RE: {NTH:37637} For the Records - Historical Outline of Umuebu Clan

[Sylvester Ogbolu-Otutu]

"As a result of that resistance by Umuebu, Ukwuani Country was freed from paying tributes to the Bini Monarch."

Dear Chief Abel Emah-Iyasele,

Thank you for sharing this posting.

I have excerpted the above statement from the text that you presented. 

I think different clans in Ukwuani have their own legendary accounts and versions of their armed resistance and wars with the Binis ('Agha Igwuala') as it is usually referred to.

To ascribe the victory of Umuebu as the saviour of the entire 'Ukwuani country' would be considered extremely tendentious - whether the presumed fierce resistance of Umuebu (according to the account that you have rendered) helped to free the entire Ukwuaniland. I do not think this would be accepted, since most Ukwuani clans have their own legends of how they managed to evade external aggression and fight off invaders.

For example, in Ebedei, there are many extant versions of our fighters going into the sacred forest ('Ugboko-Nze') where a legendary stone is found; and the Bini fighters coming there to rest and sharpen their matchetes and fighting instruments at that location, and falling asleep after taking some snuff or something like that; and waking up confused and returning to where ever they came from. Another story that is also told is that as the people of Umu-eziogoli were running from the invaders, some of the grains and foodstuffs that they were taking with them fell on the ground, and doves and pigeons then descended to eat it up, and by so doing, helped to mask the footprints of people who were taking refuge in the sacred forest. Because of this, the people from that particular village do not eat such birds (somebody from Ebedei should help clarify or correct me if I am wrong).  

Having said that, we have to be careful how we ascribe bravery and prowess to some of these legends. Our people often attributed supernatural interventions to why they were able to protect themselves from the invading Bini soldiers. I also think that our warrior cults did not have very many members - since the criteria for joining/initiation was not easy. Moreover, our settlements were very sparsely populated, and as such, a very large number of fighters could never be mustered to fight a large invading army.

Come to think of it, the Bini soldiers - as the soldiers of an Empire or Kingdom would have been greater in number, when compared to our Ukwuani clan soldiers who in all likelihood were volunteer strong-men/hunters who simply rallied to the cry of a battle, and as such could not have been a well-trained and organized military force like what the Binis had.

My understanding - especially against the backdrop of 'Igwuala' the giant being on the side of the Binis - is that our Ukwuani military engagements with the Binis were usually a David vs. Goliath affair, where the presumed weaker force prevailed on account of a supernatural intervention.

Thanks.

Sylvester Ogbolu-Otutu

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2015 16:02:34 +0000
From: ndokwa-t...@googlegroups.com
To: ndokw...@yahoogroups.com; ndokwa-communi...@yahoogroups.com; ndokwa-t...@googlegroups.com
CC: obiaruku-...@yahoogroups.com
Subject: {NTH:37637} For the Records - Historical Outline of Umuebu Clan

All,

Akashiede was an Edo (Bini) extraction. He left Benin Kingdom as a result of constant war, during Oba Edokpolo’s reign.

 

He settled at Umuoshi Quarter in the present day Eziokpor. Akashiede had two wives. The first wife gave birth to three sons: Okpor, Onu and Ebu. The second wife had a son called Ovili. As membership of the family increased, after the death of Akashiede, Umuoshi, became too tight. So the children decided to leave and found new settlement.

 

Okpor, the eldest son of Akashiede became the direct Heir of the original settlement, Umuoshi which was named Eziokpor, after their father. The second son, Onu moved South with his family and founded a settlement which his descendants, later, named Ezionum.

 

Ebu, the youngest son of Akashiede, migrated westward with his family settled at Obi-agbuluga, moved to One-Otor (Obi-ata) and finally settled at the present location, which his Descendants called Umuebu.

 

Ovili, the only son of Akashiede’s second wife moved further west and founded the village of Ovili (Abraka in Land).

 

Umuebu people were always forming a formidable group and were able to withstand external invasions from their neighbours.

 

However, the first settlement had a hostile reception with fierce attack from Urhobo land. The attack/war was led by one Mitoro, a great Warrior from Orogun. By the middle of fifteen century there were series of invasions from Bini, during the reign of Oba Eware (1440). He sent his soldiers to subjugate Akashiede forcing them under his suzerainty or overlordship.

 

Said to be a great man, Eware was reputed to have conquered 201 villages in Ekiti Ibene, Afiamai and Western Igbo taking their petty rulers captives and causing them to pay tributes to him.

 

However, during the reign of Oba Esigie, the prowess of the Bini Monarch notwithstanding, Umuebu, the most powerful and populous of the Akashiede Clan, through its warriors, Agbuluga, Izebu and Adaka-nebe withstood the Bini soldiers and forced them to flee. As a result of that resistance by Umuebu, Ukwuani Country was freed from paying tributes to the Bini Monarch.

 

This prowess of Umuebu culminated in the slogan/rallying cry of “Umuebu Ekule nyini Oba Idu” (Umuebu that could not be conquered by Oba of Bini).

(Culled from Umuebu Constitution)

 

But for Jah......

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