Jacob U. Egharevba

Jacob Uwadiae Egharevba (* 1893 in Idanre, † 1980 in Benin City ) was a Nigerian author and historian who has made ​​great contributions to the history of the Kingdom of Benin.

Egharevba was as a child of long-distance trade merchants from an aristocratic family in Idanre, a principality of the Yoruba, was born. His original name Uwadiae he changed in 1915 after his conversion to Catholicism in " Jacob." He belonged to the ethnic group of Edo, the state's population of the Kingdom of Benin, which was one of the most powerful empires in the territory of present-day Nigeria until the late 19th century. In 1902 he moved to Benin to the farm of his father. 1914, some 20 years after the historic disaster of the Kingdom of Benin, the conquest, looting and widespread destruction of Benin City, the capital of the kingdom by the British in 1893, he moved to this former capital and served a British colonial officer, to be school to earn money.

Benin City at that time had not yet regained the old population and importance by far. Egharevba experienced there, however, the grand coronation of Oba, ie a ruler of the Benin Empire, and has claims to be encouraged by the contradiction between this splendor and the subordinate position Benin City's in the colonial world of Nigeria to deal with the history of Benin and to write.

Between 1934 and 1976 he published 35 articles and books. Most of the works dealing with the history of the Kingdom of Benin and liberated the image of this kingdom from the Euro -centric view, which was marked by British colonial rulers. Several European sources he used in particular oral traditions, which he inquired of old people, and the various versions of traditional authorities and dignitaries of the Edo hierarchy that he systematically interviewed about their areas of specialization. His works have been recognized by historians as an important source for the history of Benin. Much of his findings was later confirmed by European historians on the basis of written sources from European archives, the Egharevba could not be known at the time of writing his works. Is known about his king list, a list of the rulers of the Kingdom of Benin. He also translated folk tales from the Yoruba, but also Arab tales and fables of Aesop in the Edo language. In 1957, he became blind, but wrote to 1976 additional items.

The British government awarded him the title of " honorary member of the Empire" and the University of Ibadan honorary doctorate.