All eyes on Edo as the New king of Benin kingdom is crowned today
What came to the known as the Benin kingdom did not begin its existence as a kingdom in the sense of it being headed by a King or a Traditional ruler as it is known today. It really began as a conglomeration of villages, each at which was headed by the eldest man in the community, who was and still referred to as the ‘’Odionwere’” or village head. As time went on, these villages united for the purpose of security against external aggression or for commerce and the most powerful of the old people was said to have automatically assumed the supreme leadership, which eventually metamorphosed into what was known as King or Oba in Edo language. The first leader that emerged to assume the position of the king was referred to as an OGISO. He was described as being from heaven (Oyevbegie No riso). HRH Crown Prince (AMB.) Eheneden Erediauwa Edaiken N’ Uselu, adorned in his graduation gown upon completion of his Masters degree at Reutgeurs University, U.S.A. This is the origin of the title Ogiso