Igodomigodo

Igodomigodo was an ancient Edo kingdom in modern-day southern Nigeria ruled by the Ogiso monarchy.

The Edo tradition of origin holds that initially there was no land on earth. Accordingly, Osanobua requested three sons to descend from the sky in a canoe. One son, named Igodo, created land by pouring sand contained in a snail shell on the water, and Osanobua made him king of the Edo and of the world. Some traditions say Igodo was thought to have come from the sky due to his great wisdom. Ogiso hence means "king from the sky".

Relying on other traditions and archaeological evidence, historians believe that the Edo migrated into Igodogomido from the northeast in the second half of the first millenium CE, intermarrying with the local Efa people and gradually assimilating them to their culture. Some traditions claim that they stayed temporarily at Ile-Ife before settling their present-day homeland.

In Jacob Egharevba's first edition of A Short History of Benin (1934), he says the first Ogiso, Obagodo (Igodo), was the eldest son of Oduduwa. His second edition changed to have the Ogiso as having migrated from Egypt, likely influenced by the Hamitic hypothesis.

The process by which the various autonomous Edo and Efa villages developed politically is unclear. Prior to the consolidation of the kingdom, settlements were ruled by Uzama (lineage heads), who would later fulfil the role of kingmakers in Igodomigodo. A prominent village leader named Igodo became Ogiso, or king, sometime in the 10th century CE, likely as a result of a long process of competition between communities. The General History of Africa recorded the Ogiso as a native dynasty to the Edo. Based on early oral sources, Dmitri Bondarenko has argued that Udo, a town located northwest of present-day Benin City, was the first capital of the Ogiso. According to his theory, this Yoruba city-state was a part of the Ife Empire, and a base from which Yoruba invaders conquered the territory, bringing the institution of divine kingship with them. Some historians have Igodo ruling from Ugbekun, a village southeast of Benin city, where he died.

Regardless of his origins, Ogiso Igodo united various chiefdoms and communities into a single political entity. His efforts to integrate various Bini chiefdoms and promote unity among the people were crucial in consolidating the kingdom. Under Igodo's rule, the kingdom experienced growth and development. He implemented administrative and social reforms that facilitated governance of the unified territory. Igodo's reign saw the beginning of important cultural and religious practices that remained important for centuries, particularly the divine kingship.

Ogiso Ere, the son of Igodo, succeeded his father and worked to further consolidate the kingdom. According to Egharevba, Ere introduced cultural and technological advancements, including the royal throne (ekete), rectangular stool (agba), and round leather fan (ezuzu) through the establishment of Onwina and Igbesanmwan, traditional groups of carpenters and carvers. These attributions are simply copied from the later Oba Ewuare I, however; the two rulers are often conflated in oral tradition. Ere also moved the palace from Ugbekun to Benin.

Queens such as Emose and Orhorho were also significant figures. Emose was involved in governance, while Orhorho's rule was marked by conflict. Orhorho's oppressive reign ultimately led to her demise. Ogiso Odoligie and Ogiso Uwa expanded the kingdom's influence and integrated various chiefdoms. Their reigns focused on strengthening the kingdom's political and cultural institutions. Ogiso Henenden's rule brought stability and growth to the region, resulting in a significant population increase in Benin City.