By Fidelia Nimmons Last Update (December 23, 2021)
The title Odumeben N'Oba means bronze caster to the Oba (king).
The Odumeben N'Oba are given franchise to practise as part of the guild of the king's bronze casters. They were and still are based in a special area of Benin called Igun Street in Benin City.
Here is the story of the first Royal Blacksmith to practise outside of Igun Street Benin City.
Odumeben N'Oba Aigbogun was an accomplished royal blacksmith entitlement by birth. His mother Iyomon was a princess from the royal palace of Benin who met and married Omeike from the Benin nobility in Igueben (north east of Benin city) in the early 1900s. Igueben translates as 'a town of producers of eben' and eben is one of the kings' royal emblems.
Prince Aigbogun
Even though, Prince Aigbogun was born and bred in Igueben, his outstanding blacksmithing skills were accepted by the royal palace at Benin and in 1950, he was conferred with the title Okan-eben Osangue by Oba Akenzua II. Only blacksmiths with a franchise from the Guild of Benin Royal Blacksmiths were entitled to practise as bronze casters. The penalty for breaking this was execution in the old kingdom. The penalty remains severe to this day and no one would dream of breaking this tradition.
Odumeben N'Oba Prince Aigbogun died in 1964 leaving his title Osangue to one of his younger sons. As this is not a hereditary title his first born son did not have an automatic right to inherit it. His first born son inherited his chieftain title.
Odigie, Prince Aigbogun's younger son, enjoyed working the Okwe, fire forge blower, for his father than going to farms. During the day he worked hard at this and in the evenings he joined scholars studying their school work. Prince Aigbogun had not wanted Odigie to go to school because he wanted him to help in the workshop on producing items like cutlasses and dame guns which were lucrative items. One day in 1950 Benin Palace Chiefs arrived from Benin Palace with 7 Ebens and Adas for restoration work. Due to the delicacy and attention to fine details that had to be paid to the works, they had to return several weeks later for collection. The first time they arrived only 4 out of 7 were ready. The only option was to return for the remaining 3 at a future date. Several weeks later they picked up the remaining 3 Ebens and Adas. Oba Akenzua 11 was so impressed with the restoration work, they were simply a marvel that he conferred the title of Osangua on Prince Aigbogun to be given to him on the Benin Chiefs' next visit to Igueben. Prince Aigbogun who already had a Chieftain title asked the chiefs if his son who helped him with the Okwe fireworks during the restoration work could inherit it after him. Only the Oba could authorise this. Hearing from the chiefs the Oba agreed and authorised that his son could inherit the title after him.
In spite of this title Odigie's mother was opposed to her son not attending school so she took the matter before the community elders who agreed that Odigie would produce better cutlasses and dame guns with knowledge, skills and understanding he would gain from school. And so it was decided that he should go to school immediately and help his father in the evenings and during the holidays. His entitlement to the title of Osangue was and is irrevocable. This title was recorded in the Benin Palace Records Book in 1950.
Odumeben N'Oba Prince Aigbogun's descendants may practise as bronze casters should they wish. This entitlement is by birth as skills are passed down from generation to generation. In the modern era, anyone without a birth entitlement wishing to practise as a bronze caster can do so by gaining a recognised certificate as member of the Guild of Benin Royal Blacksmiths. Training for this takes many years.
Bronze casting continues to be used as a communication art form to record events, capture people's achievements for posterity and for aesthetic purposes. Many people use bronze sculptures to decorate their houses and to show off their opulence. Carved wood and terracotta sculptures are also used for the same purposes.
This is one of the legacies of the Warrior Kings of Great Benin Empire.
Fidelia Nimmons is Grand daughter of Odumeben N'Oba Prince Aigbogun
