The road to kingship

There have been ceremonies normally performed by the Crown Prince, which started around October last year, when he was initiated into the Royal Palace Chamber of Iwebo, in conformity with the Benin custom.

The colourful event lasted for seven days and took place in the Royal Chambers of the Iwebo group. The event was officiated by the Iwebo chiefs, led by their functioning head and it brought to the fore boundless dynamism rooted in the globally acclaimed rich heritage of Benin Kingdom.

Having successfully undergone the seven days intensive events, with its attendant elaborate rites, thousands of enthusiastic Edo and Non-Edo people joined a retinue of Palace Chiefs and functionaries to accompany the Crown Prince, Eheneden Erediauwa from the Benin Royal Palace Courtyard of the Edaiken in the cynosure of all eyes.

There are three main societies in the Oba’s Palace namely: Iwebo, Iweguae and Ibiwe. Each society occupies its own section of the Palace and entry into it is by special initiation, usually lasting seven days. The Guardian gathered that they were established during the reign of Oba Ewuare the Great in the 15th Century. In the 16th Century, two Obas, namely Esigie (1504 A.D.) and Ehengbuda (1550 A.D.) carried out reforms in Iwebo and Iweguae societies respectively.

Iwebo, the most senior society takes charge of the royal wardrobe and regalia, making and repairing the coral bead garments and ornaments used by the Oba on ceremonial occasions. In the past, this society used to oversee financial matters, trade and commerce. With the exception of Oloton, all the other six members of the Uzama have to be initiated into lwebo society as nominal members before they can assume their titles. The Oba’s eldest son on being initiated into it, has to attain the rank of Uko N’Iwebo (like every other member aspiring to a Chieftaincy title) before he is formally conferred with the title of Edaiken of Uselu.

Iweguae, it was gathered is the centre of all the Palace activities and is next to Iwebo in seniority. Occupying the central position, this section of the Palace is the residence of the Oba and, therefore, its members provide him with his personal and domestic services. It is only after his coronation that the Oba can enter into lweguae and stay. Chief Oloton is the only other Uzama who is a nominal member of this society.

The third society in the palace, Ibiwe is the third and its duty is to look after the Oba’s harem; the welfare of his wives and children. In this regard, as in the case of lweguae, the Oba can only enter this section after his coronation when he has to inherit all the assets and liabilities.

Benin City stood still for several hours on Saturday, March 12, when the Benin Crown Prince, Eheneden Erediauwa was installed as the Edaiken N’Uselu.

It is a process that came few weeks after he was initiated into the Royal Palace Chamber of Iwebo in conformity with the Benin custom. It is expected that more ceremonies involving the Crown Prince would be done in the next few weeks.

Before the long trek of about 4 kilometres from the Palace, the crown prince visited some shrines inside the palace before taking his seat at a prepared space after some ceremonies, where his wives and siblings came to pay obeisance.

The moderator of the ceremony announced (in Benin dialect) that the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolopolor, Oba Erediauwa has directed that the people of the kingdom be informed that his son and heir apparent is proceeding to Uselu to become the Edaiken N’Uselu.  The Guardian gathered that he would be in the traditional ground in Uselu for at least 90 days where he is expected to preside over activities with support from Uselu chiefs.

The traditional trek attracted eminent personalities across the state and the Kingdom including palace chiefs, the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, his deputy, Pius Odubu, an All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Godwin Obaseki, business mogul, Captain Hosa Okunbor and several other personalities.

There were different traditional groups of various cadre who escorted the Prince to Uselu. The trek started from the palace to the Oba Market, Lagos Street to connect Iyaro and Urubi Streets and then to Uselu and the Edaiken traditional ground, where a mammoth crowd and dignitaries were already waiting.

At the palace before the procession, Oshiomhole paid homage to the Crown Prince.There were hordes of women and youth groups of the kingdom in their thousands who escorted the Crown Prince to Uselu traditional palace.As tradition demands, the procession ushered in a new dawn in the history of the ancient Benin kingdom, the host state capital of Edo State.