Oduwa

Oduwa (born Idugioduwa; reigned c. 1112 – c. 1119) was the twenty-eighth ogiso (king) of Igodomigodo, a kingdom that eventually became part of the Benin Empire. He was the seventh son of Ogiso Ohuede and succeeded his father after a brief, contested succession.

Oduwa's reign saw growth in the kingdom's artisanal and commercial activity: he reinforced and expanded agrarian–craft policies (notably the Ugbo Owinna or 'guildworkers' farms'), supported craft specialisms and market networks centred on the chief marketplace Ekiogiso (later Agbado), and maintained royal ceremonial practices associated with these sectors.

He introduced measures that increased the circulation of cowries as currency; some accounts associate this with later inflation. Around 1117 AD, he undertook a pilgrimage to Uhe (Ife), bringing an offering of cowries (five ebigho) following oracle warnings. Toward the end of his reign, the kingdom experienced famine and price instability. Late in his reign, a palace succession dispute (the Uwazota episode) was reported, alongside indications of reduced royal authority during the famine. He died around 1119 AD and was succeeded by his son, Obioye.