingdom, greatly expanded the territory of the kingdom, and fostered the arts and festivals. He left a significant legacy in the Kingdom of Benin
Esigie, originally known as Osawe, was the son of Oba Ozolua, who reigned in the late 15th century, and his second wife, Queen Idia. He was the sixteenth Oba who ruled the medieval Benin Kingdom, now Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria from c. 1504 – c. 1550. Works of art commissioned by Esigie are held in prominent museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the British Museum.
Idia was the mother of Esigie, who reigned as Oba (king) of the Edo people from 1504 to 1550. Historians do know that Idia was alive during the Idah war because she played a role that led to a great Benin victory. It has been argued that Idia, therefore, was the true power behind the throne of her son. She played a significant role in the rise and reign of her son, being described as a great warrior who fought relentlessly before and during her son's reign as the Oba (king) of the Edo people. Queen Idia was instrumental in securing the title of Oba for her son Esigie following the death of his father Oba Ozolua. To that end, she raised an army to fight off his brother Arhuaran who was supposed to be the Oba by right and tradition but was subsequently defeated in battle. Esigie’s mother became the 17th Oba of Benin.
Benin art is the art from the Kingdom of Benin or Edo Empire (1440–1897), a pre-colonial African state located in what is now known as the Southern region of Nigeria. Primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory, Benin art was produced mainly for the court of the Oba of Benin – a divine ruler for whom the craftsmen produced a range of ceremonially significant objects. The full complexity of these works can be appreciated through the awareness and consideration of two complementary cultural perceptions of the art of Benin: the Western appreciation of them primarily as works of art, and their understanding in Benin as historical documents and as mnemonic devices to reconstruct history, or as ritual objects. This original significance is of great importance in Benin.
The Edopeople, sometimes referred to as the Bendel people, are an Edo-speaking ethnic group. The Edo tribe who predominantly reside in 8 southern local government areas of the State of Edo, Nigeria, are known as 'ÉDO'. They are speakers of the Edo language and are the descendants of the founders of the Benin Kingdom Ogiso Igodo. They are closely related to other southern Nigerian tribes, such as the Esan, the Etsakọ, the Isoko, the Yoruba, and the Urhobo.
Igueben is a local government area of Edo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are located in the town of Igueben, which has an area of 380 km2 (150 sq mi) and a population of 69,639 according to the 2006 census. The postal code is 310.
The Kingdom of Benin, also known as the Edo Kingdom or Benin Kingdom, is a kingdom within what is now southern Nigeria. It has no historical relation to the modern republic of Benin, which was known as Dahomey from the 17th century until 1975. The Kingdom of Benin's capital was Edo, now known as Benin City in Edo State, Nigeria. The Benin Kingdom was "one of the oldest and most developed states in the coastal hinterland of West Africa". It grew out of the previous Edo Kingdom of Igodomigodo around the 11th century AD, and lasted until it was annexed by the British Empire in 1897.
The Bronze Head of Queen Idia is a commemorative bronze head from the medieval Kingdom of Benin in West Africa that probably represents Idia, mother of Oba Esigie, made during the early sixteenth century at the Benin court. Many Benin works of art entered the European art market after the Benin Expedition of 1897 – Four cast bronze heads of the queen are known and are currently in the collections of the British Museum in London, the World Museum in Liverpool, the Nigerian National Museum in Lagos, and the Ethnological Museum of Berlin.
The Benin ivory mask is a miniature sculptural portrait in ivory of Idia, the first Iyoba of the 16th century Benin Empire, taking the form of a traditional African mask. The masks were looted by the British from the palace of the Oba of Benin in the Benin Expedition of 1897.
Unuamen also spelt Unuame is an ancient village community by Ovia river in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. Unuame is about 15 kilometres (9 mi) from Benin City and 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Benin Airport. Unuame is one of the ancestral homes of Oba Esigie's maternal grandfather and home town to some group of Binis. The people of Unuame have remained loyal to the monarch since the establishment of the ancient Kingdom of Benin. Being a part of the Kingdom of Benin, Unuame is at the heart of the tropical rainforest in the southern part of Nigeria, way to the west of the delta of the Niger River and inland from the coast.
The Iyoba of Benin is an important female titleholder in the chieftaincy system of the Kingdom of Benin, a Nigerian traditional state. She is otherwise known in English as the Queen Mother.
Holy Aruosa Cathedral is a church located at Akpakpava in Benin City, Edo, Nigeria. It was founded by Oba Esigie and Portuguese missionaries. It is commonly called the church of the Oba of Benin and the elderly Binis. It is one of the oldest churches in Nigeria, which can be traced back to the coming of Portuguese. Just as every Abrahamic religion has a sacred book, Holy Arousa Catheral's holy book is known as the Book of Holy Aruosa which was written by the "wise men with dictate, teachings, and sayings of the ancient Benin kingdom."
Eki Igbinedion is the former First Lady of Edo State and wife of Lucky Igbinedion, the Former Governor of Edo State. Eki Igbinedion founded Idia Renaissance, a non governmental civil society organization based in Edo State, with the aim of combating human trafficking, including reception of victims of human trafficking.
The Igala–Benin War was a short conflict between the Igala Kingdom and the Kingdom of Benin that happened from 1515 to 1516.
Akengbuda was the thirtieth Oba of Benin who reigned from c. 1750 AD – c. 1804 AD. He was the son and successor of Eresoyen, and the father of Obanosa. He is regarded as one of the most powerful and influential obas in the history of the Kingdom of Benin, as he expanded the kingdom's territory, improved its administration, and promoted its arts and culture. He also maintained a strong trade relationship with the Europeans, especially the Portuguese and the British, and acquired firearms and other goods from them. He was known for his military prowess, his diplomatic skills, and his patronage of arts and learning.
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.
Ehengbuda served as the eighteenth Oba of the Benin Empire, with a reign from c. 1578 AD – c. 1606 AD. Succeeding his father, Orhogbua, the first Oba to initiate contact with Europeans, Ehengbuda expanded the empire's territory westward and eastward, solidifying control over tributary states. He also engaged in diplomacy and trade with the Portuguese and English, acquiring gifts such as a telescope. His death in a maritime storm while returning from a visit to his colony in Lagos marked the end of the era of warrior kings in Benin history, as the subsequent Obas delegated the command of the military to their chiefs.