OUR SERIES ON THE EDOID PEOPLE CONTINUE TODAY...Our focus today is simultaneously on the Ihievbe( Sebe) and Otuo people of Owanland.
(1) IHIEVBE PEOPLE:
Ihievbe is a major clan in Owan East Local Government Area,in the northern part of Edo state, Nigeria. The clan has a population of approximately 50,000 people. Ihievbe has seven villages which are: Otua, Okhuame, Iyaba, Ugba, Emabu, Ekhueye and Owoe villages.
Close neighbours of Ihievbe include, Warake, Ivbiaro, Afuze, Otuo, Igue and Agor. The people speak Owan as the native language, and English as the common language. The people of Ihievbe are either Christians or Muslims, but like most African communities, there exist a few percentage of them that practices traditional religion. Their subsistence is mostly based on agriculture and animal husbandry.
According to Emmanuel Isuku, Ihievbe was founded by Oboh – the brother of uzuambi who was the founder of EMAI KINGDOM about 1478AD. Both Oboh and Uzuambi are children of Prince Imaa the son of the 1st Edaiken of Uselu-Crown Prince Kuoboyuwa the son of Oba Ewuare of the great Benin kingdom. Uzuambi or Oyaibi later had three sons- Owuno( Ovbiomu),Oruamen( Evbiamen) and Uulelekpen( Uule) who together with their uncle Uanhumen( Uanhumi) make up the Emai kingdom of present day Owan East local government Area. Their first abode was at Uokha( an older settlement founded by another emigrant benin prince-Omon).Due to some misunderstandings between Uzuambi and Oboh his junior brother,they parted: Uzuambi went westward and Oboh went northward to settle in ugbido (a place now between Ihievbe and Ihievbe-Ogben. Though they parted,the misunderstanding is not grave enough to erode the relationship between Ihievbe and Emai. Both are the closest allies in Owan. There is a saying in Owan" Aigbi Emai kpi Ihievbe( meaning,you cannot attack Emai and hoped to make Ihievbe as ally). Oboh had two biological sons: Ojabor – the eldest and Ojekpenkhare, and one adopted son called Ikhuohie. The descendants of Ojabor founded Otua and Okhuame villages. That of Ojekpenkhare founded Ivbiele (now called Iyaba), Ugba and Emabu villages. Ikhuohie’s defendants founded Ekhueye and Owoe villages.
Together, they lived in Ugbido, Otua village having the staff of authority which was used to name oba. Without the staff, the oba was powerless. In short, Otua village produced oba (ruler) from the beginning and they until this day begin the ugongon festival (a festival done by young boys ages 19 – 22 transiting into manhood) which lasts for four months (from December to March).
After several generations of living in ugbido, the Illorin yoruba and the Nupe warriors invaded the clan and its environs. Ihievbe people began to plan on how to live ugbido since it was no longer safe. The ije (chiefs) met to discuss on where to go. Otua suggested they should move northward while the rest villages suggest they should move southward. It came to a time when the argument became tough, the other villages and part of otua went southward while the other part of otua went north of ugbido and settled in the cemetery of Ihievbe. They were now called Ihievbe-ogben, meaning Ihievbe cemetery.
Though they separated, they kept relating with each other. Ihievbe-ogben was in possession of the staff of authority, so they chose and produced oba (kings).
A time came when Ikhua, an ukoh then needed the tributes of the rest villages of Ihievbe. He sent one of his ukor (messengers) called Okhai to go to Ivbiele and bring for him, their tributes. The ukor agreed to embark on the journey but brought to the notice of the oba that the people may not believe he was sent by the oba. In order for the people to believe the ukor, the oba gave him his staff of authority. Away to Ivbiele, Okhai went with the staff and never returned with it again. Instead, he married an Ivbiele woman who bore him four sons who were Uwadia, Ifa, Airuwujuan and Ore. The ukor named himself as ruler. Hence changing the oba dynasty to ukor dynasty.
The ukor confined on his four sons the royalty. These four sons now formed the four royal lineages in Ivbiele today. They rule today from Uwadia’s lineage (the eldest) to Ore lineage (the youngeast) and back to uwadia’s lineage.
The Ihievbe people despite the adulteration of Christianity and Islam in their ways of life are still largely benin people in practically everything. Language,culture,customary values,mores etc.
(2) OTUO PEOPLE:
Otuo is one of the major Clans in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. Located on Latitude: 7.00691 and Longitude: 6.00522 with Postcode (ZIP): 313107, Otuo is surrounded by a mountainous terrain with a climate comparable with that of a rainforest zone which promotes the growth and development of a very rich biodiversity. The natives are mainly involved in agriculture, weaving, pottery and blacksmithing.
Otuo is believed to have been founded by a group of Benin warriors by the Oba of Benin Kingdom when they had inter tribal wars. The Benin people build motes to prevent invaders from entering Benin city. They appointed 12 men to go to Edo north and get lumps of palm oil which they would pour along the motes to attract white ants which would prevent invaders from coming into Benin. These 12 men ran several errands for the Benin dynasty then, but with time, they saw the futility of the errands, and saw their continuous use in this manner as anti-ethical . So when they went on one of the errands, they never returned. They decided to make the place where there was abundance of palm trees their abode. That abode is present day Otuo.
These 12 men are believed to have formed groups and quarters like :Amoya, Ohigba, Oluma, Amoho, Olila, Orake, Obo, Uree, Imafen, Iyeu, Iziokhai, Ighera, Ugba etc. These quarters represents the twelve men from Benin. To decide the head quarter among the twelve, a contest was decided between Oluma and Olila. Both men were told to go to the market place to test their strength.
The test was for both to throw javelin and if it hit anybody,the thrower will pay for the injury or fatality: and if did not hit anybody, the thrower wins leadership of the clan. Oluma threw his javelin and it did not hit anybody in the first and only throw and he became the leader of the twelve quarters. Olila was not happy with this development because he was never given a chance to throw his javelin.
Olila eventually suggested that Obaship should be rotational, rather than being hereditary, among six quarters in Otuo. The other six quarters would be assistants. This arrangement was agreed on by all till date. The first Oba from Otuo land is Chief Akhiome from Oluma quarters.
Traditionally, the people of Otuo believe that people must not die early but live to be 80 years and above. If anybody die before the age of 80, the people of Otuo will consult their deity to see the cause of death. The deity is called Aremina. They would cut the hair,finger nails, and cloth of the deceased and take it to the deity to find out the cause of death.
There are many festivals in Otuo that includes Ohen and Oko. The festivals are normally done on market days known as the Ewo market day.
Women who have seven children in Otuo are called Ogbewe or Agbisi. There is a festival for such women which involve the use of pig.
Close neighbors of Otuo include Igwe-Oke, Ikao, Ikhin, Iru-Oke, Levbu-Ake, Igwe-Sale
