Benin Artefacts Repatriation Campaign Organisation

31/01/2026

HOW BENIN MIGRANTS FOUNDED OHAFIA

Oral history has it that the founders of Ohafia originally migrated from Benin to Adoni in present-day Rivers State before moving further to their present locations as follows:

Akpo gave birth to Atita Akpo.Atita gave birth to Ezema and Onyerubi. Ezema Atita found Ohafia. Onyerubi Atita found Abam.
Ezema Atita gave birth to:-

1. Ama Ezema....Founder of Amuke Ohafia
2. Ukpai Ezema ....founder of Asaga Ohafia
3. Lokpa Ezema...founder of Lokpa
4. Uduma Ezema *Ohafia ( note the *)
5. Otutu Ezema...founder of Ututu.

Note:-
The asterisk (*) that is marked on Uduma Ezema means it needs explanations.
Ezema Atita as the father of all the 5 children ended at Elu Ohafia at Ugwuegbenzu when the rest settled at Achichi Elu.
From Achichi Elu everybody started moving to their various settlements while Uduma Ezema, though not the first son, remained at Achichi Elu.

Achichi Elu became the last settlement of everybody on the entourage before everyone dispersed to their various settlements.
At Achichi Elu, the name Ohafia was adopted after the visit of Onyerubi sons from Abam.
Because Achichi Elu was the last settlement of everybody , Elu Ohafia became the traditional capital of Ohafia.
Though Ugwumgbo is also part of Elu Ohafia and that was the last place Ezema Atita their father touched last , it was still not regarded as the last settlement.

This narrative is important because of many questions that have been asked like, why is Uduma who is not the first son of Ezema being regarded as the head and Elu the traditional headquarters of Ohafia instead of Amuke that was founded by Ama Ezema the first son.

Let us again, look at why Ohafia is addressed as Ohafia Uduma Ezema instead of Ohafia Ezema.
The name Ohafia was derived when the sons of Onyerubi visited them at Achichi Elu.
Remember that Ezema Atita the father of Ohafia did not reach Achichi Elu their last settlement before everybody moved to their different settlements.
Since Uduma was left at Achichi Elu and their father, Ezema Atita, also buried at Ugwuegbenzu in Elu , the name Ohafia Uduma Ezema became associated with that traditional headquarters where Uduma settled.

What happened to Lokpa?
Lokpa Ezema with his associates did not reach Achichi Elu with others, rather he migrated towards Isuochi as they leave Ibeku.
They finally settled at where we have Lokpa ( Ukwu, Nta) today.

Also Onyerubi Atita with his family did not come with his brother Ezema Atita to Achichi Elu .
Reason, when they crossed Igwu River from Ibeku, Onyerubi‘ Swift entered into labour because she was heavy and about to deliver.
He stayed behind to allow his wife to born before they continue.
After the delivery, they found the place okay for their settlement therefore they settled there. Because they entered there for his wife to deliver, they named the place Abam Onyerubi.

After the child delivery, Onyerubi sent his two sons to go and find out where his brother is and to pass the message of the safe delivery of his wife and also to tell his brother, Ezema Atita that where they are is okay for them, they want to settle there.

When they two sons of Onyerubi Atita came to Achichi Elu, they met the others there.
Onyerubi children delivered the good news of safe delivery to the team and asked them how is this place Achichi Elu?
The team answered them and said , Oha wu afia, meaning they met other people already at Achichi Elu but the people were good to them that’s why we allowed them to live. The words “Oha wu afia” was then coined to be Ohafia. Afia is where different people gather to trade, so them team and the people they met became the different people in the market (afia).

I know you will ask about Otutu Ezema.
Before the arrival of Onyerubi’s sons to Achichi Elu, Otutu Ezema and his associates have moved towards Arochukwu till the place they now settled and named the place Ututu.
Therefore Ututu became a town of her own with a different name from Ohafia just like Lokpa.

Every other group that later moved out from Achichi Elu became part of Ohafia , they all formed the 26 villages of Ohafia.

It is important for us to know our history so that our generations to come will know their history too.
We shall be treating Ohafia history from time to time in this page and in other pages for the purpose of education.

Next time we will treat how and why they moved from Bini kingdom.

By Udumeze Ukwu

24/05/2025

Here’s a photograph of Ologbosere with British soldiers.

General Ologbosere, also known as Chief Irabor, was a prominent military leader of the Benin Kingdom in present-day Nigeria. As the second-in-command of the Benin army, he played a pivotal role in resisting British colonial expansion during the late 19th century.

In January 1897, a British delegation led by Acting Consul General James Phillips attempted to enter Benin City during a sacred festival, despite warnings to postpone their visit. Perceiving this as a threat, Ologbosere led a preemptive strike against the expedition at Ugbine, resulting in the deaths of several British officials and numerous African porters. This incident, often referred to as the "Benin Massacre," prompted a punitive expedition by the British, leading to the capture and exile of Oba Ovonramwen and the looting of Benin's cultural treasures .

Following the fall of Benin City, Ologbosere evaded capture and initiated a guerrilla resistance against British forces, operating from supportive villages and launching attacks on colonial outposts. His campaign lasted for over two years, during which the British employed scorched-earth tactics, destroying villages and crops to undermine local support for the resistance .

In May 1899, Ologbosere was betrayed by some local chiefs and captured by British forces. He was tried and convicted on June 27, 1899, for his role in the earlier attack on the British delegation. Despite his defense that he acted under orders from the Oba and with the consensus of other chiefs, he was executed by hanging on June 28, 1899 .

Ologbosere's steadfast resistance against colonial forces has cemented his legacy as a symbol of anti-colonial struggle and the fight for sovereignty in Nigerian history.

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22/05/2025

The Wereldmuseum in Leiden, Netherlands, is returning 113 Benin Bronzes, looted from Nigeria over 120 years ago, as part of a broader movement to restitute colonial-era artifacts. The bronzes were originally stolen during a violent British expedition in 1897, and while some European countries, including Germany and the Netherlands, are returning them, the British Museum has refused to do so due to legal restrictions. The Dutch museum has previously restored artifacts to Indonesia, Mexico, and the U.S. and hopes this latest effort will inspire more institutions to follow suit. Some bronzes will remain in Leiden on loan, while the rest will be shipped to Lagos, with plans for a dedicated museum in Benin City.

04/04/2025

I pray you watch this video and listen to the message without sentiment and bias.

I pray too that you understand the consequence of having clueless leaders, liability leaders, unhealthy leaders, corrupt leaders, feeble leaders without strength nor energy as your uppermost leaders.

I personally adopt all he said because all he said are nothing but the truth.

Please settle down and listen

10/03/2025

An explosive 60 minutes interview with Elder Michael Odeh Anderson, the president of BARCO www.barcobenin.org

Please sit back and enjoy it

https://www.youtube.com/live/9lHPazcCSU4?si=CaSzVALIbpqFw7Cw

Educating people about the values of State and the future role of traditional , midwifery, and acupuncture within Edo State's educ...

20/12/2024

The Great Benin Empire:

After the British War with the Benin warriors General Asoro, General Ologbosere, General Obarisiagbon and other Benin war Lords went into a guerrilla warfare against the British and this lasted over 3 years.

The intensity of the hit and run tactics implied by the Benin warriors push the British out of Edo territories, they have to use Pa Obaseki as an administrator to govern Edo people before Oba Akenzua, the son of Ovonramen became the Oba of Benin.

Prior to the end of colonialism Nigerians started agitating for independent but nobody was bold enough to put this demand before the Queen of England or before the British Parliament.

After so many back and forth from the Nigerians, both the Northerners, Hausa/Fulani, the Yoruba and Igbos, there was nobody with strong heart to bell the cat 🐈.

Even the Yoruba who claimed to be the Emilokan today, or the Fulani who said they own the leadership power or the Igbos who cannot stop their cry of marginalisation, none of them were bold enough to demand for Nigeria independence from Britain.

At the end, it was the same warrior from the Benin empire that stood tall with all boldness, having his Edo ancestors behind his back, he told the Queen and British Parliament that Nigeria need independence

And that person is the son of the soil, the great heart of the Benin Kingdom, Chief Anthony Enahoro.

Rest on Father, You Will Never Be Forgotten.

05/09/2024

The Great Benin Empire:

There are lot's of Obas in Yoruba land that actually have their ancestry roots to Benin Kingdom, many of them kept this within themselves to avoid backlash from some Yoruba traditional activists.

The Ooni of Ife originated from Benin Kingdom, Uhe was founded by the Idu people until Ekaladeran renamed it to Ile-Ife. All the aborigines of Ile-Ife are purely Idu people now known as Edo people or better identified as Benin people.

The Oba of Lagos originated from Benin, he started his reign during the reign of Oba Orhogbua. Oba Orhogbua was the Oba that founded Lagos.

The same goes to Igbo land, starting from the Obi of Onitsha and some other local Kings in Igbo land. These kings are prince from Benin, some of them were sent there even during the reign of Ogiso dynasty.

The Obi of Onitsha, the Obi of Asaba, the Obi of Agbor, all the Kings in Ikwerre, Eka, Esan, Ukwalle, Itsekiri, Urhobo and Isoko are all from Benin Kingdom.

Ikwerre people themselves migrated directly from Benin Kingdom, they left during the Ogiso dynasty. Not only Ikwerre, there are many tribes in River state are actually from Benin Kingdom.

Don't forget we are talking about an empire here, a very large empire. According to the Guinness book of record and all the accounts of early historians, Benin Kingdom belongs to the early civilised Kingdom on earth.

We are always ready to discuss the history with anybody anytime any day.

Elder Michael Odeh Anderson
President of BARCO www.barcobenin.org

21/07/2024

Drinking my own self made wine, I made this wine in 2022, about 2 years ago

14/06/2024

The Original name of Isseleuku.
In 1230AD when Issele-uku was created by Oba Eweka 1 of Benin as a new Benin outpost,its original name was
Edo’No’Ri’IsI-Ile-Uku which translates to “Edo People in a far away Big land”

The big land in that statement validates the vast nature of the great Isseleuku kingdom which shared boundaries with the Agbor people of delta state today. (This is evident in our igbu-Agbor Annual ritual ceremony during the ine festival).

A lot about the ancient name of Isseleuku has been kept without much publicity,but the first picture shows our ancestral bronze mask given to Obi Oligbo by Oba Esigie and the name Edo’No’ri’isi-ile-uku’ written round it on the walls of one of the palace courts in Isseleuku royal palace.

Although that particular structure gave way for the new palace hall,the hall itself also shown in the picture gallery has the same term and royal mask intertwined.

Now the million dollar question is;if Isseleuku was not originally a Benin distant town,how did it get such a name?

If we met people on ground,what was the name of their town?

Who was their leader?

Where are the relics of the leaders then?(palace or paraphernalia)?

Where are their offsprings?

The fact that these questions have no answers but if throw them the other way round at us mainting the original Benin history,we would be able to answer,shows who is on the truth vs whose back is turned on it.

So much to talk about.
©️Josh Akeh

01/02/2024

Any Edo man or woman who is not ending his or her prayers with Oba Ghator Okpere is owning the ancestors a costly debt...

18/01/2024

Suing our Oba to court is an of provocation against Edo people, but we will manage this with wisdom to avoid internal conflict

11/01/2024

The Looting Of The Benin Artefacts:

As they got to the palace of the Oba of Benin the white men could not believe what they saw, the beauty, the uniqueness, the expression, the values of the Benin Artefacts (the Benin Bronzes). They went back to Europe to fabricate allegation against Oba Ovonramwen, the planned for their illegal invasion of the kingdom.

They came back to Africa to recruit our fellow Africans to do the dirty job for them, the job of illegal invasion of Benin Kingdom. The African recruited soldiers were happy to carry out a premeditated genocide against Edo people, they were mercilessly the main perpetrators of the genocide.

In 1897 the entire Benin Kingdom was destroyed, burnt down completely while the Artefacts were looted from the Oba palace and other notable Kings throughout the kingdom, including prominent chiefs.

Up till today there is no answer to our questions.

Who ordered the genocide against Edo people?
Why was Benin Kingdom invaded?
Who was responsible for the looting of the Benin Artefacts and when will they return them back to the Benin Kingdom?

Support our fight for justice, support BARCO www.barcobenin.org