Ogiso
The founding of the kingdom: Igodo or Obagodo established the kingdom in the sense that it was during his period the components of Benin were united and formed into a central Administrative Unit.
Establishment of good government and the guild system: His successor Ere (who incidentally was a grandson brought in fair laws and established the guild system for which the Edo people are still known. It is to his credit that the palace system was organized and established from which its present form has evolved.
Primogeniture law: Orire brought about the primogeniture law, which lasted more than one century. During ogiso Ighido, this law broke down as a result of palace rivalries. It got into a chaotic situation at a time, and this gave rise to the saying that “ogiso will only summon the council meeting whenever there is trouble” (Ogiso Mamie Emwen Ei Fiagba”). This situation remained for nearly two centuries when Ogiso Oriagba re-established the primogeniture laws. This brought stability once more to state. The guild system was re-established, and all the arms of the government were re-kindled.
Establishment of Benin Army:The stable situation of the state brought about the formation of the Benin Army during the reign of Ogiso Odoligie. A class of people known as “Iyokuo”-the warriors– was established.
Inflation and subsequent currency reforms: During the reign of Ogiso Ohuede, there was severe inflation. Other pestilences followed. People counterfeited the coins of the realm by bringing illegal money into the country. What happened was that people suddenly discovered a large number of cowries (which was the then known coin or money in use) and after that flooded the country with it. The attendant result was inflation. When Ogiso Obioye came in as ruler, he harnessed the whole currency by nationalizing cowries wherever they were in private hands or with the state. This money became scarce, and its value restored. It is this state of affairs which gave rise to the expression “a valuable article purchased with Obioye’s Coin”. Ogiso Obioye, therefore, was the first king who reformed the currency.
The Plight of Ikaladerhan: The last Ogiso (Owodo) brought a lot of stresses and hardship on the nation he was incompetent. He more or less fell back to the habit of not summoning the state council meeting unless there was trouble. He was preoccupied with the primogeniture law especially as he had only one son who he thought might die before him which might leave him without a successor. This obsession drove him to consult the oracle as to how he might have more male Children who might succeed him. In the end, the tragic episode of Ikaladerhan’s banishment came into our history. However, Ikaladerhan by a change of fortune eventually emerged at Uhe (or Ife) as a king with the appellation Ododuwa derived from the Benin word “Imaghidoduwa or Imadoduwa” which is an exclamatory word “I have not missed the path to prosperity” a reminiscence of his surprise at his emerging as a king in a strange land after having left as a refugee.
