ShymmexLion: Mi bomboclart queen fi love dem Afrikan men yanoe.

Jah save weh queen. Dun noe.

Mi fi get some rum, ginger beer, and jerk chicken cuh mi know seh everything up there afi nostalgic.

Mi fi celebrate wit mi bludclart queen. dun noe.

naptu2:

Very good reply.

Galaxy.Note.II:


Thank you for this brilliant post

jude33084:


Apart from that, ₪ice post

ighoosagie:
U re d true son of Ur father.

Okija_juju: That Oba is a Biitchass!!

Why is he bowing to the Queen?!

He even left his palace to meet her at the Airport?!

She is shaking him with her gloves on sef!!

Yet his foolish Grandson would not even come out to see the President?

#Typical Nigga Mentality!!

CaptainGo:


There are a couple of things they won't teach u in school. Consciously make efforts to be smart. Things don't often come in black n white. Grow up n learn about the shades of gray! Okija_Juju, ur post is DUMB

Okija_juju: White men bowing to Idi Amin

www.nairaland.com/attachments/768958_Idi_Amin_jpg3363b2aea30a8eb48976d3cdd99316d6

Okija_juju:

Ok!!

Thanks for responding...

I still think your Oba acted like a little biitchass Nigga!!
The Queen will not even help him book a taxi in the U.K let alone come to the airport to pick him up.

plasgidy: this oba atire is among why the oyibo dey see us like say we come from venus or jupiter, how can he rap him self with that beans bags in such a hot weather, we jacky self na waooo.

Soloblincus: lol, idi ami na their mate?

Okija_juju:

They are both royalty in their own rights and one had no business bowing to the other..

It has nothing to do with her being a woman.

isale_gan2: It is too bad the Omo N'Oba bowed, but what do we expect; those racist colonial bastards tried to do away with that kingdom and many others.

But there is nothing wrong with his traditional kingly attire when you see it upclose. It is regal and resplendent.

Have some pride in your culture for God sakes!

PhysicsQED: Just now seeing this thread. I have to say that I am surprised at the number of derogatory comments about the late Oba Akenzua II's attire.

The comments of people like nwando/babyosisi and ifihearam are not surprising, since their antipathy to anything concerning the Edo is already known, but I'm a bit surprised by the comments from so many others, and even from people I thought were brighter than that.

As someone who has seen a lot of images of monarchs, elites, nobility, etc. from the past and the present day, I think that the red beaded regalia of the Oba of Benin is not merely one of the best in Nigeria, it's one of the best in Africa and the wider world. But this is something that is clear to me because I have actually looked at the attires and clothing of many African and non-African rulers from the past and the present - something which I think a lot of the people commenting negatively here have not done.

Ironically, some of those making derogatory comments about "masquerades" might be from groups where the leaders, rulers, elites, elders, rich men etc. simply adopted or attempted to adopt some European clothing (and not always successfully - some of them did not look impressive, to say the least) or wore little at all. I say "might" because a lot of people haven't even bothered to look at the old images of chiefs, kings, elites, etc. from different parts of Nigeria, and they might be totally clueless about whether the monarchs, nobility, elites, or elders among their people looked regal and stately, as the Obas of Benin did and still do, or looked more like nobodies with little cultural creativity and no sense of style.

Others that are mocking the attire would probably be surprised to know that the same Europeans and Westerners whose clothing they probably see as ideal today were writing about how the Oba of Benin's beaded regalia was magnificent (as it definitely was and is, regardless of whether they had acknowledged that) even centuries ago, and are still writing about its regal appearance today.

And kudos to all those who had positive comments in here - clearly not everybody on NL is devoid of appreciation for African culture.

Okija_juju:

Ok!!

Thanks for responding...

I still think your Oba acted like a little biitchass UNCLE TOM Nigga!!
The Queen will not even help him book a taxi in the U.K let alone come to the airport to pick him up.

remark D:

Dear Nwando:

I dont know if you already noticed, but I am a big fan of yours a while back, I was desperately looking to find out what happened to you as you seemed to have disappeared from nairaland, and i was away for a while too before coming back (to mainly read posts) and saw you werent there. My heart wassad and I didnt know how to "follow" you (if you had gone to another forum or other social media) ...

I dunno what else to say, am a lil embarassed saying it, but you brough lots of laughter into my days back then (and even now still lol) i remember cause i was under a lot of stressback then as it was my first experience of obodo oyibo and trying to adjust was not as easy as i had thought, but coming to nairaland gave me a lot of comic relief..... not only am i attracted to intelligent women whom are knowledge on a variety of topics, but having a sense of humor, a wicked one for that matter, and dishes it out to any that tries to undo your button (of your blouse) was just a kicker for me.

I will like to contact you privately... but only if that is okay with you. I am not a creep, but i understand this is not the usual way to meet and be friends with people... hope you reply...
Lots of love... from one of your fans on nairaland.

The one and only Remark D

PortHarcourtBoy: I hope dem fumigate this Oba with enuuuuf insecticides and pesticides before e see the Queen? The guy just be like mobile sanctuary for rodents and insects...

Farmer fit kukuma position the Oba for corn field as scare-crow...no bird go near

nwando:

Abi o
The Oba looks like he should be in a cartoon

OC cool: All u haters badmouthing d oba's attire, why don't you upload pics of ur traditional rulers with their attires, if they won't look like glorified native doctors.

1 shortblackboy: Nna mehn see baff up!!

PAGAN 9JA:
[size=16pt]HEY ST.UPIDS! YOU MONKEYS HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF COURT MATTERS!

WHEN A FEMALE MONARCH, i,e., A QUEEN, MEETS A MALE ROYAL COUNTERPART OR MEMBER OF NOBILITY IS THE MALES DUTY TO HALF-BOW BEFORE HER AS A SIGN OF GENTLEMANNESS AND COURTESY! EVEN IF THE KING OF SPAIN, OR HAPSBURG-AUSTRIA, ETC., MEETS A QUEEN, HE MUST BE THE 1ST TO SHOW SIGNS OF COURTESY!

AS FOR THE GLOVES, THAT IS THE CUSTOM OF MOST EUROPEAN ARISTOCRATS, JUST AS IT IS THE CUSTOM AMONG YORUBA OBAS, TO VEIL THEIR FACES, AND IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES OF WEST AFRICAN ROYALS, TO WEAR AIR FILTERS ON THEIR NOSE, etc.


AS FOR THE ATTIRE, IT IS SPLENDID AND IT WAS BRAVE OF THE OBA TO WEAR IT WITH FULL PRIDE AND DIGNITY IN FRON OF THE SUITED AND BOOTED BRITS.

AS FOR BOWING TO THE NIGERIAN PRESIDENT OR MEETING HIM OUTSIDE THE PALACE, THE PRESIDENT IS NOT A MEMBER OF ROYALTY (usually) AND HE IS A COMMONER ELECTED DEMOCRATICALLY TO SERVE THE PEOPLE, AND NOT A HEREDITARY MONARCH.[/size]

GotNoBrainsYo:


I dont know where to begin.
Are we talking about European Aristocratic tradition, Or African Aristocratic/Royal Tradition.
Where is his entourage as a Royal?
Why he is there at the tarmac waiting for her?

The Oba belittled his Kingship. PERIOD.

PhysicsQED:

This is all about courtesy and politeness (something which a lot of people in this thread obviously have difficulty with) and people like you were making much of something that you guys think was a faux pas or gaffe, but which would just have been viewed at the time as politeness. I'm at a loss as to how so many people here can think that every encounter between an African and a European requires that the African has to puff out their chest, strut, and act standoffish - even when the European is just some delicate little lady smiling there with a handbag. It seems like a very immature view to take. I doubt that either of the two people shaking hands in that picture would have understood all these imaginary power dynamics you guys are reading into that handshake.

The other thing you seem to have missed is that Oba Akenzua II did not "bow" to Prince Phillip (British royalty) - not only because they are actually around the same height but because Philip isn't a lady so the convention of bowing when greeting a lady wouldn't even apply.

Anyway, Oba Akenzua II refused to go to Ibadan (the capital) to meet Queen Elizabeth II, so her tour was changed so that she would visit Benin and meet with the Oba there. I'm not sure how requiring from the tour organizers that she (the Queen) visit Oba Akenzua II in Benin rather than the Oba traveling to meet her wherever else she was going is belittling his kingship.

As for "African Aristocratic/Royal Tradition", is there some all inclusive "African Aristocratic Tradition" with set conventions that every African monarch or aristocrat adheres to? Because there is considerable variation in customs and tradition among African monarchs - for example this "entourage" stuff. What entourage are you talking about? Why should the Oba have had his whole "entourage" (whatever exactly you think that should have consisted of) there? And I don't see Queen Elizabeth's "entourage" in those photos, so I don't see what your point is.

GotNoBrainsYo:

So you think the Sultan of Sokoto, will carry his Shokoto and go and wait for HRH. Or that the Shehu of Borno
will go and wait for HRH at an airport without royal aides?
Please let me hear word. The Oba denigrated his Office as far as I am concerned. Carry GO!

GotNoBrainsYo:

So you think the Sultan of Sokoto, will carry his Shokoto and go and wait for HRH. Or that the Shehu of Borno
will go and wait for HRH at an airport without royal aides?
Please let me hear word. The Oba denigrated his Office as far as I am concerned. Carry GO!