The glamour of Edo cultural day in Kaduna

The programme started with the presentation of kola nuts by three Bini women dressed in traditional attires, who danced from their seat to the stage carrying well arranged the kola nuts in a tray to where it was broken. On why Edo people respect kola nuts so much, Prince Osagie Erese, the patron of Benin […]

The programme started with the presentation of kola nuts by three Bini women dressed in traditional attires, who danced from their seat to the stage carrying well arranged the kola nuts in a tray to where it was broken.

On why Edo people respect kola nuts so much, Prince Osagie Erese, the patron of Benin Welfare Association, who broke the kolanut at the commencement of the programme, said that kola nut is a fruit created by God, just as it is used by other tribes or cultures, it is usually used in Edo for prayers in naming, house opening, and wedding among others.

He said that kola nut is usually presented and broken at occasions so that everyone in attendance can be in communion for peace, goodwill, prosperity, blessing, progress and good health. The most commonly used kola in the southern part of Nigeria could be split into four. This, he said, is referred to as the native kola. “The use of kola nut is not fetish at all,” he added.

As the event unfolds, one of the Bini women who were superbly dressed in traditional attires, Mrs Josephine Omoregie described the significance of all the accessories she wore.

The head bead she said is called okuku and it is strictly for Bini women, in fact a Bini girl cannot wear it until her wedding day. The bead is very expensive. The one she was wearing at the occasion which is plastic, she said, was rented for two thousand naira.

The real bead she said is more expensive. “The bead around my neck is real bead; I bought it twenty-five thousand naira four years ago,” she added.

In Benin, neck beads are won by different people, for instance, there is a neck bead won by only Benin monarchs, there is another for Benin chiefs and another for Benin women, which is called Ivie owuuru.

Mr. Anthony Okiei, one of the Edo people at the occasion, described their culture as very unique and strong such that it forbids certain things once they are in their traditional attire.

Mr. Anthony said once a woman is wearing the okuku, ugbegbe, iviebor and ivieobor, no man can cross her, a woman must not back a child while she is wearing the beads no matter how hard the child cries, girls are forbidden from wearing the okuku (head bead) and the ugbegbe (wrapper) because she can easily be approached by any man, likewise the men must not drink or perpetrate any evil while wearing the beads.

“Even though we are in the north, we still hold our culture in high esteem; our king is a hereditary king, which shows that our culture is still very superb and interesting. In fact, most of the Benin people living in Kaduna still have their father in the palace, which implies that if your father dies, you may be asked to take over from him,” he stated.

He said celebrating the event is to demonstrate their strong roots to their young ones. He added that in the next cultural day celebration, they will bring all their children to see the uniqueness of their culture.

The president of Edo State Community in Kaduna, Mr. Peace O. Okuonghae during the occasion said that Edo State is a miniature Nigeria owing to the diversity of its culture and languages. He said Edo State is the first state to be called by the name of its people.

“We are Edo people and our language is also Edo notwithstanding, there are dialectical variations as you move from one part of the state to another. That we are all collectively Edo also implies that we are from the same family whose progenitor has done so well to have the people some of whom you now see today,” he said.

There were dance presentations made by the various clans represented at the occasion. The Esan Progressive Union cultural group presented their own dance together with three masquerade display.

The masquerades, which in Edo traditions are referred to as spirits, demonstrated by continuous somersaulting and rolling in accordance to the rhythm of the drum from one side of the stage to the other one after the other, people at the occasion applauded and were moved by the performance.

The oti-okpella-egbe of okpella clan in Estako East Local Government Area of Edo State, Chief M.A Sado said that in Edo State, they have a lot of masquerades and they signify the dead who are reincarnated.

He said, “We believe that they are spirits and that is why in areas like Okpella, there are masquerades that we forbid women from seeing, if by mistake, a woman sees a masquerade, she has to make sacrifice to the gods or she will face the consequence.”

The chairman of the occasion, Group Captain Kenneth Iyamu of the Nigerian Air Force in his speech said that the Edo people have had over one thousand four hundred years of continuous history and have developed a well articulated culture.

He said that it is his expectation that the occasion will enhance the much desired sense of solidarity among Edo people.

The event was colourful and indeed a reflection of Edo in Kaduna State as the Edo people present at the occasion had a feeling of home.