Lesson plan
Owodo
Owodo ( , ) was the thirty-first ('King') of the pre-imperial Benin kingdom of Igodomigodo and the last ruler of the Ohuede dynasty, succeeding his father, Arigho. According to traditions recorded by historian Osarẹn Ọmọregie, his rule began during recovery from a prolonged famine but was dominated by palace factionalism, disruptive attacks from and a high-profile domestic scandal that led to the exile (and, in some accounts, the attempted execution) of his son Ikaladerhan. Conflict with the ('Great Nobles') and public outrage after Owodo struck and killed a noble's pregnant widow, an act considered under the kingdom's law and punishable by deposition, prompted an emergency council meeting to declare him unfit to rule. He was deposed and exiled to Ihinmwirin, where he died in obscurity three years later. His removal ended the Ohuede dynasty and the Ogiso era. It paved the way for the arrival of Prince Oranmiyan from Ile-Ife and the establishment of the Oba monarchy by Oranmiyan's son, Eweka I.
Article summary
Owodo ( , ) was the thirty-first ('King') of the pre-imperial Benin kingdom of Igodomigodo and the last ruler of the Ohuede dynasty, succeeding his father, Arigho. According to traditions recorded by historian Osarẹn Ọmọregie, his rule began during recovery from a prolonged famine but was dominated by palace factionalism, disruptive attacks from and a high-profile domestic scandal that led to the exile (and, in some accounts, the attempted execution) of his son Ikaladerhan. Conflict with the ('Great Nobles') and public outrage after Owodo struck and killed a noble's pregnant widow, an act considered under the kingdom's law and punishable by deposition, prompted an emergency council meeting to declare him unfit to rule. He was deposed and exiled to Ihinmwirin, where he died in obscurity three years later. His removal ended the Ohuede dynasty and the Ogiso era. It paved the way for the arrival of Prince Oranmiyan from Ile-Ife and the establishment of the Oba monarchy by Oranmiyan's son, Eweka I.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.