A Nigerian man has taken many people on an interesting tale about the Benin Kingdom and why a woman cannot be crowned king.
OBA EWUARE N’OGIDIGAN OF BENIN KINGDOM… THE PRESENT KING.
A Benin man identified as Black Rice from a royal lineage in Benin Kingdom has revealed why a woman cannot become an Oba in their kingdom. The
man took time to explain the reason for the law restricting women to the royal throne as he shared pictures to buttress his points.
Below is what he shared online:
WHY WOMAN CANNOT BECOME AN OBA IN BENIN KINGDOM.
At the demise of EZOTI, Prince OKPAME was dispatched to ESI to bring home Ezoti’s only son, Prince OWERE to ascend the throne of his father… Unfortunately, Prince OKPAME was suspected to have murdered Prince OWERE and his mother, who were buried alive on their way to the City.
Although Prince OKPAME reported that these people died of natural causes; but the Binis held that they were untimely killed, where upon Prince OKPAME was banished and the Prince thereafter sought refuge in ORA… About 1473 AD.
OBA EREDIAUWA UKU-AKPOLOKPOLOR AND QUEEN ESTHER OF BENIN KINGDOM`
OLUA the Second Son of EWUARE THE GREAT refused the throne as he feared that Prince OKPAME [his brother] would kill him.
The ELDER sister of OLUA my great-great grandad, Princess EDELEYO, was then persuaded to reign as OBA but while she was on her way to USELU to be invested as EDAIKEN, she found herself in the grip of her menstrual period and was therefore unable to perform all rituals which by custom must have no contamination with such conditions regarded as unclean.
The Princess had to remain @ a place now called OGHE EDELEYO for some days; Unfortunately the menstrual period persisted for quite a while and this made the UZAMA [the seven king makers] and EGHAEVBO {wise ones] to decide that, NO WOMAN SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO REIGN AS AN OBA IN FUTURE.
However every EDAIKEN visits Princess EDELEYO’S SHRINE to perform some ceremonies on his way to USELU after his INVESTITURE… In the end, the CHIEFS persuaded OLUA to accept the Throne and thereafter he was CROWNED OBA.
THE LAST INDEPENDENT KING OF BENIN… OBA OVONRAMWEN N’OGBAISI
THE ITSEKIRI CONNECTION.
On the assumption of the OBASHIP, OLUA sent his younger son OHON [my grand father] to EHOR AS ENOGIE [DUKE] to keep watch on Prince OKPAME who was threatening an attack on BENIN… IGINUWA his elder son was not popular with the people because of the bad advice he gave to the OBA his father…
THE LAST INDEPENDENT KING OF BENIN… OBA OVONRAMWEN N’OGBAISI.
The OBA fearing the people will not allow his son to reign as OBA after his demise decided to found him IGINUWA A KINGDOM.
Thus he became the 1st. OLU OF ODIGHI N’AMEN, THE FOUNDER OF THE ITSEKIRI KINGDOM; from where my maternal linage originates.
THE 1st. AIWERHIOBA OF OBA EREDIUWA OF BENIN KINGDOM… CHIEF AG OSAGIE