Written By Prince Ena Eweka Last Update March 30, 2022
The present Enogie of Ehor
According to traditional account, the settlement of Ehor appears to have begun with migration of people from Benin in early l4th century to Okhuen in the present Owan Division of Edo State from whence they settled in Ihievbe (Sebe) Osabogida (Sabongidda), Ivbiato and Ozala. By the later part of the 1st century, Ehor was founded as an outpost by Oba OIua (AD 1473-1480) against Prince Okpame’s possible attack. The story about Okpame, says that Oba Ewuare the Great had three sons - Ezoti, Olua and Okpame after the demise of Ewuare the Great, Ezoti the eldest surviving son was crowned Oba. But Ezoti only reigned for fourteen days because during his coronation a boy shorts him on the forehead with a poisoned arrow. It was claimed that Ezoti starved the boy. One of the qualities of Oba Ezoti was his forgiving spirit. The boy was pardoned for his crime. The band of red, beads (Udahae) worn on the forehead by some chiefs, commemorates the cap used by Ezoti to prevent the bleeding from his forehead.
At the demise of Oba Ezoti, Prince Okpame was dispatched to Esi to bring home Ezoti’s only son Prince Owere to ascend the throne of his father. Unfortunately, Prince OKpame was suspected to have murdered Prince Owere and his mother who were buried alive on their way to City. Although Prince Okpame reported that these people died of natural causes, the Benins held that they were untimely killed where upon Prince Okpame was banished and the Prince thereafter sought refuge in Ora About 1473 A.D, Olua the second son of Oba Ewuare refused the throne as he feared that Prince Okpame (his brother) would kill him. The sister of Olua, Princess Edeleyo, was then persuaded to reign as Oba but while she was on her way to Uselu to be invested as Edaiken, she found herself in the grip of her menstrual period and was therefore unable to perform all the rituals which by custom must have no contamination with such conditions regarded as unclean. Princess Edeleyo had to remain at a place now called Ogbe-Edeleyo for some days, but unfortunately, the menstrual period persisted for quite awhile and this made the Uzama and Eghaevbo to decide that no woman should ever be allowed to reign as an Oba in future. However, every Edaiken visits Princess Edeleyo’s shrine to perform some ceremonies on his way to Uselu after his investiture. In the end, the Chief persuaded Olua to accept the throne and thereafter he was crowned Oba. On the assumption of the Obaship, Olua sent his younger son Ohon to Ehor, as Enogie to keep watch on Prince Okpame who was threatening an attack on Benin. Oba Olua’s eldest son, Iginua, was not popular with the people because of the bad advice he gave to his father. The Oba fearing that the Benin people would not allow his son to reign as Oba after his demise
Uhunwonde Local Government Secretariat Ehor
decided to found him (Iginua) a kingdom. Thus he became the first Olu (Olua) or Odihi-N’ame the founder of Itsekiri kingdom. At the demise of Oba Olua, a republican period which lasted for only three year was set up. The city was pillaged by the neighbouring villages and aliens from other places. The confusion led to the recall of Prince Okpame to defend the ancestral throne. ‘He came, saw and conquered. He was reputed to have “fought and won no less than two hundred battles which merited his agnomen Ozolua N’lbaromi - Ozolua the conqueror”. While dealing with Ehor, it becomes necessary to treat an adjourning village which is about three kilometres away from the parent village - Ehor. As the story goes, it is said that during the time of the war the Ezomo fought with the Ishan people, one of Enogie of Ehor’s sons called Uda was captured but was later redeemed by Enogie who settled him at a place now known as Ovbiehor (small Ehor) which was all along administered by the Enogie like any other quarter of Ehor. Over the years and probably due to political motives a dispute between the Enogie of Ehor and another claimant to the position of Enogie of Eguada-Ehor (or Enogie of Ovbiehor) was brought before Oba Erediauwa who finally ruled that there was no basis for any separate Enogieship of Eguada-Ehor or Ovbiehor) which should remain as part of Ehor.
