Written by Patrick Ochoga


The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has frowned at a dance by a groom, Izoduwa Imasuen, at his traditional wedding ceremony in which the groom and his men danced and twirled the traditional Eben (Royal Scepter).

The wedding ceremony, which was captured in a video that has gone viral on the social media, has incurred the wrath of the revered monarch, for undermining the age-long tradition of the Benin Kingdom.

The Oba, in a statement dated October 18, 2023, and signed by the Esere of Benin, Chief S. O. Obamwonyi, described the action of the celebrants as an abomination, aberration and a distortion of Benin traditional marriage processes and procedures.

He warned that only chieftaincy title-holders are traditionally allowed to twirl the Eben while paying homage to the Oba of Benin, and it’s never a part of wedding ceremony.

The statement read: “The attention of the Benin Traditional Council has been drawn to a recent traditional marriage ceremony of one Izoduwa Imasuen which took place on 26th August, 2023.

“It was observed that during the marriage ceremony, Izoduwa Imasuen and his groom’s men were twirling the traditional Eben while dancing during the marriage ceremony.

“The general public should note that this act by lzoduwa Imasuen is an abomination, aberration and a distortion of Benin traditional marriage processes and procedures.

“The twirling of Eben in Benin customs and tradition is by chieftaincy title holders while paying homage to the Oba of Benin. Twirling of Eben is never a part of marriage ceremony.

“The Palace of the Oba of Benin condemns this act by lzoduwa Imasuen and his groom’s men in all ramifications.

“His Roya! Majesty, Oba of Benin has instructed the Ewaise group to place a curse on all those that are undermining and bringing into frivolities and disrepute our highly valued age-long tradition.

“The general public especially those that are planning traditional marriages should endeavour to stick to the acceptable customs and tradition, and avoid bastardization and self-imposed curses.”

Lance008:
Oba won place curse and he no Dey create work

SoNature:
The truth is that this life is more complicated than most of us think.

Blessings and curses are of the Lord. The Maker of the universe will decide whether to honour those words or not.

SoNature:
The truth is that this life is more complicated than most of us think.

Blessings and curses are of the Lord. The Maker of the universe will decide whether to honour those words or not.

maticar:

Life and death are in the tongue.
God already placed it there, use it when necessary

SoNature:


Story. All the time people tell people that God will bless them. Go and check them, they are still very poor and struggling. On the other hand, we curse our politicians and they are still doing great with their families.

Bros, take it from me. He who goes to equity must do that with clean hands. Before you think the curse you placed on someone will work, make sure you haven't wronged anyone all your life. That's way the cookie crumbles.

Cc Exousiang

EXOUSIAng:


You get it wrong.

I could curse a politician as a person, without the backing of a spirit entity and nothing will happen.
But the type of curse the Oba of Benin is talking about is not just word of mouth.
Note that he is not the one placing the curse, they is a group charged with that responsibility, not just anybody can place the curse.
That curse I can guarantee you will go with a sacrifice on an alter, making it a covenant. That curse now has the backing of a spirit entity, a spirit or deity is now backing the curse making sure the curse is activated....

I am not talking about emotional curses, curses we lay out of anger and frustration, like saying "Ogun kill you"
But you see go to a river Ogun bank meet with a priest provide what is needed to invoke Ogun and lay that curse, you will see the difference between "Ogun kee you" and "Ogun kill you" except the person in question is innocent. And in this case we both know the young man is not innocent

No joke with those things oh.
Go to your village and break some rules that may seem lame and you would be shocked at the result.... Those rules as simple or stupid as they may seem have spirit watching.

How do you think we Africans maintained order in our societies before the white man brought police?
Or you also think we had no order and we were jumping from tree to tree....

SoNature:


So, according to your explanation, the Oba is a specialist in cursing his own people, right?

Does he also have a committee that blesses people too? Or is he there to make people poorer and use mysterious powers to kill them?

If the second category exists, why are there still poor people in Benin and around Edo State?