QUESTION: Jacob Egharevba caused this misinterpretation of Benin history but what is confusing is that in his book titled Short History of Benin was purportedly reviewed by the Oba of Benin, Oba Eweka II (ie read to him by the then edaiken). Is it therefore safe to say the king himself affirmed the works of the late historian despite the errors?

RESPONSE:

Jacob Egharevba had his sentiments been that not only where he grew up but he was a self confessed member of a certain ROF. A historian is also a human being he has his sentiments.

Although Egharevba's book is not perfect because of the imperfections of man but he tried. His book is great because of his sources but unfortunately his sentiments as a human being came to play in some areas.

Coming to what you said I will like to point this out:

1. When he gave his manuscript (Ekhere) for approval to Oba Eweka, he was advised him to edit or remove some materials but he didn't.

2. When both Ekhere and the first edition of Short History were
published, he was challenged by many people, who criticized the
book for either distortion or bias towards the reigning dynasty.

3. The late Chief D.N. Oronsaye (1914-1996) claims to have been one of those who accused Egharevba of distorting Edo history before the revised and enlarged Short History in 1953.

4. Egharevba himself alleged and acknowledged that he was accused of some bias in his work, especially in light of the political crisis that engulfed Benin in the late 1930s and early 1940s, ie the period of his publication.

See
- A Comparison of Jacob Egharevba's "Ekhere Vb Itan Edo" and the Four Editions of Its English Translation, "A Short History of Benin" Author(s): Uyilawa Usuanlele, Toyin Falola
Source: History in Africa, Vol. 25 (1998), pp. 361-386

TO CONTINUE:

1. The old story of Egharevba been a ‘Benin chief’ (therefore some kind of ’final’ authority ) is both stale and incorrect.

So because he is a chief makes all what he wrote perfect?

The late pa Oronsaye was also a chief in the palace. The late pa Edebiri was not only a chief but high ranking Chief an Esogban one of the four cardinal of chiefs of the Eghaevbo N'Ore or state 'Executive Council Chiefs but not everything that he wrote or said in his interviews are irrefutable.

The epa that wrote the book The History of Benin: Ogiso Dynasties, 40 BC - 1200 AD. Pa Osayomwanbo Osemwegie Ero is also a chief.

The Enowaen that wrote the book Uzama and The Benin monarchy chief Sam Odiyi Udiniyiwe Igbe is not only a chief but a very high ranking Chief an Iyase the head of Eghaevbo N'Ore chiefs.

The man that wrote Benin Monarchy Origin and development by name Ena Basimi Eweka is a prince a scion of Oba Eweka1.

The epa that wrote the chapter three of the book The Benin Monarchy An Anthology of Benin History published by Oba Ewuare II, Prof. Uyilawa Usuanlele, is not only a professor in the history department at the State University of New York but a prince so he is an knowledgeable in this field as trained and qualified historian and as a Benin prince. The chapter is titled ‘EKALADERHAN, ODUDUWA, ORANMIYAN AND THE TRANSMUTATION OF A DYNASTY’. Take a read.

As a matter of fact Usuanlele the ancestor of Usuanlele family and Oba Eweka II are sons of Oba Ovonramwen.

The current Oba of Benin the custodian of Benin history also published a book which I cited earlier, so what is so flawless about chief Egharevba that every other Benin authors of Benin history including His Majesty the Oba of BENIN should be disregarded?

2. With all due respect to late chief Egharevba a respected Benin historian, it appears what you guys want is to hold on to what he wrote uses as foothold to dismiss other respected authors of Benin history. To hold on to Egharevba’s misleading recant on the origin of the Eweka dynasty on the premise that the said Egharevba is a “Benin chief“ is preposterous.

He was not the custodian of Benin history nor did he have final — and as we find out and as he was even challenged at the time and counselled by Oba Eweka II at the time— or even correct say.

Only the Oba has such powers as the final say on Benin history not the late chief Egharevba, with all due respect to him.

3. If certain sections of pa Egharevba's book was not refuted why was he challenged by many Edo people and accused of some level of bias regarding the reigning dynasty by including his fellow chiefs such as chief Oronsanye?

4. Pa Egharevba himself alleged in one of his books that he was accused of bias regarding the reigning dynasty in his work “Itan Edagbon Mwen "A History of My Life", is an autobiography written in Edo by Chief Jacob Uwadiae Egharevba.

So what are you talking about that?

5. The Yorubas that claimed it was around the 1900s that Oduduwa (ie the story of Ekelederhan turned Oduduwa) came up ought to also remember that their claim that Oduduwa no longer came from Mecca but either descended with a chain or migrated from Oke Ora came up as absurdly late as the 1970s, earlier documented accounts of Oduduwa prior to the 70s had it that he migrated from Mecca.

So what exactly is this cherry picking all about?

So the issue here should be geneological, historical both oral and documented sources and other evidences pointing to Oduduwa migrating from Mecca, Oke Ora or been thesame person as Ekelederhan.

Point of correction all Benin has never been in any superiority with anyone. To a Benin, the facts speaks for itself. We have nothing to prove.

Yet, the last time I checked it is Yorubas that are guilty of superiority contest by littering social media with spurious claims that they conquered Benin - a silly claim which is not in any documents history of both Yoruba and Benin regarding how Oromyan came to Benin.

Both accounts agrees that the Benins in desiring a ruler or a return to monarchial rule went to Ife.

Also, from the time of Eweka I to Ovonramwen, there was no history of the origin of the monarchy of Benin documented as such. Not even the Portuguese wrote anything about the origin of the dynasty of Benin.

So the documented accounts of Yoruba and Benin history by historians from both ethnic groups started almost the same time.

So then what are you talking about? Was the history of Oduduwa in Yoruba not first documented by Yorubas in the late 19th to early 20th century?

So why is Benin an exception?

So my question (to your question) is when chief Egharevba gave his manuscript for approval to Oba Eweka II, did the king not advise him to edit or remove some materials, which he Egharevba then somehow failed to do?

So this picture that you are painting that the Oba was nodding in approval to all what Egharevba wrote is far fetched. I have already provided you with a clear picture that his version was considered false and incorrect by both the palace and actual Edo Benin scholars of the era.

- ANSWER PROVIDED BY Samuel Igbinosa Nomamiukor
- question was posted by a random and edited for clarity and decorum by AoU

CODA, added by PROFESSOR PAUL OSA IGNINEWEKA :

There were nothing so bad in Egharevba's Short History of Benin. If you have a copy, treat with the latest edition before he passed on. Egharevba wrote about Benin history because he was in-between the two tribes as Edo-N'Ẹkuẹ. Doing so at all was not bad, what is left is to correct the areas not well written from available facts based on the laws of historical evidence. Simply saying that Egharevba caused the misconception or misinterpretation is not true to type. I have read some who referenced Egharevba and drew their conclusions from what Egharevba never said in his book. The Yoruba never had it first from their own book that Benin requested from the Ooni of Ife Oduduwa to send a King to rule Benin. It was from Egharevba they saw it, though the hinted fact was never detailed enough as to capture what actually happened, but the Yoruba historians added flesh to the skeletal hints of Egharevba. Because Egharevba had skipped some facts to the time of Oduduwa sending Oranmiyan to Igodomigodo (Benin). Which today is casting blame on Egharevba rather than the Yoruba historians that distorted the main plank of the history. Whatever happened to Egharevba to save his Thesis before his Supervisory authority was part of his later confession over those lapses. The fabricators had become authority in history with dishonesty.

That does not preclude the fact that the foreign international bilateral relationship with Benin were not recorded in the archives of the European countries? Such existed before the first University College Ibadan was established. Therefore, such records superceded whatever historical authority being wielded by the Yoruba historians.

The deliberate denial or jettisoning of the Ogiso dynasty in Igodomigodo and the relationship with the Ugboland territories where Ife was one of the sixteen communities of Ugboland should be called to question to debunk all historical dishonesty being portrayed by the Yoruba historians.

For example where Egharevba never concluded the fate of Ekaladerhan, some Yoruba historians and few others went ahead and concluded that the fate of Ekaladerhan ended at Ughọtọn. Egharevba never concluded so.