The Idehens of Benin: A family rooted in hard work

The story of Joshua Iserhierhien Idehen is that of a man of hard work, honesty, discipline and perseverance. The first child of 15 children, he rose to become the master of his business. According to the family, Joshua Idehen was a man who believed that you don’t have to know anybody or have a godfather […]

The story of Joshua Iserhierhien Idehen is that of a man of hard work, honesty, discipline and perseverance. The first child of 15 children, he rose to become the master of his business.

According to the family, Joshua Idehen was a man who believed that you don’t have to know anybody or have a godfather to reach the peak.

Pa Joshua was born in 1896 at Oregbeni, a suburb of Benin City in present day Edo State. He   was a prominent farmer, but left his father for Benin City to live on his own.

Pa Joshua was elected the senator representing the Midwest South in I965 and held various political positions where he contributed immensely to the development of the then Midwest and Nigeria.

He had 20 children – 11 males and nine females but only two, Charles and Solomon, are still alive.

Joshua did not discriminate between his male and female children and was among the first Benin people to send all their daughters to primary, secondary and tertiary schools in an era when females were confined to the kitchen.

Pa Joshua Idehen did not allow his wealth to negatively influence his children in whom he inculcated honesty and hard work.

He was also said to be a football enthusiast who later founded his own football club, the Idehen Rangers, managed by his son, George Otutu Ise-Idehen in the 1950s. Some of the players were Edwin Aimufua, Willy Bazuaye and Rufus Osemene.

Charles Idehen said Pa Joshua was a man who came into the world, saw and conquered through hard work, honesty, discipline and good luck.

“My father left the village to attend Government Primary School, Benin and after completing his education, he started working but after a while he started his own business.

“He left the village for Benin City to acquire education at a time when education was almost a taboo for people who had good background. ”

“After his little education, he worked for some time and saved some money to start his own business. He went into importation and exportation as well as timber and rubber business and became the second person to own a saw mill in the Midwest Region.

“Between 1932 and 1933 my father was already trading with foreign partners and as I was growing up I met him receiving partners from Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic)  in Benin City. He was the sole trade representative of Bata Shoe Company, a Czech multinational company in Benin province”, Charles said.

In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s he expanded his business to  timber and acquired forest concessions around Benin, Obiaruku in present day Delta State and Ahaoda in present day Rivers State.

“As his business was expanding, he established a saw mill in Benin City in 1951, it was the second indigenous saw mill in Benin.

“Besides business, my father served in government during the colonial days. He  was the chairman of the Forest Committee and member of the Colonial Board. From there, he rose to become the chairman, Old Benin District Council which is now Edo South Senatorial District and at the same time he was also chairman, Benin City Council. Much later, he became a senator,” he added.

In the 1950s when Nigerians began agitating for independence, Pa Joshua Idehen  identified with the cause and became one of the founders and main  financiers of Otu-Edo, a political party dedicated to the development of Benin and the unification of all Edo-speaking peoples of Nigeria.

The children included Humphrey  Idehen, Joseph Idehen, Edward Idehen, George Ise-Idehen, Frank Idehen, Dr Alex Idehen, Solomon Idehen Charles, Kizto Idehen, Festus Idehen, Madam Izoduwa Idehen, Mrs Catherine Obasuen. Mrs Dorothy Ogulana, Mrs Uwakpe, Mrs Agbado Obetumeri, Madam Doroty Idehen, Mrs Lucy Ifebanjo, Madam Esoe Idehen , Madam Iyora Idehen and Isoken Idehen.

Charles said only he and Solomon are the only two surviving sons of Pa Joshua’s 20 children. 

“Most of my brothers who are late now made their marks in the society as well as their professions”, he said.

“My father’s oldest son, Humphrey Idehen, was a medical doctor trained in Germany. He was a dermatologist and  the first Benin medical doctor from Benin, who became the head of Dermatology Department at the General Hospital in Lagos. He was also the first West African dermatologist.

“Humphrey served as the first physician to the State House under Dr. Nnmadi  Azikwe, but died at the age of 55 in 1975.”

Charles said his brother, Alex, who studied in Germany and died in 2010, was the founding Ophthalmologist at the Azura Hospital.

“Alex was also one of the pioneer professors that set up the Optometry Department of the University of Benin. Some of my sisters who were nurses also schooled abroad and rose to become matrons at the Edo Central Hospital Benin.

“Growing up in the Idehen family was tough because my dad lived a disciplined, hardworking and honest life. Though we were born in affluence, he never allowed that to get into our heads. We grew up like other children.

“We were taught  to imbibe the spirit of hard work, independence and honesty in whatever we were doing. We grew up with that and that is what keeps the family going till date,” Charles said.

He said: “I would not say my father worked harder than any other person. I believe that anybody that gets to a position whether senator, governor or president, it is by good luck.”

Charles Idehen attended Anglican Kindergarten School at Iyaro, Benin and proceeded to St. Matthew’s Primary School, Sakpoba, Benin. He went to St. Patrick’s College Asaba and after obtaining his certificate he proceeded to England where he bagged a degree in Law.

“From there I started toiling as a legal practitioner in Benin as far back 1966. I was enrolled in the Nigerian Law School in July 1966 but started practicing in September 1966 and have been practicing since them,” he said.

Charles was elected chairman, Edo branch of the Nigerian Bar Association its first vice president in 1987.

“In 1989 I was elected president of the NBA and was the first to be elected outside of Lagos practitioners. I served till 1991 and from there I became the president of the African Bar Association, a position I relinquished three years ago. I also contested for the governorship of the then Bendel State,” he said.

Solomon Idehen is a sucessful businessman and a politician. He has positively impacted on the lives of the people of  Benin. Among the Idehen’s grand children are Gregory Idehen and Iseh Idehen, a former member of the Edo State House of Assembly.