Ozolua

Among the most important historical figures in Nigeria, Ozolua, also known as Okpame and later as Ozolua n'Ibaromi (Ozolua the Conqueror), was an Oba of Benin from 1483 to 1514. Through warfare, he greatly expanded the Kingdom and increased contact with the Portuguese Empire. He was a significant Oba in both the history of the Kingdom of Benin and in regional folklore and celebrations.

Prince Okpame was Ewuare's third and youngest son, and he significantly expanded the Kingdom of Benin during his reign, which lasted from 1440 to 1473. Following Ewuare's death, his eldest surviving son, Esi, was assassinated by a poison arrow at his coronation, and his second oldest son, Olua, ruled for seven years with significant domestic dissent. After a brief reign of a collection of chieftains, Prince Okpame was named Oba (in either 1480 or 1483) and assumed the name Ozolua.

His reign was defined largely by the Kingdom of Benin's significant military expansion. This included a successful attack on Owo's Kingdom. While historical accounts differ, the end result gave Owo independence while still requiring it to pay tribute to Benin. He claimed to have won over 200 battles in diplomatic exchanges with the Portuguese. His victories earned him the title Ozolua n'Ibarmoi (or Ozolua the Conqueror), and he is frequently depicted as a great warrior in statues and artwork.

Although limited trade and contact with the Portuguese had begun under his father Ewuare, contact with the Portuguese expanded significantly under Ozolua, with Portuguese explorer John Alfonso d'Aveiro entering Benin City in 1485 and accompanying Ozolua, but not participating, in war. Ozolua was intrigued by the possibilities of firearms for kingdom expansion, but d'Aveiro informed him that firearm trade was only possible with Christian Portuguese allies. As a result, in the early 1500s, Ozolua sent an ambassador to Portugal to propose missionary activity in the kingdom and royal conversion to Christianity in exchange for trade in firearms (at least one source indicates that he himself went to Portugal at some point). The Portuguese, however, sent a group of missionaries to the kingdom in 1514. The missionaries quickly left because the kingdom was not interested in Christianity unless it was coupled with the facilitation of firearms trade.