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The 1st Whiteman to visit present-day Nigeria was invited by Oba Ewuare to Benin city. The Edos recorded it as a visit by god. This so-called god was actually Ruy de Sequeira who visited the city in 1472 after Ewuare sent Ogbeide & Ogan to the land of gods to invite god. #Thread
The Portuguese had just arrived Sao Tome (1470), Principe (1471), Fermosa Flora, or Bioko & Lagos (1472). Stories reached Oba Ewuare of these mysterious beings from the sea who were believed to be gods. Oba sent Ogbeide the Okhuaihe, a man with mystical powers to invite them.
Okhuaihe who is from Ikpokpan went with Ogan n’Ekhua, an Esan man from Irrua also with mystical powers. They sailed from lkpe village through Orhionmwon River past Ologo town into the Benin River near Koko town. Benin River led them into the Atlantic ocean, (land of the gods).
The two men arrived in Lagos island where they were hosted by a black man who Okhuaihe referred to as his Ehi. The black man introduced them to Rui de Sequeira who was assigned by João I of Portugal to search for the legendary kingdom of Prester John and find a route to India.
From Sao Tome, Rui de Sequeira had early reached Lagos lagoon which he named name Lago de Curamo but he has never heard of Benin city before. So when Okhuaihe told him of the invitation by the Oba he accepted to go but at night Okhuaihe & Ogan were attacked by slave catchers.
The Benin men were attacked where they slept in an attempt to capture them as slaves by sugar cane plantation owners on the Islands but they escaped back to Benin. This attack was referred to by Okhuaihe as attacks by some "Ighele Erinmwin” i.e. denizens of the spirit world.
So without Okhuaihe & Ogan to show the way to Benin, Rui de Sequeira embarked on the journey to Benin city from Sao Tome after reloading but instead of branching out from the main river at the junction before Koko he missed his way, sailed all the way to Obiaruku away from Benin.
Rui de Sequeira abandons his boat & trekked to the nearest big town, Agbor thinking it was Benin city but was disappointed in reaching there. The people of Agbor were not expecting him either. Meanwhile, Okhuaihe was waiting for him at Ikpe by the river to escort him to Benin.
The ruler of Agbor however sent escorts to guide Rui de Sequeira to Benin. The white man who was received as a god by Oba Ewuare brought gifts to the Oba such as the coral heads. There were already beads in Benin but coral beads were finer & associated with Ewuare & his reign
The Edo beads were obtained from the rocks of the continental hinterland. The iron-Impregnated pieces of rock, the commonest type called Ivie are brown. The Copper-impregnated varieties called Ekan are greenish-blue. The one impregnated with sulfur is yellow in color.
The coral beads Ruy de Sequeira gave Oba Ewuare was referred to as Ivie ebo, “the European bead”, while the local one was Ivie egbo, “Beads from the hinterland.” Ruy de Sequeira only accepted hen’s eggs as food from the Oba during his short stay in Benin city. Egg became god food
Okhuaihe who had rushed to Benin on hearing the arrival of the Ruy de Sequeira requested that the Portuguese give its staff & cross (a Christian symbol of authority) to the Oba as a gift. Ewuare & the Obas that followed used this baton which the Edos called Isemwenrigho.
When Joao Afonso d Aveiro was commissioned by King Joao II to search for a route to India & for the African kingdom of the legendary King Prester Joao, he was told about the greatness of a Benin kingdom so he visited Benin in 1485 hoping to get info about Prester & route to India
Joao Afonso d Aveiro met Oba Ozolua the son of Oba Euware on the throne. Ozolua sent Ohen-Okun the chief priest of Olokun (god of sea) at Ughoton with Aveiro to Portugal. The Portuguese interviewed Ohen about the religion of the Benins and if the Benins believed in a supreme God.
Ohen told them about Oghene (God) who was held in great veneration in Benin as is the supreme god. The Portuguese were told Oghene lived to the east of Benin city, a short journey away, & Oghene game the Oba staff, brass, & cross. All these were recorded wrongly in history books.
The Portuguese who didn't understand the worldview of the Edo people obviously didn't understand what Ohen told them. Ohen was actually telling about the most revered benin god (oghene) aka Rui de Sequeira who came from Agbor (east of Benin). The Portuguese interpreted wrongly.
The Portuguese concluded Oghene was King Prester Joao. This encouraged them to sail east. The king of Portugal commissioned Bartholoniew Diaz to sail east in search of Prester. Diaz eventually discovered the bottom of Africa. The kingdom of Prester was later found to be Ethiopia.
