By Barister Simon Abighe.
LAGOS DECEMBER 10TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Members of Urhobo historical society deserve commendation for producing historical records about Uwheru and Urhobo with felicities of literary prowess.However, I have decided to do this rejoinder as there are so many mistakes and wrong assertions in the article.
One is tempted to overlook the mistakes as Erhiurhoro confessed that he got the story from his late father, Mr. Young Udufovwe. It is surprising, however, that a reporter can be so parochial to have based the history of such an important issue that has generated so many disputes for almost a century on one source of information.
Erhiurhoro mistakes on this issue are very fundamental. First, that Ohoro was not part of Uwheru quarters from the beginning. Secondly, that only the Erovie quarter is entitled to produce Odion’ Rode of Uwheru Kingdom. And fourthly, that Ukoro society was the traditional process acceptable to Uwheru people to ascend the Odion’ Rhode stool.
Let me state unambiguously that the issues above were settled by the founder of the Uwheru community before he passed on.
It is common knowledge that Uwheru migrated from Benin at about 11AD with his three brothers and five children when there was political strife in Benin as a result of the sudden death of two children of the Oba of Benin Kingdom. The Benin Kingdom was then known as Edo or Aka.
The Oba of Benin mysteriously lost his two children in a very sad circumstance in a single day resulting in wailing and mourning throughout his kingdom. The Oba piled on the agony of the people when he declared three months of mourning during which he decreed that there will be no burial, no marriage ceremony, no farming, no shaving of bears and cutting of hair, and no sleeping with one’s wife.
Even though Uwheru was a patriotic Benin man he and his brothers found life too hard in that circumstance. Hence he decided to migrate from Benin. He set out in the night along with his children and his three brothers; Amasoma, Utua, and Amatolo through the Benin River. They voyaged until they found themselves in River Niger and anchored at Idah in today Kogi State. They stayed there for a while until the Benin/Idah war which made them seek refuge further down River Niger to escape the conflict.
They moved further in the river until they came within the tributaries and landed in Amasoma in today’s Bayelsa State. The brothers agreed to settle there for the life of fishing. But Uwheru had a knack for farming and decided to go further inland and found a huge dry land where he settled down with his children in the present day Uwheru. They started from the present day Uwhovioro.
He divided the town into five parts and bequeathed it to his five children in order of seniority; Erovie, Ehere, Urede, Egbo, and Ohoro. Up until today, all the quarters live independently of each other on the swathe of Land called Uwheru.
Uwheru- the founding father of the Uwheru kingdom knew from experience that succession and ascendancy of thrones are rife with violence, battle, and upheaval. And so to prevent such fate for his five children, he bequeathed a symbol of rulership known as “Usheriaka,” a symbol of authority to each of the children for them to choose their ruler known as Odion through the Ukoro system without interference from other quarters. Each Odion rules his quarter. And so Erhiurhoro’s assertion that Ukoro society is seen as an ascendancy process to the stool of Odion’ Rode stool of the Uwheru people is wrong. Rather the Ukoro is a process to the stool of Odion of each quarter.
Erhiurhoro’s assertion that “Uwheru as a Kingdom has four recognized quarters, with the addition of one in later years”, is complete heresy.Ohoro has always been one of the five children of Uwheru. Ohoro quarter commonly called Oro Ohoro has always been part of Uwheru. Nobody in Uwheru is contending Ohoro land with Ohoro. That Ohoro is an original quarter in Uwheru is not in contention. The present Ohoro at Patani junction is a village of the original Oro Ohoro close to Egbo quarter of Uwheru, although it is bigger both in landmass and population than the original Oro Ohoro in Uwheru town. Indeed Ohoro quarter not only exists in Uwheru town but their urban lands and farmlands have not been disputed by other quarters. Uwheru people from other quarters buy lands from Ohoro people when they so desire.
Each quarter had children who formed various villages. These villages identify with their main quarters. And each quarter is governed independently of the other quarters by its own Odion. No Odion is answerable to other Odions and there was no traditional stool of Uwheru people known as “Odion’ Rode” of the Uwheru Kingdom from the onset because Uwheru has no single king. And so, Erhiurhoro’s assertion that “The traditional stool of Uwheru people is known as “Odion’ Rode” of Uwheru Kingdom” is grossly misleading
Hence, the villages of Ehere include Agadama, Owarovwo, Uvwriche, and Ogode. Urede has Avwo and Oreba as villages. Oro Ohoro has one village which is Ohoro.
It should be noted that every quarter has its villages and Ukoro ruling houses. Each quarter has its rivers and farmlands over which no other quarter has a say. No Odion from a different quarter can interfere with the affairs of another quarter.
If more quarters are required to vote on an issue affecting Uwheru, all the Odions of Uwheru seat abreast of each other. In other words, they sit on the same side facing one direction indicating equality. No Odion is superior to the others. Hence, the Odion of
Urede – Ediotoma represented Uwheru as Odion during the tax riots of 1927. Odion Ediotome was arrested for instigating the Uwheru people against paying taxes to the colonial masters of Britain and he died in Calabar Prisons. Thus any Odion that is more prominent in Uwheru then represented the people of Uwheru when number one person of Uwheru kingdom is sought for.
After the death of Ediotome, Udufovwe, the Odion of Erovie became the most influential Odion of Uwheru. He was gruesomely murdered by his younger brother, IkineOgbi as was rightly stated by Erhiurhoro. Following the death of Udufovwe, Ikomoni the Odion of Ehere asserted himself as the most influential Odion of Uwheru. Chief Obruche quickly arrogated himself as the most influential Odion of Uwheru after the death of Ikomoni. Chief Obruche was viciously opposed by Chief Odjebor of Ehere quarter. When both could not resolve the conflict, the Divisional Officer (D.O)of the then colonial administration allowed both of them to attend the Council meeting as equal Odions each time there was a clan meeting. Needless to say that none of these influential Odions is known as the Odion’ Rode of Uwheru Kingdom because there was no position called Odion’ Rode of Uwheru Kingdom then. None of these influential Odions is paid by Government as it is done with Odion’ Rode of Uwheru Kingdom today.
However, as children of the same father, they respect the eldest child and in each case, the most senior quarter contributes first when it is everybody’s responsibility to undertake a common task. Up until today, the final decision is based on voting.
However, after the creation of the mid-West region, the Government sought to identify one ruler in each town who will be recognized as the king of the town and whom the government will relate with. They set up a committee to go round the entire Midwest later known as Bendel State. The Committee came to Uwheru and all the five quarters were invited to make a presentation.
It was unanimously agreed that Uwheru has five Odions and five quarters who are equal in ranking and that all decisions affecting the town are resolved by voting and that no single Odion is superior to the others.
When Delta State was created, the Government set up another body to look into the issue again and they traveled extensively throughout the length and breadth of Delta State. They also visited the Uwheru Kingdom.
It was then agreed that to be in a gazette, the person who will be number one in the Uwheru Kingdom should be called Odion’ Rode and that the position of Odion’ Rode of Uwheru Kingdom should be rotated among the quarters beginning from the most senior quarter.
The rotation started very well. The Erovie quarter took the first turn and Iruvwrike of Erovie became the first Odion’ Rode of Uwheru Kingdom followed by Olori Edjerode of Ehere Quarter. It was at this point that Erovie quarter went to court to insist that the right
of Odion’ Rode of Uwheru Kingdom is only limited to Erovie quarter. The case dragged on until the Odion of Urede became the Odion’ Rode known as His Royal Highness, Hivite Ekpikpe Egoh, the Iyowho 1 of Uwheru Kingdom. Today the issue is in the Supreme Court awaiting further adjudication.

Barister Simon Abighe writes from Delta State