Benin and Ubulu-Uku in History: The Distinct Statehood

 Benin and Ubulu-Uku in History: The Distinct Statehood

By Emeka Esogbue

Pre-independent Benin and Ubulu-Uku were two independent states and neither of these two was a vassal state of the other as now erroneously claimed on social media The Ubulu-Uku Kingdom was never a vassal state of Benin at any point, not in recorded history at least because the community's history about its sovereignty is definitive.

Benin and Ubulu-Uku continued to share a relationship as two distinct states with monarchs thrust as rulers. What Benin had, Ubulu-Uku had, in terms of the political system. The Ubulu-Uku community was one of the earliest in the political system of Enuani to develop the Onishe institution, saddled with the socio-political responsibility of crowning the kingdom's kings whereas the Issele-Uku king was still being crowned by the Oba of Benin until in recent times. 

The Ubulu-Uku Kingdom presented one of the Enuani settlements with an organized political system since the days of Ezemu, the founder. 

Surrounded by other realms with kings who were actual sovereigns such as Ogwashi-Uku, Obior, Issele-Uku, and Ubulu-Unor, Ubulu-Uku enjoyed near perfection in its political system which kept the people from frequent and alarming secession disputes, leading to an increase in the economy.  

Ezemu was a strong, focused, and determined migrant who according to Ubulu legend, left Afor in present Ndokwa (Anioma sub-group), later settling under a tree from which the community derived its present name to form the Ubulu-Uku. 

He was a hunter of unequal masks a man who was famous beyond his Ubulu domain and became well-known in the Benin and Esan regions. 

In the Benin of his time, the Oba had the privilege of prolonging their lives with "Izo Idayi," something the Enuani people of the time also became familiar with borrowed from Benin. However, with Ezemu, the Ubulu-Uku settlement was one of the earliest Enuani settlements with this metaphysical knowledge. 

It was the fame of Ezemu that led the then Oba of Benin to invite Ezemu who was a great medicine man to prepare this particular medicine for him and others with which they prosecuted wars. Thus, started the great socio-cultural relationship that Benin and Ubulu-Uku would enjoy until it was truncated by the Adesuwa War commonly known as the "Benin-Oborokwu War" in Benin. 

Ezemu would later be coronated as the first King of Ubulu-Uku and was so recognized even in Benin. The story of Ubulu-Uku as a vassal state of Benin is only a recent narration by social media storytellers because both kingdoms enjoyed independent statehood. 

The argument of the handing over of royal staff of office to another state especially Ubulu-Uku, in this case, is not always a demonstration of the subordination of a state to another since it could be done as a mere recognition or support though subordination is usually the actual reason. 

We know that in Ibusa, another Enuani settlement and Ubulu-Uku's neighbour, the Oba of Benin recognized and coronated a certain Obi Ezesi as the King of Ibusa but after a brief reign, the Ibusa Chiefs forced him to go into exile to Ejeme Aniogor where his descendants are still living today. Yet, Ibusa was never a vassal state of Benin. Indeed, the royal staff of office which was recognizably handed to Obi Ezesi never transformed his community into a vassal state of Benin but a relationship of two states, one with higher powers and the other.

While there was a heavy Benin socio-cultural influence on Ibusa with some traces still seen by the people today, the Ibusa community was never a member of the Benin Empire.