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OBA OVERAMI REJECTED THE BRITISH AND ACCEPTED ANIOMA'S OBI OTIEGEDE I OF IDUMUOGO By Emeka Esogbue



OBA OVERAMI REJECTED THE BRITISH AND ACCEPTED ANIOMA'S OBI OTIEGEDE I OF IDUMUOGO
Emeka Esogbue
In the dying years of the 19th c were two great kings of two separate kingdoms that were to eventually become parts of the present day Nigerian territory. These were Oba Overamwen Nogbaisi (1857-1897) also called Oba Overami of the Benin Kingdom and Obi Otiegede 1 (1835-1897) of Idumuogo.
Both Oba Overami and Obi Otiegede 1 shared a lot in common. They were both contemporaries. They were friends. They both hated the British imperialism. They both protected their territories. One had his kingdom bombarded in 1897 while the other died same year.
Oba Overami was the son of Oba Adolo. Upon his coronation in 1888, he was crowned with the name, "Ovoramwen", meaning "The Rising Sun" and "Nogbasi" (Which Spreads All Over). He tried hard to protect his kingdom from the British occupation but did not succeed.
Obi Otiegede Nwadei 1 was a Warlord and Diplomat, well respected within and outside his Kingdom of Iduomogo now geographically located in today's Anioma's Aniocha North LGA of Delta State. Early in life, he was noted for his strong dislike for the British imperialism but he never directly engaged them in any battle. However, he was to give strong support to Ekumeku fighters against the British.
During the Issele-Uku-Idumuogo War, Obi Otiegede diplomatically brokered peace between the two states in 1894, which ended the war and peace blossomed between the two states as they resumed relations once more.
In 1895, the period Benin Kingdom was largely independent of the British and prosperous in trade in palm-oil, rubber and ivory, pressure continued to mount on the Kingdom from Vice Consul James Robert Philips and Capt. Gallwey who unfortunately, were hideously pushing for the British occupation of the empire through series of pleadings they made to the Oba to allow them visit him but Overami forewarned by messengers did not permit the visit.
In the same year, the Oba of Benin permitted Obi Otiegede 1 to visit him as the visit was meant to facilitate the Obi's receipt of his "Ada" (Staff of Office) from the Oba. Thus, while Consul Philips, the British, pushing for diplomatic visit and trade deal was rejected, Obi Otiegede 1 was welcomed by Benin.
Sadly, on leaving Benin that he eventually visited in 1897, he died on his way back at Amahor, within the Ishan axis in present day Edo State in a war that overwhelmed him and his entourage. Overami, on his part, after his Kingdom's encounter with Consul Philips and his entourage had his kingdom bombarded and forcefully taken by the British and also exiled in Calabar.
One of his daughters, Ozie who was inherited by Obi Egbune of Issele-Uku later became the wife of Obi Osemene 1 and gave birth to Obi Osemene 11 of Issele-Uku.
Until in the 1970s when the community was renamed, the Idumuogo Kingdom was traditionally called Ugwu Otiegede.

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