GST 113.

NIGERIAN PEOPLE AND CULTURE

A BRIEF ON SOME ASPECTS OF BINI CULTURE AND PEOPLE (Addendum to the topic
on the Binis in the book – Nigerian People and Culture, pg: 13-20)

Salutations of Bini People and some important words

The generally acceptable Edo greetings, including for visitors are (1) Ọbowiẹ - Good Morning
(2) Ọbavan - Good Afternoon (3) Ọbota - Good evening.
Kóyò ...............................hello
érhá ...................................father
íyé ....................................mother
òtén................................. relation
òténmwén ........................my relation
òkpia ...............................male, man
òkhùo ..............................female, woman

Benin Numeration (Number) System

1-ọwo
2-eva – The ‘e’ is pronounced as ‘a’
3-eha
4-ene
5-isen
6-ehan
7-ihinron
8-erenren
9-ihinrin
10-igbe

The Igue Festival

Igue festival is a celebration with its origin in the Benin Empire. It was originally celebrated as
a festival to renew Oba Ewuare's magical powers (Ryder, 1981). One tradition state that the
festival date coincided with the marriage of Ewuare to a wife named Ewere (Egharevba, 1960).
Celebrated between Christmas and New Year, the festival includes the Oba's blessing of the
land and his people. During the Igue ritual season, the Oba is prohibited from being in the
presence of any non-native person. The Igue festival takes the pre- eminence among festivals
celebrated in Edo State. The most colorful and paramount importance to the people of Benin.
It is celebrated every December by every reigning Oba and his subjects to mark the end of the
year and as a thanksgiving to the outgoing one.

The Benis have a long Lineage of Obas, and Igue is also an occasion to celebrate Ugie- Evhoba
among other occasions. During this period, the anniversary of their deaths is celebrated and for
seven days propitiations are made to the spirits of the departed Obas. This is done to invoke
their blessing on the reigning monarch and their families and subjects.
The Igue festival, which is a period of offering thanks to the gods for sparing their lives and to
ask for blessings, is also used for offering sacrifices to some deities in the palace. During this
period, chieftaincy title holders display their Eben emblem in the Ugie dance as they appear in
their attire, according to the type of dress the Oba bestowed on individual chiefs during the
confernment of title, while the Oba seats majestically in the royal chamber (Ogi- Ukpo). The
Igue festival is also a period to drive away evil spirits (Ubi) and bring blessings (Ewere) to
every home in the kingdom

List of Obas in Benin Kingdom

Pre-Imperial Obas of Benin (1180-1440)
* Odùduwà
* Eweka I (1180–1246)
* Uwuakhuahen (1246–1250)
* Henmihen (1250–1260)
* Ewedo (1260–1274)
* Oguola (1274–1287)
* Edoni (1287–1292)
* Udagbedo (1292–1329)
* Ohen (1329–1366)
* Egbeka (1366–1397)
* Orobiru (1397–1434)
* Uwaifiokun (1434–1440)

Obas of the Benin Empire (1440-1897)

* Ewuare the Great (1440–1473)

* Ezoti (1473–1475)
* Olua (1475–1480)
* Ozolua (1480–1504)
* Esigie (1504–1547)
* Orhogbua (1547–1580)
* Ehengbuda (1580–1602)
* Ohuan (1602–1656)
* Ohenzae (1656–1661)
* Akenzae (1661–1669)
* Akengboi (1669–1675)
* Akenkpaye (1675–1684)
* Akengbedo (1684–1689)
* Ore-Oghene (1689–1701)
* Ewuakpe (1701–1712)
* Ozuere (1712–1713)
* Akenzua I (1713–1740)
* Eresoyen (1740–1750)
* Akengbuda (1750–1804)
* Obanosa (1804–1816)
* Ogbebo (1816)
* Osemwende (1816–1848)
* Adolo (1848–1888)
* Ovonramwen Nogbaisi (1888–1914) (exiled to Calabar by the British in 1897)

Post-Imperial Obas of Benin (1914-Present)

* Eweka II (1914–1933)
* Akenzua II (1933–1978)
* Erediauwa I (1979–2016)
* Ewuare II (2016 – present)

Sources
TEACH YOURSELF EDO LANGUAGE BOOK I
http://www.edofolks.com/html/pub44.htm
Benin Numeration (Number) System - http://www.afropedea.org/african-science/benin-
numeration-number-system
Igue festival - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igue_festival
List of Obsa - https://ihuanedo.ning.com/profiles/blogs/list-of-obas-of-the-benin-1