One of the problems we have this in country is that a lot of us do not know history. But I blame the government that expunged history from school curriculum.

I made a post of Oba of Benin commissioning Olumide Akpata’s project and speculated on how Akpata might be candidate of the palace due to Governor Obaseki’s running battle with the Oba which has led to litigations.

I made a point of how Governor Obaseki was following in the footsteps of his ancestor who betrayed the 35th Oba of Benin, Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, in 1897 but some people were here challenging my assertion and I couldn’t help but shake my head at the level of ignorance of history that pervades even amongst those who claim to be educated and enlightened.

Well, here I bring you the story of Agho Obaseki, the ancestor of Governor Obaseki who betrayed the then Oba of Benin to the British.

To reward his betrayal, the British appointed him Prime Minister of Benin Kingdom after Oba Ovonramwen was exiled to Calabar in 1897 until 1914 when the son of Oba Ovonramwen, Oba Eweka 11, succeeded his father to the throne.

Chief Agho Obaseki (died September 9, 1920) was a paramount Chief in the Benin Empire from 1898 to 1914, and then Iyase of Benin from 1914 until his death in 1920.[1]
Background
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Chief Agho Ogbedeoyo Obaseki of Benin, acted as the Prime Minister (Iyase) of Benin during the interregnum (1897-1914) as Head of Administration when Oba Ovonramwen was exiled.[2] Agho was the last of his father, Ogbeide's children. Ogbeide held the Bini Ine title under Oba Adolo.
His family are descendants of Oba Ehengbuda, the Oba of Benin from 1578 to 1604.
They migrated from Benin to Nsukwa. The first Obi of Nsukwa was a son of Oba Ehengbuda.
Agho Obaseki's great great grand father, Prince Emokhua N’Obo was a native doctor and had a power tussle with his brother over the accession to the throne of their father, the Obi of Nsukwa and son of then Oba of Benin, Oba Ehengbuda.
The Ine was the head of the palace society of Ibiwe and was responsible for raising the heir apparent and princes.[3] When he was about 25 years old, he got into some trouble in the village of Iguovinyoba, when he was entangled with a married woman. He thereafter left for Benin City to start a new life and there he met Crown Prince Idugbowa, later Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi who took Agho under protection and a friendship between the two men ensued. A young Agho became a trader for Prince Idugbowa.

Ovonramwen's ascendancy, Agho's trading growth, and award of the Obaseki title

When Prince Idgubowa became Oba Ovonramwen, Agho enjoyed a monopoly in trading palm oil and kernels for European products such as rum, matches, salt, clothing, silks, and other imports. Consequently, Agho brought great wealth to Oba Ovonramwen and himself and was rewarded as the head servant of the Benin royal house charged with settling minor household disputes. Oba Ovonramwen also rewarded Agho with his first wife, Etuohun and granted him the Obaseki title which was then incorporated into the Iweguae title holding society. Obaseki means "the Oba's favour is more valuable than mere success in trade", in 1889.[1] Oba Ovonramwen further enhanced Obaseki's status by gifting him one hundred slaves who had been war captives.

Fall of Benin and change in relationship with Ovonramwen

Obaseki played a crucial role in the events leading to the Fall of Benin from the Punitive Expedition of 1897.[4] He had organized a defence of Benin and accompanied Oba Ovonramwen during his escape from British rocket fire. Ovonramwen instructed Obaseki in April 1897 to survey Benin in the aftermath of the British bombardment. Obaseki was discovered by the British and was prevented from returning to Ovonramwen because the British saw him as useful for the new political order they were to impose. Alfred Turner, the British Resident, appointed Obaseki to the Council of Chiefs in September 1897.

Paramount Chief of Benin

Oba Ovonramwen stood trial in August for actions leading up to the Punitive Expedition, was found guilty by the British, deposed, and exiled to Calabar leading to a leadership vacuum that the British filled by making Obaseki the de facto head of the newly constituted Benin Native Council because of Obaseki's administrative skills and political acumen.

Iyase of Benin

Ovonramwen died on January 13, 1914, paving the way for Prince Aiguobasimwin (later Oba Eweka II) to become Oba. The British authorities, however, broke with tradition by appointing Obaseki, the Iyase of Benin (Chief Adviser to the Oba) much to the dismay of the newly installed Oba Eweka II. Consequently, a power struggle ensued between Oba Eweka II and Obaseki, the new Iyase of Benin. The Iyase overshadowed the Oba under the new British political dispensation and even according to the British who backed him, was 'certainly most dictatorial and arrogant in his behaviour'.[6]

New Yam Festival palaver

Obaseki embraced Christianity in 1917 and consequently stopped participating in palace rituals such as the opening of the New Yam Festival. Since yams could not be harvested without the Iyase participating, hard times followed and the British had to intervene. The Oba retorted that the festivities could not commence without the Iyase's participation and the Iyase, in turn, countered that his new religion compelled his non participation. Oba Eweka II was thus forced to open the festivities without the Iyase, humiliated by publicly apologizing to Obaseki, and in an act of reconciliation, the Oba gave his daughter to Obaseki in marriage. Obaseki now had as wives, the daughters of two successive Obas (first Ovonramwen who married off Orinmwiame[7] while in exile, and now Eweka II)

Death and legacy

Obaseki suffered from Pneumonia and died on September 9, 1920. His sons are Chief Aiyamekhue Jackson Obaseki (Esama of Benin Kingdom) a title held by the richest man in the Benin Empire, Chief Downson Obaseki (The Obaruyiedo Of Benin Kinddom), London Igbinovia Obaseki, Wilson Aigbedo, Agboifo, Humphrey, and Gaius Ikuobasoyenmwen who later became an Action Group chieftain. Accounts of his life and political career are contained in two books 'Obaseki of Benin (African Historical Biographies Series)[8]' and 'The Nemesis of Power: Agho Obaseki and Benin Politics 1897-1956[9]' authored by Nigerian historian Philip Igbafe.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agho_Obaseki

It's likely another history revisionism.

Wikipedia is not credible, it is not even accepted as a reference and with the previous failed attempt to revise the history of the Yoruba who produced the present day Benin royalty and Yoruba Awori's prime place as the original and authentic owners of Isale Eko, Lagos, many people will doubt any account of 'history' from same place

That a descendant of same Obaseki could even be a Governor today shows that the family has not lost its place of significance in Benin or suffered from any wrong proclamation against him and his descendants.

FreeStuffsNG:
It's likely another history revisionism.

Wikipedia is not credible, it is not even accepted as a reference and with the previous failed attempt to revise the history of the Yoruba who produced the present day Benin royalty and Yoruba Awori's prime place as the original and authentic owners of Isale Eko, Lagos, many people will doubt any account of 'history' from same place

That a descendant of same Obaseki could even be a Governor today shows that the family has not lost its place of significance in Benin or suffered from any wrong proclamation against him and his descendants.

If Wikipedia is a historical revisionist site, then point to the site with a more authentic history.

I had to post from a Wikipedia source because that’s the only one I could produce its link so it doesn’t seem like fake news. Aside from Wikipedia, the story of Obaseki’s action and the exile of Oba Ovonramwen is many other history books. So, your claim to historical revisionism is fallacious.

About Godwin Obaseki becoming governor….

An insider whom I was having a conversation with recently, said that when Oshiomole presented Obaseki to the Oba Ewuare as his anointed candidate to succeed him, the Oba raised some concerns about Obaseki because of the history of his family but Oshiomole allayed the Oba’s fears and assured him Obaseki was trustworthy. But I think events since Obaseki became governor has shown that Oshiomole was wrong.

It is claimed that Oba Ovonramwen cursed the Obaseki family and Godwin seems to have lived up to that curse by being a serial betrayer.

Oshiomole trusted him but he betrayed him.

Wike trusted him and helped give him the PDP ticket but he betrayed Wike.

Shuaibu trusted him and joined him to fight Obaseki but he ended up betraying Obaseki and impeaching him.

Even the Oba that gave his blessings for him to succeed Oshiomole, he betrayed him and has been dragging the returned Benin Artifacts with the Oba which has led to litigations.

Are these series of betrayals not too many to be just mere coincidences?

Why always Obaseki?

Penguin2:

If you call someone who reached the pinnacle of his state, and won democratic elections back to back to show that the grace of God upon him is not a fluke, cursed then you just gave a new meaning to being blessed niyen. Forget this idle talk, it is bitter politics you are all playing.

OBASEKI should be careful. Bini will not allow him to drag their Oba like tiger Generator

Airsaylongcome come and read the full history and stop arguing with me.

ipobarethieves:
OBASEKI should be careful. Bini will not allow him to drag their Oba like tiger Generator

Which yeye Oba? Obaseki is real Edo man while that useless Oba is an impostior from iile ife, he will be dethrone and banish to evil forest after election,real Edo know themselves

Penguin2:
One of the problems we have this in country is that a lot of us do not know history. But I blame the government that expunged history from school curriculum.

I made a post of Oba of Benin commissioning Olumide Akpata’s project and speculated on how Akpata might be candidate of the palace due to Governor Obaseki’s running battle with the Oba which has led to litigations.

I made a point of how Governor Obaseki was following in the footsteps of his ancestor who betrayed the 35th Oba of Benin, Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, in 1897 but some people were here challenging my assertion and I couldn’t help but shake my head at the level of ignorance of history that pervades even amongst those who claim to be educated and enlightened.

Well, here I bring you the story of Agho Obaseki, the ancestor of Governor Obaseki who betrayed the then Oba of Benin to the British.

To reward his betrayal, the British appointed him Prime Minister of Benin Kingdom after Oba Ovonramwen was exiled to Calabar in 1897 until 1914 when the son of Oba Ovonramwen, Oba Eweka 11, succeeded his father to the throne.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agho_Obaseki

You supported him last election now, so what has change? Is it because he's against Elu pee 99 or what?

YorubaDemonswag:



Which yeye Oba? Obaseki is real Edo man while that useless Oba is an impostior from iile ife, he will be dethrone and banish to evil forest after election,real Edo know themselves

Becareful bro. Not all things you delve into. Ask Bobirisky who went to Benin to say that the Oba will trip for he or she.

Una no dey tire? Na so una carry fake news of decamping and all about Obaseki in 2020, yet he did not just defeat APC, he defeated Oshomole, Ize-Iyamu, and all their co-travelers.

Oba bini na stranger

Forumites:
Becareful bro. Not all things you delve into. Ask Bobirisky who went to Benin to say that the Oba will trip for he or she.

I misjudged the identity of the person you were responding to, my bad!

YorubaDemonswag:



Which yeye Oba? Obaseki is real Edo man while that useless Oba is an impostior from iile ife, he will be dethrone and banish to evil forest after election,real Edo know themselves

I don't know if you are a Yoruba man or from another tribe formenting strife using a Yoruba moniker, but I caution you to be respectful to the Ọba (gha to kpere baba) at all times.

aswani:


I don't know if you are a Yoruba man or from another tribe formenting strife using a Yoruba moniker, but I caution you to be respectful to the Ọba (gha to kpere baba) at all times.

Oba dey mad? You people are free to abuse others people king but want your useless inferior Yoruba king to be respected.

Forumites:
Becareful bro. Not all things you delve into. Ask Bobirisky who went to Benin to say that the Oba will trip for he or she.

Okay but I stand by what I said,Idu people are free to abuse Ooni of ife right but I'm not free to reciprocate it?

YorubaDemonswag:



Oba dey mad? You people are free to abuse others people king but want your useless inferior Yoruba king to be respected.

Which Benin people abused your king?

aswani:


Which Benin people abused your king?

Izzy omoruyi no be benin again?

YorubaDemonswag:


Izzy omoruyi no be benin again?

Send me a link to her foolishness so me too can abuse and insult her. She is just one idiot amongst lots of Benin people that are respectful to Yoruba Oba's, worth beaoin mind please.

Ba mi fi ọwọ wọ nu, jọ̀wọ́!

Penguin2:
Airsaylongcome come and read the full history and stop arguing with me.

You go and lift Wikipedia as your source?! Are you kidding me? And I'm supposed to take Wikipedia as an authority on Edo history? My friend go sit down joor

Every sane Edolite knows that Akpata is the answer to new Edo

What's a verifiable fact is that Oba of Benin is a Yoruba man through Oranmiyan,that Obaseki is a betrayal is even secondary! Olumide Akpata,Omobayo,Oyegun,Akerele,etc are all Yoruba men, that's a fact!

airsaylongcome:


You go and lift Wikipedia as your source?! Are you kidding me? And I'm supposed to take Wikipedia as an authority on Edo history? My friend go sit down joor

If you are an intellectual like you claim, what are you supposed to do when you don’t agree with an authority?

Dismiss it with the flip of a finger or provide an alternative and contrary authority?

Penguin2:

If you are an intellectual like you claim, what are you supposed to do when you don’t agree with an authority?

Dismiss it with the flip of a finger or provide an alternative and contrary authority?

He who asserts is burdened with proof. You have been parroting that Obaseki's "ancestor" betrayed Ọba. And have not been able to provide proof that that silly assertion. Even the Wikipedia article you seem to be relying on, does not state anywhere that Agho Obaseki betrayed Ọba Ovoranmwen. So I will not engage until you can provide verifiable proof that "One of Obaseki's ancestors" betrayed the Ọba

aswani:


Send me a link to her foolishness so me too can abuse and insult her. She is just one idiot amongst lots of Benin people that are respectful to Yoruba Oba's, worth beaoin mind please.

Ba mi fi ọwọ wọ nu, jọ̀wọ́!

I will find d link and send it to you, I don't know why they're bitter that Yoruba didn't voted for Obi,she started the madness after election and we won't take any insult from anybody.

airsaylongcome:


He who asserts is burdened with proof. You have been parroting that Obaseki's "ancestor" betrayed Ọba. And have not been able to provide proof that that silly assertion. Even the Wikipedia article you seem to be relying on, does not state anywhere that Agho Obaseki betrayed Ọba Ovoranmwen. So I will not engage until you can provide verifiable proof that "One of Obaseki's ancestors" betrayed the Ọba

You know I deliberately indulged you when you claimed Wikipedia is not reliable because I was hoping you would provide an alternative source. Because Wikipedia is not as unreliable as you claim but because it’s not agreeing with your position, you are trying to discredit it.

Telling me that who asserts must prove is balderdash because even in a law court, the Defense Counsel must provide contrary evidence to disprove the facts and evidence of the Prosecuting Counsel.

So, until you provide contrary and more compelling source to my Wikipedia source, the Wikipedia article is our only authority on the subject matter and it subsists irrespective of your irrational emotions and claims.

Penguin2:

You know I deliberately indulged you when you claimed Wikipedia is not reliable because I was hoping you would provide an alternative source. Because Wikipedia is not as unreliable as you claim but because it’s not agreeing with your position, you are trying to discredit it.

Telling me that who asserts must prove is balderdash because even in a law court, the Defense Counsel must provide contrary evidence to disprove the facts and evidence of the Prosecuting Counsel.

So, until you provide contrary and more compelling source to my Wikipedia source, the Wikipedia article is our only authority on the subject matter and it subsists irrespective of your irrational emotions and claims.

Your Wikipedia article doesn't even assert that "One of Obaseki's ancestors" betrayed the Ọba. Show me ONE SENTENCE where that article asserts that.

Penguin2:
One of the problems we have this in country is that a lot of us do not know history. But I blame the government that expunged history from school curriculum.

I made a post of Oba of Benin commissioning Olumide Akpata’s project and speculated on how Akpata might be candidate of the palace due to Governor Obaseki’s running battle with the Oba which has led to litigations.

I made a point of how Governor Obaseki was following in the footsteps of his ancestor who betrayed the 35th Oba of Benin, Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, in 1897 but some people were here challenging my assertion and I couldn’t help but shake my head at the level of ignorance of history that pervades even amongst those who claim to be educated and enlightened.

Well, here I bring you the story of Agho Obaseki, the ancestor of Governor Obaseki who betrayed the then Oba of Benin to the British.

To reward his betrayal, the British appointed him Prime Minister of Benin Kingdom after Oba Ovonramwen was exiled to Calabar in 1897 until 1914 when the son of Oba Ovonramwen, Oba Eweka 11, succeeded his father to the throne.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agho_Obaseki

Binis should stop mutilating the history of Aniomas. The way they claim their princes founded all Anioma communities, one will wonder if all Bini princes only moved into Anioma territory. Who are the other leaders that founded the other Edoid communities in Esan, Edo North and Urhobos? I wonder why Anioma people nowadays don't debunk those lies.

airsaylongcome:


Your Wikipedia article doesn't even assert that "One of Obaseki's ancestors" betrayed the Ọba. Show me ONE SENTENCE where that article asserts that.

You know I don’t want believe I’ve been wasting my intellectual energy on you.

Are you saying Agho Obaseki is not the grandfather/ancestor of Godwin Obaseki?

Penguin2:

You know I don’t want believe I’ve been wasting my intellectual energy on you.

Are you saying Agho Obaseki is not the grandfather/ancestor of Godwin Obaseki?

I've been ignoring your careless use of the word "ancestor". No one refers to a grandparent as an "ancestor". So it's me that has been tolerating your intellectual nonsense. That aside, ease quite ONE reference in your watery Wikipedia source where it says that Agho Obaseki betrayed the Ọba.

airsaylongcome:


I've been ignoring your careless use of the word "ancestor". No one refers to a grandparent as an "ancestor". So it's me that has been tolerating your intellectual nonsense. That aside, ease quite ONE reference in your watery Wikipedia source where it says that Agho Obaseki betrayed the Ọba.

A simple analogy to help break it down to elementary level for you.

After Tinubu was sworn in, who was the first person he went for his jugular? Emefiele!

Tinubu went for Emefiele because he felt his Naira redesign policy was targeted at him to make him lose the election.

All those who secretly worked for Tinubu still have their job - Mahmoud Yakubu of INEC, Yusuf Bichi of DS, etc.

Now, I ask you, do you think if Agho Obaseki had stood with the kingdom and joined hands to fight the British, would the British have rewarded him with leadership?

Again, I sent you a link that you have refused to read and cure your historical deficiency. If you read what is there, you would have seen how he engaged in power tussle with Oba Eweka 11, son of Oba Ovonramwen, who succeeded his father after his death in 1914.

Deal with facts and throwing emotional tantrums and blabbing.

Penguin2:

A simple analogy to help break it down to elementary level for you.

After Tinubu was sworn in, who was the first person he went for his jugular? Emefiele!

Tinubu went for Emefiele because he felt his Naira redesign policy was targeted at him to make him lose the election.

All those who secretly worked for Tinubu still have their job - Mahmoud Yakubu of INEC, Yusuf Bichi of DS, etc.

Now, I ask you, do you think if Agho Obaseki had stood with the kingdom and joined hands to fight the British, would the British have rewarded him with leadership?

Again, I sent you a link that you have refused to read and cure your historical deficiency. If you read what is there, you would have seen how he engaged in power tussle with Oba Eweka 11, son of Oba Ovonramwen, who succeeded his father after his death in 1914.

Deal with facts and throwing emotional tantrums and blabbing.

Your own interpretation of reported facts doesn't make your interpretation a reality. Obaseki did not betray the Ọba. If he did, he would have been outcast and banished from Bini Kingdom. If you don't know how Bini traditions work, keep silent. Have a good day.

Oba bini na stranger