It is worthy of note that the Uneme are said to have descended from five sons in the marriage between Princess Inemi, the first daughter of His Royal Highness Oba Eweka the 1 (ruled Benin between AD 1200 to the middle of the 13th Century) and Ogunola, who was then the Ogieniromo of Benin. These five sons make up the five tribal houses in Uneme today. The twin brother of the first son is the father of the Uneme who settled in Awka. The relationship between His Royal Highness Oba Eweka 1 of Benin and the Ogieniromo was reputed to have been very cordial even before His Royal Highness gave the Ogieniromo his daughter in marriage.
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Bishop Itegboje further narrates in the Book, “On the 10th of April, 1955, I led an ad hoc-committee of Uneme to the Oba of Benin, {HRH} Oba Akenzua 11, and fortunately for our noble mission, the curse was revoked the same day, April 10th 1955, in my presence. Thus, the committee succeeded in shielding the Uneme populace against the {further} destructive effects of the curse. ”
His Royal Highness Oba Akenzua 11 ruled Benin between 1933 and 1978.
The above is not to undermine the reason for the concealed persecution and hatred of the Uneme by the descendants of tribes and clans who perceived them as a threat during the inter-tribal wars the 19th Century.This was when the Uneme were supposed to have made weapons of war for commerce and friendship. These events happened in the days of ignorance and any tribe who had a means of escaping attacks particularly by the Fulanis used such means to advantage. The Uneme were no exception.
It should be noted too that the elders of Uneme who forbade their daughters to non-Uneme men had genuine reasons for doing so.
Bishop Itegboje throws more light on the issue, “Owing to their profession-Blacksmith, they (Uneme) were highly respected and regarded by their customers………..While they (Uneme neighbours) waged war between themselves freely none of them dare wage war against Uneme. In fact, Uneme were always contacted for war weapons.
If an Uneme agrees to marry any of these peoples’ daughter, she is always given out without dowry; because that will enable her family to enjoy the generosity of Uneme in offering them farming tools to farm. However, no non-Uneme dare go to any Uneme daughter for marriage. Uneme girls were very beautiful, but secluded for Uneme men alone.
It was this respect and lack of opportunity to war freely with Uneme or to marry their daughters at will that degenerated into great fear by these Uneme neighbours. They were so afraid of Uneme that it eventually turned into the younger generations saying: we forbid Uneme.
Also, during wars Uneme are always called upon to salvage any nation {tribe}that is ravaged with war. Uneme will go there, when called upon, and help the neighbouring villages. But Uneme as at then had a law, that no Uneme fighter should make love with the woman they are aiding in war, in order to win the war. Hence such neighbours of Uneme always warn their ladies and women not to have affairs with Uneme so that Uneme shall win the war for them.
This ‘desist from Uneme, to win war’ ranged on to what was later changed to forbid as if war still lingers on”
Bishop Itegboje was the Chief President of Uneme Descendants Union in 1955. He narrated in his Book, ‘The History and Tradition of the Uneme’ that His Royal Highness Oba Akenzua 11 in revoking the curse on the Uneme on April 10th of that year said,
“’Oba never dies. It is the person who wears the crown that dies. Hence, whatever be the curse of my predecessors against Uneme, as an Oba on the same throne, I have the authority to revoke the curse.’
His Royal Highness Oba Akenzua 11 then revoked the curse. He prayed that Uneme should regroup and unite together for peace and progress. “
