LEGEMAH

1.: To promote the welfare of the family and to create awareness among all named members who are sons and daughters of LEGEMAH here in the Americas, in our home land, and worldwide.

2.: To promote and inculcate the understanding of the Americas, Nigeria, and worldwide among all named sons and daughters who are members of the LEGEMAH Family.

3.: To solicit and obtain general support from known reputable friends and organizations in order to facilitate planned and unplanned family projects and activities.

4.: To promote the Edo culture in the Americas, Nigeria, and worldwide.

5.: To create a strong understanding of the LEGEMAH ancestral tree and to establish a connected network of all named sons and daughters, adopted sons and daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren of the LEGEMAH Family.

The history of the origin of the title Legemah of Benin is being told for the first time for public consumption. In doing this, attempt would be made to give a brief account of “IHOGBE” from where the title Legemah emerged.

The name “IHOGBE” means extended royal blood relationship to whosoever ruled as “OBA” in Benin Kingdom. Historically the “IHOGBE” were members of the entourage that accompanied “Oba’ OMONOYAN’ ORANMIYAN from UHE (IFE)” at the beginning of the second dynasty.

Legemah title was created by the Oba in the Benin kingdom in 1255 A.D. to assist “ISEKHURE” the second son of ‘IHAMA of ‘IHOGBE’ to perform his normal ritual duties in the Oba’s Palace after the palace was moved from ‘USAMA’ to its present position.

The Legemah title has since 1255 A.D. being hereditary. After Okonedo’s reign, Idehen Legemah held the tile until his death on October 6th, 1959. After Idehen, Idahosa his first son succeeded him. He passed away in 1972.

Idahosa had only one male child named Otamere Idehen. Being an Imbecile, he was incapacitated and therefore he could not perform the rite and take the hereditary title Legemah. That is why this title Legemah is still vacant today. It cannot be given to a second son of the family.

The name Legemah has a very big role to play when an Oba passes on in Benin Kingdom. Legemah always held brief for 14 days before a new Oba comes to the throne, that is why Legemah’s children are called ‘Okoro’ (“Prince or Uvbi” “Princess or Ovbioba Do We Ne”) meaning the son of Oba who reigned for 14 days.

When Oba Ovonramwen joined his ancestors, Okonedo Legemah held brief for 14 days, when Oba Eweka second’s reign ended, Idehen Legemah held brief for 14 days before Oba Akenzua II ascended the throne. When Oba Akenzua passed on, Irenuma ojo Legemah was made Adan for Oba Erediawa who ascended the throne in March, 1979.

The second son of Okonedo was Emmanuel Izekor Legemah (The Ogua of Benin) and the first UHIENEBIABA of Benin Kingdom. He made the name Legemah to reign in the Benin Kingdom and Nigeria at large. Izekor Legemah was the first Benin man to own a car which he imported into the country in 1918. He was the first Benin man to own a very big department store, named Benin Store, located at No 1, Mission Road, Benin City which he opened in 1920. The store sold ready-made clothes, velvet materials, household utensils, as well as zinc roofing sheets.

From the profit Izekor made, he became very popular with Benin indigenes especially the women. Because of the popularity of the store, Chief Legemah was nicknamed “ODAFINKWÉDO” which means the husband of Benin women. Pa Izekor was a member of the Grand Lodge and Ogboni Fraternities.

Chief Emmanuel Izekor Legemah was born in 1897. He was the only surviving son of his mother after 14 births. The title UHIENEBIOBA was given to him on 23/5/1935 and confirmed on 23/7/1935. Then again on 19/11/1936, the title OGUA was conferred on him and Oba Akenzua made it hereditary to him. Izekor’s mother’s name was Okhunmwansogie Legemah. She was the first Benin woman to build a house in the heart of Benin City. His maternal grandmother named Evbakhavbokun was the first daughter of Chief Ero of Urubi. Evbakhavbokun’s biological sister called Iheya lived very close to Uselu quarters. Izekor’s mother, Okhunmwansogie was married to Okonedo.

Okonedo was the first son of Oba Osemwende 1816-1848 but he was born outside the Oba’s Palace and was therefore named OMONEKPENBIE YOHA meaning the prince born outside the palace. He was born at Ebele in Ishan Land. Thus, the Ishan people called him OKORONEDO i.e. Edo prince.

Izekor’s mother’s half-sister named Izevbokun was then married to the Enogie of Ebele in Ishan. That was why Izekor was born in Ishan after his mother had lost thirteen pregnancies. As a result of prenatal care given to Izekor’s mother in Ebele, he survived. Before his birth in Ishan land, there were countless stories about Izekor’s mother’s 14th pregnancy. It kept on disappearing at night and reappearing before dawn, but Izekor was destined to live with “Abiza” in Ishan until the son recovered. On her return from Ishan, she told her husband, the Oba, that “ABIZA” had pregnanted her. The Oba was annoyed with his so-called friend, “Abiza” and he instructed that he should marry Okonedo’s mother as his wife henceforth.

Okonedo’s mother married “ABIZA” and gave birth to EHONDOR, OBAMEDO and other children. According to Benin tradition, the children of prominent chief are shared to different group in the palace. Okonedo went to Ihogbe and Legemah being a direct decendant, thus had royal blood. Ehondor went to Ibiwe while, Obamedo went to Ewase. It was Oba Adolor that made Legemah title hereditary.

Izekor’s mother, Okhunmwansogies half-brothers were Esere, Ogudi, Ezehieluzo, Aimiuwu and Mrs. Agbontean. She also had affiliation with the Oguigos of Ugoneki as well as relationship with the Ekes, Ebaguas and the Aweriobas.

During Izekor’s mother’s life time. She was put in place of a man at Ugoneki because of her activities during festivities in the town. She later designated her son, Izekor, to take her position at Ugoneki. This was why Izekor hosted Ugo meetings in his house for so many years.

After the demise of Izekor, these meeting moved to Oke’s house in First Ibiwe Street, Benin. Izekor, the miracle son, married 13 wives and was blessed with 29 children, 109 grand children and 13 great grand children. He died on 27th March, 1977, an Octogenarian whose memory, his offspring cherish to this day.

He left behind landed properties, one of them is a storey building at No. 11, Forestry Road, Benin which had 60 rooms and 18 lock-up shops. The Benin people nicknamed this his big house “SECRETARIAT”. Izekor had a motto which said; “what he lost is what he gained and what he gained is what he lost”. He also own a storey building and a bungalow at No. 75 and No. 77 Aroloya Street, Lagos Island, Lagos which he built in 1933.

Izekor was a devout Christian. He brought the Benin United Baptist Church located at No. 45 Mission Road, Benin City in 1933. He was assisted in this task by Pa Lato, Pa I. Idehen Pa Ozalor and others now of blessed memory. He was also the first manager of the Baptist school opened in the early 1950s. He contributed immensely to the development of the school during his lifetime. There is a plaque on the wall inside the church dedicated to his memory to this day.

He was a successful farmer whose big farm lands were located along Benin-Ehor (Urhokuosa) highway, on the Old Lagos Road and Odighi village and Iguoabazuwa. He planted rubber, cocoa and palm trees.

These cash crops he exported abroad through Sapele Port. He was a timber magnate who exported timber logs overseas through Sapele port, He bought many companies to Benin City like M/K, Bata Shoes and he financially assisted Armels Transport Services. He was a socialist and an astute business man. Many expatriate including the white district officer, medical doctors and business men were always hosted by him in those days because after visiting the palace, Izekor’s house was their next port of call.

He was a lover of sports and played lawn tennis and billiard at the site where the Central Bank of Benin is located today. He often played billiard with his cousin and friend, Oba Akenzua. His other best friends who played with him were Pa Uzzi, Pa Fadaka and Okankan Obaseki.

Besides being the first Benin man to own 2 houses in Lagos Island in the early 1930s, he was also a transporter. He was a friend of Mr. Ojukwu, a transportor and father of late Biafran leader, Col. Odumegwu, Ojukwu.

In the early 1950s when he started his timber business at Uhunmwode areas like Ugha, Irhue and other villages, he built big labourer camps in these villages. He bought many timber Lorries to transport his log to Sapele port for shipment overseas. He went to Ovia town and villages to cut timber called “ABURA” trees and the log cut from these Abura trees were tied together and floated for 14 days down Ovia river to Sapele port for export. The four worker who tied and floated the logs down the river usually build a small hut on the logs where they cooked, slept and were protected from the sun and rain.

Pa Izekor’s big farm at URHOKUSOA (Igueghizebarhu village), 14 kilometers from Benin on the Benin-Ehor highway called “Ago Legemah” which was repleted with everything conducive for farming and comfortable for labourers. Pa Izekor’s cousin assigned to supervise the farm. They were Pa Osagei, Pa Ighaagbonamwen, Pa Ekemwenere and Pa Aimuwu. They ensure that rubber sheet produced were top class and the palm oil machine mill were of highest quality.

Because of his vast rubber production, Pa Izekor brought Bata Shoes to Benin in the 1940s and the company patronized his rubber sheets. He also brought M/K Stores in the 1950s and he also had the foresight to lease land to these companies. M/K bought Pa Izekor’s palm oil/kennels and the company later ventured into the sale of Volkswagon cars.

He was the first Benin business man to start leasehold to expatriate businessmen in Benin after which other businessmen follow in his footsteps. He was the first Benin business man to sew uniforms and caps to match for the drivers. Then after this his innovation of uniformed drivers, the Oba’s driver started wearing uniforms too. Pa Izekor did not allow his driver to drive at night because of the inherent danger of doing so. He also provided suitable accommodation for his drivers in his house. He had two drivers working at any given time. One driver, Mr. Ajayi hailed from Azagba while the other, Mr. Dickson was from Ovia area.

This forth right, brave and fearless “Lion of Benin” alias “Leg of Man” was well ahead of his contemporaries in every aspect of human endeavor. Indeed he was first among Benin men to ride a car and he loved big cars like Pontiac, Buick and Chevrolet. Pa Izekor imported some of these brand new cars while he patronized U.A.C, and Nigeria Motors Locally. His Power-Bike was the first of its kind in Benin. He was closely followed in the ownership of cars by his cousin, the Oba of Benin with whom he often had pleasure rides.

Pa Izekor Legemah, the Ogua of Benin i.e. the lead of the entire fisherman in Benin Kingdom, was blessed with 29 children. His first son, Pa Jimoh Amadi Legemah attended Kings College, Lagos in the 1930s and rose to the rank of a post master before his retirement. The second son, Chief Sunday Omorodion Legemah attended Cambridge University, U.K, and retired as a Civil servant. He later became a powerful politician. It was the height of Chief Sunday Legemah’s political career that chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group was able to dislodge Otuedon N.C.N.C led by Pa. Omo-Osagie alias B2 from Midwest State.

The third son Albert Idugboe Legemah, was a London-based electrical engineer. The fourth son, Chief Isaac Enoyoze Legemah attended Saint Patrick’s College, Asaba and on graduation in 1959, joined K. Challarams Stores, Lagos from where he retired as a marketing Manager.

His first daughter, Mrs. Grace Amenaghawon Forseythe attended Idiraraba, Lagos, the only Girls school in those days. The second daughter, Mrs. Ayodele Roseline Olaye attended Girls School, Benin where she excelled academically and in sports. Pa. Izekor’s third daughter, Mrs. Idusogie Eunice Edebiri and fourth daughter, Mrs. Patience I. Ogbebor after their primary education attended a sewing institution located on Tokunboh Street, Lagos Island owned by a white lady, Mrs. Donkan. They qualified as outstanding seamstresses. Pa Izekor all his sons and daughter and many studied in tertiary Institution and are holding good jobs to this day. Pa Izekor invested his huge profit on his children’s education, and again blazing the trail for his town’s men to follow. In the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s many Benin father’s had no means to educate their children. Pa Izekor was far ahead of them all and was unstoppable.

It is worthy of note, that Oba Akenzua, Pa Izekor and two other Benin Chief and District Officers, Mr. Clapperter were instrumental to bringing standard Bank West African (who First Bank Nigeria Plc) to Benin City

1.: OBA OSEMWENDE – (1816-1848)
2.: MADAM

1.: CHIEF IDEHEN LEGEMAH – LEGEMAH OF BENIN KINGDOM
2.: CHIEF EMMANUEL IZEKOR LEGEMAH – OGUA OF BENIN KINGDOM

1.: IDAHOSA LEGEMAH
2.: OJO LEGEMAH

1.: OTAMERE LEGEMAH – ALIAS WICKED LANDLORD

1.: OSARETIN LEGEMAH
2.: ABIES LEGEMAH
3.: EGBE LEGEMAH
4.: ISOKEN LEGEMAH
5.: IJESUROBO LEGEMAH (LATE)
6.: STELLA LEGEMAH
7.: PAUL LEGEMAH
9.: OROBOSA LEGEMAH (RIP)
10.: PATIENT LEGEMAH
11.: MONDAY LEGEMAH
12.: IDUSOGIE LEGEMAH
13.: UGBO LEGEMAH

1.: BLESSING OSAGIODUWA LEGEMAH
2.: ELVIS EDERARO LEGEMAH
3.: BECKY OSASUWMEN LEGEMAH
4.: EGHOSA GOD’STIME LEGEMAH
5.: STANFORD OSARODION LEGEMAH