Brief History of OBA EREDIAUWA CORONATION

Isaac Eranga, Benin

The coronation ceremonies of an Oba of Benin usually last about 10 days.
They begin from Egua-Edaiken, the traditional residence of the
heir-apparent to the Benin Throne. On a day fixed by the Edaiken, he is
escorted by his Uselu people on his journey back to Benin City. On the way
he stops at an historical palm tree named "Udinama aimiuwa" (translated to
mean "work before pleasure") which the Edaiken "climbs" symbolically.
This little ceremony dates its origin to the time of Oba Ewuare the
Great whose life as heir apparent to the throne was characterised by
long suffering which includedperiods when
he personally had to climb palm trees on this spot to cut the fruits for a
living.

 This act of suffering by the father of the first Edaiken has ever
since been re-enacted in a symbolic way by every Edaiken. From the palm
tree the Edaiken continues his journey to Benin City; but at the first moat
called (Iya-akpan) in the vicinity of where the firm of Mid-Motors Nigeria
Limited now stands, the Uselu chiefs in the procession take leave of the
Edaiken and return to Uselu while the Edaiken is thereafter escorted into
the City by Oredo Chiefs. The Edaiken enters the City via Iguisi (now Lagos
Street) and Proceeds to Eko-Ohae (bachelor's camp) where he stays for three
days. After three days at Eko-Ohae the Edaiken continues his journey to
Usama. The venue of the traditional Coronation rites. Usama was the site
where Oromiyan, the father of Eweka I, built the first Palace and all
succeeding Obas from Eweka I, were crowned and lived there, until Oba Ewedo
in the 13th century moved the palace to the present site in the centre of
the town. The Edaiken remains in Usama for 7 days performing all the
rituals and ceremonies of the Oba. Before the expiration of 7 days, he
visits a village a few kilometers outside Benin, where he performs the
ceremony for chosing the name he will answer as the Oba of Benin.

This tradition started during the period of Oba Eweka I whose maternal
grand-father, Ogie-Egor, lived in the next door village of Egor. When
Prince Oromiyan left Benin, he left behind his Bini wife who was pregnant
in the care of her father the Ogie of Egor. The woman delivered a male
child who was dumb from birth. The maternal grand-father then sent home to
Use, the mother's village for treatment, but when he grew up and still
could not talk, words were sent to his father at Uhe. His father sent 7
magical akhue with which the dumb Prince participated in the popular
village game known as akhue. With only one seed remaining on the ground and
every player having failed to strike it. The young Prince used the magical
akhue from his father and succeeded in striking down the remaining seed.
Excited by this feat, he spoke for the first exclaiming in Yoruba, Owimika
(my hand has struck it). He later assumed this expression for a title which
became corrupted to Eweka.

Having picked a name at use, the Edaiken returns to Usama where the
crowning ceremony is performed by Oliha. The leader of the Uzama and
proclaims Edaiken in his newly acquired name as the Oba of Benin. It is
significant to note that until the ceremony at Use, the Edaiken never knows
before hand what name he is going to be crowned with. From this moment also
the Edaiken ceases to use his personal names and he is henceforth known by
the new name of an Oba. Also significant is the fact that both at Egor and
Use, there still exist almost in their Original form the shrines
established by the diviners and the native doctors who brought the magical
akhue seeds from Uhe. After the crowning ceremony the new Oba then leaves
Usama on the 7th day for the town centre to be proclaimed and presented to
Benin people. On his way to the City he stops at Isekherhe to perform the
ceremonial crossing of a bridge, a reminder of the day Oba Ewedo on a
similar journey erected a bridge to enable him pass Isekherhe territory
without stepping on the ground. After crossing the bridge the Oba and his
entourage engage in a mock battle with Ogiamien and his followers. The
resistance of Ogiamien forces collapses while the Oba and his entourage
proceed to Urho-Okpota. Urho-Okpota (the gate of Okpota) dates its
existence to the era of Oba Ozolua about 15th centuary, and it is the area
now known as "Ring Road" Including where Exhibition centre and the Local
Government Secretariat now stand. Okpota was a powerful native doctor who
prepared a charm of good luck for the Oba. It is said that the charm which
was buried at the gate of the Palace brought prosperity to the Kingdom. The
Oba lodged Okpota in a house near the Palace in the area of the present day
Exhibition Centre. The verandah to his house soon became a meeting place
for the elders, even for the Oba, and Urhokpota has ever since remained a
centre for meeting and useful deliberations. For the same reason Oba Eweka
II chose the site for building the new Native Court, now known as
Exhibition centre. The ceremony at Urhokpota completed. The new Oba then
moves into the palace as the Oba of Benin. But he still has Ogiamien's
challenge to meet and so 7 days after, he assembles his troops and proceeds
to Ekiokpagha where he engages in a mock battle with Ogiamien, a reminder
of the real battle between Oba Ewedo and Ogiamien in the 13th century when
the latter attempted to prevent the former from entering the city from
Usama. By the treaty between the two, Ogiamien surrendered his claim to the
ownership of land to the Oba.