Erediauwa (22 June 1923 – April 2016) was the thirty-eighth Oba of Benin, traditional ruler 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 ...

Edo State Edo State, Edo, officially known as Edo State, is a States of Nigeria, state in the South South, South-South Geopolitical zones of Nigeria, geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As of 2024, the state was ranked as the List of Ni ...

, Nigeria. Formerly known as Prince Solomon Akenzua, Oba Erediauwa's full title was ''His Royal Majesty Omo n'Oba n'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Erediauwa I''. He was succeeded by Ewuare II. Oba Erediauwa took on the title and duties as traditional head of state and rightful heir of the

Benin Empire The Kingdom of Benin, also known as Great Benin, is a traditional kingdom in southern Nigeria. It has no historical relation to the modern republic of Benin, which was known as Dahomey from the 17th century until 1975. The Kingdom of Benin's c ...

when he was crowned, succeeding his father, Oba Akenzua II, in a ceremony held in Benin City, Nigeria, on 23 March 1979.

Biography

Erediauwa was born on 22 June 1923, son of Oba Akenzua II. Before being crowned he was known as Prince Solomon Aiseokhuoba Igbinoghodua Akenzua. He attended Government College, Ibadan (1939–1945), then Yaba College, before going to King's College, Cambridge to study Law and Administration. He joined the Eastern Nigeria Civil Service in 1957 as a District Officer, later moving to the Federal Civil Service where he retired as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health in 1973. For a short period he was the regional representative of

Gulf Oil Gulf Oil was a major global oil company in operation from 1901 to 1985. The eighth-largest American manufacturing company in 1941 and the ninth largest in 1979, Gulf Oil was one of the Seven Sisters (oil companies), Seven Sisters oil companies. ...

. In 1975, he was appointed Commissioner for Finance in Bendel State during the Military Administration of Major-General George Agbazika Innih. Ascending to the throne on 23 March 1979, Erediauwa celebrated his 30th anniversary in 2009. During this period, he several times acted as a peacemaker between politicians. For example, he intervened in a dispute between Abia State governor Orji Uzor Kalu and Tony Anenih, Chairman of the People's Democratic Party Board of Trustees, and resolved another face-off involving Anenih and former

Governor Lucky Igbinedion. Apart from the ceremonial aspects, his 30th anniversary festival was a week long carnival and a showcase of Benin arts and culture, with numerous performances of traditional music and dance, as well as an art exhibition and food fair. His death was announced on 29 April 2016. The statement did not say when and how he died.

Public image

In Benin, the Oba is considered to be the only representative of the supreme deity and is considered a god in his own right. He is believed to be ordained by cosmic consent. This means the people considered him to have the ability to either venerate or curse a community, so although he ruled with respect and kindness for his people, they also feared him. Erediauwa's media-friendly image increased the royal family's engagement with the Benin Kingdom and Nigeria in general. Previously approached with apprehension by the public and media practitioners, the gates of the palace were opened, which normalised communication with the Oba's subjects through a quarterly press conference.

Awards

In October 2022, a Nigerian national honor of Commander Of The Order Of The Federal Republic (CFR) was conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Erediauwa 1923 births 2016 deaths Obas of Benin Alumni of King's College, Cambridge Nigerian civil servants Government College, Ibadan alumni 20th-century monarchs in Africa 21st-century monarchs in Africa Akenzua family People from Benin City