Aruan of Udo refers to a Benin mythical prince in the ancient city of

Benin Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its po ...

, born to Oba Ozolua by Queen Ohonmi.

History

According to Benin's oral history, Aruan was a giant who could sweep the city of Benin using palm trees. Sometimes spelled as Arhuanran or Aruanran, Aruan was destined to be an

Oba of Benin The Oba of Benin is the traditional ruler and the custodian of the culture of the Edo people and all Edoid people. The then Kingdom of Benin (not to be confused with the modern-day and unrelated Republic of Benin, which was then known as Daho ...

Kingdom, but the circumstances surrounding his birth meant he lost the throne to his younger brother who was born the same day. Benin Oral history says that Prince Idubor, who later became Aruan, was born in the morning but didn't cry at birth. His brother Prince Osawe, on the other hand, who later became Oba Esigie, was born in the afternoon by

Queen Idia Idia was the mother of Esigie, who reigned as Oba (king) of the Edo people from 1504 to 1550. Life Historians are uncertain as regards her period of life; they do know that Idia was alive during the Idah war (1515 – 1516) because she played ...

and cried first. As compensation for missing out on becoming Oba of Benin, his father, Oba Ozolua, made him the Duke of Udo, a town not far from Benin City.

References

People from Benin City {{Nigeria-stub

History

See also

References