Eze Chima, a native doctor from Arochukwu, played a significant role in the Atlantic Slave Trade. According to Michael Crowder’s Story of Nigeria, Chima journeyed from Arochukwu to Benin to serve as an agent of the Aro Long Juju, tasked with collecting slaves from Benin.
In ancient times, it was customary for a native doctor arriving in a new place to report to the local chief or the head of the society of native doctors. Upon arriving in Benin, Chima introduced himself to the Oba of Benin, who graciously accepted him as a guest. Chima soon established his practice as a native doctor and Aro Oracle agent, impressing the Oba with his magical abilities. His influence grew to such an extent that the Oba awarded him a chieftaincy title, thus elevating him to the status of Chief Chima or Eze Chima.
As his influence in Benin solidified, Eze Chima invited his brother Ekensu and other relatives from Arochukwu to join him, establishing an Aro settlement in Benin similar to those described by Michael Crowder in other parts of Eastern Nigeria. Over time, Chima’s practice expanded into the Niger Delta, where the fame of the Aro Oracle spread among the Urhobo and Itsekiri people, who also sought his counsel.
One of the most enduring impacts of Eze Chima’s presence in Benin was the adoption of Igbo weekdays—Eke, Orie, Afo, and Nkwo—by the Benin people. These days, associated with Chima’s rituals and spiritual practices, became ingrained in Benin’s cultural calendar and remain in use to this day.
Benin historian Mr. Wellington Igunbor notes that Eze Chima’s settlement was located in the area where Siliku Street runs in modern-day Benin City. As his influence grew, so did the population of his settlement, integrating seamlessly into Benin society.
However, tension arose when Asije, the mother of the Oba of Benin and his brother Gbunwala, the War Lord, entered Eze Chima’s farmland without permission and was subsequently beaten by Chima’s people. Enraged, Gbunwala retaliated, leading to continued harassment of Chima and his people. In response, Eze Chima decided to leave Benin, seeking to return to the East or find new settlements beyond the Oba’s reach.
According to the Igbo Primer, commonly known as “Azu Ndu,” approved by the Government Education Department for primary schools in the Igbo Provinces of Eastern Nigeria, Eze Chima’s people settled in various locations during their exodus from Benin. Some established communities in Agbor, Isele-Uku, Onicha-Olona, Onicha-Ugbo, and Obio. Others crossed the Niger River to settle in Abo and eventually, led by Oreze, Eze Chima’s eldest son, in Onicha (Onitsha) on the eastern bank.
Michael Crowder, in The Story of Nigeria (page 73), suggests that the migration of Onicha (Onitsha) people, specifically the Umu Eze Chima clans, from Benin occurred in the 17th century. During their time in Benin, Eze Chima and his people absorbed Benin’s chieftaincy institutions and titles, adapting these structures to their new settlements in Onitsha and other areas. Conversely, they left a lasting cultural imprint on Benin, particularly the adoption of Igbo weekdays, which are vital in determining appropriate days for religious practices and spiritual disciplines.
This story of Eze Chima illustrates the mutual cultural exchange between the Igbo and Benin people, with both sides borrowing and adapting traditions through the agency of Eze Chima.
*Reference: Pages 171-174 of “The Igbo and Their Neighbours” by Professor Adiele Eberechukwu Afigbo, published in 1987.
