By Sebastine Ebhuomhan
The Monarch of Benin Kingdom, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, CFR, honoured his late queen mother on Tuesday in continuation of the first part of the final burial rites for the late royalty.
The cultural ceremony of Isoton drew personalities and visitors from all walks of life, including the Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Right Honourable Sheriff Blessing Agbebaku; the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Honourable Samson Osagie; the former Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero as well as a former Governor of Bauchi State and ex-Minister of Aviation, Alhaji Isa Yuguda.
Judging by the huge crowd of radiantly dressed and colourfully decked royalties from inside and outside the kingdom, members of the Benin Traditional Council, natives of Benin Land, residents of Benin City and other parts of Edo State, visitors from all over the country and others from all walks of life, who stormed the palace to felicitate, sing, dance and walk with His Royal Majesty to the Emotan Shrine opposite Oba Market, where he offered prayers, and back to the palace in celebration of Isoton, Omo N’Ikuoyemwen, the Iyoba Ewuare II, must have been overwhelmed in her grave with the joy of satisfaction and appreciation.
The event began at exactly 3.15pm inside the palace of the monarch, where each group of people took turns to salute Oba Ewuare II. The monarch was beautifully adorned on his throne in a complete ceremonial regalia of a red hat designed with red, white and gold colours, a pair of dark glasses, and a white bead, matching a red short-sleeve shirt, complete with a heavy gold dress on a pair of shoes.
The event moved over to Uselu, where the palace of the Iyoba is located, and where the princes and princesses continued the rites under the eyes and joyful felicitations of the crowd of well-wishers.
Isoton is one of the ceremonies marking the first part of two-part traditional funeral rites for the Iyoba. The first part began on Saturday, 15th February and ended on Friday, 28th February. The second part, the performance of the Ekasa group, takes place between the 1st and 27th of March, 2025.
According to a senior palace chief, the Osuma of Benin Kingdom, Chief Moses Norense Ozigbo-Esere, “Isoton is an event that forms part of a burial ceremony in Benin. It is performed as a second and final burial rite for an average Benin person. It is just like what you have in the case of a Christian believer, where you have different events like church service, service of songs, interment, thanksgiving etc. But in our case, Isoton is a native burial ceremony.”
In the programme of events, Isoton would give way to Edenagborinmwin Ohanmwen, which will take place on Wednesday, 26th February before a family rite the next day. The curtain would be drawn on the first part of the ceremony on Friday, 28th February with the penultimate event, called Ikpowia.
Oba ghator kpere, Ise!
Mr Sebastine EBHUOMHAN is an award-winning journalist and media consultant from Edo State. He can be reached at: usie007@yahoo.com and 08037204620.
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