21/03/2024
[3/19, 2:31 PM] Daddy 2: AGHO OGBEIDE OYO (A.K.A OBASEKI)
THE BRIDGE BUILDER THAT TOOK ANCIENT BENIN
TO A STATUS OF MODERN CITY STATE
Obaseki of Benin 1889 – 1994.
Iyase of Benin 1914 – 1920
By
FRIDAY OMORUYI
Eguaeholor – Isi
The story of Ago Ogbeide Oyo is that of a dependably, efficient and capable agent of the British imperial regime who filled the vacuum created by the deportation of Oba Ovonramwen in September 1897. He assume a leading role among Benin Chiefs as a result of his foresight of accepting the policies of economic emancipation and embracing education for his wards even when the elites were apathetic to these policies.
Whichever way power is exercised, power provoke envy, admiration; jealousy and at worst retribution and hatred. With the above in mind, Agho dominant position during the period of interregnum won him friends and enemies alike.
Agho was the son of Ogbeide Oyo, Ogbeide Oyo was the young boy taking from Ike Village by Osemwende during his flight from his brother who usurped the crown from him when he was going to Evbokhimwin. Ike Village is in the former Akugbe District now in Isi North of Uhunmwonde L.G.A. Ogbeide became Omo-Ada and later on invested with the title of Arase by Oba Adolor. With the rank of Arase, he was to be one of Ine of Ibiwe Society. It was during this time that Idugbowa was born and put under the care of Ogbeide. Idugbowa later became Oba Ovonramwen.
Agho’s mother was Enohwenkhuen from Okha in Usen District.
Firstly, Agho was placed under the care of his brother Ozuwa after his father’s death later under the care of Ogbomon the father of Chief Eghobamen.
Agho early relationship with the royalty could be traced to the time Idugbowa left his house taking Eghobamen and the children of Ogbomon including Agho to his new abode in Ogangun’s house who was later accused of causing Idugbowa’s illness in 1884.
Agho endowed himself to the crown prince that he was given the necessary human and material resources to start trading to the water side on behalf of the crown prince. The product of trading this time was palm kernel and palm oil. Royal Niger Company was prominent then.
Agho distinguished himself so much that when Prince Idugbowa became Ovonramwen in 1888, he created the title of Obaseki and bestowed it on Agho his friend and trader in 1889. Obaseki title belongs to the Iwegue palace society.
Oba Ovonramwen’s love for Agho did not end at bestowing the title of Obaseki on him. He gave him over one hundred slaves out of the Iyase Okizi’s captives from the Unwakun war of 1891. Long before the capture of Benin by the British forces February 1897, Obaseki had become prominent and wealthy from profits made from trade to the water side and gifts from the benevolent Oba.
Agho was so cloe to Ovonramwen that he was one of the few chiefs that accompanied the Oba to the bush after the fall of the city to the British. It was when the Oba sent Agho to Benin to see which way the wind of change was blowing in the city that he was seized by the British officer Alfred Turner when his identity was revealed.
The first appointment from the British for Agho was as early as September 1897 when Agho and other chiefs were made members of the Native Council Authority by Alfred Turner, the British Resident.
Agho distinguished himself so much that by 1915, Agho was made the District Head of Benin Division with an initial annual remuneration of five hundred and fifty pounds. By 1920 when Agho died, the salary had gone up to Eight hundred pounds.
District Heads wielded a near despotic power as they were in charge of collecting taxes. Supervision of public works also fall under their purview.
To cap it all, Agho was made the president of three native courts in Benin, Ehor and Ekewan.
This awesome affluence Agho found himself made him more influential and to some extent despotic.
It was a reward for his loyalty to the pay master, the British. The Oba acknowledged this colossal image of Agho his Iyase that in June 1919, he gave out his second daughter Ebose in marriage to him.
Agho was a quintessential diplomatic even though he had no formal education.
Agho represented Benin to give the Benin view point on the origin of Lagos that was an offshoot of a war camp established during the reign of Oba Orogbua in the 1550s.
He also went to Zaria to understudy the native administration system.
Agho’s greatest gift to modern Bini was his investment in the education of his children. As at 1916, when statistics of chiefs children in school was taken, Agho had 13 children while the Oba had only 3 children.
Agho’s eldest son WILSON AIGBEDO was educated at Hope Wadel Institute in Calabar. He was employed as a time keeper in 1905 in P.W.D. He later became a nurse in hospital and on retirement became a produce buyer at Uhi.
Agho second son AGBOIFO went to Government School between 1907/1912. He served as a clerk at the P.W.D. He exited public service in 1929.
OSEMWENKHA was Agho third son. He schooled in Benin and after passing his standard six, he became one of the first Nigerian to drive a locomotive engine. He died in 1921.
JACKSON AIYAMENKHUE (A.K.A. EMPERORO OF ORHIOMWON) started school in 1907. He is more renowned for his business prowess.
He established a timber business along the Orhionmwon river bank. It was his exploit in this business that earned him Emperor of Orhionmwon. His business acumen and shrewdness was so much that the Binis then formulated a song to equate his shrewdness.
The song goes like this: EKI AYAMENKHUE LOGHU DO VBEN GBE IGHO MAN YO, IGHO MA RE.
Aiyamenkhue love for education was epitomized with the establishment of Obaseki Memorial School way back in 1935 at Abudu, the school still exist.
Perhaps the most influential of all the children of Agho was his eight son, GIUS IKUOBAOYENMWEN OBASEKI. Born in 1897, he started Government School on February 1908. After his standard six, he went to School of Survey in Lagos. He got his first employment as an interpreter in the Benin province administration. He rose to become a chief clerk before he retired in 1944 and went into business and politics. His business success is epitomized with his purchase of a saw-mill on his visit to the United Kingdom in 1950 at a cost of twelve thousand pounds. The relics of this sawmill can be seen at Idahosa Street, Off James Watt Road, Benin City.
On the political front, be became a member of the Western House of Parliament in early fifties. Agho investment in education still lingers as the Obasekis occupy high positions in their chosen careers i.e. Justice Otutu, Jackson Gius Obaseki and recently Godwin Obaseki as governor of Edo State.
In trying to perpetuate Agho’s love for education, his grand-daughter Deaconess Mrs. Victoria Ogiemudia of the Baptist Faith in 1983 established a school in memory of the family name Obaseki (Gaius Obaseki Group of Schools) at Mission Road. She died in the 1st quarters of 2023. In Benin, Agho built a formidable bridge that has taken Benin from the ancient status to modern city state that can stand its own among its contemporaries.
By
FRIDAY OMORUYI
Eguaeholor – Isi
[3/19, 2:31 PM] Daddy 2: The period of he being obaseki was between 1889 to 1914.
