Obioye

Obioye (c. 1079 – c. 1121) was the twenty-ninth ogiso (king) of Igodomigodo, an early kingdom of the Benin Empire, reigning from 1119 to 1121. He was the son of Ogiso Oduwa and inherited a kingdom facing economic challenges. His rule was marked by a severe famine, which lasted from c. 1119 – c. 1125, causing economic crisis, inflation, and widespread starvation. In response to rising food prices and economic turmoil, Obioye nationalised cowries, limiting their circulation to stabilise the economy. His policies led to the term Igho Obioye ("Obioye's money") or ("hard currency"), which became synonymous with inflation and high prices. He urged his people to reduce food consumption, leading to dissatisfaction and alienation of nobles and chiefs from the monarchy.

As the famine worsened due to droughts, wildfires, and crop failures, Obioye's reign further weakened. His economic policies, though intended to curb inflation, proved largely ineffective, and many citizens migrated to escape starvation. He died around c. 1121, reportedly from self-imposed starvation or perceived divine punishment, leaving behind a kingdom in economic decline. His successor, Arigho, introduced policies that aimed to revive the economy. Despite his troubled reign, Obioye remains in the kingdom's history as the first Ogiso to implement currency reforms, influencing later economic strategies.^[1] His legacy is reflected in Benin proverbs and oral traditions, especially in the phrase Igho Obioye, which continues to describe high prices.