The Benin Kingdom is always referred to as the home of culture due to its rich cultural heritage. This came into play during the just concluded Igue festival of Sacrifice.
During this age-long festival, according to findings by Daily Trust, all the indigenes of the kingdom offer sacrifices to God and their ancestors for the opportunity to reach the end of the year and begin another year in good health.
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Daily Trust learnt that Igue festival started after Oba Ewuare I sojourned into a forest to thank God and his ancestors for success. And it became an annual event.
As part of Benin custom and tradition, during the festival, every male adult and family head would have to make sacrifices to thank God and their ancestors.
This year’s event, which was kick-started by the paramount ruler of the kingdom, was also an opportunity to solicit for abundant blessings, good health and general wellbeing of the people and the land.
It commenced with the Otue-Ugierhoba traditional rite performed by Oba Ewuare 11. It is performed in sequential order. The monarch uses this rite to formally notify their ancestors of the commencement of the festival. It also serves as a gateway to a series of activities, while senior palace chiefs are given opportunities to pay homage to the paramount ruler.
The monarch also offers sacrifice for divine protection, good health, prosperity as well as bountiful harvest ahead of the new year.
This year’s ceremony witnessed a colourful display of traditional dance with Eben (royal ceremonial sword) by eligible chiefs, who were clad in different regalia in accordance with their tradition.
During the rite, the king danced round the materials for sacrifice four times at the people’s ancestral hall before paying homage to the spirits of his forefathers.
Our correspondent learnt that the Ugierhoba rite climaxed with blood offerings by Chief Letema, who functioned in place of the head of Ihogbe group, Chief Ihama ‘N’Ihogbe.
While going to the ancestral hall for the rituals, the monarch was accompanied by top palace chiefs, priests and priestesses of different deities, palace functionaries, including family members.
Other activities include Ugie-Iron rite, which is a re-enactment of the epic battle between the Uzama Edion and Edohun warriors loyal to the king centuries ago
It was learnt that to commemorate the event, a mock battle is keenly staged between the Uzama and Edohun troops.
The rite gives ample opportunities for warriors to pay homage to the monarch and pledge their loyalty and allegiance.
The ceremony, which took place at the ancient ceremonial arena of Ugha-Eroba, saw the various traditional palace groups, including Ikpakon (royal elephant tusk blowers), top palace chiefs, royal family members and functionaries in attendance.
This was followed by the Igue-Oba rite, performed by the monarch. It offers platform for spiritual purification, rejuvenation and fortification of the king.
The sacred rite involves offerings and thanksgiving to God and ancestors for sparing the monarch and his household, as well as the entire Benin Kingdom.
This royal ceremony, which began at dusk, saw key chiefs of different categories in a dance procession into the ancient sacred royal chambers, where prayers for the preservation of the king and the overall development of the kingdom were offered.
During the festival, the monarch also performed the Ugie-Otue-Oba rite, which afforded various categories of palace chiefs, functionaries and others the opportunity to pay homage and allegiance.
According to findings by Daily Trust Saturday, the rite also allows palace chiefs and functionaries, in their hierarchical order, to enjoy the kindness of the king, with a presentation of kola-nuts as a sign of their commitment and loyalty over the years.
The ceremony saw the display of different palace groups, including the Ifiento (palace worriors), Ikpema (royal drummers), just as Emelhe (ancient royal praise singers) supplied spiritual rendition in line with the custom of the land.
The Ugie-Otue-Oba rite is followed by Emobo, which is a memorial anniversary of the defeat of Arhuanran, the Duke of Udo, by Oba Esigie about 1504-1550AD, after a long period of epic batter of supremacy. The Emobo ceremonial ritual is also meant to ward off evil spirits from the land.
During the ceremony, which took place at the entrance of the palace main gate, Chief Esogban, the Odionweredohia of Benin Kingdom, performed the opening the spiritual dance. He danced round the Ogbelaka royal drummers four times, in accordance with the tradition of the land.
At the end of each dance, the Esogban paid homage and displayed loyalty to the monarch by raising his hands.
The rite was concluded with prayers to the ancestors at Aro-Edion-Edo to ward off all evil spirits from the kingdom.
While his subjects shouted Iyare, Iyare, Oba Ewuare customarily held and struck the ancestral ivory and danced round the ancient Ogbelaka royal drummers who supplied the spiritual renditions four times, to the admiration of the crowd.
The monarch concluded the ritual dance by holding the ancestral staff (Ukhure) and the ceremonial sword (Eben) to offer prayers to God and their ancestors, as well as the spirits of the land at the Arue-Edion-Edo shrine to cleanse the land from wicked spirits.
Oba Ewuare II also performed the Ugie-Ewere rite, during which sacred Ewere leaves were presented to the monarch. The sacred leaves signify peace, good luck, prosperity and bountiful harvests for families in Benin Kingdom and the state in general.
The climax of Igue festival was the presentation of Ewere leave to Oba Ewuare II by the Ihogbe palace group, led by its head, Chief Ihama N’Ihogbe.
The festival usually comes to an end with a thanksgiving service led by the monarch at the Holy Aruosa Cathedral.
Speaking more on the event, Chief Omo-Osagie Utetenegiabi, the Obadolagbonyi of Benin, said, “We use the Igue festival to thank God and our ancestors for a fruitful year and mark the beginning our another year.
“In essence, it gives every member of the Benin Kingdom the opportunity to pray and offer sacrifice to God and the ancestors for giving him or her the privilege to see the end of the year and start another one in good health.
“When Oba Ewuare I came back from the forest he thought it wise to thank God for his success; and it has become an annual festival.”
