The advent of the British brought much disaster to the throne of Benin and hope was almost lost as to whether Benin would ever have its Obaship again. The British conguered Benin exiled its monarch to calabar. During this traumatic period, Chief Obaseki worked with the British to rule Benin. Benin lost its grandeur and the monarchy almost became extinct. In 1914, at the demise of the exiled king Ovonramwen, the monarchy was restored when Prince Aiguobasimwin Ovoranmwen was crowned Oba of Benin with the title Eweka II on 24th July, 1914. The colonial rule with its indirect rule by Lord Lugard altered a lot of things.
Eweka II was the first post – Imperial Benin Monarch. He took the oath of allegiance to the British imperial king. The first time in Benin history, a Benin monarch took an oath of allegiance to another king.
Before his ascension to the throne, Oba Eweka II was a skillful brass smith and an expert in ivory and woodcarving.
He rebuilds the Oba palace, which was destroyed by the British force during the expedition of 1987.
His enemies often accused him of human sacrifice, every reports of its kind was vigorously investigated, by searching the whole Oba palace and other secrets places nothing incriminating were ever found. Any act or festivals that involved anything incriminating were drop or reorganized. Many secret ceremonies were scrap.