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Umẹwaẹn: Journal of Benin and Ẹdo Studies, Vol.2, 2017
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SensemakinginBeninKingdomOralTraditions:RepetitiveRecallofActualandTraditionalEnmitybetweentheỌbaandtheOgiamiẹn
KathyCurnow ClevelandStateUniversity Cleveland,OH
Abstract
TheBeninKingdom’soralhistory,likeallhistories,highlightsselectedpastincidentsto
theexclusionofmost.Majorevents,especiallythoselinkedtospecificmonarchs,arelikely
candidatesforinclusion.Ọranmiyan’sfoundingofthecurrentdynastywasakeycataclysmic
event,alongwithhisimmediatedescendants’effortstoestablishthemselvesinthecity.These
incidents,unsurprisingly,arerememberedinsomedetail.Conflictsbetweentheautochthones,
representedbytheEvian-Ogiamiẹnline,andtheincomingroyalfamilyconstituteacrucial
aspectofthisdynasticbeginning.Subsequentbutfarlesscriticalclashesbetweenthetwo
partiesflaredupperiodicallyduringlaterreigns,buttheirretentioninhistoryislessexplicable.
Whyaretheselesserincidentsrecalled?
Humanabilitytorecollectchoicepasteventsisshapedbysensemakingandother
cognitiveprocesses.Particularcognitiveframeworksservetoorganizememorycreation,and
theircompositioncanensurethatcertaineventsnotonlyattaincontemporaneousprominence,
butalsoarelikelytosecureaplaceinhistoricalaccounts.InNigeria’sBeninKingdom,
ominigbọndivinationmayhaveprovidedsuchaframeworkforstoriesregardingthecontinued
conflictbetweenthepresentdynastyandtheEvian-Ogiamiẹnline.ItsOhunIghitancode
sentencespeaksto(amongotherthings)disputesthatareneverfullysettled,anditsveiled
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languageappearstorefertotheinitialstrugglesbetweentheEvian-OgiamiẹnandỌranmiyan
lineages.Theframeworkitestablishedmayhaveservedasasignificantdevicethatensureda
narrativeofconflictcontinuedoverthecenturies.
Ominigbọndivinationandsensemaking
Agbọnkhọnyeomẹnẹrinmwinkevbekhọnyeukherhe.Thisworldfoughtforpalmfrondsandthespiritworldfoughtforsugarcane[codedsentenceassociatedwithOhunIghitan].
Humansinterpretandreinterprettheirworldthroughpatterns.Thesepatterns
sometimestakeonamoreenduringphase,becomingcognitiveframeworks.Suchmental
modelscandevelopintofamiliartropestothedegreethatnewincidentsmaybecategorized
accordingtotheseestablishedmentaldevices,whichcanoriginatefromreligious,literary,and
othersources.IncountriesimprintedbytheJudeo-Christian-Islamictraditions,Biblicaltales–
evenamongnon-believers–havebecomefixedstructuresthroughlengthycultural
bombardment,andcanactascognitive“magnets”thatattractandattachnewincidents.For
example,themillennia-oldstoryofCainandAbelstillresonateswhencasesoffratricidal
conflictoccur,evenwhenitscontemporaryechoeshavelittleofthepowerandimpactofthe
originalevent.Likewise,Shakespeare’scirca1595taleofRomeoandJulietprovidesan
attachmentpointforanylovethatdefiesfamilialresistance.
Thesekindsofstructuresarenotmnemonictools.Instead,theyactasmethodsof
organizingourobservations,ensuringsomenewincidentsbecomeattachedtoolder,already
fixedelements,strengtheningthecognitivestructure’slodestoneabilities.KarlWeick
articulatedthisorganizationalprocessthroughthetheoryofsensemaking.Aswerelate
ourselvestothegreaterworld,weshapeourexperiencesthroughmeaningfulpatternsthat
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resultfromsocialization.Thisprocessiscontinuous,remaininginconstantflux.Wereifythe
cuesweperceiveinretrospect,andwealsorecognizethatnoindividualcanachieveabsolute
factregardingpastevents—plausibilityissufficientasweconstructnarrativesofpersonaland
communityhistory.1ThetheoryemergedfromPiaget’srationalist-orientedpsychological
researchconcerninghowthemindprocessesrealitythroughstagesofcognitivestructuresthat
progressfromchildhoodtoadulthood.2Itthensplitintomultipledirectionsandrefinements.3
Sensemaking’sapplicationsrapidlyspreadtocommunicationswithincorporateandother
structures,4butsubsequentlydisciplinesasdiverseaslinguisticsandnarrativestudies
employedthetheory.Asacommunicationstheorythataddressestransmissionandreception,
itwouldseemtohaveparticularrelevancetooralhistory.Whiletheprocessofsensemakingis
universal,oneofitsunderlyingtenetsisthatitsconstructionsareculturallydependent.In
Nigeria’sBeninkingdom,sensemakingemergesasapossibleanalyticaldirection.Divination
mayprovidesomeframingdevicesforhistoricalcreation,increasingthelikelihoodthatthose
incidentsfittingintoestablishedconstructswouldberecalled.Onespecificexampleisthe
ominigbọndivinationverseabove,whichreferstoarememberedandrepeatedtension
1KarlE.Weick,SensemakinginOrganizations(ThousandOaks,CA:SAGE,1995).Sensemaking’simpactoncognitivescience,communicationtheory,psychology,andanthropologyareoutlinedinLauraA.McNamara,“SensemakinginOrganizations:ReflectionsonKarlWeickandSocialTheory,”March24,2015,EPIC:AdvancingtheValueofEthnographyinIndustry,https://www.epicpeople.org/sensemaking-in-organizations/2JeanPiaget,TheDevelopmentofThought:EquilibrationofCognitiveStructures(NewYork:Viking,1977). 3Somerelatedtheoriestakedifferentnames.MichaelCole’sworkinpsychologyandcommunications,forexample,stressestherolecultureplaysinshapingandcreatingthemindandcognition.Calledculturalpsychology,ithasthesamerootsassensemakingandhashadamajorimpactonpsychologicalstudies.SomeofhisextensivepublicationspertaintoWestAfricaandeducation.TheyincludehisbookCulturalpsychology:Aonceandfuturediscipline(Cambridge,MA:HarvardUniversityPress,1996).MaxVelmans’stheoryof“reflexivemonism”islikewiseacognateapproachthatdealswiththecriticalplaceofanindividual’sexperiencetohisconsciousnessandperceptions(UnderstandingConsciousness,2nded.[London:Routledge,2009]). 4GeraldR.SalancikandJeffreyPfeffer,“ASocialInformationProcessingApproachtoJobAttitudesandTaskDesign,”AdministrativeScienceQuarterly2:3(1978):224-253;KarlE.Weick,TheSocialPsychologyofOrganizing(NewYork:McGraw-Hill,1979).
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betweenẸdoautochthonesandtheirrulingdynasty.5
OminigbọndivinationisoneofseveralẸdosystemsthatinvokethesupernaturalworld
inordertointerpreteventsanddiscernacourseofcorrectiveactions.Itinvolvesatrained
specialist(ọboogwẹga)whoemploysanimplementconsistingoffourstrands,eachhungwith
fourhalf-podsoftheogwẹgatree.Hisworkwithaclientinvolvesaccessingtheoracleby
addressingitthroughtheuta,asmallimplement(oftenaboar’stooth).Theclientholdstheuta
infrontofthelipswhileaskinga(usuallyinaudible)question,andthedivinerthentouchesthis
tooltoeachseedpodhalf.Henexttossesthestrands,whichlandinfrontofhim,their16half-
podspresentedeitherconcavelyorconvexly.Possibleoutcomesare256innumber,and
combinationsofadjacentpairsofstrands(owaiha[owiha],or“houseofdivination”)arenamed
byacode.Heoftenrepeatsthethrowstoverifyorclarifyhisfindings,thendiscussestheresults
withtheclient,namingthecodeanditskeyassociatedsentence,thenfurtherinterpretingit
withsetstories.Toensurepositiveresults,aspecificsacrificeisusuallyavitalpartofthe
recommendedcourseofclientactions.TheanalogousIfadivinationsystemoftheYoruba,
whichcaninvolveeitherasinglestrand(ọpẹlẹ)ortheuseofadivinationboard(ọpọnIfa),
sacredpalmnuts(ikinIfa),andtapper(irọkẹIfa),isalsoemployedinBenin,butwithassociated
versesthatareindependentofYorubacontent.6Theominigbọnsystem,closelyrelatedto
surroundingstrand-throwingsystemsoftheNupe,Igbo,Yoruba,andothers,appearstobe
5ThispaperdevelopedfromresearchinBeninCitypriortoandinconjunctionwitha1997/98Fulbrightgrantforastudyofhowominigbọndivinationcanshedlightonhistoryandartthroughitsshapingofcognition.Furtherfieldworkandarchivalsupportviaa1994/95NEHCollaborativegrantandanSSRCsub-grantwasvital,aswasadditionalresearchinBeninin1992andfrom1996-2004.AlthoughthedivinationandcognitionstudywasnotfullycompletedduetoIkponmwosaOsemwegie’sillnessandsubsequentdemise,certaincriticalaspectswillbeincludedinanupcomingbookconcerningỌbaẸsigie’sshapingofẸdoartandculture.MyunmeasurablegratitudeisowedtoỌmọn’ỌbaErediauwa,hischiefs,priests,andcitizensforthesupportandencouragementofmyresearch.6C.OsamaroIbie,TheCompleteWorkofIfism(HongKong:DesignPrinting,1986).Multiplevolumesfollowedthisinitialbook.
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Benin’soldestdivinationsystem,7andincludesmanyreferencestoBeninhistoryinbothits
codesentencesandexplicatorystories.
TheOhunIghitancodesentenceaboveatfirstseemsahistoricalinitscontent–fresh
palmfrondsandsugarcanearenottime-bound.Theonlypublishedstorythatexpandsonits
meaninginitiallyappearssolelymetaphoricalaswell.AsrecordedbyEgharevba(whowasnota
diviner)andtranslatedbyJeffỌmọruyi,8thiscautionarytalecanbesummarizedasfollows.A
beautifulmaidenrefusedherparents’choiceofahusbandandbegantoliveasaprostitute.
Shesuccumbedtosicknessandherfamilydideverythingtheycouldtohelpher;finally,
however,theyabandonedher.Remainingatthejunctionbetweenthisworldandthespirit
world,shehidinahollowtreeandplayedtheflute.Forunexplainedreasons,thiscausedthe
warriorsofthetwoworldstofight.Ahuntercaughther,andtheangrywarriorsonbothsides
cutherbodyinhalf,buryingheratthejunctionofthetwoworlds.Therethespiritworld’s
denizenscutsugarcanefrondsandplacedthemonhergrave,whilethelivingwarriorsplaced
freshpalmfrondsthere.“Sotheylayafoundationthatthewarrioroflifeanddeadwillno
longermeetandfighteachotherforlife.”Egharevbawentontoexplainthatthethrowmeant
menshouldavoidcatchingdiseasesfromwomenorquarrelingwiththem,whilewomenshould
shunprostitutionandillnessthatwouldmakepeoplerejectthematthetimeofdeath.
“Women,quarrel,prostitutionandsicknessmovewithOhun-Ighitan.”9Becauseofthepaucity
7DarylPeavy,Kings,Magic,&Medicine(n.p:n.p.,2009),65-71;AimuEmovon,“IhaOminigbonDivination,”NigeriaMagazine,No.151,1984.1-9andVictorManfredi,“BeforeWazobia:Ominigbonandpolyglotcultureinmedieval9ja”(2012-2015),http://people.bu.edu/manfredi/BeforeWazobia.pdf;PhilipM.Peek,“TheDiviningChaininSouthernNigeria”inAfricanReligiousGroupsandBeliefs,ed.SimonOttenberg(Meerut,India:FolkloreInstitute,1982),187-205.8JacobU.Egharevba,IhaOminigbon[1936](BeninCity,Nigeria:Kopin-DogbaPress,1965);JeffỌmọruyi,“TranslationsofEgharevba1965,pp.90-168,”BeninCity,2015onVictorManfredi’swebsite:http://people.bu.edu/manfredi/Egharhevba1965.pdf.9Ọmọruyi,“TranslationsofEgharevba1965,pp.90-168,”BeninCity,Nigeria,2015,n.p.(undertheOhunIghitan
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ofpublishedinformationonominigbọn,itisworthnotingthatEgharevba’srelatedstoryisnot
necessarilytheonlynarrativeassociatedwithOhunIghitan.Storyuseisnotascodifiedas
Egharevba’stextmightsuggest;divinersmayhaveseveralstoriesintheirrepertoirethat
illustratethemeaningofathrow,andevensinglestoriescanvaryfromonedivinerto
another.10
IkponmwosaOsemwegie,whoconductedextensiveunpublishedresearchon
ominigbọn,agreedthatthiscoderelatedtoillness,particularlyskinandvenerealor
gynecologicaldiseases,butstressedthe“quarrel”componentofitsmeaning,statingthatit
referredtoadisputethatwouldneverbesettledcompletely.Healsoexpendedonthecode’s
sentence,statingthat“thedaytheyfoughtforsugarcaneandomẹn[freshpalmfronds],thatis
thedaytheyseparatedmanandspiritsintodifferentworlds.”11AsOsemwegienoted,thecode
heading). 10Personalcommunication,DarylPeavy,November9,2016,Akron,OH.Peavyisanominigbọndivinerwhohasstudiedandresearchedsincethe1990sinbothBeninCityandtheEsan/Ishanareas.11Personalcommunication,IkponmwosaOsemwegie,July6,1994.
Fig.1.TheaftermathofthebattleofẸkiokpaghaincludesthedestructionoftheOgiamiẹn’ssugarcanefronds.Ẹkiokpagha“battle”(TreatyofẸkiokpagha),BeninCity,Nigeria.Photographby
JosephNevadomsky,1979.EEPA2012-013-xxxx(batch2,binder2).EliotElisofonPhotographicArchives,NationalMuseumofAfricanArt,SmithsonianInstitution.
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sentence’sreferencetosugarcaneandpalmisfarfromageneralizedstatement.Italludestoan
incidentrelivedateverycoronation(Fig.1),anexplicitassociationbetweendivinationand
historythatNevadomskyfirstpublished.HeobservedthatthefinalbattlebetweenỌbaẸwẹdo
andOgiamiẹnatEkiokpaghamarketinvolvedbedeckingapavilionoftheformerwithfresh
palmfronds,whilethelatterwasrepresentedbysugarcanefoliage.Nevadomskysawtheir
confrontationasprimarilyasupernatural,ratherthanapolitical,struggle,stating:
Becauseoftheresistanceofthegodsofthesoiltoalienrule,thetreatyandits
conditions–theworldfortheOba,theunderworldfortheindigenousdeities–mustbe
renewedduringeachsuccessionifthelandisnottobecomeannoyed,bringingplagues
ofchickenpoxandothermaladiestothecity.Thus,thepreventionofcalamityseemsto
betheunderlyingessenceoftheTreatyofEkiokpagha.12Sugarcaneandfreshpalm
leavesasusedduringthecoronation’sẸwẹdo/Ogiamiẹnreenactmentdemarcate
bordersandamarkaconflict.ThesematerialsdonotappeartogetherelsewhereinẸdo
ceremonyororalliterature,makingidentificationofOhunIghitan’ssupernaturalbattle
betweenthespiritandhumanworlds’warriorswiththebattlebetweenẸwẹdoand
Ogiamiẹnlikelyandplausible.
DoesOhunIghitanintersectwithsensemakingand,ifitdoes,isthatnoteworthy?
Sensemakinganditsculturalpsychologycognateshavenotformedasignificantpartofan
12JosephNevadomsky,“KingshipSuccessionRitualsinBenin.3:TheCoronationoftheOba,”AfricanArts17:3(1984):55-56.NevadomskyaddsthattheẸdoassociateseven–theintervalofdaysthattakesplacebetweenthechallengingskirmishandthefinalbattlebetweenthetwoparties–withthingsmystical,ratherthanlegal.IkponmwosaOsemwegieexpandedonpalmfrondsasacureforskindiseases,noting“theyarethebestwaytocuremeaslesoranyskindisease—applyomẹnanditwillclear.Ifraffiaseedisburnt,thewaterisusedforskindisease.Topurifyfromsex,ordiseasefromprostitute,tieeggshellstoraffiabroomandpurifybycirclingitabovehead,liftingfeetalternatelyandsay‘Awua,getawayfrommybody’tobereleasedfromthedisease.Whenmeaslesorotherskindiseasesarerampant,theydanceẸkpo,”amasqueradethatusesfreshpalmfrondsasacostume(personalcommunication,July6,1994).
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analysisoforalhistoryinAfrica.Asapproachesthatconsidernodesofcultureandcognition,
theyhavethepotentialtoprovideinsightsintohowsocietiesconstructnotonlyhistory,but
culturemoregenerally.Akeyelementofsensemakingstructuresistheideaofrepetitionwith
variedcontent,resultinginan“active”structurethatcontinuestoshapethoughtandconstruct
memory.Inhisanalysisofcognitivesemantics,LeonardTalmyspoketothecreationof
narrativeonbothindividualandsocietalbases.Notingthatcognitivesystemsoperateon
organizingprinciples,hediscussedtheconceptionalpartitioningthatcanemergewhentime
andnarrativeareconsideredtogether,statingthat“thehumanmind...canextendaboundary
aroundaportionofwhatwouldotherwisebeacontinuumoftime,andascribetothe
excerptedcontentswithintheboundarythepropertyofbeingasingle-unitentity,”addingthat
the“contentsofaneventmaychangeoverthespanoftheevent,inwhichcasetheeventis
active,constitutingaprocessoractivity.”13
Assuch,the“activeevent”intheinstanceoftheOhunIghitancodeisnotrepetitionof
thecodesentence’selements,noritsexpositorystory,northeinitialconfrontationitself,but
ratheritisthe“disputethatisneversettled,”towhichthecoderefers.Anexaminationof
repeatedconflictsbetweenthemembersofthepresentdynastyandtheEvian/Ogiamiẹnlines
isnecessarytoassesswhetherOhunIghitan’sunsettleddisputeformedakindofcognitive
magnetthatencouragedtheattachmentofadditionalevents,ensuringtheirplaceinhistory.
BeginningswithEvian,Ogiamiẹn,Ubi,andẸwerẹ
ThebattlebetweenỌbaẸwẹdoandOgiamiẹnanditssubsequentsettlementmarked
thefinalphaseofthepresentdynasty’sconsolidationofBeninruleinthe14thcentury,a
13LeonardTalmy,“ACognitiveFrameworkforNarrativeStructure,”inTowardaCognitiveSemantics,vol.2(Cambridge,MA:MITPress,2000),431-432.
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processthatbeganinthelate13th/early14thcentury.14Atthattime,theformerOgisodynasty
diedoutsubsequenttotheexilesofitslastrulerOwodoandhisheirEkhaladerhan.15Political
vacuumandpotentialdisarrayinthecitythenknownasIgodomigodowasavoidedwhenalocal
mannamedEvian16becametheadministratorofarepublicangovernment.17InhisAShort
HistoryofEvian,EgharevbastatedthatEvianwasthesecondson(andthereforenottheheir)of
theEhọlọrn’Ire,oneofthethen-fiveUzamachiefswhoactedaskingmakersinBenin’searly
era.18HeexpandeduponthereasonsforEvian’spopularity.Ablacksmith,hewaspurportedly
responsibleforvanquishingtheman-eatingmonsterOsoganbythrowingared-hothammer
intoitsmouth.Hispatriotismextendedtothecreationofmedicinesburiedwithinthecityto
protectcitizensagainstwildanimalsandevil-intentionedstrangers.19
14Manyscholarshaveproposedvariousapproximatedatesofthemonarchs’reigns;theonesusedherearemyown,fromKathyCurnow,Iyare!SplendorandTensioninBenin’sPalaceTheatre(Cleveland:Curnow,2016),i. 15Becauseofthemachinationsofhisstepmother,theheirEkhaladerhanwastobeexecuted.Instead,hiscaptorsallowedhisescapeintoexile.SomeversionsofthestoryclaimhelivedouthisdaysinUghoton(JacobEgharevba,AShortHistoryofBenin.[Lagos:ChurchMissionarySocietyBookshop,1953,3]),whileothersstatehewanderedfurtherwestandwasacclaimedmonarchattheYorubacityofIle-Ifẹ.ThislatterversionwaselaborateduponbyEnaBasimiEweka,EvolutionofBeninChieftaincyTitles(BeninCity,Nigeria:UniversityofBeninPress,1992),8;byỌbaErediauwahimselfinnumerousspeechesandinhisautobiography;andbynumerousotherchieflyauthors.Itsoriginsareearlier;seefootnote91below.AfterEkhaladerhan’sdeparturefromBenin,hisfatherissaidtohavealsobeendrivenintoexilebyhissubjects,duetomismanagementofthestateandthekillingofapregnantwoman.16JacobEgharevba(AShortHistoryofBenin[1953],4)initiallyreferredtohimas“Evin-an.”17PercyAmauryTalbotfirstpublishedthisreferenceinhisThePeoplesofSouthernNigeria,vol.1[1926](London:Cass,1969),153.TalbotreferredtoOgiamiẹn,Evian’sson,asthe“pettychief”rulingwhenthenewdynastybegan;thenamesofEvianandOgiamiẹnfrequentlyhavebeeninterchangedinaccounts.JacobEgharevba(AShortHistoryofBenin,1953,5)statedthatEvianbeganasanadministratorofrepublicanrule,thennegateditbychoosingtoplacehisson,nicknamedOgiamiẹn,nextinsuccession.18JacobU.Egharevba,ABriefLifeHistoryofEvian(BeninCity,Nigeria:n.p.,n.d.[1970]),7.EgharevbastatedtheEvian-Ogiamiẹnmorningsalutationof“Laire,”sharedbytheEhọlọrn’Irefamily,confirmedtherelationship.AlthoughtherearesevenUzamatoday,theỌlọtọnandEdaikẹnpositionswereaddedduringtheseconddynasty. 19SeeJacobEgharevba,AShortHistoryofBenin,3rded.(Ibadan:IbadanUniversityPress,1960),6,fortheinitialmentionofthemonster,astoryrepeatedinhisABriefLifeHistoryofEvian,2-4.Inaddition,thelatteraddedadiscussionofEvian’smedicine-makingandthecity’sacclaimforhisleadership.
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Afterhispopularappointmentandserviceastherepublicancity’sadministrator,Evian
betrayeddynasticambitionswhenhesoughttohavehiseldestson,nicknamedOgiamiẹn20
(“Ogiemianmwẹnn’aga”[Itisvexatioustoserveaking],aphrasethatbecamehistitle),
replacehimasruler.In1951,ChiefOgiamiẹntoldR.E.BradburyofEvian’sdeathbedwishes
regardinghisthreesons,Ogiamiẹn,Ohevian,andOliha:“EvianorderedthatOgiame[Ogiamiẹn]
shouldbetheownerofthelandinẸdowhileOhevianshouldbeinchargeofIyekọgba.”Healso
proclaimedthat“hisseniorsonOgiame[should]inherithisposition.Evianpulledaparrot’s
featherfromhisheadandplaceditinOhevian’shair,andsaidthatafterhisdeathOhevian
shouldworshiphim.Olihawastobethesacrifice.”21AccordingtoEgharevba,theOliha
Ogiamiẹnwasmeanttoinstalltheruler,justastheUzamachiefknownasOlihawastasked
withinstallingtheOgisomonarch,whiletheOhenEvian(OhẹnEvian,orpriestofEvian),wasto
leadEvian’sworship.22
Somefactionsofthecity,23ledbytheUzamachiefs,soughttorestorethemonarchy,
andsenttoIle-IfẹforareplacementkingagainstOgiamiẹn’sadvice.PrinceỌranmiyanarrived
20Althoughthetitleholder,newspapers,andmostrecentauthors,includingEweka(EvolutionofBeninChieftaincyTitles,1992,8)spellthetitle“Ogiamiẹn”(withorwithoutthediacriticalunderdot),earlierwriterssuchasEgharevba(AShortHistoryofBenin,1953,5),HansMelzian(AConciseDictionaryoftheBiniLanguageofSouthernNigeria[London:KeganPaul,1937,135]),andG.A.Akinola(“TheOriginoftheEwekaDynastyofBenin:AStudyintheUseandAbuseofOralTraditions,”JournaloftheHistoricalSocietyofNigeria8[3,1976]:21-36)spelledit“Ogiamwẹn.”Theshiftapparentlyoccurredinthelate1970s,foritwasinplacebythe1979coronation(seeRoyaltyMagazine[BeninCity,Nigeria:BendelNewspapers,1979],1).Someauthorscontinuedtousetheformerspelling,however(DmitriM.Bondarenko,“Adventofthesecond(Oba)Dynasty:AnotherAssessmentofaBeninHistoryKeyPoint,”HistoryinAfrica30[2003]:65).21ChiefOgiame[Ogiamiẹn],June14,1951inR.E.Bradburyarchive,A66.Bradbury’sextensivearchivalmaterial,gatheredfromlengthystaysinBenininthe1950sand1960s,isdepositedattheUniversityofBirminghamLibrary,Birmingham,U.K.EgharevbaattributedtheappointmentoftheOgiamiẹnOlihaandOheviantoEvian’sson,thefirstOgiamien.22Egharevba,ABriefHistoryofEvian,6.Egharevba,however,statedthatOgiamiẹnappointedthebrothers,ratherthanhisfather.HealsolistedthesecondsonasOliha,unlikeChiefOgiamiẹnwhonamedtheOlihaasthethirdsonin1951.TheEvianshrineislocatedatFirstEastCircularRoadinBeninCity’sIkpokpanQuarter,wheretheoriginalEvianhomesteadstood(EkhaguosaAisien,Ẹlegbe,PrinceofBeninandtheOrhionmwonTerritories[BeninCity,Nigeria:AisienPublishers,2015],45).23Whilethecitywasstilldivided,theterritorywheretheỌbalivedwasknownasOre-Oghene(areferencetothe
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withsupporters,includinghisphysicianOgiefa,24forthatpurposebutwasblockedfrom
enteringthecityproperbyOgiamiẹn’ssupporters.25Duringhissojourn,heincreasinglybecame
irritatedbytheactionsofthecitizens,anddepartedafterimpregnatingachief’sdaughter.His
sonbecameỌbaẸwẹkaI,thefirstỌbaofthenewdynasty,thoughthecommunitiesunderhis
commandwerefew.Ẹwẹkaandhisfirsttwosuccessors,hissonsỌbaUwakhuahẹnandỌba
Ehẹnmihẹn,continuedtoliveoutsidetheinnercitywallsattheirUsamapalace.Increasingly,
however,theychafedattheattemptedcontroloftheUzamachiefstheylivedamongst,who
hadassumedtheprivilegesofequals.
Duringthisperiod,thesourrelationsbetweentheroyalistandrepublicanparties
eruptedoccasionally,yetasignificantinitialrapprochementtookplace.AccordingtotheChief
Ogiamiẹnwhoheldthetitlein1951,thisoccurredbeforeỌranmiyan’sdeparture,when
drummerswereperformingbeforehim:
Ogiame[Ogiamiẹn]heardthesoundofdrummersandinquiredwhatitwas.Hesent4mentofetchthedrummerswiththeirdrums.TheObawasbroughttohimtiedwitharope.Thedrumsweredoctor’sdrums.Whenhegotthere,hebeggedOgiamethatEwereshouldbeasubstituteforhim.Ewerewasthesenior
OoniofIfẹ),whileOgiamiẹn’sgeneralterritorywasUhunmwumIdunmwun(personalcommunication,IkpenmwosaOsemwegie,August10,1994).24ChiefOsumatoldBradburythattheoriginalOgiefawasanitinerantobo(ritualspecialist),aYorubatraditionaldoctorfromIfẹwhohadbeenlivinginBeninsincethetimesofthelastOgisoruler.WhensomeoftheẸdogrewtiredofEvian’srule,itwastheOgiefawhotraveledtoIfẹtobringamonarch(May18,1957,Bradburyarchive,BS.27).Nevadomsky,however,seeshim,aswellasotherEfaguildmembers,asanautochthonewhotakescareofashrinetotheland(“KingshipSuccessionRitualsinBenin.3,”1984,50),whileEwekacontradictshimself,firstsayingOgiefacamewithỌranmiyanfromIfẹ,thennotingthatOgiefaandtheEfaguild“weretheoriginalpeoplewhoGodsentwiththefirstOgiso”(EvolutionofBeninChieftaincyTitles,1992,30,74).DmitriM.BondarenkoandPeterM.RoesesupporttheviewthattheEfaandOgiefawereautochthones,reviewingtheevidencein“BetweentheOgisoandObaDynasties:AnInterpretationofInterregnumintheBeninKingdom,”HistoryinAfrica31(2004):105-108.25HisfrustrationswerecompoundedbydifficultieswiththeferrymanattheOviaRivercrossing,muchlikethoselaterinflictedbytheIsekherhewhoinitiallyrefusedtohelpỌbaẸwẹdocrossintoOgiamiẹn’sterritory(Egharevba,AShortHistoryofBenin,1953,10.Ina1967interview,thethen-OgiamiẹnreferredtoỌranmiyan’sarrivalasaninvasioninvolving“alongandbloodyfight”(October1967interviewinSpearMagazine,quotedinAkinola,1976,35-36).BondarenkoandRoeseseethisbattleasalogicalcontinuationofamorebasicstrugglebetweentheUzama(thencalledediọnẹvbo,or“eldersoftheland”)whosenttoIfẹwiththegoalofcontrollingthestateandtheEvian/Ogiamiẹnadministrators(“BetweentheOgisoandObaDynasties,”2004).
Sensemaking in Benin Kingdom Oral Traditions
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daughterofOgiefa.Ogiameconsentedanduntiedtherope.OgiamehadaseniorsoncalledUbiandEwerewasmarriedtohim.ItisbecauseofthismarriagethatalinkwasbroughtaboutbetweenOgiefaandOgiame.Theycalleachotherọtẹn[“mysibling”or“myrelation”].WheneveritisnecessarytopurifyOgiame’shouseasaresultofabreachoftaboos,orthewomenmadethehouseimpure,Ogiefawastheonewhoshouldcomeandmakethehousecool.26
Thesaying“Ogiamiẹnl'Ubi,Ogiefaigb’Ẹwerẹ”(“Ogiamiẹndoesn’ttakepartinUbi,andOgiefadoesn’ttakepartinẸwerẹ”)referstotheoutcomeofthisrelationship,whichwillbediscussedbelow.
Multiplevariationsofthisstoryexist,nonereferencingthesameruler.
Egharevbadoesnotincludeanyọbainhisversion,mentioningonlythatOgiefawas
playinghisdrumswhenUbi,Ogiamiẹn’sson,appearedandslashedtheinstruments.
Ogiefa’ssubsequententreatiestocontinuedrummingwereaccepted,and“afewyears
laterOgiefagavehisdaughterẸwerẹinmarriagetoUbi,thesonofOgiamwen,inorder
topleasehim.”27Osemwegie’sversionplacedthestoryinẸwẹkaI’sreign,statingthat
UbiwasthefirstOgiamiẹn’sgrandson,whointurnhadassumedthetitlefromhis
father.Hesaid:
OgiefawasoneofthechiefsthatcamefromIfewithmarbles[tocureẸwẹkafromhischildhoodspeechimpediment].Hehadthehabitofplayingtheighededrum,medicinedrum,everyevening.Normallyitisplayedtopurifyorpollutetheland.Forthepeopleplaying,itpurifies,butcanbeplayedagainstothers.Ubiheardaboutthedrum.HeleftoldBeninwithannoyancetodestroyit.HecametoOgiefa'shouse.WhenOgiefasawhowtoughUbiwas,andwithtroops,therewasnothinghecouldtelltheking.Ogiefadecidedtobringouthisdaughter.Hepreparedherverywell,andledsomedelegatestoUbi'shouse,saying“See,theotherdayyoucametodestroyourdrum,butwelikeyouverymuch,wewanttosettlethiscase,wewanttopresentthisladytoyou.”Hernamewas
26ChiefOgiamiẹn,June14,1951,Bradburyarchive,A66.The“doctor’sdrums”wereighede,playedbyritualspecialistsbeforedivination,duringmeditativetrances,forspecialdances,andtoinspiresoldiersbeforebattle(seePeavy,Kings,Magic,&Medicine,2009,71).27Egharevba,AShortHistoryofBenin,1953,6.
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Akọnnosunwenkhẹn[“pumpkin-whiteteeth”],thedaughterofOgiefa.Shewasverybeautiful.WhenUbisawher,hisannoyancereduced.28
ThestoryabouttherapprochementbetweentheOgiefaandtheOgiamiẹnfamilies
presagesthereconciliationoftheroyalandrepublicangroups,withawomanbridgingthe
camps.OsemwegierecountedthatỌbaEhẹnmihẹnhadurgedhissonEfabọ(thefutureỌba
Ẹwẹdo) thatitwouldbeadvisabletoleaveUsamaandpushintoBeninCitypropertorule,
statingthathewouldpavethewaybyimprovingrelationsbetweenthecitydwellersandsome
oftheUsamapeople.Thequarrelbetweenthetwopartieshadcooleddown.Whiletherewas
stillsomeenmityandreluctancetoacceptthemonarchy,itwasnolongerpronounced.When
ỌbaẸwẹdocametothethroneintheearly14thcenturyanddecidedbothtoconsolidatehis
ruleandtoescapeUzamacontrol,theOgiamiẹnstillcontrolledthecityproper.29Evenper
Egharevba’sroyally-sanctionedaccount,ẸwẹdoaccomplishedhisgoalwithUbi’scooperation,
despitetheappearanceofcontinuedantagonism.30
Ẹwẹdo’sentryintoBeninandthecoronationreenactment
ỌbaẸwẹdoissaidtohavemetsecretlywithUbimultipletimes,promisingthelatter
expensivegiftsifhecouldenterthecityandassumegeneralrule.Ubiagreed,butcounselled
thiswouldonlybepossiblethroughsubterfuge,sincemanyẸdowerestillagainstthereturnof
28Personalcommunication,IkponmwosaOsemwegie,June18,1994.OsemwegieaddedthatAkọnnosunwenkhẹnwasnicknamedẸwerẹ,atermassociatedwithgoodfortune,becausetheẹwerẹleafgrewoutofhergrave,signifyingasafearrivalfortheỌranmiyanparty.Melzianreferstoheras“thedaughterofoneoftheOgi-efas,”adding“shewasthewifeofUbi,andaverykindwoman.Hence,hernamehasbecomeasymbolofgoodness.Thus,thereisagreetingoxi-Ewe[Eogodspeed!aluckyjourney!”AConciseDictionaryoftheBiniLanguage,1937,57.29Personalcommunication,IkponmwosaOsemwegie,June18,1994.30Egharevba,AShortHistoryofBenin,1953,10.ForadiscussionofpalacevettingandvariationsfromEgharevba’sfirstẸdolanguagehistoryEkherevbItanEdo(1933)tosubsequentEnglisheditionsin1936,1953,1960and1968,seeUyilawaUsuanlele,ToyinFalola,andJacobEgharevba,“AComparisonofJacobEgharevba's‘EkhereVbItanEdo’andtheFourEditionsofItsEnglishTranslation,‘AShortHistoryofBenin,’”HistoryinAfrica25(1998):361-386.
Sensemaking in Benin Kingdom Oral Traditions
14
themonarchy.HeinstructedẸwẹdothattheyshouldmeetatthepointwheretheirrespective
domainsweredemarcated–opposingsidesofthestreamsintheferrymanIsekhere’sterritory.
TheỌbashouldannouncehisintentionstoenterthecitywhilecarryingacockwrappedin
whiteclotharoundhisneck.Ubiwouldrefuseentry,seizetheroosterandrunwithit,
instructingthatwarwouldfollowinsevendays.Ẹwẹdoshouldthenofferacow,agoat,some
people,anagbastoolandothergoodsifUbiwouldlethimpassandtakecontrolofthecityon
theseventhday.
Ẹwẹdofollowedtheseinstructions.31Therooster,itspresenceandclothindicatinga
sacrifice(perhapsinresponsetoominigbọndivination),wasdulysnatched,andUbifledwithit,
chasedbytheỌba’smen.“Hewassaying‘Ọgua,Ọgua,Ọgua’overandover–‘Thisplacehas
containedyou.’Ubithrewthechicken[whenhecametowherethecemeterywas].Whenthey
sawit,theylefthim.Thatbecamethepresentpalace.”32
Aftersevendays,bothpartiesweretomeetandbattleatẸkiokpagha,whereUbiwould
putupatokenfightandthen,asagreed,capitulate.Beforetheroyalpartyreachedthesite,
however,theysightedOgiamiẹn’sOlihaandkilledhim,givingrisetothesaying “Amahese
Ẹkiokpagha,agbeOlihaOgiamiẹn,”or“WehavenotyetreachedẸkiokpagha,butwehave
killedOgiamiẹn'sOliha."ChiefOgiamiẹn’s1951accountnegatedthisbetter-knownaccount.He
statedthatOgiamiẹnhadtoldẸwẹdothat:
onthedayofthebattle,Oliha-Ogiamemuststandbythefenceandsomeone[sic]mustmurderhim.TheheadwastobethrowntowardsIyase.TheIyasewouldrubhishandwiththebloodfromit[thatis,servehisrightarm],theneverybody[sic]wouldsaythiswasintruthawar.Byprivatearrangement,itwasnotOgiame’sOlihawhowasmurdered.Ewẹdosentsomeoneelseandafterhe
31ChiefOgiamiẹn,June14,1951,Bradburyarchive,A66. 32Personalcommunication,IkponmwosaOsemwegie,June18,1994.
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wasmurdered,itwasproclaimedthathewasOliha-Ogiame.
Thisislikelyhistoricalrevisionism,butwhether20th-centuryinventionorfact,itdemonstrates
collusionandgoodwillbetweenthetwoformalized“enemies.”
AfterOgiamiẹn’sconcessionatẸkiokpagha(formerlyamarket,nowbySt.
Matthew’sChurch),aformaltreatywaswitnessed:
TheỌbaandOgiame,eachheldanukhurhẹandlinkedtheirrighthands.[Ogiame]said,“MydaughtershouldnotgototheỌba’serie[harem].Mysonshouldnotbemadeomada[palacepage]oruronisen.Mychildrenshouldnotbemurdered.Ifanybodycontravenestheselaws[he]shouldbekilledbytheseẹbo[medicines,charms].”TheỌbasaid,“Youmustadviseyourchildrennottomarryibẹriẹ[haremservants].OgiamemustnotkillEwẹdo’schildrennorkilltheOba’sibiẹriẹ.ThatneitherOgiamenorhischildrenshouldmarrythedaughteroftheOba.”Theyheldhands.OgiametooksomesandfromthegroundandputitinEwẹdo’spalm,saying:“Isellthislandtoyouandyourchildrenforever;thatanyỌbawhoreignsafteryoumustcomeanddividethelandwithmeagain.Hewhocontravenesthislaw,mustbekilledbytheseẹbo.”Ogiamedidnotrelinquishhisownershipoftheland.OnhissideofẸkiokpagha,eachỌbawhocomestothethroneisalsotosendanukhurhẹtoOgiametogetherwithstoolandthreemenandawoman.33
ẸwẹdoleftUsamapermanently,establishinghispalaceatthepresentsite.AsObayeminoted,
thegraveyardlocationwasstrategic,asitrelatedOgiso-era“ownersoftheland”tothenew
monarch,lendinghisrulethelegitimacyofthelocalancestors.34Despitethesurfaceamitythat
allowedOgiamiẹntoretainhistitleasachiefunderthenewmonarchy,Ẹwẹdoapparentlydid
33ChiefOgiamiẹn,June14,1951,Bradburyarchive,A66.34AdeM.Obayemi,"TheYorubaandEdo-SpeakingPeoplesandTheirNeighborsBefore1600,"inHistoryofWestAfrica,eds.J.F.AdeAjayiandMichaelCrowder,3rded.(NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,1985),255-322.Nevadomskyconcurswiththisviewpoint,furthernotingthatoneofChiefOgiamiẹn’spraisenamesis“OvbiUghogioto,”or“theSonoftheGreatChamberofSoil”(“KingshipSuccessionRitualsinBenin,”1984,54-55;92),the“Chamber”referringtothegods/ancestorsoftheland.Anotherreferencetothemoccursinhispalace,whereOgiamiẹnhasasteppedshrinetoppedbyapot.ThisỌfieghenọyanowashrine“indicatesthatOgiameistheownerofthesoilonwhichhishouseisbuilt.”(ChiefOgiamiẹn,June14,1951,Bradburyarchive,A67).
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16
notfullytrusthim,becausehesitedhisIsiẹnmwẹnrobodyguardinaquarteradjacentto
Ogiamiẹn’spalace.35
Indeed,thesetwopublicencountersbetweenChiefOgiamiẹnandỌbaẸwẹdoregularly
havebeenrelivedatcoronations.Thefirsttakesplaceatanerected“bridge”hungwithfresh
palmfronds(theriversOmiandOteghelethatonceformedanaturalboundarynolongerexist).
Afterthismorningchallenge,themonarchadvancestohispubliccrowning.Sevendayslater,
thenow-symbolicẸkiokpaghabattleoccurs.Aroyalheadquarterspavilionisdecoratedbyfresh
palmfronds(omẹn),whilesugarcanefrondsdemarcatetheOgiamiẹn’sside,recallingthe
ominigbọndivinationcode’ssentence.36Ogiamiẹn’ssugarcanerepresentsthespiritworld,the
ancestorsoftheland,whosegoodwilltherulersmustrepeatedlybuyatthecoronationand
placateannuallyattheUgieErhọbaceremonywhentheỌbasacrificesagoattothetree-
markedshrineintheancestralcourtyard.Atthebattle,theỌba’somẹnrepresentsthisworld,
anestablishedpoliticalreality.
35OsarhiemeBensonOsadolor,“TheMilitarySystemofBeninKingdom,c.1440-1897,”PhDdiss.,UniversityofHamburg,2001:103-104.36ForphotographicdocumentationofbothOgiamiẹnsequences,seeNevadomsky,“KingshipSuccessionRitualsinBenin,”1984andTamFiofiori,ABeninCoronation:ObaErediauwa(n.p.:SunaArt,2011).
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Atthetimeofthecoronation,theỌbasendsOgiamiẹnanerhestool(Fig.2)ofthetype
priestsandchiefsactinginapriestlycapacityuse,aswellasanukhurhẹ(Fig.3).Talbot
remarkedthattheukhurhẹshaftincluded“fourpersonswiththeOgiameatthesummit
wearinghiscrowntoshowhisownershipoftheland.ThefollowinginsigniaoftheOgiamewere
imitatedbytheObba[sic]--thechairEkise,thesmallswordAkwoho,thefanZuzuandthe
leatherboxEkpoki.”37Colonialreportslistothergiftsfromthemonarch:
twomen,twowomenandtwoofeverykindofcattleandalsoshouldgivepermissiontotheOgiametorulebeyondtheboundaryatEkiokpagha.Uptothepresenttime...theprescribedgiftsaregivenandtheOgiameisgiven
37P.A.Talbot,PeoplesofSouthernNigeria.,vol.3[1926](London:Cass,1969),582.
Fig.2.TheOgiamiẹn’serhestoolbearsacarvedinscriptionshowingitisfromtheỌbaofBenin.PhotographbyKathyCurnow,1992.
Fig.3.ThisaltarintheOgiamiẹnpalaceincludestheukhurhẹthatwerecoronationgifts.Thefamily’sancestralaltarisseparate.PhotographbyKathyCurnow,1994.
Sensemaking in Benin Kingdom Oral Traditions
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permissiontorulethoughitwouldseemthatsincethetimeofObaEwuaretheOgiamehasnotinfactexercisedanyadministrativefunction.38
Inturn,Ogiamiẹnmakespartofthethrone(ẹkete)fortheỌba,becausehisancestorwasthe
custodianoftheOgisothrone.39Theseexchangesmarktheinherenttensionbetweenthe
formerrulerandcustodianoftheancestorsofthelandandhisconqueror.Accordingtoapast
Ogiamiẹn,thetitletothelandisnotonlyresuscitatedateachcoronation,butwheneverthe
OgiamiẹnandtheỌbameet.RaymondTong,anEducationOfficerwithTheBritishCouncil,
wrote:
Heshowedusaparticularhandshake,whichoncertainceremonialoccasions,heandhisancestorshadalwaysusedwhengreetingtheOba.Whenshakinghands,thechiefasheadofhisfamily,mustplaceapieceofearthinthepalmoftheOba’shand.ThisistosymbolizethefactthatherecognizesthatthelandofBeninbelongstotheOba,andtonobodyelse.40
Althoughthisstoryappearstoconveysubmission,thegesturecouldalsobeinterpreted
asachallengeforownershipoftheland.AssistantDistrictOfficerH.F.Marshallequatedland
ownershipwithfertility,theOgiamiẹn,and“certainotherpersonswhorepresenttheoriginal
ownersoftheland,”observingthatsuchownership“cannot[sic]beacquiredeitherby
conquestorbypeacefulpenetration.”41Bradbury,too,spokeoftheoutcomeoftheẸkiokpagha
38H.F.Marshall,“IntelligenceReportBeninCity,”August12,1939,BeninCity,Nigeria,10.DennettalsomentionedthatOgiamiẹnruledthedistrictof“Sapoba”(presumablytheSakponbaRoadareanearhispresentpalace),astheOlihawasinchargeofUdoortheẸrowasinchargeofUselu(R.E.Dennett,AttheBackoftheBlackMan’sMind,[London:MacMillan,1906],182).39ỌbaErediauwa’sthronewasusuallycoveredwithwhitecloth,butitwasanenlargedẹkpokinbox,consistingofaninterlockingsetofcylinders,itstopandbottomprojectingcircles.Thisalsocanclearlybeseenon16th-centuryplaques,suchastheBritishMuseum’sAf1898,0115.23.ThisthronetypeisrelatedtothatofancientIfẹandsomeIgalasettlements,andseemstohaveoncehadasubstantialsouthernNigeriandistribution.InBenin,Ogiamiẹntraditionallymakesthethronebottomfrombark,whiletheIsẹkpokinleatherworkingguildmakesthetop(Exorugue,May22,1959,Bradburyarchive,BS243).Medicinepresumablyiskeptwithin. 40RaymondTong.FiguresinEbony:PastandPresentinaWestAfricanCity.(London:Cassell,1958),101.SinceTongworkedinNigeriafrom1949to1958,theOgiamiẹnhemetislikelytohavebeenthesametitleholderBradburyinterviewedin1951.41Marshall,“IntelligenceReport,”1939,11.
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strugglesas“aritualdivisionofthelandbetweenthetwo.”42AtỌbaẸwẹkaII’scoronationin
1914,colonialcommissionerofBeninProvinceJamesWattobservedanaspectthatnoother
authormentioned.HisnotesontheẸkiokpaghatreatystatethatOgiamiẹn“returnedtomake
peacewiththeObaandsharedwithhimahandfulofearthretainingaportionasasymbolthat
heretainedapartofthelandforhimself.Termsofpeacewerearrangedandwiththis
reconciliationtheceremonyoftheinstallationoftheObaended.”43
Thesereferencestoaless-than-completeresolutionhavenotbeenmerelylipservice.In
adiscussionofikẹga(acowriestrandthatcanstandinforthearmorshrinestothearm)with
Bradbury,theOgiamiẹnmentionedthat,duringanunspecifiedtime,heworeminiature
machetesonhiswrist,thenthrewthemonthegroundatnight.“Whenpeopleseethemonthe
groundthenextmorningtheyknowOgiamie[sic]hasusedthemtofightfortheland,”44a
statementthathardlyseemslikeafullrepudiationofrightstolandownershiporofdutiesto
theland.Nonetheless,thetitleholder’scontinuedrelationshipwiththelandapparently
remainedpurelyritualratherthanpolitical.
Theforbiddenanditsoutcome AftertheỌranmiyandynastytookcontrolofthetotalityofthecity,the
Ogiamiẹnfamilyappearstohavedroppedoutofhistoricalviewforsometime,
resurfacingduringỌbaOhẹn’searly15th-centuryreign.Egharevbabrieflyreferredtoa
criticalincident,notingthatOhẹndevelopedparalysisafterabout25yearsofrule,and
thatIyasẹEmuzehaddiscoveredthisdespitethemonarch’seffortstodisguisehis
42R.E.Bradbury,TheBeninKingdomandtheEdo-SpeakingPeoplesofSouth-WesternNigeria(London:InternationalAfricanInstitute,1957),20.43ReportofJamesWatt,July30,1914.ArchivesoftheMuseumofMankind(nowreintegratedintotheBritishMuseum).44Bradburyarchive,BS.338.
Sensemaking in Benin Kingdom Oral Traditions
20
condition.Angryabouthisexposure,theỌbahadtheIyasẹkilledatthepalace,and“the
peoplerosetoarms.”45Inretaliationforthedeathoftheirleader,thechiefsstoned
Ohẹntodeathwithkaolin-coatedrocks,urginghimto“eatchalk,”theonlyfoodthe
monarchissaidtoconsume.46
Therootofthestoryisthemonarch’sparalysis,oftenalludedtoinBeninartby
hisOlokun-likemudfishlegs.Ohẹnwasanxioustoconcealhisstatefromhischiefsand
subjectsbecauseablemisheddivinekingwouldhavebeenrejected,resultinginthe
monarch’sdeathorexile.Giventhebeliefthatcalamitousoccurrencesresultfrom
eitherhumanorsupernaturalagency,thecauseoftheparalysisiscentraltothestory.
ThoughEgharevbadidnotdiscussthis,thereareindeedunpublishedaccountsofits
genesisthatleadusbacktotheunsettledquarrelbetweentheOgiamiẹnandtheỌba.
Talbotreferredtoitin1926whenhespokeof“Awhen”andhis“disturbedreign”that
sawtherebellionofOgiamiẹnandtheUzama.47
Severaloraltraditionsrecordedatmid-century–notallinaccord–discussOhẹn’ssecret
romancewithawomanwholivedatUtẹvillage,acrosstheIkpobaRiver.Bradburynotedthat
OhẹnfellinlovewithawomantherewhosefatherwasapowerfulnativedoctorwhomtheỌba
fearedtooffend.Hethereforeonlymetherlateatnight.Duringonevisit,Ohẹnoverstayed.To
avoiddiscoveryandescapewithoutrevealinghimself,heorderedmaskscarved.Thesewere
wornby“somemenandtheobahimself,”andweretheoriginoftheEkokon’Utẹ
45Egharevba,AShortHistoryofBenin,1953,13. 46AproductofOlokun’srealm,kaolin(orhue),whichtheẸdocall“chalk”inEnglish,”isasymbolofrejoicing,purity,andallthingsgood.Palaceprotocolprecludescommentsaboutthemonarcheatingordrinking.47Talbot,PeoplesofSouthernNigeria,vol.I,1926,154.
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masquerade.48Inavariation,OrhueỌmọrẹgbẹoh’OrigietoldBradburythatOhẹnhadnoson,
soadivinerinstructedhimtomarryElẹrẹ(sometimesreferredtobyothersasElẹyẹ),the
daughteroftheOgi’Utẹ,sothemonarchvisitedhersecretlyatnight.Inthisaccount,herfather
usedmedicinetoensureOhẹnwouldn’tawakenearly,thencaughthim.Subsequentlybothher
fatherandthemonarchdancedtothepalace,disguisedasmasqueraders.Elẹrẹlaterboreason
namedOgun,subsequentlycrownedasỌbaẸwuare.49Inathirdreport,ChiefEzọmọstated
thatadivinertoldthechildlessOhẹntomarryapost-menopausalwomannamedOnhẹrẹn.She
borehimasonnamedOgun,thefutureỌbaẸwuare.50ThisstorymentionedneitherUtẹnor
themasquerade.AfourthinformantstatedthatOhẹn’sparalysisresultedfrommedicinethe
husbandoftheỌba’sloverplacedalonghispathtoher,lamingtherulerwhenhesteppedon
it.51Whilethesestoriesareinconsistent,theycircletheassociationsofOhẹn’ssecretlover,the
Ekokon’Utẹmasquerade,Ohẹn’sparalysis,andthebirthofOgun.
WhydidtheidentityofOhẹn’sloverneedtobesecret?Howwashisparalysisgenerated
andwhy?WhywastheEkokon’Utẹmasqueradeassociatedwithsubterfuge?Whatwasthe
purportedimportanceofOgun’sbirth?Examiningeachquestionilluminatestheshortversion
ofthestory.TheỌbawasentitledtomarrynearlyanyonehewantedto,alreadywedornot–
exceptformembersofOgiamiẹn’sfamily,asoutlinedbythetreaty’sconditions.Paralysisisnot
traditionallyconsideredtobemerelyamedicalmisfortune,butrathertheresultofdirected
48Bradburyarchive,R6.49June28,1953,Bradburyarchive,U53.OrhueỌmọrẹgbẹoh’OrigieaddedthatElẹrẹhadfourbreasts,twotofeedthepeopleandtwotofeedtheroyalfamily,andthatthiswastheoriginofthemasquerade’sname,since“koko”means“feed.”EkhaguosaAisienrecordedsonglyricsfromUtethatincluded“TheQueenmotherendowedwithfourbreasts!WithtwoofthemshenurturedtheObafortheEdopeople!WiththeothertwoshenurturedtheEdopeoplefortheOba!”(Ewuare:ObaofBenin[BeninCity,Nigeria,2012]).OrhueỌmọrẹgbẹoh’Origie’sstatementthatElẹre’sfatheraccompaniedOhẹntothepalaceseemstobeamistake;unlikeotherversions,itdoesnotaccountforElẹrẹ’ssmugglingintotheharem.50AstoldtoD.U.Emokpae,Bradburyarchive,R.3.51Mr.Akagbosa,Bradburyarchive,R.5.
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22
maliciousmedicine.AllversionsofthestorythatmentionEkokon’Utẹstresstheimpromptu
natureofthemasquerade,andtheneedtodisguisetheruler’spresencewithalover,bringing
usbacktothequestionofwhyshecouldn’topenlyentertheroyalharem.Ogun’sbirthandthe
secretlover’sassociationwithitmayprovidethekeytointerpretation.
EgharevbastatedthatOgun/Ẹwuarehadtwoelderbrothers,ẸgbẹkaandỌrọbiru,who
precededhimonthethrone,asdidhisyoungerbrotherUwaifiokun.Uwaifiokunhad
accompaniedOgunintobanishmentafterthelatter’sunnamedoffense,thenreturnedtoBenin
inadvanceandusurpedOgun’sthrone.52Twolatertwentieth-centuryaccountsaremore
specific.Oneexplicitlylinkedthelover,paralysis,themasquerade,andOgun’sbirthto“the
disputethatwillneverbesettled,”thatis,tothepalm/sugarcanedemarcationofrightstothe
land.Osemwegierecountedthat,despitetheẸkiokpaghaTreaty’sbanonmarriagebetween
theroyalandOgiamiẹnfamilies,Ohẹnresolvedtotakeabridefromthelatter.Hefeltthis
wouldfinallysettlethedisputeandanyquestionregardinghisdynasticrule.Becauseofthe
ban,heknewtheunionwouldhavetooccursecretly.HeheardthatoneofUbi’sdescendants,a
beautifulwomannamedElẹrẹ,53livedinUtẹvillage.Hesentgiftstoher,donnedadisguise,and
begansneakingoutofthepalacetovisitheratnight,accompaniedonlybyanọmadapageor
two.ThisnecessitatedcrossingtheIkpobaRiver.WhenOhẹnmetElẹrẹ,hemadehermany
promisescontingentupontheirmarriage.Althoughshesaiditwasforbiddenforadaughterof
theOgiamiẹnfamilytowedaroyal,Ohẹnconvincedher.Hisnightdisappearancesmade
courtierssuspicious.AfterdiscoveringOhẹn’sroute,theyreportedittotheIyasẹ,who
52Egharevba,AShortHistoryofBenin,1953:14.53AlthoughAisiengiveshernameasOvenmwen,healsoreferstooneofẸwuare’spraisenames:“Adagbafi,n’ovbiElẹrẹ”(“Adagbafi,sonofElẹrẹ”)(Ewuare,2012,5,9).
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contactedtheEhuaeofIkpoba,wholivedbytheriver.54WhenEhuaeknewitwasalmosttime
forOhẹntocross,heplantedadangerousmedicinecalledẹrọunderthebridge,andtheỌba
steppedoverit.Ehuaethenremovedthemedicine,becauseifOhẹnrecrossedituponhis
return,itseffectswouldbeneutralized.WhilethemonarchwasstillatUtẹ,hisenemiesalso
usedaban,aniron,staple-likemedicine,andnaileditsoOhẹnwouldoversleepatElẹrẹ’shouse
andbeexposed.TheỌbaindeedcouldnotberouseduntiltheabanwasremoved,andbythen
itwasdaylight.Howcouldhereturn,histreaty-breakingexposed?Hetookmaterialsfromthe
houseandimprovisedmasqueradecostumesforhimselfandElẹrẹ.Accompaniedbythe
emada,theydancedtothepalaceandaskedtoperformforthemonarch.TheIyasẹandhis
colleaguesweredelighted.ThebelievedtheỌbawasstillatUtẹ,andfelthisabsencewouldbe
revealedbythemasqueraders’request.Instead,thetwomasqueradersenteredthepalace,
Ohẹnfoundsubstitutestodontheircostumes,andthenheemergedtowatchtheir
performance.Elẹrẹpassedintotheharem,laterbearingthebabyboyknownasOgun.55After
sometime,thebridge’smedicineof“slowpoison”56setin,paralyzingOhẹn.Hisenmitywith
54Anenigmaticsayingprobablyreferstothisevent:“Ehuaen’Ikpobarueemwiny’okhoroogieokue”or“EhuaeofIkpobadidsomething.”Personalcommunication,IkponmwosaOsemwegie,July15,1994.55Personalcommunication,IkponmwosaOsemwegie,July15,1994.EgharevbaplacedẸwuare’smaternalnatalhomenearUdoatEsi(AShortHistoryofBenin,1953,19),wherehespenthislastyearsanddied,andreiteratedthisstatementinapersonalcommunicationtoPatrickDarlingin1977(ArchaeologyandHistoryinSouthernNigeria:TheAncientLinearEarthworksofBeninandIshan.[Oxford:B.A.R.,1984],155).S.B.Omoregie,however,believedẸwuare’smaternalvillagewasUtẹ(EmotanandtheKingsofBenin[London:Longman,1972]),asdoesAisien,whonamesEsiasthebirthplaceofẸwuare’smaternalgrandmother(Ewuare,BeninCity,2012,2).In1965,A.F.C.RyderraisedthepossibilitythatẸwuaremayhavebeenaforeignconqueror(“AReconsiderationoftheIfe-BeninRelationship,”JournalofAfricanHistory6[1,1965]:36),lateramendingthistosuggesthemighthavebeenstronglyinfluencedbynearbystates(BeninandtheEuropean1485-1897[London:Longmans,1969],8).In1980,RyderagainspeculatedaboutẸwuare,statinghisreign“suggestsawidespreadstruggleinwhichBenincameoutonthelosingside...fromcivilwarorexternalattack,”postulatinghemayhavebeenassociatedwithUdo(“TheBeninKingdom”inGroundworkofNigerianHistory,ed.ObaroIkime[Ibadan:Heinemann,1980],113,115).DespiteRyder’sreasoning,Ẹwuare’sintegrationintomanyaspectsandsourcesofBenin’soralhistorydonotsupportforeignbirth.56ThelateIneofIgbesanmwan,ChiefDavidOmoregiealsoattributedthepoisoningtotheromanticrelationship’ssubterfugeandthechiefs’annoyance:“ỌbaỌhẹnmetaladyandfellforher.Theyhadasecretmarriage.Anoldwomantoldchief[theIyasẹ]towatchout.Hepreparedanakinruwin(stroke)ọrọ(paralysis)umiọn(loselimbs'
Sensemaking in Benin Kingdom Oral Traditions
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theIyasẹincreased,thelatter’sattemptstocatchhimoutresultinginhisdeathbystoning.In
turn,thechiefs,bereftatthelossoftheirleader(theIyase)attheinstigationoftheOba,duga
disguisedpitunderthethrone,trappingOhẹnandstoninghimtodeath.
S.B.Omoregieconcurredwiththecertainaspectsofbothaccounts,albeitwith
variations.Inhisversion,Elẹrẹ’sfatherhadbegunmarriagenegotiationswithBenin’sOliha
whenshebeganmeetingOhẹnsecretly.Herfatherthendisguisedthembothwith“twoof”the
Ekokon’Utẹmasks–theimplicationbeingthattheyweretwoofmany,whichisnotthecase–
andusedthissubterfugetogainherharementrance.OmoregiedidnotlinktheỌba’sparalysis
withthisincident,nordidheassociateitwithIyasẹEmuze’scuriosity,agency,andsubsequent
murder,althoughhediscussedtheseincidents.Hedid,however,linktheẸdoreluctancefor
Ogun/Ẹwuare’srulewithhismotherElẹrẹ’sheritage,thoughheassociatedhernotwiththe
Ogiamiẹnfamily,butwithOgisoỌdọligie.57Theredoesnot,however,appeartobeany
marriagebanbetweenthepresentroyalfamilyandthedescendantsoftheOgiso,asthereis
betweenthemandtheOgiamiẹnfamily.Athirdindividual,ChiefOgiamiẹnhimself,didnot
capacity)ghadeoguoro(paralysisresulted).Personalcommunication,ChiefDavidOmoregie,August29,1994. 57S.B.Omoregie,EmotanandtheKingsofBenin,1972,1-4;23.PatrickDarlingreferstoOmoregie’saccountofẸwuare’sbirthresultingfromasecretliaisonwithEwere[sic]asoneofthe“morerecentrecordsoftradition,”butBradbury’sandotherearlierrecordsmentionedabove,dorefer,albeitinpart,tothisevent(ArchaeologyandHistoryinSouthernNigeria,1984,158-159).Otherauthorshavealludedtothemasquerade’sOhẹn/Elẹrẹaspect.AkeNorborg’smentionofEkokostatedits“cultisconnectedwithỌbaẸwuareandhismother”(TheMusicalInstrumentsoftheEdo-speakingPeoplesofSouth-WesternNigeria[Copenhagen:JespersenOffsetAPS,1992],119),andEkhaguosaAisienstatesthatthemasquerade“commemoratesObaOhen’scamouflageonhisreturntothePalaceafterspendinganightoutwithhislover,Elere[sic],”notingElẹrẹlatergavebirthtoỌbaẸwuare(“DancesandsongsofEdoLand,”inEdoCulturalVoyage,ed.ỌmọrọdiọnUwaifo[Lagos:HanonPublishing,2006],97).Herepeatstheseremarksin“DancesandSongsoftheBeninPeople,"inFromBirthtoDeath:ABeninCulturalVoyage,ed.S.O.U.Igbe,(BeninCity,Nigeria:NewDawnInternational,2009),155.Inalaterpublication,hementionsOhẹn’sparalysiswasduetoanadulterousaffairwithOliha’swife,itsdiscoveryresultingnotinpoison,butthelesssubtlepunishmentofbreakingthemonarch’slegs.Hethendisguisedhislameconditionbyappearingonathronemountedonthebacksoftwocrocodiles(Ewuare,2012,11).OsayọmwabọỌsemwegieẸrosaidmorecrypticallyofEkokon’Utẹthatits“cultisconnectedwithỌbaẸwuareandhismotherElẹrẹappearsonthisoccasiontoblesstheOba"(IguẹandOtherFestivalsinBeninKingdom[BeninCity,Nigeria:OsaneroConsultPublications,2003],26).
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expanduponthesehistoricalevents,butallowedthatElẹrẹhadbeenamemberofhis
extendedfamily.58
WhiletheEkokon’Utẹmasqueradeperformanceincludesnoreferencestothe
monarch’sparalysisortheIyasẹ’smurder,itsimpromptubeginningsarerecalledbyacommon
saying:“Ekokoimwẹnihuanọvbehe”or“Ekokohasnosong.”Itsaccompanimentremainsa
simple,repetitiveverse:“Ogbeuvberreekpo”or“Nextyear,mayweseeyou,masquerade.”59
Whileitcanperformforvariousoccasionsinitshomevillage,itstillperformsannuallyatthe
palace.Inthe1990s,itusuallydancedonanOtuẹoccasionduringtheIguẹperiod.Osemwegie
recalledthatunderỌbaAkẹnzua,ithadoftenappearedearlyonthedayoftheỌba’sIguẹ.
Althoughthismayhaveoccurredattimes,theEkokon’Utẹmasqueradewasassociatedmost
frequentlywithOtuẹIgu’Ọba.60
Themalemasqueradercovershisfacewithstripcloth,whilethefemalewearsan
58Personalcommunication,ChiefOsaroboOkuonghae,theOgiamiẹnofBenin,July12,1994.59Personalcommunication,IkpenmwosaOsemwegie,July15,1994.Aisien,however,recordedanothersongfromJacobOkungbowa,oneoftheUtesingers.Itstranslatedlyricsinclude:“ThemotherofOgun,thesonofOhen,Irecognizeyou!MotherofEwuare!”Whilethissongispurportedlysungatthepalace,itslyricaldirectionaimssolelyatthemasqueraderrepresentingthefemale.ThismayindicateapraisesongusedatotheroccasionsinUtethatlatermigratedtopalaceperformances;otherwise,the“Ekokohasnosong”sayingwouldnothavearisen.60Onanoccasioninthe1990swhenIgu’Ọbawaspubliclyperformed,IsawthemasqueradersdanceatOtuẹIgu’Ọba.Inyearswhenthatceremonywasprivate,Ekokon’UtẹdancedontheOtuẹofUgieErhọba.IkpenmwosaOsemwegiesaidhehadseenthemasqueradersperformintheearlymorningofIgu’Ọba(personalcommunication,Dec.22,1994).ThosewhoassociateditwithOtuẹIgu’ỌbaincludedChiefUniọyen(Dec.22,1957,Bradburyarchive,R31),itspriest,theEkhureofEkoko(Dec.21,1958,Bradburyarchive,B4),andẸro(IguẹandOtherFestivals,2003,26).
Fig.4.BothEkokon’Utẹmasqueradersenterthepalacewiththeirattendants,includingayoungboyholdingthemasquerade’sukhurhẹ.PhotographbyKathyCurnow,1990s.
Sensemaking in Benin Kingdom Oral Traditions
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antelopemask(Fig.4).TheformerisknownasEkokoOgiowẹrẹ,adirectroyalallusion.The
latter’snarrowjawandloweredeyesaremarksoffemaleattractiveness,andthemasquerade
isevokedwhenpraisingwomen:“ỌruẹagbamwẹnvbeagbamwẹnEkoko”or“Herjawislike
theEkokomasquerade.”61LikeanumberofotherBeninmasquerades(Ovia,Ovbo,and,toa
lesserextent,Ododua),bothofthemasqueraders’headpiecesstressfeathers,acomponent
thatdifferentiatesthemfromthecostumesofmostneighboringethnicgroups.OntheEkoko
n’Utẹheadpieces,thetightly-packed,splayingfeatherbouquetsconsistoflong,darkplumes
toppedwiththetied-onredtailfeathersoftheAfricanGreyParrot,thelatterachoicethat
invokesthespiritworldfortheẸdoandtheYorubaalike.BothEkokocostumesalsoinclude
mirroredlappetsthathangfromthebackoftheheadpiece.Mirrorsusuallysuggestwaterin
Ẹdothought,andmayherereferencetheIkpobaRiver.Thecostumesareoflocally-woven
cloth,andbothperformerswearraffia-styleanklerattleslikethosewornbyOvia
masqueraders.Eachhasapriestwhosegendermatchesthatofhis/hermasquerade.Eventhe
priestesscarriesanada,amarkofhighhonorthatdenotespalacefavor.
Themasquerade’splaceintheIguẹceremoniesisnowfairlylow-key,itsaudience
sometimesnotevenincludingtheỌba,thoughitsdanceandprayersaredirectedtohisusual
placeonthedaisinẸwuare’scourtyard.Theeventitcommemorates,however,has
perpetuateditsappearanceformorethanhalfamillennium.Thatthisforbiddenunion
producedPrinceOgun(laterỌbaẸwuare)maybeoneofthechiefreasonsthelatterwasexiled
inhisyouth,hisveryexistenceabhorrenttothecitizensuntilallremainingoptionswere
61Personalcommunication,IkpenmwosaOsemwegie,July15,1994.AlthoughAisiennamesthemasqueradesasElere(female)andOrigie(male),hemismatchestheircostumewiththeirgender,attributingthecarvedmasktothemale(Ewuare,2012,7).Aisien,likeBradbury’sinformantOrhueỌmọrẹgbẹoh’Origie(seeabove),attributesthemasqueradesubterfugetoẸnogieofUte,thegirl’sfather.
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extinguished.
Ohẹn’sparalysisiscommemoratedbythefish-leggedOlokun-likefigurescommonin
Beninart.62Otherassociationsbetweenhismaladyandsubsequenteventsarealsovisually
recalled.TheIneofIgbesanmwanstatedthatthecrocodileheadsthatappearattheỌba’s
waistoncertain16th-centuryplaqueswereamodeOhẹnbegan.Thevarietyofcrocodilewas
thesmall,moredociletypeknownasẹghughu,63aboutwhichitissaid,“Teẹghughubuarorua
nagba,”or“The‘alligator’willlookatyouandtieupitsmouth.”64Theanimalisusedin
medicinetopreventenemiesfromcreatingobstacles,aswellasmedicinedesignedtoparalyze
opponents.Ohẹn’suseofitmayhavebeenrelatedtoanattemptedcureforhislegs.His
reportedfoundingofthemajorOlokunshrineatUrhonigbemayhavebeenduetosimilar
efforts.65TheconsequencesofOhẹn’smurderofhisoverly-curiousIyasẹarereenacted
annuallywhenhigh-rankingchiefsgreettherulerattheIguẹcelebrationsby“playing”agesture
acrosstheirhorizontally-heldẹbẹnceremonialswords.Itsignifies“WhereistheIyasẹ?”His
returninggesticulationbeliesanyknowledge.
ẸwuareandthedistortionoftheUbi-Ẹwerẹstory
EgharevbanotesthatwhenOgunwasstillinhiding,hecametothecityandsought
refugewithOgiefa,whohidhimand“thenwenttotelltheOgiamwe[sic]andotherssothat
62Fish-leggedfiguresaremultivalentsymbolsinBenin.Theycanbeinterpretedasthesea/riverdeityhimself,asOhẹnwithparalyzedlegs,orasanyỌbainhisdivinestate.Besidesthedeificationmodeorthelatter,itservesasacautionaryimagetomonarchs,remindingthemthatunacceptablebehaviorsuchasOhẹn’shaveconsequences,includingregicide.63ẸwuwuappearstobetheshyCrocodyluscataphractusorMecistopscataphractus.Agbaka,thelargerandfiercercrocodilespecies,isalsowell-knowninBeninanditsenvirons.64Personalcommunication,ChiefDavidOmoregie,Aug29,1994. 65IkponmwosaOsemwegiesuggestedthatbecausetheparalyzingmedicinewasassociatedwithariver,Ohẹnmayhavesoughtamorepowerfulrivertoovercomeit.Personalcommunication,July15,1994.
Sensemaking in Benin Kingdom Oral Traditions
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theymightarrestandpunishhim.”66HeescapedandeventuallysecuredthethroneasỌba
Ẹwuare.Ifoneinterpretshisparents’conjugalbreakingofthetreatyasinvitingdisaster,stories
ofẸwuare’sburningofthecity,thedeathofhistwoheirs,thepunitivemourninglawshe
instituted,hismurderousways,andhisdifficultiesengenderingadditionalsons67couldbe
attributedtothiscause.ThatẸwuare’spre-coronationconflictsinvolvedanallianceofOgiefa
andtheOgiamiẹnagainsthimagaindrawsattentiontotheappearanceofanOgiamienin
history,evenwhenOgiefawastheactorandtherewasnoclearreasontoincludeOgiamien.
Atsomepoint,Ẹwuareseemstohavetriedtosettlethe“unendingdispute”
ceremoniallybyinstitutinglinkedobservancesrelatingtoOgiefa’sdaughterẸwerẹand
Ọgiamiẹn’ssonUbi,thecouplethatfacilitatedtheinitialreconciliationbetweentheỌranmiyan
partyandtheindigenousrepublicangroup.Asmentioned,thismollificationisrecalledbythe
words“Ogiamiẹnl'Ubi,Ogiefaigb'Ẹwerẹ”(Ogiamiẹndoesn’ttakepartinUbi,andOgiefa
doesn’ttakepartinẸwerẹ).Ẹwerẹday,partoftoday’sextendedroyalIguẹcelebrations,
involvesbothaninitialUbisegmentandalaterẸwerẹphase.Thefirstemploysburning
brands68topurifytheland,withyouthsrunningthroughthestreetshouting“Ubirrie!”(“Ubi,
begone!),thenthrowingthesticksintotheiyamoat.ThisisareenactmentofthepursuitofUbi
duringẸwẹdọ’sinitialincursion,andadrivingofundesirablethingsfromthecity.TheẸwerẹ
phasefollowsimmediately.Youthspickẹwerẹ(ebẹẹwerẹwerẹ)leavesatthewatersideand
66Egharevba,AShortHistoryofBenin,1953,17.67Egharevba,AShortHistoryofBenin,1953,14-17. 68Thoughsmallpiecesoffirewoodcanalsobeused,theUbiritebeginswith“deadraffiabrands”(personalcommunication,IkponmwosaOsemwegie,July6,1994).AghamaOmoruyiconcursinhisdiscussionoftheBenin“moats,”notingthe“onlysurvivingceremonyisthethrowingofubipalmtorches”(BeninAnthology[Benin:CulturalPublications,1981],28).Heretheraffiaoftheroyalpartyresurfaces,recallingtheominigbọnsaying.Nevadomskypointsoutthatraffiaisusedinmedicinesforchickenpox(“KingshipSuccessionRitualsinBenin,3,”92),whichrelatesitsusetoOhunIghitanandhowthetreatypreventsskinandotherdiseasesfromaffectingthepopulace.
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29
presentthemtocitizensassymbolsofgoodluck,thelatterplacingsmallpiecesoftheleaveson
theirforeheads.Atthepalace,membersoftheỌba’s“official”family,theIhogbeguildofroyal
ancestralpriests,offerẹwerẹleavestothemonarch,asdohisbloodrelations.Perhaps
significantly,theIhogbenotonlymedicinallyreinforcetheheadandbodyofthemonarchand
leadtheworshipofhisancestors,theyalsopropitiatethespiritsoftheland,i.e.,thepre-
Ọranmiyan,Ogiso-erarulers.
TheinstigationofthesedualceremoniesseemstohavebeenẸwuare’swayof
deemphasizinghisconnectiontohisparents’forbiddenmarriage.Osemwegiesuggestedthat
oneaspectoftheIgu’ỌbafestivalisthanksgivingthattheỌranmiyanpartysuccessfullyreached
Benintorule,andthattheUbi/ẸwerẹceremoniesemphasizetheinsultingandpursuitofUbi
alongsideadesiretobring“ourownwoman”home,hernicknameofẸwerẹsynonymouswith
“safearrival.”69OgiamiẹncannottakepartintheUbiceremonybecauseitwouldseemasifhe
celebratedhisancestor’scapitulation,and,inturn,OgiefacannottakepartinẸwerẹbecauseit
wouldbeacelebrationofthenecessityofpastaccommodation.
TheUbi/Ẹwerẹsaying’ssignificanceisnotconfinedtoeventsoftheearlyhistorical
periodortoẸwuare’scommemorationofthem.Itadditionallyactsasacheckonastorythatis
incommoncirculationtoday.BecauseofEgharevba’sAShortHistoryofBenin,mostpeople
nowassociatethedualceremoniesofUbiandẸwerẹwithataleaboutthreeofỌbaẸwuare’s
wives.EgharevbarecountedthatthemonarchmarriedUbi,theeldestofChiefOgiẹka’sthree
daughters,thendroveherfromtheharembecauseofbed-wettingandotherbadbehavior.He
subsequentlymarriedhersisterẸwerẹ,whoweptforthecompanyofanothersister,Ọyọyọ.To
stophertears,hethenmarriedthisthirdsisteraswell.Thisstorydidnotappearuntil 69Personalcommunication,IkponmwosaOsemwegie,June18,1994.
Sensemaking in Benin Kingdom Oral Traditions
30
Egharevba’sthirdeditionof1960,andwasrepeatedinthefourtheditionof1968.70The
recountingoftheearlierUbiandẸwerẹ–theOgiamiẹnfamily’sUbiandtheOgiefafamily’s
Ẹwerẹ–remainedinbothoftheseeditionsaswell.Thattheoriginaltale,whichrelatedtothe
accommodationofsettlersbyBenin’soldguard,shouldbeshuntedasideinfavorofataleof
threewives,noneofwhomapparentlyboretheỌbasurvivingsons,iscuriousindeed.Only
womenwithmajorrolesinthecourtandkingdom,suchasEmotan,Idia,orIdẹn,tendtobe
rememberedbynameinBeninhistory.Thepoweroftheprintedwordseemsresponsiblefor
thepopularsupplantingoftheearlierversionofẸwerẹ’smeaning.71
CertainlythelyricsofthesongssungattheẸwerẹceremonyincludenoreferencesto
thesisters;instead,theyreferencehappiness,blessings,andpeace.72Whilethewordọyọyọ
appearsinoneofthesongs,Osemwegiestresseditreferredtotheshakingofbunchesofẹwerẹ
leaves,nottoaname.73TheceremonyofẸwerẹcontainsnumerousallusionstodynasticorigins
anditsfeaturedparticipantsaremembersofIhogbe.74Thatamajorceremonywouldcelebrate
thegoodorbadharembehaviorofwomenwhodidnotevengivebirthtomonarchswouldbe
extremelystrange;ifsuchafestivalweretoexist,theIbiwepalacesocietymemberswhowork
withtheharemshouldhavebeenitskeyactors.
70Egharevba,AShortHistoryofBenin,1960,18-19;Egharevba,AShortHistoryofBenin,1968,17-18.71Thetriplemarriagestorywas,however,incirculationinBeninbyatleasttheearly1950s,whenBradburyinterviewedChiefEsọgban(May2and3,1951,Bradburyarchive,A8).Inthelatter’srendition,however,UbiwasrejectedfromtheharembecausedivinerstoldẸwuarethatherpresencehadledtohisillnessandthatofmanyofhiswives,aswellastomanydeathsinthetown.TheremainderofChiefEsọgban’sversionwasveryclosetothatEgharevbapublishedin1960. 72FortheẸdolyricsandtheirtranslation,seeBenjaminObeghareIzu,“MusicandAssociatedCeremoniesDisplayedDuringUgie(Festival)intheRoyalCourtofBeninKingdom,Nigeria,”MAThesis,UniversityofSouthAfrica,2012,66-67.73Personalcommunication,IkponmwosaOsemwegie,July1,1994.74Curnow,Iyare!,2016,137-138.
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Theofficialenemyandthe1897survival
Becauseofthepresentdynasty’sslowconquestofBeninCityandtheparttheOgiamiẹn
lineplayedinfirstobstructingandthencolludingwiththisdynasty,ChiefOgiamiẹn’sposition
remainsthatofaformalenemyoftheỌba.75Hedoesnotattendpalacefunctionsregularly,
nordoeshetakepartinmostceremonies.Hisappearanceatthecoronationforthetworitesof
historicalreenactmenthas,however,remainedakeyrole.BecausetheformerOgiamiẹnhad
diedbeforeỌbaErediauwa’s1979enthronement,hisadolescentson’schieftaincyinstallation
hadtoberushedinordertoallowhisparticipation(Fig.5).
Despite“official”enmity,notallỌba/Ogiamiẹnrelationswerecool.Indeed,ỌbaẸsigie’s
early16th-centuryrelationshipwithhisOgiamiẹnappearstohavebeenquiteclose,forwhen
themonarchquarreledwiththeUzamaN’IhinronandcreatedtheUzamaN’Ibietotakeover
75ThisisnottothedegreeofsomeonedeclaredtheỌba’senemy,anunenviablepositionthatinvolvespublicdisgrace,abanonpalacevisits,andburialrestrictions.Ratheritisakintocertainotherhereditaryrolesthatalludetohistoricalconflicts,suchastheOhẹnukoni,orhighpriestofỌkhuaihẹ.Ọkhuaihẹ,oneofẸwuare’smoststalwartandpowerfulfriends,wasbetrayedbyhimandgivenadomainasabribetoleavethecapital.TheOhẹnukonicomestoBeninonlyforhisinstallation,andthemerethreatofhisapproachingthecity’sborderresultsinpresentsbeingsenttoconciliatehim(personalcommunication,Ohẹnukoni,Sept.4,1995).
Fig.5.YoungChiefOgiamiẹn,RoyalPalace,BeninCity,Nigeria.PhotographbyChiefS.O.Alonge,1979.EEPA2009-007-0891.EliotElisofonPhotographicArchives,NationalMuseumofAfricanArt,SmithsonianInstitution.
Sensemaking in Benin Kingdom Oral Traditions
32
someoftheirceremonialduties,heappointedOgiamiẹnoneofitsmembers.76Althoughthe
historiesofallOgiamiẹntitle-holdersandtheirrelationshiptothepalacearenotwell-known,
thepresenttitleholder,OgiamiẹnOsaroboOkuonghae,spokeofỌbaErediauwawithrespect
andcordiality.77
76Eweka,EvolutionofBeninChieftaincyTitles,1992,40.77Personalcommunications,ChiefOgiamienOsaroboOkunoghae,1992,1994,and1995.
Fig.7.OgiamiẹnOsaroboOkuonghaeseatedinfrontofhisfamilyancestralaltar,anoillamphangingoverhead.PhotographbyKathyCurnow,1992.
Fig.6.ExterioroftheOgiamiẹnpalacewiththeblocked-updoorwayfortheỌba,aswellasthemainentrance.PhotocourtesyJosephNevadomsky.ThebulkofNevadomsky’simagesareheldbytheEliotElisofonPhotographicArchives,NationalMuseumofAfricanArt,SmithsonianInstitution.
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33
Thedepredationsofthe1897Britishinvasionresultedinextensivemetropolitandestruction,
includingdamagetomajorshrinesandhomesandafirethatconsumedmostofthepalace.The
onlymajorchieflystructuretosurvivetothepresentisOgiamiẹn’spalace78(Figs.6,7).Itsouter
wallincludesablocked-updoorway,openedonlyfortheỌba’sentranceduringthecoronation
period,79whileitswarren-likecourtyardstructureincludesnumeroussecularandsacred
corners.OnesuchistheshrineinwhatOgiamiẹnOsaroboreferredtoas“thetreatyroom,”
wherethemonarch’sgiftsatthetimeofhisinstallationarekept(Fig.8):apriestlystool(erhe),
ukhurhẹ,ekpokinbox,andanagbarectangularstool.Familymembersattributethesurvivalof
thebuildingandsomeofitsshrinefurnituretodivineinterventiononthepartoftheancestral
spiritsoftheland,whoprotectedthedescendantsofEvian,Ogiamiẹn,andUbi.
78TheẸdousetheEnglishword“palace”forthehomesofwealthyormajorBeninchiefs’homes;itismeanttoimplystatus,anddoesnothererefertoroyalty.79Personalcommunication,OgiamiẹnOsaroboOkuonghae,July12,1994.JosephNevadomskycallsthisblockedforecourtdoorurhoẹrinmwin(“doortothespiritworld”),sayingitisbrokenopenforancestralspiritstodepart(“AnEthnographicandSpaceSyntaxAnalysisofBeninKingdomNobilityArchitecture,”AfricanArchaeologicalReview31:1[2014]:68).Thosefamilymembersinanongoingstrugglewiththeroyalfamily(see“recentrecurrence”below)claimitspurposeisto“compeltheObaofBenintobowbeforetheOgiamiẹnwhenenteringthroughthe4ft.door”(OsaigbovoOsadolo,“OgiamienVsObaofBenin–Whatwillthecourtdecide?”EagleGateNewspaper,Sept.17,2016.http://www.theeaglegate.com/ogiamien-vs-oba-of-benin-what-will-the-court-decide/).
Fig.8.ChiefOgiamiẹn’s“treatyroom.”Theagbastoolisatfrontleft.PhotographbyKathyCurnow,1992.
Sensemaking in Benin Kingdom Oral Traditions
34
TheNationalCommissionforMuseumsandMonumentsdeclaredthepalacea
NationalHeritageSitein1959.Nevadomskystatesitwashometoabout400peoplein1920,
butonlyahandfulwereresidentinitsharembythe1990s,leavingthemainhousea
monument,ratherthanlivingquarters.Aswasstandardforlargechieflydwellingsofthepast,
theharemisseparatedfromthemainstructurethatwasbuiltasaseriesofinterconnected
opencourtyards,withroomsarrangedaroundtheirperimeters(Fig.9).Ogiamiẹn’spalacestill
showstheintegrationofreligionanddailylife,withover30shrines,80dedicatedtosuchbeings
astheHighGodOsanobua,thedivinityoftheoceanandwealthOlokun,thedeityofmedicine
Osun,thepowerofthearm’saccomplishments,andseparatealtarstomaleandfemalefamily
ancestors(Fig.10).OneroomisdedicatedtotheShrineoftheGround.81AlthoughBenin
includesseveralshrinestotheground/earth(otọe),mostareout-of-doorsatsitesmarkedby
ikhinmwintrees;thisisnot.IsthistheGreatChamberofSoiltowhichthechief’spraisename
refers?
80Nevadomsky,“AnEthnographicandSpaceSyntaxAnalysis,”2014,68.81Nevadomsky,“AnEthnographicandSpaceSyntax,”2014,71.Nevadomskyanalyzesthespatialsyntaxofthestructure,comparingittotheroyalpalaceandearly20th-centurypalacesbelongingtootherchiefs,notingaconsistentaccessinequalitybasedongenderandotherfactors.FurtherdiagramsandphotographsoftheresidencecanbefoundinZ.R.Dmochowski,AnIntroductiontoNigerianTraditionalArchitecture,vol.2:South-WestandCentralNigeria(London:Ethnographica,1990),1.50-1.56.
Fig.9.JoeNevadomskydonatedthisscalemodel(hereshownwithoutitsrooftorevealinteriorspaces)totheMuseumofAfricanArtinNewYorkCity.PalaceModel,OgiamiẹnPalace,BeninCity,Nigeria.PhotographbyJosephNevadomsky,1995.EEPA2012-013-xxxx(batch2,binder9),EliotElisofonPhotographic
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35
Recentrecurrence TheperiodicconflictbetweentheroyalfamilyandOgiamiẹnresurfacedduring
preparationsforthe2016coronation.Thepresenttitleholder,OgiamiẹnOsaroboOkuonghae,
traveledoverseastopursueagraduatedegreein1998andapparentlyremainedthere,
purportedlyoutoftouchwithhisextendedfamily.AfactionoftheOgiamiẹnfamilydeclared
himmissingandpresumeddead,withnoknownsonandheir.Theytookituponthemselvesto
notonlyselectanewOgiamiẹn,butinstallthistitleholderthemselvesonSeptember9,2015.
Thisfloutedtradition.SinceỌbaẸwẹdọ’stime,theOgiamiẹnchieftaincyhasbeenapalacetitle,
withitsinstallationconductedthere,themonarchpresiding.Thepreparationforand
“installation”ofthisfaction’schosentitleholder,hotelownerRichAriscoOsemwengie,a
prominentmemberofthePDPpoliticalparty,82wasaccompaniedbythepublicationofa
82AsJosephNevadomskynotedin“TheỌwẹgbeCult:PoliticalandEthnicRivalriesinEarlyPostcolonialBeninCity.”Umẹwaẹn1(2016):65,theproliferationofnationalmediaoutlets,education,politicalparties,andvarioustypesof
Fig.10.Fewchiefsarepermittedtoerectmaternalancestralshrineslikethese.Theirukhurhẹarealwaysmuchshorterthanthoseonpaternalshrines,andwoodenhensornamentthem.By1992,
onlyoneofthesefowlsremained,itsheadlosttotermites.Maternalshrine,HouseoftheOgiamiẹn,BeninCity,Nigeria.PhotographbyEliotElisofon,1970.EEPAEENG03335,EliotElisofon
PhotographicArchives,NationalMuseumofAfricanArt, SmithsonianInstitution.
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periodicalcalledTheOgiamienTrumpet.TheSecretaryoftheEdoStateGovernment,Julius
Ihonvbere,condemnedthistabloidinapressstatementonSept.11,2015.Hedeclaredthatthe
publication,whosepurportedintentwasthe“unity”and“renaissance”oftheOgiamiẹnfamily,
used“abusivelanguage”andshoweddisrespecttowardsthemonarch.Ihonvbereinvoked
sectionsofthe1979TraditionalRulersandChieftaincyLawtostatethatself-proclamationof
chieftaincyortraditionalruleisacriminaloffence.83
OsemwengieandfivesupporterswereorderedheldonSept.16,2015,somemonths
aftersendingletterstothenEdaikẹn,EhẹnẹdẹnErediauwa,andGovernorOshiomhole.84Hislist
ofdemandsincludedrecognitionoftheOgiamiẹntitleholderasamonarchratherthanachief,
theappointmentofhisowntraditionalcouncil,acknowledgementofhis“UtantanBenin
Nation’s”boundariesinpartsofOrẹdo,aswellasIkpoba-Okha,Orhionmwọn,andUhunmwode
LocalGovernmentAreas(withassociatedpayments),aswellasgeneralreparationsof350
millionnaira.85StateAttorneyGeneralandCommissionerforJusticeHenryIdahagbon,
prosecutedthecase,referringtotheactionsasanattempted“traditionalcoup.”86Afewweeks
later,oneofOsemwengie’s“installers”waskilledbyabusthatstruckhimwhilehewassitting
nationalaffiliationshas“allowedforhistorical,andconflicted,oppositionstoreassertthemselvesinreinvigoratedandcollectiveformations.”Osemwengie’spartyaffiliationandmedia-spreadpronouncementssoundlyreinforcethisobservation.Hispoliticalpositioncountersthatofthecurrentgovernorandthegovernor-elect,insteadaligningwithformerPDPgovernorLuckyIgbinedion,sonofChiefGabrielIgbinedion,theEsamaofBenin,anEghaevboN’OrememberwhowasoftenatoddswithỌbaErediauwa.83JethroIbileke,“Chieftaincy:EdogovtwarnsOgiamienfamily,threatenscriminalcharges,”PMNews,Sept.11,2015,http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2015/09/11/chieftaincy-edo-govt-warns-ogiamien-family-threatens-criminal-charges/. 84ThelettersandtheinitialOgiamienTrumpetpublicationapparentlydatetoJune,2015,nearlyayearbeforeỌbaErediauwa’sdemisewasannounced,aseverebreachofBeninprotocol.SomeoftheparticularsofthelettersandtheTrumpet’sclaimscanbefoundinOsadolo,“OgiamienVsObaofBenin,”2016.OsemwengieandhisyoungerbrotherPatrickOsabohienwerearrested;athirdpersonwastobeincarceratedbutwasneverlocatedorjailed.85OsagieOtabo,“PopularBeninmanintroublefordaringOba,”TheNation,Sept.18,2015.http://thenationonlineng.net/popular-benin-man-in-trouble-for-daring-oba/.86SimonEbegbulem, “AllegedTraditionalCoup:Osemwingie[sic],othersincourtasBinikingdomrumbles,”Vanguard,Sept.22,2015,http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/rumble-in-bini-kingdom-osemwingie-others-in-court-for-alleged-traditional-coup/.
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outsidehishome,87anactionattributedbymanytosupernaturalsanction.OnDec.11,2015,
theIyasẹofBeninledmembersofthepalaceEwaisẹguild(traditionaldoctorsanddiviners),the
Ihogbe(guildoftheroyalancestors),andadditionalritualspecialiststomultiplecityshrines,
cursingthepretendertotheOgiamiẹntitleandhiscohortsasOghianỌba,orenemiesofthe
Ọba.88
Forthepastyear,theescalatedfrictionhasplayedoutinthemedia.Palacespokesman
ChiefAyobahandiminishedtheimportanceoftheẸkiokpaghaTreatyandcalledtheOgiamiẹn
family“slaves”whosepalacewaslittlemorethan“acave.”89Osemwengie’ssupporters
retortedwithaccusationsthattheỌbawasmerely“atenant”ontheirland,furtherasserting
thatEvianhadactuallybeenamemberoftheOgisoroyalfamilyratherthananOgiso-era
chief,90aclaimnevermadebefore.Theywentontodiscreditthepalace’sassertionsthatthe
lastknownOgiso-eraprince,theexiledEkaladerhan,wasidenticaltotheIfẹdynasty’sfounder
Oduduwa,aviewpointtheyattributedtothelateỌbaErediauwa.WhiletheỌbadidpublicize
87MichaelEgbobawayewaskilledonOct.8,2015.OsagieOtabor,“PanicasParallelOgiamien’sInstallerKilled,”TheNation,Oct.9,2015,http://thenationonlineng.net/panic-as-parallel-ogiamiens-installer-is-killed/.88SimonEbegbulem,“BeninpalacechiefsraincursesonallegedOba’senemies,”Vanguard,Dec.15,2015,http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/benin-palace-chiefs-rain-curses-on-alleged-obas-enemies/. 89ChiefAboyahanstated,“TheObagoestherenotbecauseitistraditionalbutforformality.ItistorememberaneventwheretheOgiamiẹnsweredefeatedandcrushed”inGabrielEnogholase,“OgiamienplaysnopartincoronationofObaofBenin—Palacechief,”Vanguard,Feb.20,2016,http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/ogiamien-plays-no-part-in-coronation-of-oba-of-benin-palace-chief/.90Inarewritingofknownhistory,theyclaimthatEvianandthelastOgiso,Owodo,werebrothers.Osadolo,“OgiamienVsObaofBenin,”2016.Seealso“Don’tCircumventEkiokpaghaTreaty,OgiamienFamilyWarnsBeninTraditionalCouncil,”IPNNews,Feb.25,2016,http://ipnnews.info/dont-circumvent-ekiokpagha-treaty-ogiamien-family-warns-benin-traditional-council/.“Tenancy”claimsarediscussedinEromoseleEbhomele,“FamilyofLateObaofBeninareTenantsintheKingdom?”Naij.com,May,2016,https://www.naij.com/832915-controversy-crown-prince-eheneden-erediuwa-tenant-benin-kingdom.html.Interestingly,MondayWehere(alsoinprintas“Whewhe”),“directorofinformationandexternalaffairsforTheGreatOgiamienRoyalFamily”[Osemwengie’sfaction],whoisthepublisher/editor-in-chiefoftheOgiamienTrumpetandconsultantfortheEvianRenaissanceMovement,isapparentlyfromRiversState,withonlymaternalconnectionstoBenin.See “ThereCanNeverBeanObaofBeninwithouttheOgiamien”athttp://edonationsatelite.blogspot.com/2016/02/there-can-never-be-oba-of-benin-without.htmlandSimonEbegbulem,“CoronationofObaofBenin:ThreeSeniorAdvocatesofNigeriatackleOgiamien,”Vanguard,Sept.25,2016,http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/coronation-oba-benin-three-senior-advocates-nigeria-tackle-ogiamien/.
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thishistoricalversion,hewasnotitsoriginator,forithadalreadybeenrecordedatleastas
earlyasthe1950s,whenR.E.BradburywasresearchinginBenin,91andreiteratedbyseveral
Ẹdoauthorsfrom1970to1973,promptinghistorianG.A.Akinolatoinvestigatetheirclaims
thatyearviaBeninCityfieldwork.92
Osemwengie’ssupportersevenassertedthepostponementofthecoronationfrom
SeptembertoOctoberof2016,duetoashiftinthedateofstateelections,wasactuallythe
resultoftheirowncourtcase’sdelay,implyingthattheEdaikẹncouldnotbecrowneduntil
theirdemandswereconsidered.ThreeSeniorAdvocatesofNigeriaquicklyrepudiatedthe
claim,notingthereschedulingwasduetopriorcourtengagementsandwasunrelatedtothe
coronation.93TheEdoStateGovernment’scriminalcaseagainstOsemwengiewasoverturned
bythestateHighCourt,andthegovernmentundertookanappeal.Thecontentiousness
continued.OsemwengiesoughtaninjunctiontodelaytheỌba’scoronationbecausethe
91Curnow,Iyare!,2016,178.AlthoughBradbury’sarchivesarepubliclyavailableattheBirminghamUniversityLibrary,theyarenotdigitizedandthereforeauthorssuchasBondarenko(“AdventoftheSecond[Oba]Dynasty,2003,68andAkinola(“TheOriginoftheEwekaDynastyofBenin,1976)attributetheEkaladerhanstorytoshiftingpoliticalgoalsinthe1970s.Thisalternativestory,however,existedatleasttwodecadesbefore.92Akinola,“TheOriginoftheEwekaDynastyofBenin,”1976,28-29,34.TheIhamaofIhogbeandotherchiefscorroboratedtheidentificationofEkaladerhanwithOduduwa,butAkinolastatedthatỌbaAkẹnzua,afterelicitingwhatinformationAkinolahadunearthed,respondedwith“Whotoldyouthat?”inapparentsurprise.AkinolaconcludedthathisowninterviewandasubsequentonewithanIbadanUniversitystudentindicatedtheỌbadidnotsupportthispointofview.Akinola’scontentionthatthisversionofthestoryresultedfromyouthfulchiefsandshiftsofpoliticalalliancesincontemporaneousNigeriamaybetrue,buthissuggestionthatitsnon-appearanceinearlyrecordingsoforalhistorysignifiesitwasnotincirculationthenemploysfaultylogic.MostearlycolonialhistoriesofBeninwereverybrief,excludingmoreinformationthantheyincluded;thatdoesnotnegatethecirculationofthosethen-unpublishedstories.BondarenkocarefullycomparedthethreeversionsofBenin’sseconddynasty’sfoundation—Yoruba,formerBeninpalaceversion,andEkaladerhan/Oduduwaidentificationinhis“Adventofthesecond(Oba)Dynasty,”2003.StefanEisenhoferhadpreviouslyevaluatedchangingversionsoftheOgisodynasty,theinterregnumandthenewdynastyin“TheOriginsoftheBeninKingshipintheWorksofJacobEgharevba.”HistoryinAfrica22(1995),144,butmistakenlystatedEgharevbahadlistednine“republicanrulers”precedingEvianandOgiamieninthe1936editionofAShortHistoryofBenin.93Ebegbulem,“CoronationofObaofBenin,”Sept.25,2016.AstorybyFaithOmorodion,“AppealCourtRulesinFavoroftheOgiamiens”appearedinEagleGateNewspaper,Sept.21,2016,http://www.theeaglegate.com/appeal-court-rules-in-favor-of-the-ogiamiens/.Thedecidedlypro-Osemwengiestanceofthisonlinenewsletterisself-evident,anditappearstocontainfewstoriesunrelatedtothecontroversy.ItssporadiconlineappearancesdatetoonlyMayof2016,anditcontinuouslyrepeatedlibelousaccusationsregardingtheroyalfamilyuntilSept.22,2016;noneappearedinOctober,2016.
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Ekiokpaghabattleandtreatywerenotontheadvancecoronationprogram.Inanycase,since
theẸkiokpaghabattleanditstreatycustomarilyoccuraweekafterthemonarchisactually
crowned,thereisnoreasonitwouldhaveinterferedwiththeceremonyitself.Theappeals
court,however,rejectedhismotionand,onNovember17,2016,furtherupheldtheappealof
theEdostategovernorandtheBeninTraditionalCouncil,strikingdownOsemwengie’sclaims.94
Fromthebeginningofthiscontroversy,asecondblocofthefamilydeclaredthat
OgiamiẹnOsaroboOkuonghaewasaliveandwell,andthattheirfamilyhadenjoyedexcellent
termswiththeỌbaformanycenturies.TheyrepudiatedOsemwengieandtheOgiamien
Trumpetgroup,statingthatevenArisco’sclaimstofamilymembershipwerespurious.95The
familyreiteratedthesestatements,evenstagingananti-Ariscoprotest,andpledgeditssupport
forthecoronationandtheparticipationofeithertherecognizedOgiamiẹnOsaroboor“another
personthatjoinedintheburialoftheirfather.”96
ThecoronationofỌbaẸwuareIIhasrecentlyconcluded.Althoughthereenactingofthe
crossingofthebridgefromIsekhere’sterritory(completewithchicken)97tookplaceon
October20,2016,themorningoftheformalcrowning,thesubsequentẸkiokpaghabattleand
reconciliationdidnotoccur.ReferringtoOsemwengie,OgiamiẹnfamilymemberMoses
Igbinewekastated,"Someonecametostealthetitlefromus,sowecannothonourthe
94Alemma-OzioruvaAliu,“AppealcourtrejectsmotiontostopObaofBenin’scoronation,”TheGuardian,Oct.7,2016,http://guardian.ng/news/appeal-court-rejects-motion-to-stop-oba-of-benins-coronation/andSimonEbegbulem,“AppealCourtstrikesoutsuitagainstObaofBenin,Edogovt,”Nov.18,2016,http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/appeal-court-strikes-suit-oba-benin-edo-govt/.95Otabo,“Panic,”2015.96OgiamiẹnOsabo’ssistermadethisstatement,accordingtoAlemma-OzioruvaAliu,“Nigeria:OgiamienPledgesLoyaltytoNewBeninMonarch17DaystoCoronation,”TheGuardian,Oct.4,2016,http://allafrica.com/stories/201610040728.html.97TheBBCphotographedtheevent(http://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/EC0F/production/_92013406_ts14.jpg),whileTheNigerianObserverreportedit(http://www.nigerianobservernews.com/2016/10/the-coronation-of-history-focus-on-oba-of-benin/#.WBLel-v3arV).
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40
tradition."98Thecoronationprocessitselfisnotstatic;ithasincorporatedelementsfromother
monarchsovertime,includingincidentsrelatingtoỌbasẸwuareandẸsigie,andmayhave
droppedothers.ThedroppingoftheBattleofẸkiokpaghabecomesonemoreexampleofthe
Ẹdosaying,“NewỌba,newrules”(ỌbagherrieỌba,oghidọnmwọniyiọgbọn).
Interpretation:memoryorsensemaking?
TheperiodicconflictsbetweenmembersofthecurrentdynastyandtheEvian/Ogiamiẹn
line,subsequenttotheẸkiokpaghabattle,wereconsideredmeaningfulenoughtobecomepart
oforalhistory.Thisoccurredevenwhentheyseemminor,asinthecaseofOgiamiẹn’salliance
withOgiefaagainstỌbaẸwuare–certainlyunimportantcomparedtothekeyconflictreferredto
inOhunIghitan.Thecognitiveconstructthisdivinationcodeprovidednotonlyservedasakind
ofmagnetforevenpettyassociations,itbuoyedthelogicofcorrelationsmadewithoutbroad
support.Forexample,whenIkponmwosaOsemwegieandOgiamiẹnOsarobomaintainElẹrẹ’s
affiliationwiththeOgiamiẹnline,aclaimnotpreviouslypublished,itunderlinesthesignificance
oftheconstruct,“proven”ornot.Oncetheconstructwasinplace,episodescouldbe“filed”
there.BecauseOhunIghitansetupanarrativeframework,futurereferencestoconflicts
betweentheroyalandOgiamiẹnlineagesrequirednoallusionstopalmandsugarcane,norto
expositorydivinationtales;theyneededonlyamentionofthepartiesinvolved.Assuch,the
divinationcodeconstitutesan“active”sensemakingelement,itsstructureshapingthought
evenasitscontentvariesovertime.AsTalmystatedabove,itproducedanarrativestructure
thatboundslikecontentswithinafluidcognitiveunit.
98FemkevanZeijl,“TheObaofBeninKingdom:AHistoryoftheMonarchy,”Aljazeera,Nov.12,2016,http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2016/10/oba-benin-kingdom-history-monarchy-161031161559752.html.Atthetimeofthestory,thedoorwayremainedsealed,butthefamilystillhopeditwouldbeopenedforafuturevisitoftheỌbawiththetraditionalgifts.
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Sensemakinginitiallymightseemrelatedtothepreoccupationwithmemorythathas
affectedpostmodernhistorians,anthropologists,andotherscholarssincethelate1980s.
HistorianPierreNora’scommentthat“Memoryisaperpetuallyactualphenomenon,abond
tyingustotheeternalpresent;historyisarepresentationofthepast”99soundsakinto
sensemaking’sconceptofthe“active”element.Memorystudies’interestinphenomenological
approachestoevents,100ratherthanthedocumentedfactsofhistory,alsoappearstorelateto
theexperientialcomponentofsensemaking.Ofthetypesofmemoryscholarshavediscussed,
sensemakingseemsclosesttotheconceptofcollectivememoryoriginatingintheworkof
sociologist-philosopherMauriceHalbwachs.Hepostulatedthatindividualmemoriesarebased
onsocialframeworksthatareinturnproducedbysub-groups,ratherthansocietyasa
whole.101
ThiscollectivememoryconceptcouldbeappliedtotheỌba/Ogiamiẹnconflictsin
severalways.HistorianLynnAbramspointsoutthattheactofrememberingisanactive
process,andeveninaccuraterememberingprovidesinsightintoaccounts,102suchasElẹrẹ’s
membershipintheOgiamiẹnlinediscussedabove.AnthropologistJohannesFabiandefines
collectivememoryinoppositiontopublicmemory,consideringtheformera“boundedand
closedterritory”forthesub-group.103ThistooconnectstotheỌba/Ogiamiẹnconflict.Although
theinitialbattlethatfinallyestablishedthedynasty’sruleinBeninmighthavebeenknownto
99PierreNora,“BetweenMemoryandHistory:LesLieuxdeMémoire,”Representationsno.26(1989):8.100DavidBerliner,“SocialThought&Commentary:TheAbusesofMemory:ReflectionsontheMemoryBoominAnthropology,”AnthropologicalQuarterly78(1,2005):199-200.Berlinersuppliesanexcellentoverviewofanthropologicaltreatmentofmemory,warningagainstaconflationofmemoryandculture/identity.101MauriceHalbwachs,OnCollectiveMemory(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1992).ThisvolumeisatranslationofHalbwachs’works,writtenbeforehis1945death.102LynnAbrams,“Memoryasbothsourceandsubjectofstudy:thetransformationsoforalhistory”inWritingtheHistoryofMemory,eds.BillNivenandStefanBerger(NewYork:Bloomsbury,2014),89,93. 103JohannesFabian,MemoryAgainstCulture:ArgumentsandReminders(Durham,NC:DukeUniversityPress,2007),94.
Sensemaking in Benin Kingdom Oral Traditions
42
thegeneralpublicthroughcoronationreenactions,onlythoseinvolvedindivinationas
practitionersorclientswouldhearthecodedOhunIghitansentenceandassociateits
human/spiritbattlewiththepalmfrondsandsugarcaneofrepeatedmockẸkiokpaghabattles
andasmallercircleyetmighthavelinkedtheconceptofthe“disputethatisneversettled”with
theỌbaandOgiamiẹn.Thecodestructureandmetaphoricallanguagewouldhavebeenthe
provinceofintellectuals.Asfortherepetitivenatureoftheconflicts,historycreationand
keepingwaslessthesphereofeverycitizenthanitwasofcertaincourtiers.Someofthese
tendedroyalhistorygenerally,otherskeptonlytheirownfamily’sinteractionwithvariousỌbas
alive.HistorianMaryFulbrookdevelopedHalbwach’spostulationthat“rememberingagents”
withinsub-groupsweresignificant.104Herememorystudiesbreakdownsomewhatwhen
appliedtoỌba/Ogiamiẹnconflicts,inthatprecise“rememberingagents”aredifficulttoisolate.
Ominigbọndivinersalludedonlytothekeyconflict,althoughmultipleversionsofnearlyevery
otherclashpointtodiffusednarrativesources.Still,thenotionofcollectivememoryinvokes
process,asdoessensemaking.
Collectivememorystudieshavebeencritiquedforalackofhistoricityandexcessive
stressontheindividual,105aswellasfortheirfocusonmodernEuropeanstates,thingsnational,
theHolocaust,andWWII.Inaddition,ashistorianWulfKansteinerobserved:
Worksonspecificcollectivememoriesoftencannotilluminatethesociologicalbaseofhistoricalrepresentations...[s]omeoftheseproblemscanbeaddressedbyadoptingandfurtherdevelopingthemethodsofmediaandcommunicationstudies,especiallyregardingquestionsofreception.Forthispurposeweshouldconceptualizecollectivememoryastheresultoftheinteractionamongthreetypesofhistoricalfactors:theintellectualandculturaltraditionsthatframeallourrepresentationsofthepast,the
104MaryFulbrook,“History-writingand‘collectivememory,’”inWritingtheHistoryofMemory,eds.BillNivenandStefanBerger(NewYork:Bloomsbury,2014),14-15.105RickCrownshaw,“TheFutureofMemory:Introduction”inTheFutureofMemory,eds.RichardCrownshaw,JaneKilbyandAntonyRowland(NewYork:BerghahnBooks,2010),3-16.
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memorymakerswhoselectivelyadoptandmanipulatethesetraditions,andthememoryconsumerswhouse,ignore,ortransformsuchartifactsaccordingtotheirowninterests.106
Kansteiner’ssuggestionsforfurtherhistoricalilluminationviacommunicationstudiesinvoke
certainofsensemaking’skeycontributions.His“threetypesofhistoricalfactors,”applyto
discussionsoftheunsettledquarrel:ominigbọntraditionsprovideaframingdevice,memory
makersexistinthepersonofpastcourtiers,andmemoryconsumersconsistofthosesamepast
courtiers,currentcourtiers,scholars,andarelativelynarrowswathofthegeneralpublic.
Sensemaking,then,whileitoverlapswithsomeaspectsofmemorystudies,ultimatelyremains
distinctfromthem.Itsobjectivediffers.Ratherthanprovidingamethodtoreframethepast,
sensemaking’spurposeistoidentifytheframeworksthatconstructnarratives.
Conclusionandquestions
ThelatestconflictbetweentheOgiamiẹnpretenderandthepalaceisunlikelytoreorder
theBeninKingdomradicallyinanyway,107butithasalreadyaddedanewchaptertothe
continuedcognitiveframeworkominigbọndivinationprovides.However,whotodaywill
recognizeandlinkthischaptertoanominigbọncode?OminigbọnpracticeinBeninCityitself
hasdiminishedsubstantiallyoverthepast.108Withwrittenratherthanoraldocumentationthe
newnorm,haveorwillthestructurescreatedbyincreasinglyobscureoralpracticesbecome
106WulfKansteiner,“FindingMeaninginMemory:AMethodologicalCritiqueofCollectiveMemoryStudies,”HistoryandTheory41(May,2002):180.107Osemwengie’ssupportersaccusedthelateỌbaErediauwaofhidingOgiamiẹnOsaroboOkuonghaeawayoverseastoavoidthereenactmentoftheẸkiokpaghaTreaty.Despitethisandothercalumniousandactionableaccusationsagainstboththelatemonarchandthemonarch-to-be,andthesesupporters’proposalthatEdaikẹnEhẹnẹdẹn’shalf-brotherAdabeappointedtothethrone(Osadolo,“OgiamienVsObaofBenin,”2016),theTraditionalCouncil,aswellasthestateandfederalgovernmentsandmostBeninsubjects,continuedtosupporttheEdaikẹn.HewascrownedsuccessfullyasỌbaẸwuareII,hisformalcoronationheldonOct.20,2016.108Itdoes,however,enjoygreaterpopularityintheEsan/Ishanregions.(Personalcommunication,DarylPeavy,Nov.17,2016).
Sensemaking in Benin Kingdom Oral Traditions
44
irrelevant,theirmodesofmentalcompartmentalizationnolongerutilized?Almostcertainly.
Thecognitivemagnetthatwaspartofsensemakingforcenturieshaslostitsimpetusandmay
havealreadybecomeanagentofcollectivememory,replacedbycalcifiedwrittenaccounts.
Evenifdivination’sdeclinemeansthatanenduringsensemakingdeviceis,ineffect,now
demagnetized,ominigbọncodesseemworthyofadditionalhistoricalanalysis,nomatterthe
approach.Certainly,noteverycodereferenceshistoricalincidents,andmanyofthosethatdo
areapparentlyspecific,ratherthanepisodic.Nonetheless,therelevanceoftheOhunIghitan
codesuggestsotherowihamighteffectivelyyieldinsightsnotonlyintothepast,butintothe
cognitivesystemandworldviewthatproducedBenin’shistories.
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