{{short description|First King of Igodomigodo}} {{for|the 1999 film|Igodo: The Land of the Living Dead}} {{pp-sock|small=yes}} '''Igodo''' ('''Obagodo''') was the first King of Igodomigodo.
According to Ife and early Benin tradition, he was one of the sons of Oduduwa who dispersed from Ife to found various kingdoms.<ref>{{cite book | title=An Anthology of Historical Notes on Ife City |author= M. A. Fabunmi | page=35 | publisher=J. West Publications}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3171912 |title= The Origins of the Benin Kingship in the Works of Jacob Egharevba |page= 152(12) |publisher=JSTOR (1995)|jstor= 3171912 |last1= Eisenhofer |first1= Stefan |last2= Egharevba |first2= Jacob |journal= History in Africa |date= 1995 |volume= 22 |doi= 10.2307/3171912 |url-access= subscription }}</ref> Some Edo traditions say Igodo descended from heaven, others claim he came from the sky due to his great wisdom, hence his title Ogiso, meaning "King from the sky".<ref>{{Citation |last=Harding |first=Leonhard |title=The West-African Kingdom of Benin |date=2022 |work=Empires to be remembered: Ancient Worlds through Modern Times |series=Universal- und kulturhistorische Studien. Studies in Universal and Cultural History |pages=429–447 |editor-last=Gehler |editor-first=Michael |url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-658-34003-2_18 |access-date=2025-03-14 |place=Wiesbaden |publisher=Springer Fachmedien |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-3-658-34003-2_18 |isbn=978-3-658-34003-2 |editor2-last=Rollinger |editor2-first=Robert|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
During his reign, he organized the kingdom’s administration, introduced new political structures, and reinforced the connection between Igodomigodo and the broader Yoruba civilization. There are also stories that describe the Ogiso traveling to Ife for festivals, further strengthening the ties between the two regions.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Egharevba |first=Jacob .U |title=The Uzama |year=1887 |publication-date=1887 |pages=83}}</ref> His leadership laid the foundation for the later transformation of Igodomigodo into the Benin Kingdom, which grew into one of the most powerful kingdoms in West Africa. Igodo’s legacy is preserved in the historical narratives of both the Edo and Yoruba people. His rule signified the early formation of the Benin monarchy, which would later be formally restructured under Eweka I who officially established the Oba of Benin monarchy.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Talbot |first=Amaury .P |title=The Peoples of Southern Nigeria |publisher=Humphrey Milford |year=1926 |publication-date=1926 |pages=153}}</ref>
== References == <references />
Category:Ogisos of Igodomigodo