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Prince Ademola Iyi-eweka, Ph.D


Discussing marriage in Edo land would definitely require a definition of the
Edos, especially in view of discussions that are taking place right now.
Who are the Edos?  Where are they located? Where did they come from?    A
lot of theories have been propounded by different scholars and academicians
in this regards.   Put briefly, the Edo-speaking  people are the people who
founded an empire on the coast of West Africa, stretching through the "
whole of the then Midwestern part of Nigeria, parts of the southwest region
of modern Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Ekiti and Lagos states.  The eastern end
stretched across the Niger River into the commercial region of Onitsha.  It
was bounded in the north by the Igala kingdom now Kogi state on the
confluence of the Niger and Benue.  This empire was bounded in the south by
the Atlantic Ocean, and as far west as the ancient kingdom of Dahomey, now
known as the  Republic of Benin, "  ( Introduction in IBOTA: A Collection of
Folk tales from Benin By Ademola Iyi-Eweka)  This empire spilled into the
Izon (ijaw-speaking areas) of Bayelsa and River states of Nigeria especailly
Ogbaland and DIOBU areas of  modern day Port Harcourt and Ghana ( the Gas ).
Remember that the second son of the Enogie of Brass in modern Balyesa state
became the Iyase of Benin.  He is fondly remembered as IYASE NE OHENMWEN.

Chief Egharevba took a shot at the origin of the Edos.   He simply concluded
and agreed with the theory of Rev Samuel Johnson, author of the History of
the Yorubas, who desperately trying to write the history of the yoruba with
UNITY in mind, simply crafted the history of the yorubas in the form of the
HAUSA/FULANI FLAG BEARER THEORY.   Chief Egharevba was wrong.   In reaction,
the Edo nationalistic politician, Chief Oronsaye  tried to undo what he
termed as Egharevba's damage.   He too went overboard.  Chief Oronsaye
taking the RELIGIOUS ROUTE, simply compiled what looked liked fairy tales,
without any proof whatsoever, and turned it into the history of the Edos.

Here is my comment about Chief Oronsaye's theory in the introduction to

" This brings us to the question of who the Edo people are and where they
came from.  Although some contemporary historians, tend to associate the Edo
that theory.  Again, Chief D.N. Oronsaye, apparently using religious motifs,
lumped the EDO with the Greeks, Persians, Medes, Egyptians, Nubians, and the
Sudanese.  He linked the Edo religion to the ZOROASTRIAN TEMPLE of ancient
Persia, the BROTHERHOOD OF BABYLONIAN( CHALDEA), the secret cults of the 5th
and 4th century B.C. Greece.   There is the tradition that Benin City is the
CRADDLE OF MANKIND, the center of the universe, or a place where the creator
God sometimes came down in a chain ladder to get involved in the affairs of
mankind.    This is shown in the title borne by some chiefs.    There is a
identified as modern day ILE-IFE.   They came with legendary Oranmiyan (
Omonoyan) , the father of Oba Eweka I between 1000 AD and 1200 AD."
This group is represented by the CHIEFS EDIGIN OF USE, BAMAWO OF BENIN AND
ELAWURE OF USEN.   Infact Edigin is a corruption  of the yoruba word
OLIGI-THE HEAD OF THE FIREWOOD CUTTERS in Oranmiyan's entourage.   They were
left to take care of the infant boy who became Oba Eweka I.

And I commented further: " We have to point out again that the appearance of
similarities between Edo religious thought  and practices to that of ancient
civilizations of 5th to 3rd centuries B.C or older time is most likely a
mere coincidence.   The Edo language according to linguist belongs to the
KWA group of the Niger-Congo family.  The greatest influence on Edo
religious thought and practices could be traced to the Portuguese, Spanish
Roman Catholic Missionaries and European traders who were very active in
Benin Religion, wars and political systems between the 14th and 19th
centuries A.D."       Besides, religious concept spread like wild fire.  You
do not have to be conquered or occupied for neighboring communities to copy
religious practices of one another.   You do not also need a wave of

R. Bradbury, the author of BENIN STUDIES was right when he wrote the following:
" There are many villages in the Benin Kingdom whose inhabitants have no
tradition that their ancestors came from elsewhere.   Some informants speak
vaguely of general migration from the east and others trace everything back
to IFE---a tendency which may simply follow from the fact IFE is the
accepted origin of the present ruling dynasty.   In Benin City,  certain
wards claim to have been on the spot from the beginning, but of the
remainder say that their founders came from Ife as followers of the father
of the first Oba or at a later date. 

Therefore, despite the diggings by archeologists in and around Benin City,
none had said with certainty that the Edos came from Egypt, Sudan or
elsewhere.  We have the EDO ORE ISI OGHE AGBON (Edorisiagbon) school and the
UHE school of thought.    The Mid-east theory is an attempt to link the
African tribes to the biblical ADAM AND EVE.

history is lost in antiquity-in a mythical time frame work.
and out.  The Edo people people did not migrate en-masse from Sudan, Egypt,
Babylon, or Greece.  It is doubtful if they even emigrate in waves.  Chief
source as P Amaury Talbot, " According to P.Amaury Talbot in his Book " The
Peoples of Southern Nigeria," Vol.II Chapter. Paragraph 6 and 7: "
of Sudanese People began to pour in , first  the Edo ( Benin) and EWE (Popo)
and then the Ibo, followed may be about the second millennium the
earliest Yoruba."    Then he gave his own interpretation-" Perhaps in a more
correct phrase, " The Sudanese, therefore come first-Yoruba, Popo, Edo
the Bantu."   Almost every African tribe came from the Mid-east.   

descriptive phrases about marriage-
" Okhia romwen odo," she wants to marry a husband
want to perform the festival of marriage.

children.    This led to the BETROTHAL SYSTEM where marriage were conducted
with or without the consent of the individuals involved.  Sometimes such
Ikerhan gboto
get married and the parents have accepted the bride as a prospective
families.    Kola nuts and wine are presented    The OKA EGBE of the woman's
family would normally preside over the ceremony.    Prayers are said  and
kola nuts broken at the family shrine.

bridegroom house  about thirteen days after IWANIEN OMO and gingerly hoisted
immediately nowadays in the home of the bridegroom.
husband's house with all her property   Meanwhile the family and friends of
the OVBIOHA, messages will arrive suggesting that there are
will not arrive

Arrival at the bridegroom's house is immediately followed by the ceremony of
bowl and dries her hand with the head tie.  Both the new headtie and the
money in the bowl belong to the bride.     

  to her husband and family.
would be fully accepted into the family.    She immediately becomes married

Christianity, Islam and Westernization has already weaken the Edo
traditional system of marriage  The traditional ceremony,  is sometimes done
their husbands.    Neighboring tribes wanted them as wives.   It made

Ademola Iyi-Eweka 


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Last modified: December 20, 2008