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Ọmọ n'Ọba n'Ẹdo Uku Akpọlọkpọlọ, Akenzua II (7 January 1899 – 11 June 1978) was the thirty-seventh Oba of Benin reigning from 1933 until his death in 1978.
In 1923 his first son, Prince Solomon Aiseokhuoba Igbinoghodua Akenzua, was born. His chosen title was founded on the name Ere, relating to Oba Eresonye who is traditionally considered to be an incredibly wealthy Oba.
Akenzua's descendants include his daughter Princess Elizabeth Olowu, grandson Oba Ewuare II, great-grandson Crown Prince Ezelekhae Ewuare, granddaughter Peju Layiwola, and grandson Thompson Iyamu among others.
Biography
Akenzua II was enthroned as Oba of Benin in April 1933 following the death of his father, Eweka II (r.1914 – 1933) in February that year. Oba Akenzua II was dedicated to the provision of western education for his subjects, theEdo people
The Edo people, also referred to as the Benin City, Benin people, are an Edoid languages, Edoid-speaking Ethnicity, ethnic group. They are prominently native to seven Edo South Senatorial District, southern Local government areas of Nigeria, loc ...
.
In 1936, he began the movement to return to Nigeria
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
the Benin Bronzes looted from the royal compounds and ancestral altars in the punitive Benin Expedition of 1897
The Benin Expedition of 1897 was a punitive expedition by a United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British force of 1,200 men under Harry Rawson, Sir Harry Rawson. It came in response to the ambush and slaughter of a 250-strong party led ...
. During his reign, only two of the 3,000 royal court bronzes were returned. However, two coral crowns and coral bead garment, thought to have belonged to Ovonramwen
Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, also called Overami, was the thirty-fifth Oba of Benin, Ọba of the Kingdom of Benin reigning from , up until the British Benin Expedition of 1897, punitive expedition.
Born circa 1857, he was the son of Ọba Adolo, Ad ...
, were returned to him in the late 1930s by G.M. Miller a son of a member of the Benin expedition, who had loaned the pieces to the British Museum in 1935.
Oba Akenzua II died on 11 June 1978, when he was succeeded by his son, then Prince Solomon, who took on the title of Oba Erediauwa and duties as the traditional leader of the Edo people in Benin City
Benin City serves as the Capital city, capital and largest
Metropolitan area, metropolitan centre of Edo State, situated in Nigeria, southern Nigeria. It ranks as the List of Nigerian cities by population, fourth-most populous city in Niger ...
, Nigeria
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
.
Family
In 1923 his first son, Prince Solomon Aiseokhuoba Igbinoghodua Akenzua, was born. His chosen title was founded on the name Ere, relating to Oba Eresonye who is traditionally considered to be an incredibly wealthy Oba.
Akenzua's descendants include his daughter Princess Elizabeth Olowu, grandson Oba Ewuare II, great-grandson Crown Prince Ezelekhae Ewuare, granddaughter Peju Layiwola, and grandson Thompson Iyamu among others.
See also
* Akenzua family * Princess Elizabeth Olowu * Peju Layiwola * Oba of Benin * Ovia IdahReferences
External links
* 1978 deaths 1899 births Place of birth missing Place of death missing 20th-century Nigerian people Akenzua family Obas of Benin People from Benin City {{Nigeria-bio-stub