Uromi

Uromi is an acreage city located in north-eastern Esan, a sub-ethnic group of the Binis in Edo state, Nigeria. At various points in Uromi's history, the city and people have been an important part of the Benin Empire.

History

Uromi, originally known as 'Uronmun', is the largest and most populated area in Esanland, settled by two waves of people. The first wave consisted of migrants from Benin and other outlying areas between 900 and 1400 AD. These early settlers formed a loose-knit community engaged mostly around farming and hunting and did not develop any stylized form of government; associations were instead based on kinship and occupation. Many of these early Bini settlers were fugitives fleeing persecution from the harsh rule of the Ogiso of Benin, and were wary of monarchical government.

The second wave of organized mass emigration from Binin was around 1460, during the reign of Oba Ewuare the Selfish. He attempted to stop the emigration of Binis to the present-day Esanland by building a moat around the City. Most of these immigrants during this wave were from Idumoza of Bini City.